Connecting Zendesk Sunshine (Handoff + Copilot)
Hand off conversations to your Zendesk agent workspace - and let AI assist your agents as they respond.
Written by Outlearn Documentation
Updated at April 24th, 2026
Table of Contents
When a conversation needs a human right now - not in a few hours, not via a follow-up ticket, but immediately - your agent needs to be able to transfer it in real time. The user stays in the chat. Your agent hands over. A human takes it from there without missing a beat.
Connecting Zendesk Sunshine makes that possible. Live handoffs that land directly in your Zendesk agent workspace with full conversation history already attached. And optionally, Copilot - your agents handle the conversations while AI works in the background, drafting replies for them to send in one click. Less time composing, more time resolving.
In this article, you'll learn:
- How to connect Zendesk Sunshine
- How to configure the handoff
- How to set up Copilot (optional)
- The difference between Zendesk Sunshine and Zendesk Ticketing
Zendesk Sunshine vs. Zendesk Ticketing
Outlearn offers two separate Zendesk integrations. Make sure you're choosing the right one:
| Zendesk Sunshine | Zendesk Ticketing | |
|---|---|---|
| Handoff type | Live — conversation transfers to agent workspace in real time | Async - a support ticket is created for follow-up |
| Copilot available | Yes | No |
| Best for | Teams handling live chat support in Zendesk | Teams working through a ticket queue |
If your team primarily works through tickets and email rather than live chat, see Connecting Zendesk Ticketing instead.
Step 1: Connect to Zendesk Sunshine
- Go to the Handoffs tab.
- Click + Add Handoff.
- Select Zendesk Sunshine and click Connect.
- Log in to your Zendesk account when prompted and authorize Outlearn to access your workspace.
- Once authorized, you'll be taken to the configuration screen.
Step 2: Configure the Handoff
On the configuration screen, fill in the Handoff section:
- Handoff Name: The label for this handoff in your dashboard (e.g., "Transfer to Zendesk support").
- When to trigger: Write plain-language instructions for when to escalate.
Example trigger:
"Hand off when the user asks to speak with a human, when the issue involves account security or billing disputes, or when the agent has been unable to resolve the issue after two attempts."
For detailed guidance, see Writing Good Handoff Trigger Instructions.
Step 3: Configure Copilot (Optional)
Below the Handoff section, you'll find the Copilot section. When enabled, your agent drafts replies for your Zendesk agents to review and send.
When Copilot is enabled, configure the following:
Leave Note Instead of Replying
When toggled on, AI-drafted replies are posted as internal notes in Zendesk - visible to your agents but not the customer. Your agents review and decide whether to use the draft.
Recommended when you're first setting up Copilot - it gives your team control before AI drafts go directly to customers.
Reply As
Select which Zendesk agent Outlearn should appear as when drafting replies.
Assignment Criteria
Write instructions for routing conversations to specific agents or groups based on the content of the conversation.
Step 4: Save
Click Save Changes to activate.
Best Practices
- Use Leave Note Instead of Replying when first enabling Copilot - let your agents review AI drafts for a week before switching to direct replies.
- Test your handoff by triggering it in the Preview panel and confirming the conversation appears correctly in your Zendesk workspace.
- If you also use Zendesk Ticketing, make sure your trigger instructions distinguish between situations that need a live handoff and those that just need a ticket created.
- Review Handoff Reasons in Analytics after the first week to refine your triggers.