How to configure service level agreements on Zendesk

intermediate 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Configure SLAs in Zendesk by accessing Admin Center, creating SLA policies with specific conditions and targets, then setting up escalation rules. SLAs automatically track response and resolution times based on your defined criteria.

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Prerequisites

Administrator access to Zendesk instance
Understanding of SLA metrics and business requirements
Knowledge of ticket priority and status workflows
Familiarity with Zendesk's business rules

Step-by-Step Instructions

Access SLA Configuration

Navigate to Admin Center from your Zendesk dashboard. In the sidebar, click on Objects and rules, then select Business rules and click on Service level agreements. This section displays all existing SLA policies and allows you to create new ones.

Ensure you have Administrator privileges as SLA configuration requires full admin access.

Create a New SLA Policy

Click the Add policy button in the top right corner. Enter a descriptive name for your SLA policy in the Policy name field. Add a brief description explaining the purpose and scope of this SLA policy. Set the policy position to determine the order in which SLA policies are evaluated.

Use clear, descriptive names like 'Premium Customer SLA' or 'Critical Issue Response SLA' for easy identification.

Define SLA Conditions

In the Filter section, set up conditions that determine which tickets this SLA applies to. Click Add condition and select criteria such as:

Priority (High, Urgent, etc.)
Ticket form or Brand
Requester tags or Organization
Channel (Email, Chat, Phone)

Use AND/OR operators to combine multiple conditions as needed.

Start with simple conditions and test thoroughly before adding complex criteria combinations.

Set SLA Targets and Metrics

Configure your SLA targets in the Targets section:

First reply time: Set hours/minutes for initial response
Next reply time: Define ongoing response expectations
Resolution time: Specify maximum time to resolve tickets

For each metric, set the target time using the dropdown menus for hours and minutes. Enable Apply during business hours only if SLA should pause outside business hours.

Consider different targets for different priority levels to ensure realistic and achievable SLA commitments.

Configure Business Hours

If using business hours, click on Business hours in the Admin Center sidebar under Account settings. Define your schedule by:

Setting Start time and End time for each day
Selecting applicable Days of the week
Adding Holidays when SLA should be paused
Setting the appropriate Time zone

Save your business hours configuration.

Create multiple business hour schedules if you support customers across different time zones or have different SLAs for different regions.

Set Up SLA Notifications

In the SLA policy, scroll to the Notifications section. Configure when to send alerts:

Warning threshold: Percentage of SLA time elapsed before sending warning (e.g., 75%)
Recipients: Add agents, groups, or email addresses to notify
Escalation actions: Set automatic actions when SLA is breached

Enable Send escalation email to notify stakeholders of SLA violations.

Set warning thresholds early enough (50-75%) to allow time for agents to respond before SLA breach occurs.

Test and Activate SLA Policy

Before activating, click Preview to see which existing tickets would match your SLA conditions. Review the preview results to ensure the policy targets the correct tickets. If satisfied, click Create policy to save and activate. The SLA will immediately begin applying to new tickets matching your conditions.

Test SLA policies in a sandbox environment first, or start with a narrow scope and gradually expand coverage.

Monitor SLA Performance

Access SLA reporting through Explore (Analytics) in your Zendesk. Use pre-built SLA reports or create custom dashboards to track:

SLA achievement rates by policy and time period
Average response and resolution times
Breach notifications and escalation frequency

Regular monitoring helps identify areas for improvement and ensures SLA targets remain realistic.

Set up automated SLA reports to be delivered weekly or monthly to stakeholders and management teams.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

SLA not applying to expected tickets

Check the Filter conditions in your SLA policy. Use the Preview function to see which tickets match. Verify that ticket properties like priority, tags, or organization match your SLA criteria exactly.

SLA targets showing incorrect time calculations

Verify your Business hours configuration matches your actual operating schedule. Check the Time zone settings in both business hours and your Zendesk account. Ensure Holiday schedules are properly configured if applicable.

SLA breach notifications not being sent

Confirm that Email notifications are enabled in your SLA policy. Check that recipient email addresses are valid and not blocked. Verify Trigger conditions for notifications are properly configured and test with a sample ticket.

Multiple SLA policies conflicting with each other

Review the Policy position order as Zendesk applies the first matching SLA. Use more specific conditions in higher-priority policies and broader conditions in lower-priority ones. Test policy interactions using the Preview feature.

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