Helpdesk Tracking System Information and Policies

• When you arrive for your shift at the Helpdesk, you need to log into the Tracking System (http://ooz.saintmarys.edu).
• You should be logging in with your username and the password you set for the Tracking System - you should not be logging in with the Support account.
• To create a new task:

• In the left column of the main Tracking System window, click on Create Task.
• Complete the User Info section:

• Enter the correct information in the User Name:, Office:, and Phone Extension: sections. If you do not know the correct information, please look it up using the online phonebook at http://eureka.saintmarys.edu:8080/phonebook/index.jsp.
• Do not enter information into the Email: field.

• Complete the Task Info section:

• In the Short Description: field, type in the username of the caller, followed by a short but useful description.

  Example: khausman - PowerBook G4 cannot see BelleAire in Haggar

• In the Description: field, type in the username of the caller again, followed by a detailed description that includes the type and model of the computer, the operating system of the computer, the application version if applicable, and other relevant details. You can never have too much information in this field - even the little details matter. Do not hesitate to ask for more information from the person calling/e-mailing/visiting the Helpdesk.

  Example: khausman - PowerBook G4 cannot see BelleAire in Haggar. PowerBook G4 is running Mac OS X version 10.4.8. PowerBook can see her wireless network at home without problems, so she knows the wireless card is working, but the past few days her computer has been unable to detect the BelleAire network, much less connect to it. She would like to bring her notebook to the Helpdesk later today.

• Complete the rest of the record (you can do this when you are no longer on the phone with the caller if you wish):
Task Manager Group/Task Manager

• If you (or another Helpdesk Consultant) will be working on the record or following up with the issue, please change the following:
  Task Manager Group: Helpdesk Group
  Task Manager: Helpdesk Students (or yourself if you are resolving it)
• If you are unable to resolve the issue and it needs to go to Information Technology staff for further support, please leave the setting to the following defaults:
  Task Manager Group: OPEN
  Task Manager: support_pool

Priority

• Please change the priority to critical if the issue is one of the following:
  • A serious classroom issue. In addition to completing the record, please call Dan Mandell or Bill Waymouth on the radio so immediate assistance can be provided.
  • A call from someone in the President's office is received.
  • A call from any vice president's office is received.

Task Group/Category

• Please select a Task Group if it is obvious which group the task belongs in. If you are unsure which Task Group to select, leave it the default option of Please choose...
• Please select a Category if it is obvious which category the task belongs in. If you are unsure which Category to select, leave it the default option of Please choose...

• Click the Create Task button to enter the record into the Tracking System.

• To edit a task:

• In the left column of the main Tracking System window, click on My Open Tasks, My Group's Tasks, Unassigned Tasks or search for the record you are looking for to work on.
• Click on the short description of the task to open the task's record.
• You should immediately review the record to make sure the User Info is entered properly as described above. Do not hesitate to update a record with correct User Info information.
• Make updates as necessary in the Update: section, including any follow-up phone calls, additional support, suggestions for troubleshooting, questions that arise by either the user or by the person providing the technical assistance, and the solution to the problem.
• Click the Update Task button when have completed updating the record.
• If the task has been resolved, you may select Closed from the Task Status: pop-up menu before clicking on the Update Task button.

• Epidemics:

• Epidemics are campus-wide issues that affect multiple users and are outages you can confirm or you have officially been told about by a member of the Information Technology staff. Examples would include a server running a major service going down (Diamond, KeyServer, Aegis, WWW, Banner) or a campus-wide network or Internet outage (you can confirm them because you cannot access network drives, keyed software, e-mail, on-campus websites, or Banner).
• All epidemic calls can be entered as a single record.

• The record should have the name and username of Epidemic.
• The short description should describe the epidemic.

Example: Epidemic - Banner is down

• In the Description field, list the names of each person who contacted the Helpdesk about the epidemic with their username and phone number. Note how they contacted the Helpdesk.

  Example: Kathy Hausmann (khausman 5319) called. Merideth Williamson (merideth 4754) e-mailed.

• The Task Manager Group should remain OPEN and the Task Manager should remain support_pool.
• The priority can remain normal.
• The Task Group should be Other and the Category should be Other.

• After the epidemic has been resolved, the Helpdesk Consultants on duty need to contact all of the individuals that reported the problem to let them know the system is back up. (If they e-mailed, you should e-mail them back, if they called, you should call them back and leave voicemail if necessary. If they don't have voicemail, send them an e-mail.)
• Depending on the outage, an e-mail to faculty, staff, and/or students may be sent by Information Technology staff to notify them of the outage and notify them when the issue is resolved.

• Replies to requests for assistance:

When you enter a record into the tracking system, regardless of whether someone calls, e-mails, or visits the Helpdesk, please provide them with the Task ID of their record. This will ensure that records are successfully entered into the system, and will give you a way to look up the record if necessary to add updates (simply ask the person what their Task ID is).

The Task ID of a newly-created record will appear when the record was submitted successfully.

If you were not able to provide a caller or visitor to the Helpdesk with their Task ID immediately, please send them an e-mail with the Task ID as soon as possible, copying the Helpdesk listserv on your message. All responses to e-mails sent to the Helpdesk listserv should include their Task ID.

The reply you should send to faculty/staff who request assistance from the Helpdesk is:

Dear ________,

I have entered your request into our tracking system. An IT staff member will contact you to assist you.

Your Task ID is #_____. Please provide us with this number if you contact us with updates or additional information for this issue.

Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Your name here