# Connect Front

_Category: Integrations and API_

Bring your help center into Front. Your team can search your articles, insert them into replies and create new articles from a conversation, and on plans with AI, draft a reply from your articles in one click.

**Who can do this:** Owners and Admins · **Plans:** All plans (**Generate AI Reply** needs the Catalyst plan, or the AI add-on on Bootstrap and Growth)

## Step 1: Enable the HelpCenter.io app in Front

1. In Front, open your company settings, go to the **App Store** and search for HelpCenter.io.
2. Click **See details** on the HelpCenter.io app, then **Enable app** in the top-right corner.
3. Front shows a **Secret key** in the **Configure app** window. Copy it.

Closed the window too soon? Go back to the **App Store**, open HelpCenter.io and click **Configure app** to see the key again.

## Step 2: Connect Front in HelpCenter.io

1. In the left menu, click the gear icon, then **Settings**.
2. Under **Integrations**, switch on **Front**.
3. Paste the key into **Secret key** and click **Save**.

![Screen recording. Under Integrations, switch on Front. Paste the secret from the HelpCenter.io app in Front, then Save.](https://helpcenter-io.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/self/txorkS6zjtMNcean3ebEj8dQnhOzjKj6YvMSurHF.gif)
A message confirms Front secret saved.

Go back to Front and open a conversation. The HelpCenter.io sidebar is ready to use.

## What your team can do in Front

- **Find articles**: type in **Search here...** or browse your categories.
- **Use an article in a reply**: open it, select the text you need and insert it into your reply, or insert a link to the article. For an FAQ, you can insert the whole answer. A selection that includes one of your team's internal notes isn't inserted.
- **Copy or edit**: copy the article's address, or open it in HelpCenter.io to edit it.
- **Go to help center** opens your help center.
- **Create an Article**: the **+** button opens a form with a title, type (**Article** or **FAQ**), category and content. The article is saved as a draft for you to finish in HelpCenter.io. This works when your email address in Front matches a HelpCenter.io account that can edit this help center (Owner, Admin or Editor).
- **Generate AI Reply**: drafts a reply to the conversation from your articles and lists its **Sources**. Click **Use** to put it in your reply, and rate it with a thumbs up or down. When your articles don't cover the question, it tells you, so you can answer by hand. There's a daily allowance of AI replies, and the button shows how many you've used.

## Troubleshooting

**The sidebar says "The Front plugin doesn't seem to be configured with your help center."** Switch on Front under **Settings** → **Integrations**, paste the secret key from Front and click **Save**. Then reload the sidebar.

**Creating an article doesn't work.** Your Front email address needs to match your HelpCenter.io account, and that account needs the Owner, Admin or Editor role on this help center. See [Roles and permissions](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/roles-and-permissions).

**The sidebar says "Thank you for trying HelpCenter.io!" or "Continue with HelpCenter.io".** Your free trial or subscription has ended, so the sidebar can't show your articles. The account owner can click **Activate subscription on HelpCenter.io**, then **Reload the plugin**. See [What happens when a trial or subscription ends?](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/when-a-subscription-ends)

**There's no Generate AI Reply button.** AI replies need the Catalyst plan or the AI add-on, and they appear inside a conversation. See [Add AI Answers to your plan](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/ai-add-on).

## Related articles

- [Integrations overview](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/integrations)
- [Connect Zendesk](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/zendesk)
- [Roles and permissions](https://self.helpcenter.io/content/roles-and-permissions)