Note: This article is on the new revamped Sandbox which will be available for Enterprise plan customers from April 29, 2024. For Freshservice's legacy Sandbox click here. Click here to learn more about its phase-out plan.

When your service desk offers multiple capabilities that are subject to change very often, managing and scaling testing before changes are deployed to the production could become challenging. The new Sandbox helps you set up copies of your production to manage changes with evolving business needs without impacting users.


Here is a bird’s eye view of how the process with the new Sandbox works.


The new Sandbox offers you a simplified sandboxing experience and solves three key problems that still existed in the legacy version, namely:

  1. Sandbox would be destroyed after syncing with Production or after 180 days of creation (whichever came first); the new Sandbox is perpetual unless otherwise destroyed.

  2. There was no ability to selectively choose changes to be synced back to the production; the new Sandbox has a provision to select only those configurations that are most relevant after testing, without any manual interruptions.

  3. Only a single sandbox was allowed per account; the new Sandbox will allow up to a maximum of three sandboxes.

  4. Sync was always one way i.e., from Sandbox to Production. With the new Sandbox, you can keep your Sandbox up to date with all the changes made in the Production environment. 

The new Sandbox offers you the freedom to play around with a near-live instance with no risk of disruption or downtime.


How is the new Sandbox different from the legacy version of Sandbox?

Legacy Sandbox

New Sandbox 

Automatically gets destroyed in 180 days or post-sync.

Exists perpetually, unless destroyed by the user.

Syncs all data at once.

Users can choose a set of configurations to sync.

One Sandbox for each Workspace needs to be created.

Multiple Workplaces can co-exist securely in Sandbox.

Only one-way sync (Sandbox to Production).

Bidirectional sync between any two instances is allowed.



What is a Sandbox?

Sandbox is a copy of your production environment where you can:

  • Test changes without affecting your production environment, 

  • Try out new features, or 

  • Just use it as a training ground for new users.


Freshservice now allows bidirectional sync between any two instances, a departure from the previous one-way sync (Sandbox to Production).


Why should you use Sandbox? 

Sandbox offers a risk-free environment for real-world testing without affecting live operations. It is valuable for:

  • Isolated development and testing instance: Changes and features can be tested without disrupting the production. Facilitates showcasing changes to stakeholders before deployment.

  • Quality Assurance: Enables accurate testing and early issue identification in a near-real environment.

  • Training and Learning: Ideal for training new staff, exploring system functionalities, and experimenting with settings without risking disruptions or data loss in the live system.


Where can you find Sandbox in Freshservice?

The Sandbox module can be found in Admin -> Account Settings -> Sandbox. Learn who can view the Sandbox module.


The Sandbox home page consists of three tabs namely:


1) Sandbox: This section lists all the instances present in your Freshservice account. By default, the Production instance is also listed here with the suitable indication in bracket (i.e. Production).

2) Outward Sync

3) Inward Sync