Integrating HelpScout Chat Widget into Discourse Platform

[Discourse]

This guide explains how to add a HelpScout chat widget to your Discourse site, allowing users to initiate one-on-one chats with your team.

Required user level: Administrator

Summary

This guide will walk you through the process of integrating a HelpScout chat widget into your Discourse site. This integration enables your users to start direct conversations with your team, enhancing user support and engagement.

Setting up HelpScout

1. Create an account at https://www.helpscout.com/
2. Complete the steps to set up your account and mailbox
3. Click on Set Up Beacon

4. Configure your Beacon settings

5. Copy the provided scripts using the Copy button

Adding the HelpScout widget to Discourse

6. Navigate to your Discourse admin panel: admin > customize > themes > components
7. Click on Install
8. Select +Create new

9. Enter a name for the component (e.g., “HelpScout Chat Widget”), ensure the Type is set to “Component”, and click Create
10. Select the theme(s) where you want to add the new component to activate it
11. Click on Edit CSS/HTML

12. Go to the common > /head tab
13. Paste the HelpScout script you copied earlier
14. Click Save

Configuring Discourse site settings

15. In your Discourse site settings, search for “content security policy script src”
16. Add the following URL to the allowlist:
    • https://beacon-v2.helpscout.net/

Verifying the integration

17. Return to your Discourse homepage
18. You should now see the chat icon in the bottom right corner, visible to both visitors and registered users
    • If you don’t see the icon, perform a hard refresh of the site

Using the HelpScout chat widget

Once integrated, your users can initiate one-on-one chats with your team:

You can access and respond to received messages from the HelpScout dashboard and mailbox.

Last edited by @jessii 2024-08-05T18:55:30Z

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