Getting Started

FreeScout is the ultimate help-desk solution that is open source. Enjoy robust features akin to Zendesk & Help Scout without conceding privacy or control. Available as an open web service you can quickly get started. This guide describes how.

Prerequisites

• If you have not already done so, sign up for an Eyevinn OSC account.

Step 1: Setup a Database

Navigate to the MariaDB service in the Open Source Cloud web console and decide for a database password that you store in a secret. For instructions on how to work with secrets in Open Source Cloud read this guide. Store the password in a secret called dbpassword.

Now click on the "Create dbserver" button and enter the following values:

• Name: freescoutdb
• Root Password: {{secrets.dbpassword}}
• Database: freescout
• User: freescout
• Password: {{secrets.dbpassword}}

Now the MariaDB database is created and once it is up and running take a note of the URL to the database. The URL is constructed as mysql://freescout:<db-password>@<instance-ip>:<instance-port>/freescout

Replace the <db-password>, <instance-ip> and <instance-port> with the values of your instance. See example in picture below.

Step 2: Create a FreeScout instance

Now it is time to create your FreeScout instance. Navigate to its service page in OSC. Store the URL to the MariaDB database in a secret called dburl. Pick an admin password and store it in a secret called adminpassword.

Click on the button "Create freescout" and enter the following parameters.

• Name: guide
• DbUrl: {{secrets.dburl}}
• AdminEmail: admin@osaas.io (replace with the admin email of your choice)
• AdminPassword: {{secrets.adminpassword}}

Once the instance is up and running you can click on the instance card.

You use the admin email address and the admin password you selected to login to FreeSource.

From here you can create and configure the mailboxes for your help desk to use.