Odoo-Modules/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-05-27-fusion-helpdesk-customer-followup-design.md

# Fusion Helpdesk — Customer Follow-up & Embedded Ticket Inbox

- **Date:** 2026-05-27
- **Status:** Approved design (ready for implementation plan)
- **Branch:** `feat/helpdesk-customer-followup`
- **Modules touched:** `fusion_helpdesk` (client deployments), `fusion_helpdesk_central` (central Odoo)
- **Target system:** `odoo-nexa` / `erp.nexasystems.ca`, DB `nexamain`, Odoo 19 Enterprise

---

## 1. Summary

Today, end users at client deployments (ENTECH, MOBILITY, …) file helpdesk tickets through an in-app
"Report a Bug / Request a Feature" systray dialog. Those tickets land on the central Odoo Helpdesk but
carry **no customer identity**, so:

- support replies email nobody,
- the submitter can't see or follow up on their ticket,
- the ticket never appears in any customer portal.

This design makes ticket follow-up work end to end. It rests on **one keystone fix** (attach the
submitter's identity to every ticket) and then exposes **two follow-up surfaces** matched to two
audiences:

1. **In-app embedded inbox** — the systray dialog becomes a small ticket inbox (New + My Tickets). Client
   staff read replies and follow up **without leaving their own Odoo or logging into the central system**.
2. **Native Enterprise portal** — for external web/email customers, the existing Odoo portal + magic-link
   + free sign-up does the job; they have no workspace to embed into.

Scope tier: **Polished** (light branding + acknowledgement email + in-app unread badge). Not a custom
portal theme.

---

## 2. Problem & Diagnosis (grounded in the live system)

### 2.1 Current architecture

- **`fusion_helpdesk`** (installed on *client* deployments): OWL systray dialog → `POST
  /fusion_helpdesk/submit` → forwards to central over **XML-RPC as a shared bot account** (API key issued
  by `fusion_helpdesk_central`). Ticket payload today is only `{name, description, team_id}`. The
  reporter's name/login is embedded as **HTML text inside the description's "Diagnostic context" table** —
  not as structured fields.
- **`fusion_helpdesk_central`** (installed on *central* Odoo): manages the per-client API keys on the
  shared bot user. Does **not** touch tickets, portal, notifications.

### 2.2 The actual bug (verified on `nexamain`, 2026-05-27)

All **51/51** tickets have `partner_id`, `partner_email`, `partner_name` = NULL (0 coverage). With no
customer attached, Odoo has nobody to email, nobody to add as follower, no `/my/tickets` to populate, and
no recipient for a magic link.

### 2.3 The platform already does the hard part

Installed & enabled on `odoo-nexa`:

- Modules: `helpdesk` 19.0.1.6, `website_helpdesk`, `website_helpdesk_knowledge`, `helpdesk_account`,
  `helpdesk_sale`, `portal`, `website`, `auth_signup`.
- `auth_signup.invitation_scope = b2c` (free customer sign-up ON), `auth_signup.reset_password = True`.
- `web.base.url = https://erp.nexasystems.ca`, `mail.catchall.domain = nexasystems.ca`, 4 working SMTP
  servers → outbound email works.
- Team 1 **"Customer Care"** is already portal-ready: `privacy_visibility = portal`,
  `use_website_helpdesk_form = true`, `allow_portal_ticket_closing = true`, `use_alias = true`, alias
  `support` (→ `support@nexasystems.ca`).

`helpdesk.ticket` model (Enterprise source, verified):

- `_inherit = ['portal.mixin', 'mail.thread.cc', 'rating.mixin']`; `_mail_thread_customer = True`;
  `_primary_email = 'partner_email'`; `access_url = '/my/ticket/<id>'` (← that is the magic link).
- **`create()` auto-resolves the partner**: when `partner_email` is given and `partner_id` is not, it calls
  `mail.thread._partner_find_from_emails_single([partner_email], {name, company_id})` to find-or-create the
  partner and set `partner_id` (`helpdesk_ticket.py` ≈ L564–572).
- **`create()` subscribes the customer as a follower** (the "make customer follower" loop, ≈ L600–620),
  so they receive reply notifications by email.
- Portal routes: `/my/tickets` (auth=`user`); `/my/ticket/<int:ticket_id>/<access_token>` (auth=`public`)
  → validates token via `_document_check_access` → renders `helpdesk.tickets_followup` (reply composer
  included); `/my/ticket/close/<id>/<token>` posts a message with `author_id = partner_id`; public web
  form at `/helpdesk/<team>`.

**Consequence:** the keystone fix is small — pass `partner_email` + `partner_name` in the create payload and
native helpdesk creates the partner, links it, and subscribes it. Replies then email the customer with a
magic-link "View Ticket" button automatically.

---

## 3. Goals / Non-Goals

### Goals
- Every new ticket carries the submitter's real identity (`partner_email`, `partner_name`,
  `x_fc_client_label`).
- Agent replies reach the customer **by email** with a working **magic link**.
- **In-app staff** can list, read, and reply to their tickets **inside their own Odoo** — no login, no
  context switch.
- **External web/email customers** get the native portal + magic link + free sign-up.
- Light branding (logo/colours) + an acknowledgement email on ticket creation.
- Hybrid in-app visibility: regular users see their own tickets; a designated admin sees all of their
  deployment's tickets.

### Non-Goals
- No custom portal theme, custom website submission form, KB-deflection, or SLA timeline UI (that was
  Tier C — deliberately out of scope).
- No replication of tickets into the client database — the in-app inbox is a **live RPC view**.
- No backfill of the 51 existing identity-less tickets (low value; their only identity is free text).
- No changes to the billing module (`fusion_centralize_billing`) — separate work.

---

## 4. Audiences & channels (locked decisions)

| Decision | Choice |
|---|---|
| Channels | **Both** — in-app reporter *and* external web/email |
| In-app visibility | **Hybrid** — own by default; designated admin sees all of their deployment's tickets |
| Scope tier | **Polished** — light branding + ack email + in-app unread badge |
| Acknowledgement email on create | **Yes** (immediate magic link) |
| Reporter email at submit | **Confirmed / editable** in the New form |
| "See all" gating | **New group** on the client deployment |

---

## 5. Architecture

### 5.1 Keystone — identity layer

- **Client side (`fusion_helpdesk`)**: in `submit()`, add to the create payload:
  - `partner_name` = `request.env.user.name`
  - `partner_email` = confirmed value from the form (default `request.env.user.email or .login`, editable)
  - `x_fc_client_label` = `cfg['client_label']`
- **Central side (`fusion_helpdesk_central`)**: add `x_fc_client_label` (Char, indexed) to `helpdesk.ticket`
  and surface it in the agent backend (list column + search filter) so support can filter by client. Native
  helpdesk does the partner resolution + follower subscription.

`x_fc_client_label` is the structured tag that makes deployment-scoped queries (and the admin "see all"
view) reliable — far better than parsing the `[ENTECH]` subject prefix.

### 5.2 Two surfaces

- **Surface A — in-app embedded inbox** (`fusion_helpdesk`, client deployments). New work.
- **Surface B — native Enterprise portal** (`fusion_helpdesk_central` config + light branding). Mostly
  configuration; near-zero new code.

### 5.3 Module responsibilities

**`fusion_helpdesk` (client) — majority of new work**
- Controller (`controllers/main.py`): keystone payload change + new endpoints (§6.1).
- OWL dialog (`static/src/js/…`, `static/src/xml/…`): New + My Tickets tabs; thread view; reply box.
- Systray (`fusion_helpdesk_systray.js`): unread badge.
- `res.groups`: `group_reporter_admin` ("Helpdesk Reporter Admin").
- Model `fusion.helpdesk.ticket.seen`: per-user read tracking for the badge.
- `res.config.settings`: (existing) — no new config required beyond what exists.

**`fusion_helpdesk_central` (central) — small additions**
- `helpdesk.ticket` inherit: `x_fc_client_label` field + backend list/search exposure.
- `mail.template`: branded acknowledgement on ticket create (with the magic-link CTA).
- Data/doc: confirm the "Customer Care" team portal config (already correct on live — assert via comment or
  light data, don't fight existing config).

---

## 6. Surface A — In-app embedded inbox (detail)

### 6.1 Controller endpoints

All `type='jsonrpc'`, `auth='user'`. **Identity is always derived server-side from `request.env.user`** —
never from request parameters. All remote calls go through the existing bot XML-RPC layer.

| Route | Returns | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| `POST /fusion_helpdesk/submit` *(modified)* | `{ok, ticket_id, ticket_url}` | Adds `x_fc_client_label` + `partner_name`; the confirmed form email is sent as `partner_email` (param may be named `reply_email`, but it maps straight to `partner_email`). |
| `/fusion_helpdesk/my_tickets` | `[{id, ref, subject, stage, last_update, has_unread}]` | Scoped (§8). Reuses one remote `search_read`. |
| `/fusion_helpdesk/ticket/<int:ticket_id>` | `{id, subject, stage, messages:[…], can_reply}` | **Public comments only** — internal notes excluded (§8). Re-checks scope. |
| `/fusion_helpdesk/ticket/<int:ticket_id>/reply` | `{ok}` | Re-checks scope; posts `message_post` with `author_id` = replier's partner. |
| `/fusion_helpdesk/unread_count` | `{count}` | For the systray badge (§7). |

### 6.2 Dialog UX

- The existing dialog gains two tabs:
  - **New** — today's form, plus a confirmed/editable **"Your email"** field (prefilled from the logged-in
    user; used as `reply_email`).
  - **My Tickets** — list of the user's tickets (ref, subject, stage chip, last-update, unread dot). Admins
    (in `group_reporter_admin`) see a **"Mine / All [LABEL]"** toggle.
- Clicking a ticket opens a **thread view**: customer-visible messages (author, timestamp, body,
  attachments) + a **reply box** (text + attach) + a "Done"/back control. Opening a ticket marks it seen.

### 6.3 Reply attribution

- Replies post to central as `message_type='comment'`, `subtype_xmlid='mail.mt_comment'`, with `author_id`
  = the **replying user's** partner on central (resolved find-or-create by their email). For a user replying
  to their own ticket that's the ticket's customer; for an admin replying to a colleague's ticket it's the
  admin's own identity (correct attribution).
- A customer reply notifies the assigned agent + followers (native), closing the two-way loop.

### 6.4 Read tracking & admin group

- Model `fusion.helpdesk.ticket.seen` (client DB): `user_id` (m2o `res.users`), `central_ticket_id`
  (Integer), `last_seen_message_id` (Integer) — unique `(user_id, central_ticket_id)`. This is
  read-tracking **metadata only** (no ticket content is stored) — it preserves the live-RPC-view principle
  while letting the badge work without re-fetching on every page load.
- `group_reporter_admin` — an Odoo group on the client deployment. Membership unlocks the "All [LABEL]"
  query path **server-side** (the controller checks `has_group` before broadening scope).

---

## 7. Notifications & emails

- **Agent → customer:** customer is a follower → **native email** with a "View Ticket" magic link
  (portal.mixin `access_url` + token). Satisfies "they get replies in their email." In-app users also see
  the reply in My Tickets and the badge increments.
- **Acknowledgement on create:** branded `mail.template` sent to the customer with the magic-link CTA so they
  can track immediately. Fires for any ticket on the portal-enabled team that has a `partner_email`,
  regardless of channel (in-app, web, email). Per Odoo 19, the template renders the link from the record
  (`object.access_url` / portal URL); no need to pass it via `ctx` (CLAUDE rule 12). **Implementation note:**
  verify `website_helpdesk` does not already send its own "ticket received" confirmation for web-form
  submissions — if it does, gate ours so external customers don't get two acknowledgements.
- **Unread badge:** `unread_count` = number of the user's in-scope tickets whose latest customer-visible
  **support** message id is greater than the local `last_seen_message_id`. Cleared per-ticket on open.

---

## 8. Security & scoping (the sharp edge)

The shared bot can read **every** client's tickets on central, so the client-side controller is the
security boundary.

- Endpoints are `auth='user'`; identity is taken from `request.env.user`, never from the browser.
- Scoped domain, built server-side:
  - regular user → `[('x_fc_client_label','=',label), ('partner_email','=ilike', me.email or me.login)]`
  - admin (`group_reporter_admin`) → `[('x_fc_client_label','=',label)]`
- **`x_fc_client_label = <my deployment>` is ALWAYS ANDed in** (defense in depth) so no user — regular or
  admin — can ever read another deployment's tickets, even if two deployments share a reporter email.
- `ticket/<id>` and `…/reply` **re-resolve the ticket through the same scoped domain** before reading or
  posting; a ticket outside scope returns not-found.
- Thread fetch returns **only customer-visible messages** (exclude internal notes — `subtype_id.internal =
  True`), mirroring what the portal shows. Internal agent discussion never reaches a client.
- Reuse the module's existing granular remote-error handling for auth/network failures.

---

## 9. Data flow

```
SUBMIT (in-app)
  staff clicks icon → New tab → confirm email → submit
  client controller adds partner_email + partner_name + x_fc_client_label
  → XML-RPC create on central (as bot)
  → helpdesk find-or-creates partner_id + subscribes follower
  → branded acknowledgement email w/ magic link

AGENT REPLY (Nexa support)
  reply as a comment in the ticket chatter on central
  → native email to customer w/ "View Ticket" magic link
  → in-app users also see it in My Tickets; badge increments

CUSTOMER FOLLOW-UP (any of three, same thread)
  in-app dialog reply   → RPC message_post (author = replier's partner)
  portal magic link     → native reply on /my/ticket/<id>/<token>
  email reply           → native email-in via support@nexasystems.ca
```

---

## 10. Edge cases

- **Missing/invalid reporter email** — New form prefills + lets the user confirm/edit. If still empty, the
  ticket is created without a customer (degrades to today's behaviour) and the dialog flags "no follow-up
  email captured."
- **Same email across deployments** — partner is shared (their portal shows all their tickets), but the
  in-app inbox still scopes by `x_fc_client_label`, so each deployment shows only its own.
- **Admin replies to a colleague's ticket** — author = the admin's own partner, not the ticket customer.
- **Existing 51 orphan tickets** — left as-is (no reliable identity to backfill).
- **Bot key revoked/rotated** (managed by `fusion_helpdesk_central`) — endpoints fail gracefully via the
  existing typed remote-error responses.
- **Internal notes** — never returned to the client (subtype filter).

---

## 11. Testing strategy

- **`fusion_helpdesk_central`** (Enterprise; runs on an Enterprise env such as odoo-trial, like the billing
  module — local dev is Community and can't install `helpdesk`):
  - `x_fc_client_label` field exists + is searchable.
  - Integration: `helpdesk.ticket.create({partner_email, partner_name, x_fc_client_label})` resolves
    `partner_id` and adds the partner as a follower.
  - Acknowledgement template renders the magic link from the record.
- **`fusion_helpdesk`** (client; XML-RPC layer **mocked** — no live central in unit tests):
  - Scoping: regular vs admin domain construction; `x_fc_client_label` always ANDed.
  - `…/reply` rejects a ticket outside the caller's scope.
  - Thread fetch excludes internal notes.
  - `unread_count` math against `fusion.helpdesk.ticket.seen`.
  - Refactor the remote proxy so it is injectable/mockable.
- **Manual QA on `odoo-nexa`**: full round-trip — submit → agent reply → email + badge → in-app reply →
  portal magic link → external sign-up shows `/my/tickets`.

---

## 12. Out of scope / future

- Custom portal theme, branded custom web form, KB deflection, SLA/status timeline (Tier C).
- Backfilling identity on historical tickets.
- Push/websocket live updates in the dialog (polling/refresh is sufficient for v1).

---

## 13. References

**Current code (this repo)**
- `fusion_helpdesk/controllers/main.py` — `submit()`, `_read_config()`, `_authenticate()`,
  `_build_diag_block()` (XML-RPC forwarder; today sends only `{name, description, team_id}`).
- `fusion_helpdesk/static/src/js/fusion_helpdesk_dialog.js` — OWL submission dialog.
- `fusion_helpdesk/static/src/js/fusion_helpdesk_systray.js` — systray entry (badge target).
- `fusion_helpdesk/models/res_config_settings.py` — remote endpoint config params.
- `fusion_helpdesk_central/models/fusion_helpdesk_client_key.py` — bot user + API-key management.

**Live system facts (verified 2026-05-27 on `nexamain`)**
- Modules installed: `helpdesk` 19.0.1.6, `website_helpdesk`, `website_helpdesk_knowledge`,
  `helpdesk_account`, `helpdesk_sale`, `portal`, `website`, `auth_signup`.
- `auth_signup.invitation_scope=b2c`; `web.base.url=https://erp.nexasystems.ca`;
  `mail.catchall.domain=nexasystems.ca`; 4 SMTP servers.
- Team 1 "Customer Care": `privacy_visibility=portal`, `use_website_helpdesk_form=t`,
  `allow_portal_ticket_closing=t`, `use_alias=t`, alias `support`.
- 51/51 tickets have NULL `partner_id`/`partner_email`/`partner_name`.

**Enterprise source (read-only, on container)**
- `helpdesk/models/helpdesk_ticket.py` — `_inherit` (portal.mixin, mail.thread.cc, rating.mixin);
  `access_url='/my/ticket/<id>'`; `create()` partner find-or-create (≈L564–572) + follower subscription
  (≈L600–620).
- `helpdesk/controllers/portal.py` — `/my/tickets`, `/my/ticket/<id>/<access_token>`,
  `/my/ticket/close/<id>/<token>`.
- `website_helpdesk/controllers/main.py` — `/helpdesk/<team>` public web form.

**Odoo 19 gotchas to respect (from repo CLAUDE.md)**
- `res.users` group field is `group_ids` (not `groups_id`).
- `message_post(body=…)` HTML must be wrapped in `Markup()`.
- `mail.template` `ctx` is `env.context`; pass dynamic data via `with_context(**data)`.
- `res.config.settings` Boolean via `config_parameter` doesn't persist `False`.
- SQL constraints/indexes use declarative `models.Constraint` / `models.Index`.