OTOBO and OTRS ((Community Edition)) Introduction - Get Started
What is OTOBO?
Section titled “What is OTOBO?”OTOBO / Znuny is a powerful, open source ticket system and helpdesk software specifically developed for enterprises. It enables the efficient management of customer inquiries and internal tasks through a flexible and customizable ticket management system. With OTOBO, companies can systematically record, track, and process support requests, service requests, and other tasks.
As an OTRS fork, OTOBO is among the leading open source ticket system options — see also the open source helpdesk overview.
Reviews
Section titled “Reviews”- Review by Tobias Bück
CEO in Germany
Verified User on LinkedIn
Computer Software, 2–10 employees
Used the software for: 6-12 months
Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Section titled “Rating: 5.0 / 5.0”Review
2 years ago
Comments
Section titled “Comments”Overall, we are very satisfied with OTOBO. OTOBO is a very good helpdesk. We use it at a car-sharing company and use it, for example, to record data about broken cars. This works excellently with OTOBO.
We have been using OTOBO for a long time and we are always amazed at how many features OTOBO has. The OTOBO ticket system is completely free, but must be installed on a server. You can also register an infinite number of agents.
Because there are so many incredible features, it may be overwhelming at the beginning.
Source of the reviews
Section titled “Source of the reviews”Znuny and OTOBO
Section titled “Znuny and OTOBO”Offers a modern customer portal, optimized forms, advanced security features such as two-factor authentication, simple migration from OTRS, Elasticsearch live search, integration with Open Street Map and supports GDPR compliance. It features a responsive design for mobile accessibility and an intuitive UI.
Focuses on advanced security and compliance options, flexible customization options through integrated packages and filter options, audit security, regular updates, and specific extensions for process management and reporting. The UI is classic, yet functional. Areas of application: Both systems are versatile and can be used in areas such as customer support, IT service management, and facility management.
Conclusion
Section titled “Conclusion”The choice between OTOBO and Znuny depends on the individual requirements and preferences of the user. OTOBO scores with modern usability and security features, while Znuny relies on extensions and community support.
OTOBO and Znuny features - differences and similarities
Migration & Installation
Section titled “Migration & Installation”Migration - ((OTRS)) Community Edition to OTOBO
Section titled “Migration - ((OTRS)) Community Edition to OTOBO”The switch from ((OTRS)) Community Edition to OTOBO is a seamless transition that ensures you retain the familiar functions while benefiting from new, powerful innovations. This guide leads you through the entire process of migration so that no details are overlooked. Migration from ((OTRS)) Community Edition to OTOBO
Installation and Configuration
Section titled “Installation and Configuration”Regardless of whether you want to operate OTOBO in a traditional server environment or in a modern cloud solution like Docker or Kubernetes, you will find all the information you need to get started with the setup in our detailed documentation. We cover various system environments, including Debian, Ubuntu, and SUSE, and provide step-by-step instructions for installation and configuration.
Learn more about the configuration of OTOBO here: OTOBO Configuration
User Management
Section titled “User Management”Setting up the UI
Section titled “Setting up the UI”OTOBO and Znuny impress with an intuitive and customizable UI, which was designed for both administrators and end users. We provide you with all the tools you need to adapt your ticket system to your specific requirements and to increase the productivity and satisfaction of your team and your customers.
In the following sections of this document, we will go into detail about each of these components and provide you with the necessary knowledge to successfully deploy and use OTOBO in your company. Driven by the mission to document the best open-source solution in the field of ticketing and helpdesk, we look forward to accompanying you on your path to more efficient workflows and improved customer support with OTOBO.
Customer Support
Section titled “Customer Support”Learn how OTOBO optimizes the interface between your company and your customers and what advantages OTOBO offers compared to OTRS Community Edition and other helpdesk systems like Znuny and KiX. OTOBO was developed by Rother OSS. Get to know the simple installation and configuration of OTOBO on Linux distributions like Debian, Ubuntu, and SUSE. Learn how OTOBO fits into any IT landscape thanks to Docker and Kubernetes support, and discover the extensive customization options of the OTOBO UI.
OTOBO Ticket System Customer Management
Administrator
Section titled “Administrator”This manual is aimed at administrators who want to get the most out of OTOBO or Znuny - from the first installation and configuration to customizing the UI for an optimized user experience. Regardless of whether you want to use OTOBO on Debian, Ubuntu, SUSE, or with the help of Docker and Kubernetes, you will find all the necessary information here.
![Administrator interface of OTOBO and Znuny[1]](https://softoft.sirv.com/Images/otobo/docs/admin-interface?w=400)
The administrator interface is the heart of OTOBO, where all important settings, such as system configuration, management of email accounts, and security settings, can be made. Through specific modules for users, groups, and roles, OTOBO can also be perfectly adapted to the structure of your company.
Start today with OTOBO and learn how you can revolutionize your customer management and internal processes with the OTOBO ticket system and its diverse extensions and plugins, such as OTOBO API, OTOBO i-doit integration, and business intelligence via OTOBO PowerBI.
Expanding the team and customer base
Section titled “Expanding the team and customer base”Expand your OTOBO team by adding agents and assign them to different groups and roles to ensure effective and organized workflows. Customers and their employees, who are recorded as customer users in the system, can also be added and managed without any problems. Through the support of Active Directory or LDAP for authentication, user management is immensely simplified, as the need to manually add users is eliminated.
Ticket Settings
Section titled “Ticket Settings”Personalize your customer experience by customizing Salutations and Signatures in the
ticket settings, and ensure that every queue is connected to a corresponding
salutation and signature. Setting up specific queues for
different types of requests enables targeted and efficient processing of customer inquiries.
Automated responses and templates
Section titled “Automated responses and templates”![Example of an automatic response in the OTOBO system [1]](https://softoft.sirv.com/Images/otobo/docs/auto-response-edit?w=500)
Automate the process of answering frequent inquiries by configuring Auto-Responses assigned to
specific queues. Also, create templates for ticket responses and SMS to
save time and increase efficiency in ticket processing.
Improving ticket management efficiency
Section titled “Improving ticket management efficiency”Improve the priority, states, and types of your tickets by exploring OTOBO’s customizable priority, state, and types settings. If your service offering is divided into clearly defined services, you will benefit from the ability to set up services and Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
Process automation and integration
Section titled “Process automation and integration”Automate recurring tasks and processes in OTOBO with Generic Agent jobs and improve efficiency by using process management. Also, ensure that external systems can be integrated seamlessly with OTOBO, which is supported by the setup of web services.
Advanced Customizations
Section titled “Advanced Customizations”This advanced configuration and customization of OTOBO enables organizations to provide an optimized, efficient, and customer-centric ticket management system. Use the full power of OTOBO to meet the requirements and expectations of your customers and go beyond them. To conclude the optimization of our OTOBO documentation, we explore the possibilities for extending the functionality by installing additional packages and customizing the external interface. This underscores the flexibility and scalability of OTOBO by enabling administrators to configure the system according to their specific requirements and ideas. Furthermore, we invite you to dive deeper into the functions of OTOBO to become a true expert in this field.
Extension and customization
Section titled “Extension and customization”The extensive range of integrated functions of OTOBO already covers many requirements of an efficient ticket management. But the true strength of OTOBO lies in its extensibility. Through the Package Manager, administrators can easily install additional packages to integrate new functionalities and extensions that exceed the standard offering. From improved reporting to specific functions for different industries – the possibility to customize OTOBO according to individual needs is almost limitless.
Personalization of the external interface
Section titled “Personalization of the external interface”OTOBO enables complete customization of the external interface, including the home page,
custom pages, and the layout. By defining a Customer Service Catalogue that is displayed prominently in
the external interface, companies can offer their customers and users a clear and intuitive
navigation through the available services and support options.
Designing an appealing and brand-consistent external interface promotes user trust in the quality of your support and increases user satisfaction through an improved user experience.
To optimize the design of the external interfaces as well as the UI of OTOBO and Znuny, you can use the themes and skins.
Become an OTOBO expert
Section titled “Become an OTOBO expert”Discovering and mastering all functions and configuration options that OTOBO and Znuny offer is the key to exploiting the full potential of the system. Our detailed chapters and the specialized documentation provide a deep insight into the customization options and the advanced settings that make OTOBO such a powerful solution for ticket management. The commitment to continuous learning and the exploration of new functions as well as the customization and extension of OTOBO will enrich your skills as an administrator or developer and help you to master the challenges in customer service and ticket management with flying colors. Become an OTOBO expert and lead your company to success with efficiency and innovation.
Frequently asked questions
What is OTOBO and how does it function as a ticket system?
OTOBO is a robust, open-source ticket system and helpdesk software designed for enterprises to efficiently manage customer inquiries and internal tasks. As an OTRS fork, it provides a flexible and customizable platform for systematically recording, tracking, and processing support requests, service requests, and other operational tasks. Its core functionality revolves around centralizing communication and workflows, ensuring that no request is overlooked and that teams can collaborate effectively to resolve issues. OTOBO helps organizations maintain high service levels by streamlining their support and task management processes, making it a leading choice among open-source solutions.
How is OTOBO related to OTRS Community Edition, and what are the migration options?
OTOBO is a direct fork of the OTRS Community Edition, representing its consistent evolution with modern features and ongoing development. This relationship means that OTOBO retains the core functionalities familiar to OTRS users while introducing powerful innovations and improvements. For organizations currently using OTRS 6 or OTRS 7 Community Edition, OTOBO offers a seamless migration path. The migration process is well-documented, guiding users through retaining their existing data and configurations while upgrading to OTOBO's advanced capabilities. This ensures a smooth transition, allowing businesses to benefit from OTOBO's enhanced usability, security, and performance without losing historical data or disrupting operations.
What are the key differences between OTOBO and Znuny?
While both OTOBO and Znuny are OTRS forks, they have evolved with distinct focuses. OTOBO emphasizes modern usability and advanced security features, offering an intuitive UI, a responsive design for mobile accessibility, an optimized customer portal, and capabilities like two-factor authentication and Elasticsearch live search. It also simplifies migration from OTRS and supports GDPR compliance. In contrast, Znuny focuses on advanced security and compliance options, flexible customization through integrated packages, audit security, and regular updates, often maintaining a more classic, yet functional, UI. The choice between the two largely depends on individual user preferences and specific organizational requirements, with OTOBO appealing to those prioritizing modern interfaces and robust security, and Znuny catering to those seeking extensive customization and community support.
How can I install and configure OTOBO?
OTOBO is designed for flexible deployment, accommodating various system environments from traditional servers to modern cloud solutions. The comprehensive documentation provides step-by-step instructions for installation and configuration across different Linux distributions, including Debian, Ubuntu, and SUSE. For cloud-native environments, OTOBO supports deployment using Docker and Kubernetes, offering scalable and containerized options. The installation guide covers everything from initial setup to detailed configuration, ensuring that users can get OTOBO up and running efficiently, regardless of their preferred infrastructure. This flexibility makes OTOBO adaptable to diverse IT landscapes and operational requirements.
What user management features does OTOBO offer for agents, customers, and administrators?
OTOBO provides comprehensive user management capabilities, designed to cater to administrators, agents, and customers with an intuitive and customizable user interface. Administrators have full control over system configuration, email accounts, and security settings, managing users, groups, and roles to perfectly align OTOBO with their company's structure. Agents can be added to expand the support team, assigned to specific groups and roles to ensure organized workflows, and utilize the system to manage tickets efficiently. For customers, OTOBO offers an optimized portal that streamlines interaction with the company, improving the overall customer support experience. This layered approach to user management ensures that all stakeholders can effectively utilize the ticket system.
Where can I find reviews and ratings for OTOBO?
OTOBO has received positive feedback from users, with a notable rating of 5.0 out of 5.0 on platforms like Capterra. Reviews highlight user satisfaction with OTOBO's comprehensive features, its effectiveness as a helpdesk solution, and its utility in various business scenarios, such as managing data for car-sharing companies. Users frequently praise the extensive functionalities available, especially considering its open-source nature and the ability to register an unlimited number of agents. While some reviewers note that the sheer number of features can be overwhelming initially, the overall sentiment points to OTOBO as a highly capable and valuable ticket system for enterprises.