1.3 Configuration Steps

These configuration steps are recommended as a guide to assist with customizing the application to suit the service environment. These steps are what is required at a minimum to enable your system. It should be noted that these steps require access to the Administrator and Supervisor views.

The following procedure covers editing the logged in User account details and ensuring this User has all the relevant privileges to achieve what is required to configure the system. It then details the steps to enable the system to work with Email, setting the privileges for how Customers and Technicians can interact with the system, and how requests and the system will behave. This is defined within the Setup>Privileges tabs.

The User then has the option to customize the look and feel of the system, although this can be done later, if preferred. The next step is to create Customers and Users in the system.

Moving to the Supervisor Role, the User then configures the day-to-day elements within the application, which are part of creating and managing requests. This includes setting the timeframes for managing requests and defining trigger points for escalations by configuring SLAs; detailing the steps a request will move through, by customizing Workflows, which includes setting the stages of the Workflow where timers will trigger automatic warnings and escalations; defining the Team(s) of Technicians who will be associated with the customized Workflows and SLAs.

With the basic elements in the system now in place, the User then moves to the Configuration tab to customize the Configuration Management Database (CMDB). This part is often considered the most complex part of configuring the system, as this is where the service environment, including physical and service Items, is mapped into the system with associated relationships. When designing the CMDB, first the templates for all the different Item Categories are created. These are refined as Item Type templates, with these two templates used to define the information recorded against each Item and classification of issues that can be associated with each Item when requests are logged by Customers.

After the CMDB structure is defined, Items are imported via AMIE or .csv file. This is when the Items are associated with Customers or Organizational Units, who can log requests against the assigned Items.

In the Administrator (Setup) view:

  1. Customize the default Supervisor access

    Include Incident, Service Level Management and if applicable, Request Fulfillment, Problem and Change Management. Adjust the User Timezone, if applicable. (See: User)

  2. Configure Email Setup and Email Messages (See:Setup>Email)

    This step allows the system to manage requests via email. After completing the information in the Server and Setup tabs, the content for automated emails sent by this system can be customized. This does not have to be all done at this point, however, it is suggested that within the last page of the Templates tab, the Signature be updated to reflect the service organization name.

  3. Enable System Privileges (See: Setup>Privileges)

    At this stage, it is suggested that each option be reviewed in theUser, Customer,Request and System tabs within the Privileges sub-menu option. Although it should be noted, these can be adjusted in the future. If you are unsure about what an option refers to, select the Help button on the system UI, to display the relevant page of the User Guide. Be sure to set the appropriate Time Zone within the Customers Privilege tab, as this needs to be set before importing Customers and Users via an authentication server to ensure it is set correctly on all newly created accounts.

  4. Customize Banners and Welcome Page Message (See:Setup>Customize)

    This can be done now if the images are available. Alternatively, return to this step at a later stage.

  5. Create Customers and Users, which include Supervisor, Technician and Partner accounts

    Note, to associate Organizational Unit information with Customers or Users, this can be configured at this point within the Supervisor>User>Organizational Unit tab. Should the import include the name of the Org Unit that matches what is recorded in the system, the details from the information recorded internally will be applied to the Customer or User.

    If using an authentication server, move to the Setup>Authentication tab.(See:Setup>Authentication;Active Directory Integration or LDAP Integration)

    If creating accounts directly in the system (i.e., using internal authentication), go to the User tab. (See: Customers and Users.)

  6. Set up Service Level Agreements (See: Service Level Management)

    Move to the Supervisor view by clicking the User link, next to the logged in User Name.

    If these are unknown at this time, the system includes a default SLA that can be used.

  7. If applicable, create Operational Level Agreements and/or Underpinning Contracts (See: OLAs or UCs)

    This is more than likely an advanced system configuration step at this point, or may not be relevant to the service organization. However, if OLAs or UCs are in place in the service organization, they can be mapped into the system now. Alternatively, they may be added later.

  8. Customize or create Workflows (See: Incident & Problem Workflows and Service Request & Change Workflows)

    The system includes default Workflows across all Processes. At this point, the default Workflows may be sufficient, or they can be customized to suit the service organization requirements. Alternatively, new Workflows can be created from scratch.

  9. Create Teams (See: Teams)

    By default the system includes one Process Team and the Unknown Team. Edit the existing Process Team, including defining the way it works, assigning the relevant Technicians, associating the Workflows that the Team will support, and setting the Technicians to work in the appropriate Escalation Layer(s). Teams are to be created for all Processes that are to be managed by the system (i.e., Incident, Problem, Change, Service Request.), although it may be relevant to finish one Process first, and return to do the other Processes at a later date.

  10. Assign Default Teams and SLAs within Request Privileges (See: Setup>Privileges>Requests)

    Move to Adminstrator view by clicking the Setup link, next to the logged in User Name

    These settings will be applied to all newly created Items and Item Types that result from an AMIE import.

  11. Configure the CMDB, by first customizing Configuration Categories:

    Return to the Supervisor view by clicking the User link, next to the logged in User Name.

    The system includes a number of default Categories, which should be more than enough for most organizations. Within the Category, the attributes of an Item that are to be recorded in the system, are defined by customizing the field labels. The stages that an Item can move through in its lifecycle are defined within the Life Cycle tab (i.e., Installed>Pending Configuration>Pending Test,etc). The types of issues reported against an Item are then created in the Classifications tab.

    Configure the Category Details Fields (See: Configuration Categories)

    Define the Category's Life Cycle (See: Category Life Cycle)

    Create Category Classifications (See: Category Classifications)

  12. Create Service Type templates and Service Items

    For service organizations wanting to fast-track the capability to manage requests in the system, it is advised to create Service Items in theService Catalog to allow Customers and Technicians to log and manage requests within the application. Create a Type using the Service Category for each Service being offered, then create the Service Item with the newly created Type template. For the Service to be available in the Catalog, be sure the Service Item status is set to an Active, non Pre-production State. If the Customers are to access a Service on the Customer Portal, the Service Item Lifecycle State should also be set to Customer Visible.

  13. Create Item Types (See:Item Types)

    If the Types are not to be automatically created as part of an AMIE or .csv import, this is done in the Configuration>Types tab. This is where the Category template is associated with the Type template, the default Teams and SLA are set, and the Classifications for issues reported against Items are refined.

    If Items are to be imported via a .csv file or AMIE proceed to Step 14.

  14. Within the Admin>Setup tab, complete the Item Import (See: AMIE Import or CSV Import).

    After the Items are successfully imported, a Supervisor User will need to refine the Type templates created as part of the import, if the default settings do not apply to a newly created Item Type. This task does not need to be completed immediately, and can be done on an ad hoc basis (i.e., whenever a Type template is opened in Edit mode, before saving, the system will prompt the User to set any required information.)

  15. Within the Supervisor>Configuration tab, create Items. (See: Items)

    If Items are to be created directly within the system, this is completed in the Configuration>Items tab. An Item Type template is selected for the new Item, which applies all the default information set within the Categories and Types tabs, then ownership of the Item is assigned to the new Item. Ownership can be Everyone (i.e., a Global Item), one or more specific Customers or Organizational Units. The specific attributes of the Item are recorded in the Details tab, and any relationships with other Items in the system can be created within the Relationships tab, now or at some point in the future.

    Items can be mapped to Services, if required. (See: Service Catalog.)

1.3.1 Implementing the Processes

For information and steps for implementing for the following Processes, refer to: