CCS SERVICE REQUEST 5.0

Configuration and Administration Manual

Crow Canyon Systems, Inc.

http://www.crowcanyon.com

support@crowcanyon.com

Welcome to CCS Service Request!

CCS Service Request leverages the power of Outlook and Exchange Server to bring a robust, simple and effective Service Request system for your business.

Using highly customized Outlook forms, the Web, email, and Exchange public folders, CCS Service Request allows you to efficiently track and resolve any type of employee or customer support issues.

After installation of the software, the system can be configured in many different ways, so as to adapt to the needs of your organization. CCS Service Request has utilities that allow you to set notifications, drop-down lists, priorities, statuses, custom fields, required fields, the colors of the ticket, labeling, billing costs, and numbering. It also includes an approval process, an action launcher that activates a web site or program from the ticket, and templates for users to automatically attach documents or add forms to a ticket.

CCS Service Request also has Reporting and Knowledge Base features. Report Builder exports tickets to Microsoft Excel or a database for important analysis of performance and problem areas. The Knowledge Base provides an invaluable repository of information and experience on fixing problems. The configuration of these is described in this manual.

CCS Service Request works on all versions of Outlook that are 2000 and later, and Exchange Server 2000 and later.

Overview on “Service Areas”

CCS Service Request has two levels of folders, Global level and Service Area level. The Global level manages the Service Areas. It has a Global license that sets the number of Services. The Service Area Manager utility sets up the Service Areas.

A “Service Area” is a set of folders under the Service Request system where one group or department will assign, work on, and manage their own set of tickets. Each Service Area has the tickets, utilities, reporting, knowledge base, permissions, licensing, and Named Seats relevant to that area and its users. Each area represents a functional area, such as Help Desk, Customer Support, Customer Service, HR, Facilities, etc.

The Trial Version (and the Upgrade files before the license is entered) comes with the option to set up four Service Areas. One, two, three, or all four can be set up at this point. Note that Service Areas can be added or removed with ease from within the program after installation. A full license will allow whatever number of Service Areas that are purchased.

The “System Service Area” is used in configurations where the tickets are first entered in one location and then dispatched by staff to individual Service Areas. In most installations, the users will submit tickets directly to the Service Area that deals with the type of request. But in some installations, all tickets will go to a central location (the System Service Area) and then be distributed by one or more staff members who “dispatch” the tickets to the proper Service Area.

Glossary of Terms

Requester – Employee or Customer requesting service (does not need a license)

Global Administrator – Person responsible for overall administration of the application

Service Area – Department receiving requests for example Facilities, HR, IT etc.

Assigner – Service Area staff who reviews and assigns tickets

Assignee – Service Area staff who fulfill ticket requests

Named Seat – a list of the users in each Service Area who are allowed to assign and be assigned tickets. A staff member must be a Named Seat to access reporting and utilities.

CCS Service Request Workflow:

Creating New Service Request Tickets – Outlook, Web or Email

• Requesters can enter tickets through Outlook client, through a Web browser or by sending email to the Service Request folder.
• Requesters choose the Service Area to which the request is to be routed
• Requesters can access forms that are relevant to the request, which are then attached to the ticket
• Once submitted, the ticket is routed to the chosen Service Area folder.
• Service Area staff can create and assign tickets directly.
• Notifications are sent out when a new ticket is received. These notices can be set up by Category and Importance so that the right people can be notified for each ticket.

Assigning Tickets

• When the ticket is received, Service Area Staff reviews and assigns it.
• The ticket can be assigned to “Self” or to other staff members. The staff member names can be pulled from the Global Address List
• Once assigned, it moves to the “Assigned Tickets” folder and the staff member(s) gets an email about the assignment.
• A ticket can be assigned to multiple Staff. If assigned to multiple staff members, each staff member can work on the same ticket or each can get a separate ticket.

Completing Tickets

• The staff member works on the ticket and enters details, comments, and actions taken into the Work Log
• While working on the ticket, the staff member can send an update to the requester through a simple click of a button.
• The staff member can use Outlook Calendar to schedule appointments for service
• The staff member can copy the ticket to a personal Task so that it can sync with a PDA or handheld computer.
• The staff member can enter in the time worked on the ticket; this is automatically totaled and if needed, a cost can be assigned to it
• The ticket can be reassigned at any time.
• The ticket can be printed using the “Print Ticket” button.
• When done, the staff member can mark the ticket complete and send an email to the requester.
• The ticket then moves to the “Completed tickets” folder

Features:

Create Tickets with Outlook Toolbar button

A new Service Request ticket can be launched from a button on the Outlook Toolbar. No need to navigate to the Service Request folder to open a new ticket.

Create Tickets from Email

Requesters can create tickets by sending email to the Service Request folder. They address a message to the folder, just like they do to a mailbox. An Email Converter runs on your Exchange Server. This “Event Sink” intercepts emails to the Service Request system and automatically converts them to tickets.

Requesters and customers outside your company can send emails to the Service Request by using the SMTP address of the folder.

Emails can also be converted to tickets manually. Using a toolbar button in Outlook, the Service Area Staff can easily create a new Service Request ticket from any email selected. Instead of dragging and dropping or manually moving an email, the staff can press the "Create Ticket from Email" button on their toolbar and a new Ticket is created in the Service Request.

Entering tickets with a Web browser

In addition to using the Outlook forms or sending in emails, requesters can enter and view tickets through a Web browser. You set up a Virtual Directory on your Exchange or Web server. Requesters enter a URL such as http://yourcompany.com/servicedesk in their browser and this brings up a page where requesters can submit a new ticket or view existing tickets.

Another option is to create a “Support Ticket” on your Web site. This is a generic Web form that is geared towards external customers, though of course your requesters could fill it out also. When the Submit button is pressed, the form is sent as email to the Service Request where it is converted into a new ticket. Since this does not require a Windows account, it can be available to anyone who can access your web server.

Generating reports with Report Builder

Report Builder will help you track Service Request performance and identify problem areas. Report Builder exports tickets to an Excel spreadsheet or text file. You can use date, status, and other filters to generate the reports you want. The full version comes with report templates ready to use.

Knowledge Base – valuable information at your fingertips

The Knowledge Base provides a valuable and easily accessible repository of information on Service Request issues and fixes. The information is readily available to Service Area Staff and requesters to help them speedily fix problems. The Knowledge Base is an integrated with CCS Service Request system, using the same Categories and Types for sorting articles. New articles can be created from tickets with the click of a button.

Copy to Tasks for synching with PDA or handheld

The Assigned Tickets have a “Copy to Tasks” button. This will make a copy of the ticket in the staff member’s personal Tasks folder. This copy can then be synched with a PDA or handheld computer so the staff member has the ticket information readily available.

Fully compatible with Outlook 2000and above & Exchange Server 2000 and above

CCS Service Request works on all versions of Outlook that are 2000 and later (Outlook 2000, 2002/XP, 2003, 2007, and 2010) as well as Exchange Server 2000 and later (Exchange Server 2000, 2003, 2007, and 2010).

Utilities give each Service Area control over CCS Service Request:

• List Manager controls the contents of the drop-down boxes, form labels and custom fields, as well as set Priorities, Response Due dates, and several other settings.
• Popup Message configures a message to display to the requesters whenever they fill out a new Ticket. The message is easily changed or turned on and off.
• Ticket Colors sets the colors of the tickets on the fly.
• Billing Module is used if there is a need for a cost associated with each ticket
• Numbering sets up sequential numbering with a prefix and/or suffix.
• Notification utilities set up staff notification emails based on category and importance of the ticket. These utilities set email addresses that receive notice of new tickets, as well as an email address to receive notices of critical tickets.
• Auto-reply sets a message that is sent back to requester every time a ticket is entered.
• Notification on Assignment and Completion keep requesters and staff informed of ticket progress.
• License Utility allows you to designate which staff members are “Named Seats” with full access to the tickets.
• Record Lock prevents message conflicts when multiple people modify and then save the same ticket.
• Templates allow you to pre-define text, hyperlinks, or attachments that go into the Description of the ticket. Requesters can then fill out these predefined forms as part of the ticket submission.