Authentication API

Hosted Help Desk » Authentication API

Configuring single sign-on with your existing Web-apps and websites

Hosted HelpDesk supports "autologin" feature just like the downloadable version of the helpdesk. This feature allows users to be pre-authenticated automatically (by your parent website for example) without entering their username and password. The "autologin" feature is targeted at developers and administrators, who integrate the Hosted HelpDesk software into their existing websites and applications. If the user is already authenticated on your parent website (for instance) there are two options:

1. If a user is already present in the hosted help-desk's database and you know his password - redirect the user to the link of this kind: "AutoLogin.aspx?username=XXXXXX&pswHash=XXXXX". Where "username" is the user's login name, and "pswHash" is a MD5-hash of the user's HelpDesk-password.
2. If a user is not already present in the hosted helpdesk database or you don't want to pass his password, use this link format: http://MyHelpdeskUrl/AutoLogin.aspx?username=xxx&email=yyy&userHash=HASH where "username" is the user's username, "email" is is email and HASH is calculated as follows: MD5(name + email + shared-secret). The "shared secret" is specified in the admin panel. Remeber to specify a "strong" secret, at least 10 characters (the longer the better).

When using the "autologin" feature you can optionally redirect users to the "new ticket" page. Just add "&new_ticket=1" to the link above.