Best viewed on a desktop - the flow diagrams are wide. On mobile, swipe a diagram to explore it.

Reusable support-desk blueprint

An automated support desk, built inside GoHighLevel

A customer submits a support form. An opportunity opens in a dedicated Support pipeline and becomes the ticket. Every stage has its own automation, so dragging a card to a stage fires exactly the right actions and the right customer email. Drop your brand, your categories, and your team in - the engine doesn't change.

0Pipeline

0Stages

0Emails

0Workflows

0Manual replies

Built inside

GoHighLevel

The flow

How it works

A customer submits the Submit a Support Ticket form. That creates or matches a contact, and the Intake router checks whether they already have an open ticket. If they do, the message is added to it. If not, the New sequence generates a ticket number, opens an opportunity in the Support pipeline, sends the received email, and tags the ticket by category. The opportunity is the ticket - its stage is the status, and all ticket data lives on opportunity fields so every ticket is self-contained. Each stage runs its own automation the moment the card lands there.

Open the interactive diagram

The core idea

The opportunity is the ticket

The form writes to contact fields as a capture layer. The New sequence copies them onto opportunity fields, where the real ticket record lives - so a customer who opens a second ticket never overwrites the first.

Gap closed

Per-ticket isolation. If ticket data lived on the contact, a customer opening a 2nd ticket would overwrite the 1st ticket's number, issue, and resolution (GHL matches contacts by email), and the older ticket's emails would reference the newer ticket's data. Putting ticket data on the opportunity makes every ticket independent. The contact fields are only a transient capture layer the New sequence copies onto the opportunity.

Step 1 · Pipeline & stages

One pipeline, five stages

Create a pipeline named Support Tickets with five stages, in order. The stage is the ticket status, and each stage has its own automation that fires the instant a card lands there.

Stage	Meaning	Its automation (on entry)
New	Just arrived (set on form submit)	Ticket ID + open opportunity + copy fields + Email 1 + category router
Urgent	Manual priority flag	Tag priority-urgent + email alert to the team (SMS optional). No customer email.
In Progress	Team actively working it	End the Awaiting Reply timer + clear the urgent flag. Optional "we're on it" email.
Awaiting Reply	Waiting on the customer	Email 2 (needs info), remind at 3 days, auto-close at 5
Resolved	Closed	End the Awaiting Reply timer + open a 7-day reopen window + stamp Date Resolved + Email 3 + optional CSAT survey

Step 2 · Custom fields

Two field sets: capture & record

The form writes to contact fields. The New sequence copies them onto opportunity fields, where the real ticket record lives - so a customer with multiple tickets never has one ticket overwrite another.

C Contact fields (the form fills these)

Field	Type	Merge key
Request Category	Dropdown	{{contact.request_category}}
Support Type	Dropdown	{{contact.support_type}}
Describe Your Issue	Multi-line text	{{contact.describe_your_issue}}
Attachment URL	Text	{{contact.attachment_url}}
Support Ticket Number (scratchpad)	Text	{{contact.support_ticket_number}}

O Opportunity fields (the ticket record)

Field	Type	Merge key	Filled by
Ticket Number	Text	{{opportunity.ticket_number}}	New seq
Ticket Category	Text	{{opportunity.ticket_category}}	copy
Ticket Support Type	Text	{{opportunity.ticket_support_type}}	copy
Ticket Issue	Multi-line text	{{opportunity.ticket_issue}}	copy
Ticket Attachment URL	Text	{{opportunity.ticket_attachment_url}}	copy
Ticket Additional Info Needed	Multi-line text	{{opportunity.ticket_additional_info_needed}}	Agent
Ticket Resolution	Multi-line text	{{opportunity.ticket_resolution}}	Agent
Ticket Date Resolved	Date	{{opportunity.ticket_date_resolved}}	Resolved seq (auto)

Merge keys

GHL auto-generates each merge key from the field name (lowercased; spaces and symbols become underscores - a "/" becomes a double underscore). The keys above assume these exact names; after creating the fields, open each one and confirm its real key before using it in emails and workflows.

Tip

Also create two Custom Values: company_name = your business name and support_sla = e.g. "24-48 hours", so the emails stay brand-driven and the SLA changes in one place.

Step 3 · The ticket number

A unique ID per ticket

A Recommended - date-time ID (zero dependency)

In the New sequence, build the ticket number from GHL's date and time tags: TKT-{{right_now.date}}-{{right_now.time}}:{{right_now.second}} → TKT-06/17/2026-14:30:52. Unique to the second; no counter needed, and no premium formatter step.

B Optional - sequential (TKT-1001, 1002…)

A Custom Value counter plus a Math Operation step works, but two tickets arriving together can read the same counter value before either writes it back. The date ID has no such race, so it stays the default.

Gotcha

Use date and time, never the separate year / month / day / hour tags. Those are not zero-padded: 3 October at 05:25:44 becomes 2026103-52544, and 13 January and 3 November both become 2026113. {{right_now.date}} (10/03/2026) and {{right_now.time}} (05:41) are padded; the seconds are not, which is why they sit after their own colon.

Step 4 · The support form

The one piece built by hand

A GHL form named Submit a Support Ticket. GHL's form create/clone API is unreliable, so the form is built in the form builder - but every custom field it maps to was created in Step 2, so it's just dragging those fields in.

New FormCreate it

Sites → Forms → Builder → + Add Form
Name it exactly Submit a Support Ticket - the Intake router's trigger matches this name

Standard FieldsWho's contacting you

First Name + Last Name + Email (required), Phone (optional)

Custom FieldsDrag in the existing fields

Search each by name and drag it in - dropdown options auto-load from the field
Request Category (required) · Support Type (required) · Describe Your Issue (required, multi-line)
Attachment URL (optional, for a Loom / Drive / screenshot link)

File UploadLet them attach a screenshot

Add a File Upload field (optional); allow images / PDF / short video. Stored on the contact, surfaced in the team notification.

On-SubmitReassure them

Show message: "Thanks - your ticket is in. Our team will respond within {{custom_values.support_sla}}, and a confirmation email is on its way." (or redirect to a thank-you page)

Style + EmbedBrand it and ship it

Match your brand button color, then Save → Integrate → embed on a /support page or wherever customers reach support

Request Category options (example)

Billing & payments
Technical issue / bug
Account & access
Onboarding & setup
Product question
Other

Swap these for your own products, departments, or service lines - the router reads whatever you put here.

Support Type options (example)

Booking or reschedule
Payment or billing
Login / access
Feature or how-to
General question
Other

A second axis so the team can triage by intent, independent of category.

Step 5 · Email templates

Five branded emails

Subjects and bodies use merge tags so each ticket personalizes itself. Set the From name/email to [Company] Support <support@yourcompany.com> and Reply-To to the same inbox, so customer replies thread back and trigger the reply handler. The first four are below; Email 5 lives with the Intake router in Step 8.

New seq - on submitEmail 1 - Ticket Received · We've got it - Support Ticket #{{opportunity.ticket_number}}

Hi {{contact.first_name}},

Thanks for reaching out. We've received your request and opened Support Ticket #{{opportunity.ticket_number}}.

Our team is on it and will get back to you within {{custom_values.support_sla}}.

Need to add something? Just reply to this email and it'll attach straight to your ticket.

- The {{custom_values.company_name}} Support Team

Awaiting Reply seqEmail 2 - Additional Info Needed · One quick thing on Ticket #{{opportunity.ticket_number}}

Hi {{contact.first_name}},

We're working on Ticket #{{opportunity.ticket_number}} and need one more thing from you to move it forward:

What we need from you

Just reply to this email with that and we'll pick it right back up.

Resolved seqEmail 3 - Resolved · Resolved - Support Ticket #{{opportunity.ticket_number}}

Hi {{contact.first_name}},

Good news - Ticket #{{opportunity.ticket_number}} has been resolved.

Resolution

If anything still isn't right, just reply to this email and we'll reopen it. Thanks for your patience.

Awaiting Reply seq - after 3 daysEmail 4 - Reminder · Still need a quick reply - Ticket #{{opportunity.ticket_number}}

Hi {{contact.first_name}},

We're holding Ticket #{{opportunity.ticket_number}} open and still waiting on one thing from you:

What we need from you

Reply whenever you have a moment and we'll finish up. If we don't hear back, we'll close the ticket in a couple of days - you can always reply to reopen it.

Reusable HTML shell (Gmail-safe - paste into GHL, swap the copy)

Preview Code

Linden Goods

Support

Support ticket

Received

TKT-06/17/2026-14:30:52

Category

Billing & payments

Request type

Payment or billing

Expected reply

Within 24 hours

Received

In progress

Resolved

Hi Priya,

Thanks for reaching out. Your request is in, and the Linden Goods team will pick it up within 24 hours. Here is what you sent us, for reference.

Your request

I was charged twice for order 48213 on June 16. Can you refund the duplicate charge?

Reply to this email to add details or a screenshot. Your reply attaches to ticket TKT-06/17/2026-14:30:52, so there is no need to open a new one.

Linden Goods Support - you are receiving this because you opened a support ticket.

Sample ticket for a fictional store. The Code tab is the same shell with merge tags - per email, swap the status word, the current step, and the body copy.

EMAIL-SHELL.HTML

<!-- STATUS: swap the pill word per email - Received / Awaiting your reply / Resolved.
     PROGRESS: move the navy bar + bold label to the current step (Received / In progress / Resolved). -->
<div style="display:none;max-height:0;overflow:hidden;mso-hide:all;font-size:1px;line-height:1px;color:#F4F4ED;opacity:0;">Ticket {{opportunity.ticket_number}} is open. Reply to this email to add details.</div>
<table role="presentation" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="background:#F4F4ED;">
  <tr>
    <td align="center" style="text-align:center;padding:32px 12px 40px;">
      <!--[if mso]><table role="presentation" width="600" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td><![endif]-->
      <table role="presentation" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="max-width:600px;margin:0 auto;text-align:left;background:#FFFFFF;border:1px solid #E6E6DE;border-radius:12px;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
        <!-- Header: wordmark + mailbox name -->
        <tr>
          <td style="padding:22px 28px;border-bottom:1px solid #EDEDE6;">
            <table role="presentation" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
              <tr>
                <td style="font-size:16px;line-height:20px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:-0.2px;color:#0B1E3F;">{{custom_values.company_name}}</td>
                <td align="right" style="text-align:right;font-size:13px;line-height:20px;color:#5A6479;">Support</td>
              </tr>
            </table>
          </td>
        </tr>
        <!-- Ticket identity -->
        <tr>
          <td style="padding:28px 28px 0;">
            <table role="presentation" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
              <tr>
                <td style="font-size:12px;line-height:24px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:0.8px;text-transform:uppercase;color:#5A6479;">Support ticket</td>
                <td align="right" style="text-align:right;line-height:24px;">
                  <span style="display:inline-block;padding:3px 11px;border-radius:999px;background:#FFF1E6;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;font-weight:600;color:#A84300;white-space:nowrap;"><span style="display:inline-block;width:6px;height:6px;border-radius:3px;background:#FF7A1A;vertical-align:middle;margin:0 6px 2px 0;"></span>Received</span>
                </td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td colspan="2" style="padding-top:6px;font-family:ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,Consolas,'Liberation Mono',monospace;font-size:22px;line-height:30px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:-0.3px;color:#0B1E3F;">{{opportunity.ticket_number}}</td>
              </tr>
            </table>
            <!-- Meta rows -->
            <table role="presentation" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="margin-top:20px;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;">
              <tr>
                <td style="padding:10px 0;border-top:1px solid #EDEDE6;color:#5A6479;">Category</td>
                <td align="right" style="text-align:right;padding:10px 0;border-top:1px solid #EDEDE6;color:#0B1E3F;font-weight:600;">{{opportunity.ticket_category}}</td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td style="padding:10px 0;border-top:1px solid #EDEDE6;color:#5A6479;">Request type</td>
                <td align="right" style="text-align:right;padding:10px 0;border-top:1px solid #EDEDE6;color:#0B1E3F;font-weight:600;">{{opportunity.ticket_support_type}}</td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td style="padding:10px 0;border-top:1px solid #EDEDE6;border-bottom:1px solid #EDEDE6;color:#5A6479;">Expected reply</td>
                <td align="right" style="text-align:right;padding:10px 0;border-top:1px solid #EDEDE6;border-bottom:1px solid #EDEDE6;color:#0B1E3F;font-weight:600;">Within {{custom_values.support_sla}}</td>
              </tr>
            </table>
            <!-- Progress: Received > In progress > Resolved -->
            <table role="presentation" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="margin-top:22px;">
              <tr>
                <td width="32%" style="height:3px;line-height:3px;font-size:0;background:#0B1E3F;border-radius:2px;">&nbsp;</td>
                <td width="2%" style="font-size:0;line-height:3px;">&nbsp;</td>
                <td width="32%" style="height:3px;line-height:3px;font-size:0;background:#E4E4DC;border-radius:2px;">&nbsp;</td>
                <td width="2%" style="font-size:0;line-height:3px;">&nbsp;</td>
                <td width="32%" style="height:3px;line-height:3px;font-size:0;background:#E4E4DC;border-radius:2px;">&nbsp;</td>
              </tr>
              <tr>
                <td style="padding-top:8px;white-space:nowrap;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;font-weight:700;color:#0B1E3F;">Received</td>
                <td></td>
                <td style="padding-top:8px;white-space:nowrap;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;color:#5A6479;">In progress</td>
                <td></td>
                <td style="padding-top:8px;white-space:nowrap;font-size:12px;line-height:16px;color:#5A6479;">Resolved</td>
              </tr>
            </table>
          </td>
        </tr>
        <!-- Body copy slot -->
        <tr>
          <td style="padding:28px 28px 4px;font-size:16px;line-height:26px;color:#243A5E;">
            <!-- EMAIL BODY COPY GOES HERE -->
            <p style="margin:0 0 16px;">Hi {{contact.first_name}},</p>
            <p style="margin:0;">Thanks for reaching out. Your request is in, and the {{custom_values.company_name}} team will pick it up within {{custom_values.support_sla}}. Here is what you sent us, for reference.</p>
          </td>
        </tr>
        <!-- CALLOUT (optional): relabel per email - "What we need from you" + {{opportunity.ticket_additional_info_needed}}, or "Resolution" + {{opportunity.ticket_resolution}}. Delete this row if unused. -->
        <tr>
          <td style="padding:8px 28px 24px;">
            <table role="presentation" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="background:#F4F4ED;border-radius:10px;">
              <tr>
                <td style="padding:16px 18px;">
                  <div style="font-size:12px;line-height:16px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:0.8px;text-transform:uppercase;color:#5A6479;">Your request</div>
                  <div style="padding-top:6px;font-size:15px;line-height:23px;color:#0B1E3F;">{{opportunity.ticket_issue}}</div>
                </td>
              </tr>
            </table>
          </td>
        </tr>
        <!-- Reply hint: a reply threads onto this ticket -->
        <tr>
          <td style="padding:18px 28px 22px;border-top:1px solid #EDEDE6;font-size:14px;line-height:21px;color:#5A6479;">
            <strong style="color:#0B1E3F;font-weight:600;">Reply to this email</strong> to add details or a screenshot. Your reply attaches to ticket <span style="white-space:nowrap;">{{opportunity.ticket_number}}</span>, so there is no need to open a new one.
          </td>
        </tr>
      </table>
      <!-- Footer -->
      <table role="presentation" width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="max-width:600px;margin:0 auto;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
        <tr>
          <td align="center" style="text-align:center;padding:20px 28px 0;font-size:12px;line-height:18px;color:#5A6479;">{{custom_values.company_name}} Support - you are receiving this because you opened a support ticket.</td>
        </tr>
      </table>
      <!--[if mso]></td></tr></table><![endif]-->
    </td>
  </tr>
</table>

Step 6 · Category routing

Tag the category, ping the team

The form captures Request Category, and the New sequence's router branch reads it: every category gets its own tag so the board stays sortable. The tag is what's category-specific; the owners (your support team) are constant. The customer emails stay shared across all categories.

Category	Tag added	Routing branch
Billing & payments	support-billing	tag → notify support team
Technical issue	support-technical	tag → notify support team (+ optional dev escalation)
Account & access	support-access	tag → notify support team
Onboarding & setup	support-onboarding	tag → notify support team
Product question	support-product	tag → notify support team
Other (catch-all)	support-general	tag → notify support team (the else so nothing is unrouted)

Why a router, not a pipeline per category

One Support pipeline keeps every ticket on one board the team works from. The category drives the tag (so the board stays sortable + a category-specific step can fire), while the stage drives the customer emails. If a single category later needs heavier automation (e.g. auto-grant access, or a dev-team handoff), split that branch out into its own standalone workflow triggered by its tag - the engine doesn't change.

Step 7 · One automation per stage

Eight workflows, each editable on its own

Every stage is its own workflow, triggered by Pipeline Stage Changed filtered to this pipeline + stage. The New sequence has no trigger of its own - the Intake router (Step 8) owns the form and starts it with Add to Workflow. Drag a card to a stage and that stage's sequence fires - nothing overlaps. One cross-stage reply handler keeps the stages honest, and a small Reopen window timer tells it how long a resolved ticket can still be reopened. Build each as a Draft, then publish after a test ticket runs clean. Click a workflow to expand its steps.

Open the interactive diagram

New sequenceNew

Trigger: none - the Intake router starts it with Add to Workflow

Remove From WorkflowEnd any old Awaiting Reply timer

Workflow: Awaiting Reply sequence
Only matters when the last ticket was marked Lost while it waited on the customer - otherwise that old timer would block this ticket's Email 2

Update Contact FieldGenerate the ticket number

Field: Support Ticket Number
Value: TKT-{{right_now.date}}-{{right_now.time}}:{{right_now.second}} → e.g. TKT-06/17/2026-14:30:52 (see Step 3)

Create OpportunityOpen the ticket as its own opportunity

Pipeline: Support Tickets | Stage: New | Status: Open
Name: {{contact.first_name}} {{contact.last_name}} - {{contact.support_ticket_number}}
Workflow settings: "Allow multiple opportunities" = ON, and the sub-account switch below it - see Repeat tickets further down

Update Opportunity FieldCopy the form data onto the ticket record

Ticket Number = {{contact.support_ticket_number}}
Ticket Category = {{contact.request_category}}
Ticket Support Type = {{contact.support_type}}
Ticket Issue = {{contact.describe_your_issue}}
Ticket Attachment URL = {{contact.attachment_url}}

Send EmailConfirm receipt to the customer

Template: 01 - Ticket Received
From + Reply-To: support@yourcompany.com (so replies thread back and fire the reply handler)

If / Else - Category routerTag the category and ping the team

Condition on {{contact.request_category}} - one branch per category, each does Add Contact Tag + Internal Notification to the support team
Billing → support-billing · Technical → support-technical · Access → support-access …
Else → support-general so nothing is unrouted
Notification subject: New ticket {{opportunity.ticket_number}} - {{opportunity.ticket_category}} / {{opportunity.ticket_support_type}}

The only stage a ticket enters automatically. Build order matters: release → number → opportunity → copy fields → email → router. Everything below is manual-drag triggered. GHL note: turn on Allow Re-Entry - a returning customer enters this workflow once per ticket.

Urgent sequenceUrgent

Trigger: Pipeline Stage Changed - Pipeline "Support Tickets", Stage = Urgent

Add Contact TagFlag it

Tag: priority-urgent

Internal Notification - EmailAlert the team

Subject: URGENT - Ticket {{opportunity.ticket_number}} ({{opportunity.ticket_category}})

Internal Notification - SMS - optionalSame alert, second channel

Body: URGENT ticket {{opportunity.ticket_number}} needs eyes now.
Off by default - add it once the team's phones are set up to receive internal SMS

No customer email - Urgent is internal priority only. Agent SOP: drag any New / In Progress ticket here to escalate. No task either: the Support Tickets board is the work queue, and a task per stage entry stacks duplicates every time a ticket comes back.

In Progress sequenceIn Progress

Trigger: Pipeline Stage Changed - Pipeline "Support Tickets", Stage = In Progress

Remove From WorkflowEnd the Awaiting Reply timer

Workflow: Awaiting Reply sequence - the customer answered, so the reminder and auto-close no longer apply

Remove Contact TagClear stale state

Remove priority-urgent (it's now actively worked, not just flagged)

Send Email - optional"We're on it" touch

Off by default to avoid over-emailing. Turn on only if tickets tend to sit before pickup.

This is also where the Reply handler and the Intake router land a ticket the customer just answered, or a reopened one - and both already notify the team. GHL note: turn on Allow Re-Entry in this workflow's settings - a ticket can enter In Progress more than once (after a reopen or a reply), and with re-entry off the second entry won't fire.

Awaiting Reply sequenceAwaiting Reply

Trigger: Pipeline Stage Changed - Pipeline "Support Tickets", Stage = Awaiting Reply

Send EmailAsk for the missing info

Template: 02 - Additional Info Needed - pulls {{opportunity.ticket_additional_info_needed}}

WaitGive them 3 days

Wait: 3 days
If the customer answers first, the In Progress sequence removes them from this workflow, so the rest never runs

If / ElseOnly remind if still silent

If still Awaiting Reply → Send Email 04 - Reminder; else do nothing

WaitGive 2 more days

Wait: 2 days, then the same stage check

If / Else - auto-closeNo response = close politely

If still Awaiting Reply → set Ticket Resolution = Closed - no response. Reply to reopen.
then move Stage to Resolved (hands off to the Resolved sequence)

GHL note: a contact still inside this workflow's wait is skipped when a ticket enters Awaiting Reply again - Allow Re-Entry only applies once the earlier run has ended. Ask a customer for more info twice in five days and the second Email 2 silently never sends. That is why every way out of this stage (In Progress, Resolved, and a brand-new ticket) starts with Remove From Workflow: Awaiting Reply sequence. The If/Else checks stay as a second guard.

Resolved sequenceResolved

Trigger: Pipeline Stage Changed - Pipeline "Support Tickets", Stage = Resolved

Remove From WorkflowEnd the Awaiting Reply timer

Workflow: Awaiting Reply sequence - a ticket resolved straight from Awaiting Reply must not get a reminder

Remove From Workflow + Add Tag + Add to WorkflowOpen the 7-day reopen window

Remove from Reopen window, add tag support-reopen-window, then Add to Workflow Reopen window
Remove-then-add restarts the 7 days if a ticket is resolved again

Update Opportunity FieldStamp the close date

Ticket Date Resolved = {{right_now.middle_endian_date}} (today's date, for reporting)

Send EmailTell the customer it's done

Template: 03 - Resolved - pulls {{opportunity.ticket_resolution}}

Wait + Send - optionalAsk how it went

Wait 1 day → one-question CSAT. Off by default; turn on once the core flow is proven.

This stage also receives auto-closed tickets from the Awaiting Reply timeout (resolution already filled with the "no response" text).

Reply handlercross-stage

Trigger: Customer Replied (inbound) - add it twice: Email + SMS

Find OpportunityFind the ticket this reply belongs to

Matching values: Pipeline = Support Tickets | Opportunity to be found: Latest
Not Found → end. The contact has never had a ticket, so this is a normal sales reply
Found → that card becomes the workflow's opportunity, so the moves below hit the ticket, never a sales card

If / ElseBranch on the ticket's current stage

If Awaiting Reply → move to In Progress + notify: Customer replied with the info
Else-if Resolved and the contact has tag support-reopen-window → remove the tag, Remove from Reopen window, move to In Progress + notify: Ticket reopened
Else-if Resolved longer ago, or the ticket is Lost / Won → end. The reply isn't about a live ticket
Else (New, Urgent, In Progress) → notify only: New reply on the ticket

Why the lookup: Customer Replied knows the contact, not the ticket. One open ticket per customer (Step 8) is what makes "latest in Support Tickets" always the right card. The 7-day window stops a reply to a sales email months later from reopening an old ticket - past that, the customer submits the form and gets a fresh one. GHL note: don't gate this on a date condition. An If/Else "in the last 7 days" on an opportunity date field saves fine but never evaluates true; the tag is checked reliably.

Reopen windowResolved

Trigger: none - the Resolved sequence starts it with Add to Workflow

WaitKeep the window open

Wait: 7 days

Remove Contact TagClose it

Remove support-reopen-window - a reply after this ends quietly

Why its own workflow: the wait can't sit inside the Resolved sequence. A contact still waiting there would be skipped the next time one of their tickets is resolved - no Email 3. Turn on Allow Re-Entry.

Step 8 · The front door

One open ticket per customer

Every form submission goes through the Intake router first. It looks the customer up in the Support pipeline itself: no open ticket, a new one opens; an open ticket already there, the new message is added to it - no second card, nothing thrown away, and the customer hears back straight away.

Why one

Customer Replied knows the contact, not the ticket. The reply handler has to look the ticket up, and "the latest card in Support Tickets" is only the right card when a customer has one open ticket. The priority-urgent tag lives on the contact too. One open ticket per customer keeps both honest.

Nothing to unlock

The router reads the pipeline, not a flag. Resolve a ticket, mark it Lost, or delete the card, and the customer's next submission opens a fresh ticket on its own. There is no tag to clear and no way to lock a customer out.

Open the interactive diagram

Intake routerfront door

Trigger: Form Submitted - Form is "Submit a Support Ticket"

Find OpportunityLook for this customer's latest ticket

Matching values: Pipeline = Support Tickets | Opportunity to be found: Latest
Two branches come out of it: Opportunity Found and Opportunity Not Found. The found card becomes the workflow's opportunity, so the steps below read and move that ticket

Not Found - Add to WorkflowFirst ticket: open it

Workflow: NEW sequence. One step, no hand-off tag to set or clear

Found - If / ElseIs that ticket still open?

Closed when Opportunity Status is not Open (Lost, Won, Abandoned) or Pipeline Stage is Resolved → Add to Workflow NEW sequence
Open otherwise → continue with steps 4-7
Check both: Resolved is a stage, so a resolved ticket still has status Open

Add NotePut the new message on the ticket

Follow-up on {{opportunity.ticket_number}} ({{contact.request_category}} / {{contact.support_type}}): {{contact.describe_your_issue}} {{contact.attachment_url}}
The note lands on the customer's timeline, which the agent sees from the ticket card

Internal NotificationTell whoever is working it

To: the assigned user (fall back to the support team). Subject: Follow-up on open ticket {{opportunity.ticket_number}}

Send EmailClose the loop with the customer

Template: 05 - Added to Your Ticket (below)

If / Else - Update OpportunityThey answered our question

If stage is Awaiting Reply → move the opportunity to In Progress. That ends the reminder timer, exactly like an email reply

Why a router in front of the New sequence? The New sequence stays one straight path that only ever opens tickets. The router owns the form trigger and decides; Add to Workflow hands off in a single step, so there's no hand-off tag to get stuck. Test once: submit twice from the same email and confirm Email 5 shows the first ticket's number.

T What the router decides

Latest Support ticket	Router does
None	Opens a new ticket (New sequence)
New Urgent In Progress	Adds the message to it, pings the owner, sends Email 5
Awaiting Reply	Same, and moves it to In Progress - the customer just gave us what we asked for
Resolved, or marked Lost / Won / Abandoned	Opens a new ticket

Intake router - open ticketEmail 5 - Added to Your Ticket · Added to your open ticket - #{{opportunity.ticket_number}}

Hi {{contact.first_name}},

Thanks for the extra detail. You already have an open ticket with us - #{{opportunity.ticket_number}} - so we've added this message to it instead of opening a new one.

The same team is on it, with everything you've sent in one place. Want to add more? Just reply to this email.

- The {{custom_values.company_name}} Support Team

Important setting

Repeat tickets

Every ticket is its own opportunity, so a returning customer ends up with several opportunities in the same Support pipeline. GHL blocks that by default, and it fails quietly:

Turn on the sub-account switch: Settings → Objects → Opportunities → "Allow more than one opportunity per contact in the same pipeline". Without it, a customer's second ticket fails at Create Opportunity ("Can not create duplicate opportunity for the contact"), the step is skipped, and Email 1 still goes out with no ticket behind it. The first ticket always works, so a one-off test never catches this.
And the workflow setting: in the New sequence's settings, turn on "Allow multiple opportunities", so Create Opportunity always opens a new card instead of updating the customer's last ticket. Opportunities in other pipelines (a lead, a buyer) are never touched either way.
Keep contact dedup ON (match by email/phone). You want the same contact so the agent sees the customer's history - do not allow duplicate contacts, which splits one person into two and hides their history.

Edge cases

All covered

Case	Handled by
Same customer opens 2+ tickets	Ticket data on the opportunity = each ticket independent (no overwrite)
Customer submits again while a ticket is open	Intake router adds the message to the open ticket, pings the owner, and sends Email 5 - no second card, nothing lost
Ticket marked Lost, Won, or deleted	The router reads the pipeline, so the next submission opens a fresh ticket - nothing to unlock
Customer replies to a sales email months after a ticket closed	Reply handler only reopens tickets resolved in the last 7 days
Double-click: two submissions in the same second	Both can land before the first card exists and open two tickets. Rare - mark the duplicate Lost
Ticket is about a specific category	The New sequence's router tags the category + notifies the team
Customer replies during Awaiting Reply	Reply handler moves it back to In Progress + notifies
Customer replies after Resolved	Reply handler reopens to In Progress + notifies
Customer never replies (stuck)	Awaiting Reply reminds at 3 days, auto-closes at 5
Agent asks for more info a second time within 5 days	In Progress and Resolved end the old Awaiting Reply run first, so the second Email 2 always sends
No extra info needed (straight to fix)	Agent fills Resolution, drags to Resolved; Awaiting Reply is optional
File / screenshot attached	Form file field stored on contact; link surfaced in the team notification
Ticket # uniqueness	Padded date + time to the second; no two moments produce the same number

Make it yours

Customize & extend

Quick swaps

Category list + tags in the router to match your products / departments
SLA in support_sla (same-day, 24-48 hrs)
Support Type options as your offer mix changes
Voice of the five emails to match your brand

Optional add-ons

A CSAT one-question survey after Resolved
A self-serve deflection (link a help center before a ticket opens)
SLA-breach alert if New / In Progress sits unworked past X hours
A /support page embedding the form

Ship it

Build checklist

Create the Support Tickets pipeline + 5 stages
Create the contact + opportunity custom fields, plus the company_name and support_sla custom values
Build the Submit a Support Ticket form (Request Category + Support Type dropdowns)
Build the 5 email templates from the copy above (From + Reply-To = your support inbox)
Turn on "Allow more than one opportunity per contact in the same pipeline" (Settings → Objects → Opportunities) and "Allow multiple opportunities" in the New sequence's settings
Build the 8 workflows as Drafts: the Intake router (form trigger), the New sequence (no trigger), one per remaining stage, the cross-stage reply handler, and the Reopen window (no trigger). The category router is an If/Else branch inside the New sequence
Turn on Allow Re-Entry on all 8 workflows - the same customer comes back with new tickets, and reopened tickets re-fire In Progress
Test: submit a ticket per category → confirm ID + opportunity + Email 1 + team pinged; submit again from the same email → confirm a note + Email 5 with the first ticket's number and no second card; drag through every stage → Emails 2 & 3; reply to confirm the reply handler reactivates. Then resolve that ticket and submit again from the same email → a second card must open (this is the test that catches the duplicate-opportunity switch). Send a ticket to Awaiting Reply, back to In Progress, and to Awaiting Reply again → Email 2 must arrive both times. Resolve a ticket, then reply to Email 3 → the card must move back to In Progress. Then publish.

The mindset

The stage is the status. The opportunity is the ticket. Nobody writes a reply by hand.

Swap the brand, the categories, and the team - the engine stays exactly the same.