Request Module

Request Creation

1. How do I convert an Email into a Request?
2. Is it possible to disable the Quick creating option of creating request?

Request Handling

1. I am a Technician and every morning I log into ServiceDesk Plus - MSP, I can see many tasks assigned to me. But I do not know to which request the tasks belong. How do I figure it out?
2. How do I merge requests?
3. Why is the accounts combo-box disabled when I am editing a request?
4. If a request is split from the parent request, will the child request contain all the notes, resolution and worklog that was added to the parent request?
5. How do I change the overdue time of a request?
6. Technician go around places and resolves the issues, due to which the exact time taken to resolve cannot be calculated. What option can be suggested for this scenario?

Request Customization

1. I want all requests in my application to start from Request Id 19001 instead of default request Ids assigned by ServiceDesk Plus - MSP. How do I change the Request id number?
2. I need to create some filters for viewing tickets say, tickets of only high priority. How can this be enabled in ServiceDesk Plus - MSP?
3. Can certain fields, such as Adding Work Log, be made mandatory before closing a request?

Request Configurations

1. My requesters will send e-mail requests to their own account's support address. How can I create requests from these mails?
2. What happens when a requester sends a mail directly to my(MSP's) e-mail address?
3. How do I set the default currency in the work logs say, £ instead of $?

Request Closure

1. What is Automated Close? How it is related to resolved status ?
2. How do I disable the 'Close Request' (yes/no) popup while closing a request?
3. How can a requester re-open a resolved request if the resolution provided is unsatisfactory?

Request Creation

1. How do I convert an Email into a Request?
   1. Create an email account, say "ServiceDesk" in your mail server. Configure a password for this account.
   2. Configure the settings in ServiceDesk Plus - MSP software using Admin -> Mail Server Settings -> Incoming. Specify the email address as "servicedesk@yourdomain.com" and the username as "ServiceDesk". Select the protocol through which you prefer to fetch the messages say, POP or IMAP.
   3. For each account, create a mail alias in the mail server which maps to the email address "servicedesk@yourdomain.com". Eg: account1-support@yourdomain.com as an alias for Account1 which maps to "servicedesk@yourdomain.com".
   4. When creating accounts, for each account, enter the mail alias that you created for that account as the 'support e-mail address'. This is the address to which the requesters from an account will send their e-mail requests.
   5. Once a requester sends a mail, it will be received at the mail server
   6. ServiceDesk Plus - MSP will fetch emails at regular intervals from your e-mail address and automatically convert them into tickets for the corresponding account.
   Back to Questions
2. Is it possible to disable the Quick creating option of creating request ?
   Yes, it is possible to disable the Quick create option. It is available as a configurable option under Admin -> Self Service Portal Settings.Back to Questions

Request Handling

1. I am a Technician and every morning I log into ServiceDesk Plus - MSP, I can see many tasks assigned to me. But I do not know to which request the tasks belong. How do I figure it out?In the Home tab under the Task block, click on 'Show All' button which takes you to the Task details screen that gives a detailed information about the task.Back to Questions
2. How do I merge requests?ServiceDesk Plus - MSP helps you to merge 2 or more requests and combine them into a single request. Requests can be merged from the request list view page and from a request details page. The following two examples will help you in understanding the merging technique and after the merging process which request will be the parent request.
   a) I'm in the Request List view screen where I'm able to view all the requests in the helpdesk. I'm going to merge 2 requests say, Request id 10 and 7. So I select the check box beside these requests and click on the Merge button. Which request id will be the parent request?
   a)7
   b)10
   c)none
   Answer -> a
   If you merge two requests from the request list view, then the older request will be the parent request and the new request will be the child request. In other words, the newly added request is merged with the old request.
   
   b) I'm in the request details page of Request id 7. I choose 'Merge Request' option under the Actions button to merge this request with Request id 10. Which request id will be the parent request?
   a)7
   b)10
   c)none
   Answer -> b
   Note: In the requests list view page, there is no restriction on merging requests across accounts. When you do this, both requests will be merged and will belong to the same account as that of the older request. So, the request for the account with the greater request number is actually lost. Hence, merging of requests across accounts should not be done. Back to Questions
3. Why is the accounts combo-box disabled when I am editing a request?Once a request is created, it cannot be moved to a different account. The accounts combo-box is disabled to prevent you from accidentally changing the account for a request. Back to Questions
4. If a request is split from the parent request, will the child request contain all the notes, resolution and worklog that was added to the parent request?No. All the notes, resolution and worklog added in the parent request will not be associated to the child request. Back to Questions
5. How do I change the overdue time of a request?This is a Service Level Agreement configuration which can be configured according to your convenience.
   Go to Admin -> Service Level Agreement -> edit the given SLA and change the resolution time accordingly so that you can have the desired time frame before a request becomes overdue.Back to Questions
6. Technician go around places and resolves the issues, due to which the exact time taken to resolve cannot be calculated. What option can be suggested for this scenario?Technicians can start using the Add Work Log functionality of ServiceDesk Plus - MSP which helps in calculate the exact time spent by a technician on an Incident.Back to Questions

Request Customization

1. I want all requests in my application to start from Request Id 19001 instead of default request Ids assigned by ServiceDesk Plus - MSP. How do I change the Request id number?Follow the instructions given below to change the request id number,
   1. Connect to mysql database as follows:
      From the command prompt, C:\ > cd ManageEngine\ServiceDesk-MSP\mysql\bin
      mysql.exe -u root -P 33366 servicedesk
      Note: For MS SQL connect to the Query analyzer of the SQL server
   2. Create a dummy workorder as follows:
      mysql> insert into workorder (WORKORDERID, REQUESTERID) values (19000,2);
      [ 19000 is the dummy workorder id number to start the requestid from 19001. 2 is a valid requester id. You may have to check the AaaUser for a valid requester id. Rest of the values can be the same as shown above ]
   3. Restart ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus - MSP service.
      Note: Existing request id numbers cannot be changed. The new request id will start from 19001.
   Back to Questions
2. I need to create some filters for viewing tickets say, tickets of only high priority. How can this be enabled in ServiceDesk Plus - MSP? You can use the custom filter icon in the request list view page to create custom views in such a way that tickets based on the filter is listed. The filters can also be made private. [ Screenshot ]Back to Questions
3. Can certain fields, such as Adding Work Log, be made mandatory before closing a request? Yes it is possible under Admin -> Helpdesk Customizer -> Request closing rules. Request closing rules can be used to select the mandatory fields to be filled in by the technicians while closing the requests.Back to Questions

Request Configurations

1. My requesters will send e-mail requests to their own account's support address. How can I create requests from these mails?
   1. When creating accounts, for each account, enter the 'support e-mail address'. This is the address to which the requesters from an account will send their e-mail requests. Eg: support@myaccount.com
   2. At the mail server of each account, configure the server such that mails received on the support e-mail address are forwarded to the e-mail address that you have configured under Admin -> Mail Server Settings -> Incoming -> Email address
   3. Once a requester sends a mail, it will be received at the corresponding account's support e-mail address, this will be forwarded to your e-mail address.
   4. ServiceDesk Plus - MSP will fetch emails at regular intervals from your e-mail account and automatically convert them into tickets.
   Back to Questions
2. What happens when a requester sends a mail directly to my(MSP's) e-mail address?If the 'from' e-mail address of the e-mail matches any of the existing requester's e-mail addresses, a request for that requester will be created. Otherwise, a new request and new requester will be created who will not be assigned to any account. The administrator can view this request and requester when he selects 'All Accounts' under the requests and Admin->Requesters page respectively. The administrator has to edit the request and the requester and assign them to the correct site and account. Back to Questions
3. How do I set the default currency in the work logs say, £ instead of $?Go to Admin-> Self Service Portal Settings and change the default currency from $ to £.Back to Questions

Request Closure

1. What is Automated Close? How it is related to resolved status? According to ITIL an incident must be closed only when the user confirms that the solution provided is beneficial in resolving the incident. Helpdesk technicians are the Single Point of Contact to keep the users informed by tracking the status and making sure that all incidents are responded and closed. It is a tedious process to make sure that all users have confirmed on their incident closure.
   i) Create and Educate users about your closure policies
   You can define that helpdesk will resolve issues and get back to you. Users must confirm if the Incident has been resolved and if users do not respond within 2 days, we will assume that the users have agreed on the incident closure.
   ii) ServiceDesk Plus - MSP helps you with Incident Closure
   Your Helpdesk Technicians can resolve incidents and change the status of the request to resolved state. ServiceDesk Plus - MSP will send an email to the requester asking if the resolution helped. If the users does not respond within 2 days the request will be automatically closed.
   Note: Technicians should not close the ticket; instead they should move the ticket to 'Resolved' status.
   To configure Automated Close, select Admin -> Helpdesk customizer -> Request closing rules.
   [ Screenshot ]
   Back to Questions
2. How do I disable the 'Close Request' (yes/no) popup while closing a request in the latest version? According to ITIL an incident must be closed only when the user confirms that the solution provided is beneficial in resolving the incident. This is the reason for displaying the pop up when you close an incident. It is an ITIL best practice. But for your convenience we are providing an option to disable it
   You can disable this option under Admin -> Helpdesk Customizer -> Request Closing Rules -> Confirm User Acknowledgment section. Back to Questions
3. How can a requester re-open a resolved request if the resolution provided is unsatisfactory?Enable the notification rule 'Email User when a Request is Resolved' under Admin ->Notification Rule, to send an email to the requester when the technician changes the request Status to 'Resolved'. The user can look into the resolution provided by the technician in the email. A Close Request link will be available with which, the requester can close the request raised by him. If the resolution provided by the technician is unsatisfying, then the requester can reply back to the notification mail to reopen the request. Back to Questions