GitHub Integration

The GitHub integration lets your team create or link a GitHub issue from a SparrowDesk ticket, attach the customer's screenshots and videos, and see the issue's current status in the ticket sidebar. Agents no longer copy tickets into GitHub by hand, and engineers get the files they need with the issue.

What You Need First

• Role: Account Owner or Admin. Only these roles can connect GitHub and work with issues on a ticket.
• Plan: Starter, Professional or a higher plan. The integration isn't available on the Free plan.
• GitHub account: A GitHub account with access to the repos you want to use. If your GitHub organization blocks third-party apps, an organization owner must approve SparrowDesk before its private repos appear.

Note: GitHub Enterprise Server and GitHub with data residency aren't supported.

Connect GitHub

1. Go to Settings → Apps.
2. Find GitHub and click Connect.

3. Sign in to GitHub when prompted.
4. Choose the repos SparrowDesk can use. You can pick personal or organization repos.

5. Confirm to finish. The GitHub section now appears in the sidebar of every ticket.

SparrowDesk can only reach the repos you select here. Issues you create show the person who connected GitHub as the author.

Create a GitHub Issue From a Ticket

1. Open the ticket.
2. In the ticket sidebar, go to the GitHub section and click Add GitHub Issue.
3. Select Create a new issue.

4. Choose the Repo.
5. Check the Title. It's filled in from the ticket subject, and you can edit it. 
6. Add a Description.
7. Add Labels and Assignees if needed.
8. Add Attachments if needed. You can attach up to 10 files, up to 10 MB each.
9. Click Create.

If you pick a public repo, SparrowDesk warns you before creating the issue, since anyone can see it.

Nothing from SparrowDesk is added to the issue automatically. GitHub gets only what you type or attach, with no ticket link and no customer details.

Attach Screenshots and Videos

Files are uploaded to GitHub as regular issue attachments, the same as dragging a file into an issue on GitHub. Images and videos show inside the issue, at the end of the description.

• Supported types: PNG, JPEG, GIF, WebP, SVG, MP4, MOV and WebM. Other file types, such as PDFs, logs and ZIP files, can't be selected.
• Limits: up to 10 files per issue, 10 MB each.
• If a file fails: it's skipped and the issue is still created. Uploads also fail if the person who connected GitHub doesn't have write access to the repo.

Attachments follow the repo's access. On a private repo, only people with access to it can open them.

Link an Existing GitHub Issue

Use this when several customers report the same bug. You can link each ticket to one issue.

1. Open the ticket.
2. In the GitHub section, click Add GitHub Issue and select Link an existing issue.
3. Paste the GitHub issue URL, or search for the issue in your selected repos.
4. Select the issue to link it.

Check an Issue's Status

Each linked issue shows in the ticket sidebar with its repo and number, title, status, assignees and labels. SparrowDesk fetches the latest details from GitHub every time you open the sidebar, so you can update the customer without opening GitHub.

The status shows as Open or Closed, and closed issues show why: completed, not planned or duplicate.

If SparrowDesk can’t reach GitHub or GitHub access was revoked, the section shows Couldn’t load GitHub issues. If a linked issue is deleted on GitHub or you no longer have access to it, it's hidden from the list.

Unlink an Issue or Disconnect GitHub

• Unlink an issue: In the ticket’s GitHub section, open the menu on the linked issue and click Unlink. The issue itself stays on GitHub.

• Change repos: Go to Settings → Apps → GitHub to update which repos SparrowDesk can use.
• Disconnect GitHub: Go to Settings → Apps → GitHub and click Disconnect. This removes the connection and all issue links from every ticket. Issues on GitHub aren't deleted.

Connecting, disconnecting and changing repos are recorded in the audit log.

FAQ

1. Who can create or link GitHub issues?
Account Owners and Admins. Agents don't see the GitHub section on tickets.

2. Why don't I see the GitHub section on a ticket?
GitHub isn't connected yet, or your role doesn't have access. The section appears on tickets only after an Account Owner or Admin connects GitHub.

3. Why does the sidebar say “Couldn’t load GitHub issues”?
SparrowDesk can’t reach GitHub, or GitHub access was revoked. An Admin needs to reconnect GitHub.

4. Why didn’t my file attach to the issue?
Only images and videos (PNG, JPEG, GIF, SVG, MP4, MOV, WebM) up to 10 MB each, and up to 10 files, can be attached. A file that fails to upload is skipped, and the issue is still created.

The Attach Screenshots and Videos section needs the same two fixes:

• Supported types: PNG, JPEG, GIF, SVG, MP4, MOV and WebM. Other file types, such as PDFs, logs and ZIP files, can’t be selected.
• If a file fails: it’s skipped and the issue is still created.

5. Why don't my organization's private repos show up?
Your GitHub organization may block third-party apps. An organization owner needs to approve SparrowDesk on GitHub.

6. What happens to linked issues if a ticket is merged or deleted?
The links stay as they are. If you disconnect GitHub, all links are removed from tickets, but the issues stay on GitHub.

7. Who shows as the author of issues created from SparrowDesk?
The person who connected GitHub, for every issue created from SparrowDesk.