4.1 – Documentation and Support Systems - Ticketing Systems

Ticketing Systems Overview

• Ticketing systems document issues and assign them for resolution.
• Reports are generated to track the number of tickets processed and resolved.
• The help desk usually manages the ticketing process from start to finish.
• The help desk takes calls, triages issues, determines next steps, assigns tickets, and monitors resolution.
• Ticketing systems share a similar basic function and structure.

Creating a Ticket

• When a user reports an issue, a ticket is created to track it through resolution.
• Gather the user's name and details about the affected device.
• Provide a detailed description of the issue to give context.
• Categorize the problem (e.g., network issue) and assign a severity (e.g., urgent).
• Escalate the ticket if necessary, especially for major issues like outages.

Providing Clear and Concise Information

• Initial problem descriptions should be detailed and to the point.
• Additional information needs to be concise.
• Final resolutions should be straightforward for future reference.

User Information

• Document the user reporting the issue.
• User lists can be auto-populated from organizational databases like Active Directory.
• Verify the username associated with the ticket to ensure accuracy.

Ticket Creation Example

• Help desk software like JIRA service management allows adding new tickets and modifying existing ones.
• Define the type of task (e.g., account problem).
• Provide a concise summary of the issue (e.g., unable to log in to intranet 01).
• Add affected components (e.g., intranet).
• Include attachments like screenshots.
• Input additional details, such as error codes.
• Add the reporter's name.
• Assign the ticket to the appropriate person who can solve the problem.
• Set a priority level (e.g., medium).

Ticket Details

• Include device information if the issue is device-specific.
• The description field should contain detailed information, especially for complex problems.

Ticket Resolution

• Decide on the next steps to move the ticket forward.
• Resolve the issue and close the ticket if possible.
• Assign the ticket to the appropriate team (e.g., network team) for complex issues.
• Specify the issue clearly in the description field to facilitate troubleshooting.

Categorizing Issues

• Set categories for specific issues (e.g., password issues, change requests).
• Categories help to sort and filter problems.
• Common categories include service requests, incidents, problems, changes, and post-incident reviews.

Assigning Severity

• Assign a severity level to the ticket (e.g., low, medium, high, critical).
• Severity levels help prioritize tickets.

Escalation

• Escalate tickets to appropriate groups within IT.
• Many help desk issues are resolved on the first call, but complex issues may require multiple teams.

Progress Notes

• Create progress notes to document the steps taken and future plans.
• Keep progress information concise.
• Add new information and proposed fixes to the support ticket as they are discovered.

Documenting Resolution

• Document the resolution process for future reference.

Example Complex Ticket

• Ticket example: VPN outage network difficulties.
• Description: Remote office employees in the Sydney region are reporting VPN access issues.
• Linked issues: Recurring Sydney VPN access errors and the need to upgrade the Sydney VPN.
• Help desk software allows different parts of the organization to recognize problems and collaborate on solutions.