Changes - Features and Configuration

Change Management functionality is available if you have the Service Desk version of iSupport; use it to record and track requests related to services and assets and ensure that standard methods and procedures are used.

Basic Configuration

Enable/disable Change functionality and set basic options in Feature Basics. Note that you can enable features at any time.

Set up categories, which are custom values that you create for describing an Incident, Knowledge, Problem, or Change record. (Note that the same category set is used with all of those features.) A category combination is required in order to save a Change record. Categories are involved in many features throughout iSupport, including reporting, displaying related work items, and more.

Creating Change Records

You can manually create Change records via the Change screen; access it via the Desktop Create menu and the Incident, Problem, and Purchase Request screens.

Customers can submit an email that will create a Change record via email processing.

Customers can submit changes via a mySupport portal.

You can create a service catalog that will enable support reps and customers to submit changes via change templates.

You can schedule a single occurrence change or a recurring set of changes to be created at a future date/time.

Customizing iSupport Defaults

iSupport includes a default Change screen layout with a comprehensive set of fields for tracking Change data, but you can redesign it to include fields and tabs that are specific to your company. You can create different layouts to assign to support representative groups, customer groups, categories, change templates, and hierarchy templates.

You can create custom status labels for the Change status levels of Open, Closed, and Suspended.

If there are fields you need that are not included in iSupport by default, you can create custom fields.

You can create different labels for the Standard, Normal, and Emergency change types via the Custom Change Types screen.

You can include a field for entering or automatically generating a custom number.

You can define custom impact and urgency values that map to priority levels. Enable impact/urgency mapping via the Feature Basics screen.

You can enable your customers to submit and view Change records on mySupport portals, and you can customize the submission and display screen layouts.

Sending Notifications

You can use Change rules to send Desktop and email notifications when specified conditions based on Change record fields or events are met; for example, you can configure a rule to send a notification when the priority of a Change record is modified.

You can use or copy and modify iSupport's default notifications, or you can create new custom notifications. You can include data from work items and designate any applicable recipients.

You can send correspondence email from the Change screen. Correspondence can include data from Change records; correspondence templates can be utilized, and an Others to Notify list can be used for keeping those not directly involved in the loop.

You can add a discussion post to a selected feed from the Change screen.

You can enable a single selection feedback survey with a question with two response choice image links in a change notification.

Using Workflow Features

You can route via name, skill, group, and location, all with or without load balancing, in the Change screen. Enable routing methods via Feature Basics, and set routing availability options via Support Representative Profiles.

You can use Change rules to automatically route Change records via round robin or load balancing.

You can automatically change field values on Change records via Change rules.

You can create templates to populate fields for common and reoccurring changes, and create hierarchy templates for tasks that have multiple activities. Both types of templates can be applied manually via the Change screen or via Change rules. iSupport Templates

You can require a Change record to be approved before most functions can be performed. Approval cycles are initiated via Change rules.

You can create related changes for a Change record; when you close the original change, all related changes can be closed automatically.

You can associate new and existing Asset records. You can also associate new and existing Incident, Problem, and Purchase records, enable associated incidents and problems to be closed when a Change record is closed.

You can perform ad hoc scans on non-Windows SNMP-enabled devices in the Change screen, and associate scans with a change.

You can use webhooks to post Change data to a web application via Change rules.

You can associate configuration items to utilize data in Change records for views, reports, and correspondence. A CMDB contains configuration items (CIs) for the resources to be tracked and the relationships between those items.

You can configure signing agreement text for inclusion in the Sign dialog in the Change screen. Signing agreements can be associated with customer and support representative groups, categories, and incident and change templates. This feature is not available in mySupport.

Managing Change Records

You can use the Action menu in the View component on the Desktop to perform actions such as opening and routing multiple items.

You can configure roles/permissions for support reps and rep groups using Change functionality via the Support Representatives screen.

You can use service contract functionality to track and restrict changes associated with customers, companies, and assets.

You can archive changes.