Issues

In this module you can enter issues your customers are having. If you are using WebConnect, your customers can enter their own issues and the issue will populate Help Desk > Issues. From an Issue, you can generate a service order, install order, or proposal. You can also copy the Issue to Help Desk to populate your Knowledge Base.

Entering a new Issue in SME

1. Go to the Help Desk module > Issues.

2. Click New.

3. Details and Settings tab .

a. Title – enter a description of the issue.

b. System – this field reflects the inventory item “system type”. You can select the system that applies to the Issue.

c. Product – enter the product that generated the issue.

d. Issue Version and Fix Version – If applicable, enter the issue version. When the issue is closed, you can enter the Fix Version.

e. Severity – You may want to decide on a Severity naming convention and use this to enter the severity. In the search window, you can sort and filter on this field.

f. Priority – Assign a priority to the issue. In the search window, you can sort and filter on this field to prioritize your work.

g. Customer – Link a customer to the issue and the issue will be listed on the Customer record > Issues tab. Click to browse for the customer.

h. Reported by – Click to link a contact to the issue. If you already linked a customer, the contact list will be filtered by the customer contacts. If no customer is selected, then you can select from all contacts.

i. Notify Customer – Check this box and when searching issues, you can sort and filter by this field. Find all issues with this checked. Checking this field does not automatically prompt a notification, it is simply a reference field you can sort/filter by.

j. Opened Date and Time – When you create a new issue, this date and time will automatically be populated.

k. Current Status – Customize this drop down list to reflect the milestones you move your issues through. In the search window, you can sort and filter by the status of the issue. (examples are investigating or servicing)

l. Taken By – This field is automatically populated with the SME user that created the Issue.

m. Assigned To – Select an SME user that is assigned to work on the issue. In the search window you can sort and filter by this field.

n. Order Type – If you generate an order for the issue using the Actions menu, then SME will fill out the type of order (service, install, or proposal) that was generated from this issue.

o. Number – If you generated a service order, install order or proposal based on the issue, the order number will display here. Click the number to jump to the order.

p. Closed Date – When you close the issue, the date will automatically populate here.

4. Problem tab – enter a description of the issue on this tab. If you convert the issue to an order, the text typed on the Problem tab will go to the Work Requested tab on the order.

5. Steps to Recreate tab – if applicable, enter the steps to recreate the issue on this tab.

6. Solution tab – enter the solution to the issue. If you convert the issue to the Help Desk, or Knowledge Base, the solution entered here will follow to the Help Desk. When searching the help desk you can find the solution for the issue. (Convert to knowledge base by clicking Actions > Copy to Knowledge Base).

7. Notes tab – this is a tab to enter notes related to the issue.

8. Stored Documents tab – Click New to link files to the issue.

9. Activities tab – This tab will list activities related to the issue. Create a new activity for this issue on this tab by clicking New, or by clicking Activities > Set Activity/Set Follow up.

Generate an order based on the issue

If you need to generate a service order, install order or proposal for this issue, use the Actions menu.

1. Create a new issue. Make sure the Customer field and the Problem tab is filled out.
2. Click Actions and select Create Service Order, Create Install Order or Create Proposal.
3. An order or proposal is generated. The text on the Problem tab will populate the Work Requested tab on the order.

Copy issue to knowledge base (help desk)

To copy over the problem and solution to the help desk, click Actions > Copy to Knowledge Base. Once the issue is moved to the Knowledge Base, you can search your Knowledge Base for common issues/solutions.

Create an activity to follow up on an issue

If you need to remind yourself or another SME user to follow up on an issue, set an activity.

1. Click Activities > Set Activity / Set Follow Up.
2. Activity Editor window

• Opened By – automatically populated with the SME user that opened the Activity.
• Work Group – if you want to assign this task to a work group, select the group here.
• Assigned To – if you want to assign this task to another SME user, select the name here. The activity will show up in that users Activity list and also reminder will open for that user if “Set Reminder” is checked.
• Reason – text field for short description of reason for activity.
• Date – Select the date you want the activity to be due.
• Set Reminder – Check here if you want the reminder window to open for the activity.

3. Click OK and the activity is saved.

To view all of your activities:

1. Click Activities (1).
2. In the Showing activities window, you can select the SME user you want to view activities for (2).
3. Select day on the calendar you want to see activities for or click Show All Days.
4. In the grid of activities, double click on the activity and SME will jump to the record the activities were created in.