Installation Manual
for CCS HelpDesk 4.2
With new Automated Installation/Client
on Demand!
Crow Canyon Systems, Inc.
Thank you for downloading
and installing CCS HelpDesk 4.2! We have strived to make the installation as
simple and easy as possible. To install, simply run the EXE that comes with the
trial download. You select where you want to put the Help Desk set of folders,
and the setup program installs the folders and local client software.
For additional clients, you
designate a Network Share for the client setup files during installation. Then,
whenever a client goes to the Help Desk folders, the system will automatically
detect whether the client software is installed. If it is not, the user will be
prompted to install.
In addition, whenever you update
the Network Share with a new build or version of our software, the client will
also detect that an update is available and automatically prompt the user to
install it.
This greatly cuts down on the administrative and installation efforts to
get CCS HelpDesk installed and keep it updated. Please give it a try and let us
know. More detailed instructions are below.
Thank you!
TRIAL INFORMATION
The trial is a full-featured version of CCS HelpDesk
4.2 that is limited to 3 seats and available for 20-45 days of evaluation
usage. We will send you the license to turn it into a full version upon
purchase. That license will have the correct number of Seats, according to your
purchase level. You will not lose any data and will only need to enter the new
license.
LITE VS. STANDARD
VERSIONS
The Lite version provides the
full Outlook program. The Standard has all elements of the Lite version plus two
other components -- the Event Sink that converts emails into new tickets and
the Web interface. Both of these components require additional setup on the
Exchange server.
You will have downloaded either
the Lite or Standard version, as per your request. The initial installation is
the same for both versions. The Lite version does not require any configuration
on the Exchange server. The additional components of the Standard version
require an Event Sink to be installed on the server and either a new Web Site
or Virtual Directory created on a Windows 2003 (32-bit) Server.
ADDITONAL COMPONENTS OF
STANDARD VERSION
The Standard version consists of the Lite version plus the
two components below. Installation of these is described in separate Manuals at
http://www.crowcanyon.com/support/user_manuals.asp
o
Event Sink email conversion files: allows users to email in requests.
The Event Sink will convert that emails into new Help Desk Tickets
automatically.
o
Web Interface files: allows users to create and view
tickets with a web browser.
LICENSING BY “NAMED
SEATS”
In 4.0, we introduced licensing by Named Seats. Names are
entered in the License Utility. All users can open and create tickets (if the
license is valid) and read Knowledge Base articles, but only Named Seats can
assign and work on the tickets after submission. Also, only Named Seats can run
reports and create KB articles.
INSTALLATION OF THE TRIAL
Prerequisites for
installation
1. Extract the .ZIP file on your local
drive (not on a network share).
2. Move the CCSHelpDeskSetup.exe (only
that file) to your local C: drive outside of the folder it was in and run the
file from there.
3. Please make sure you have a
network share that can be accessed by all users that will be using the HelpDesk.
4. Make sure that .NET
framework 2.0 is installed on the computer that will be running the Setup.
5. Make sure you are a local
administrator on the computer where you will be running the Setup.
1) Installation of the
Help Desk folders
Run the installation setup EXE from a computer with Outlook
client (2000 or above) installed and configured on it. The setup will copy the
Help Desk set of folders to the Public Folders at the location you choose in
the setup screens. It will also install the client components for the Help Desk
on the PC where the install is being run.
During the setup, the client files are also placed on the
Network Share for other clients to access when they first use the Help Desk
system.
The setup only has to be run once, and then the public
folders are available to anyone in the Exchange organization. (The folders can
also be installed in a shared mailbox, where they would be available to anyone
with access to that mailbox.) The client files will be automatically installed
from the Network Share when a client first tries to open a ticket or otherwise
use the system
The new Automated Installation is simple. Run the EXE and
follow the screens. (For Windows Vista, run the Setup
by right-clicking on it and choosing "Run as Administrator".)
This next screen requires some input as explained below:
Public Folder Path – choose this using the button on
the right. This should be in a path such as \\Public Folders\All Public
Folders\Help Desk. The Help Desk folders can sit anywhere in the Exchange
Public Folder hierarchy (or a shared mailbox). You will need the rights to
create new folders under whatever folder you will be placing the Help Desk
folders. The best way to test if you have rights is to try to create a new
folder at the location you want. If you cannot, you will need to get this
permission from your Exchange administrator (or have the administrator do the
installation).
File Directory – This is where the local client
files will go. Usually the default is good to stick with.
Network Share – This is where the client setup
files will be placed for other clients to access when they go to start using
the Help Desk system. This share needs to be available to every user who will
be using the Help Desk system. The users will need Read permission on this
share.
Do you want to install
CCS Toolbar Addin … ?
– This checkbox will determine whether the client setup files that are placed
on the Network Share should include the installation of the Outlook Toolbar
button for a “New Help Desk Ticket” on each client.
After this
screen, there is a confirmation screen, then the install takes place. The setup
ends with a Finish screen.
Permissions on the Folders
Set permissions for the folders as follows (this can be done
by a folder Owner in Outlook or by an Exchange Admin in Exchange System Manager
(under Client Permissions of the folder):
Help Desk
Default = Author
Help Desk/IT staff = Publishing
Editor (or Owner)
Assigned Tickets & Completed
Tickets
Default = Reviewer
Help Desk/IT staff = Publishing
Editor (or Owner)
Knowledge Base
Default = Reviewer
Help Desk/IT staff = Publishing
Editor (or Owner)
Reports
Default = Reviewer or None
Help Desk/IT staff = Publishing
Editor (or Owner)
Utilities and all folders under
it EXCEPT Record Lock
Default = Reviewer
Help Desk/IT staff = Publishing Editor (or Owner)
People
doing ticket assigning (if different than Help Desk staff): Custom role with
Read Items, Folder Visible, Edit items (All), Delete items (None)
Record Lock
Default = Editor
Help Desk/IT staff = Editor (or
Owner)
2) Installation of Client
files – new “Client on Demand” system!
The first client, that is, the one on the installer’s PC, is
installed as part of the initial setup. For other clients, they will first go
to the Help Desk folder and try to open a ticket. The system will detect that
the CCS HelpDesk client is not installed. It will then prompt them to install
the client.
The client setup is available on a Network Share that is
designated during the initial setup. The client files are placed there
automatically after the installer designates the Network Share. This is done
during the installation process.
The Network Share needs to be available to every client who
will be using the Help Desk system. The clients needs read permission in order
to download and run the client setup.
Note that the Client On Demand system also installs updates.
When the client accesses the Help Desk system, it not only checks if the client
is installed, it also checks if the latest version of the software is installed
on the client. This greatly eases updates and upgrades of CCS HelpDesk, and
keeps the clients fully current with the latest releases with very little
administrative overhead.
Opening a new Help
Desk ticket
The custom "Help Desk Ticket" form will now come
up when you choose "New” or click the white space in the Help Desk folder.
OR
To further configure your
installation, you can set up the following in the folders under Utilities in
the HelpDesk:
1) Add yourself as a Named Seat in the License
Utility
2) In General Utilities folder
a. Configure lists in List Manager
b. Set the Ticket Colors
c. Set the required and hidden fields (if
any) in the Field Manager Utility
d. Configure a Popup Message, if desired
3) Set up Notifications
4) Set up any Templates
If you need assistance,
contact support at support@crowcanyon.com
or see http://support.crowcanyon.com.
To purchase, contact sales@crowcanyon.com
or go to http://www.crowcanyon.com/purchase.
Thank you for Installing CCS
HelpDesk 4.2!
More Information
Installation of the Event Sink and Web
files
As mentioned earlier, the Standard version consists of the
Lite version plus two other components that require setup on the Exchange
server. Installation of these is described in separate Manuals at http://www.crowcanyon.com/support/user_manuals.asp
o
Event Sink email conversion files: allows users to email in requests.
The Event Sink will convert that emails into new Help Desk Tickets automatically.
o
Web Interface files: allows users to create and view
tickets with a web browser.
Upgrading from Outlook Help Desk 3.X to CCS HelpDesk 4.2
For current customers
of Outlook HelpDesk:
CCS HelpDesk 4.2 is a major upgrade to the Outlook Help Desk
3.x family of programs. (Note that the name was changed to accord with
Microsoft naming conventions.)
The upgrade
process consists of copying the new set of Outlook folders into the Public
Folders, then running the Upgrade Utility to move data from the 3.x program to
the 4.2. The Upgrade process is described in detail in the separate
UpgradeManual_42, included in the Upgrade package sent after purchasing the
upgrade (see “Purchasing” below).
Purchasing
the Upgrade
The 4.2
release is available free of charge to customers with one of our Premium Annual
Support Contracts (for those with customized versions, there may be charges for
putting those same customizations into 4.2). Those without a Premium Support
Contract can purchase one at the following link: http://www.crowcanyon.com/support/support_contract.asp.
Otherwise, the Upgrade is available to existing Outlook Help Desk customers for
50% of the cost of a new license.
Running Your Existing Version Along with the New
Version
If you are
a current user of Outlook Help Desk, you may want to continue to use Outlook
Help Desk while trialing the 4.2 version. There should not be any conflicts, as
the forms and the DLLs are different. The only caveat is that you cannot have
two folders with the same name at the same level. If you put the 4.2 version at
the same folder level as the current Help Desk, you will need to rename the
Help Desk folder to something else.
Linking To CCS Network Inventory (Optional)
Crow Canyon’s Network Inventory tool is a
powerful hardware and software inventory and asset tracking program that scans
your LAN to get detailed software and hardware inventory and configuration
information. CCS HelpDesk 4.2 includes an option to link to Network Inventory
from the Assigned Tickets. This allows quick and easy access to important data
about the asset and can lead to faster problem resolution times.
The setup is described in a manual provided on purchase of
the Inventory tool.
Note that Network Inventory is a separate purchase. The use
of Network Inventory is not required and is entirely optional. The asset boxes
can be filled in manually as needed.
Uninstalling
To
uninstall CCS HelpDesk 4.2, take the following steps:
1)
Delete
the set of Help Desk public folders. Make certain you want to take this step
first, as once the folders are deleted, the tickets and settings are gone. You
can archive the folders to a PST file if you wish to retain the ticket data.
2)
On
Outlook clients with CCSHD420.dll and CCSSAFE.dll installed, you can either
leave them there as they are only activated when our program accesses them or
delete them by unregistering them (with REGSVR32 /u switch) and then deleting
the dll files. These files are usually in the Program Files/Crowcanyon
directory on the client.
Appendix A
Only
“Deleted Items” and “Search” folders show in Help Desk
If you
install the PST file and do not see the Help Desk folder, like the view on the
left, simply click the folder icon at the extreme bottom right (the one that is
yellowed in the right-hand view) and you will see the folders:
