Take A Ticket
Managing Support Tickets with FreeScout on Ubuntu
When I first started in K-12 I.T., we set up what we thought was a solid way to manage requests and issues: combining Slack with Freshdesk. For a while, it worked. Staff would message their issue on Slack, and if a quick chat couldn’t solve it, we created a ticket from the conversation.
It worked, but it was cumbersome. Over time, staff stopped using it, and key features that kept things organized moved behind a paywall. With a limited budget, I needed to find another solution.
Enter FreeScout — an open-source helpdesk platform that checks all the boxes.
🖥️ The Setup
We turned to an older Mac Mini running Ubuntu Server to host FreeScout. This approach gave us local control and avoided ongoing SaaS costs.
OS: Ubuntu Server LTS
Stack: PHP + MySQL
Interface: Web-based, simple for staff to submit tickets
📩 How Staff Use It
Instead of asking staff to create new accounts, we built a Google Form. A simple script emails the form details directly to FreeScout.
Convert emails into tickets automatically.
Assign, track, and respond from one central dashboard.
Since tickets originate from a Google Form, we can also build custom charts and reports in Google Sheets. This helps us track where help is most needed and spot the most common problems.
🔑 Why FreeScout Works for Us
✅ Open source — no licensing fees
✅ Email integration — no new portal for staff to learn
✅ Modular — add plugins for reporting, canned responses, or time tracking
✅ Lightweight — runs smoothly on older hardware
🧠 Lessons Learned
Keep categories simple — too many confuse staff.
Automate responses so users know their request was received.
Review reports regularly to spot recurring issues (e.g., projector bulbs, password resets).
💬 Final Thoughts
FreeScout has given us a reliable, low-cost helpdesk solution that fits perfectly in a K-12 environment. Staff appreciate the simplicity, and our I.T. workflow is much more organized.
For districts with tight budgets (and an old machine lying around), FreeScout is well worth exploring.