Incident Groups

Incidents that are related can be linked together to form Groups. Once the Group has been created, the Incidents can be managed together. This may be relevant when mulitple Incidents are:

• logged by Users of one department

• logged by one Customer

• related to a common Description or Solution.
   

• New Groups can only consist of Incidents that are not already associated with an existing Incident Group, unless the merge facility is used to combine existing Groups.

Users can group Incidents together manually through the Incident Group tab (as outlined below) or within the Incident List (see: Grouping Incidents). Incidents that have multiple Items assigned to them during the Incident creation process, are also listed within the Incident>Groups tab.

The system can also use its Analysis Engine to automatically link Incidents together based on criteria defined by the Administrator. Incidents auto-linked using the Analysis criteria result in the creation of a Problem Group, listed under the Problem tab.

Creating a New Group via the Incident Group Option

To create a new Group via the Incident Group Option:

1. Select Operations>Incident Groups Tab

2. Click New
   
   

3. Enter a Name for the Group

4. Assign an Item Type, if applicable

5. Assign a Classification if an Item Type is selected

6. Assign a Group Priority
   The Status is set by default to Open.

7. Enter a Group Description

8. Click Save
   The screen will default to the Analysis Tab, which allows the User to Group existing requests. The information displayed can be adjusted by using the Filter options.
   
   

9. Check the field next to the relevant Request # to add the request to the Group

10. Select Add

11. Click Done to record the new Incident Group.

Creating an Incident Group using a Group Template

An Incident Group can be created using a Group Template. A Group Template contains a series of tasks in the form of Quick Calls. For more information, see: Group Templates.

Tasks within the Group Template can be created simultaneously or sequentially in the system. If the In Sequence option is used, the first task within the Group Template is created when the Template is selected. When the first task is closed, the next Task within the Template is automatically created and so goes the auto-creation process until all tasks within the Template have been created and closed in sequence.

To create a new Group using a Group Template:

1. Select Operations>Incident Groups tab

2. Click New
   The New Group editor is displayed.

3. Select the Use Template checkbox
   A list of Group Templates is displayed.
   
   

4. Select an appropriate Template
   The Group details are listed.

5. Enter a Name, as unique identifier for this Group
   The selected requests for the Group are displayed. These requests are the Quick Calls assigned to the Group Template.
   

6. Click Next
   

7. Search and select the Customer to be associated with the tasks included in the template
   (If the Customer details are not in the database and are to be created as part of the tasks included in the template, assign a default customer and update the details  in the Customer tab of the Request, when the Customer details exist in the system.)

8. The Selected Requests for the Group are displayed.
   These requests are the Quick Calls assigned to the Group Template. To exclude any of the requests from the newly created Group, deselect the checkbox next to the Template name.
   

9. Select the Creation option:

• On Save for all the requests to be created when the Request Group is saved

• In Sequence for the first request to be created when the Request Group is saved.

10. Click Save
    The Group is created including all Quick Call Requests. To add or remove Incidents to or from the Group, use the Analysis and Elements tabs (Covered below).

The type of Group created, whether it be a Service Request, Incident or Change Group will depend on the Quick Call tasks assigned to the Group Template.

For example:

If there is a mix of Service Request and Incident Quick Calls, the Group will become an Incident Group;
If there is at least one Change Quick Call, the Group will become a Change Group.

If an Incident is related to a Problem or Change Request within a Group and that related request in the other Process is closed, the Incident will be automatically closed. The system views the request hierarchy from low to high as Service Request, Incident, Problem and Change Request, and if a related request of a higher type is closed, all the lesser type requests are automatically closed.

Analysis Tab

Incidents can be linked to a Group within the Analysis screen of an Incident Group. To search for Incidents to add to the Group, use the system filters or the Search option. The system filter includes the following:

To link Incidents within the Incident Group Analysis tab:

1. Go to Operations>Incident Groups

2. Select the Incident Group # link

3. Move to the Analysis tab

4. Choose the Filter option
   
   

5. Select the Incident checkbox on the left

6. Click the Add button

7. Click Done.
   The screen defaults to the Groups list.
    

Elements Tab

The Elements tab displays all the requests that belong to the Incident Group. From this screen, any request can be removed.

To remove a request:

1. Go to Operations>Incident Groups

2. Select the Incident Group # link

3. Move to the Elements tab

4. Select the checkbox of the relevant Incident.
   
   

5. Click the Remove button.

Merging Incident Groups

Existing Incident Groups can be merged within the Incident Groups tab, to allow all related Incidents within the Groups to be managed as one.

To combine Incident Groups:

1. Go to Operations>Incident Groups

2. Check the fields next to the relevant Group #'s

3. Click Merge
   The screen defaults to the Details tab for the Merge Group.

4. Set the Name, Item Type, Classification, Priority and Description that best defines all associated Incidents

5. Click Save.
   The History tab records details of the Groups merged to form the new Group. Click the No. hyperlink to view the details. The Impact tab records the Type and Number of requests associated with the Group.

Closing an Incident Group

An Incident Group is automatically closed when all Incidents included in the Group are closed.

To close a Group:

1. Go to Operations>Incident Groups

2. Select the Incident Group # link

3. Move to the Elements tab
   
   

4. Select a Request # hyperlink
   The Summary tab of the Incident is displayed.

5. Click Edit

6. Within the Related sidebar check all related Incidents
   
   

7. Select the Bulk option
   The Bulk Editor screen is displayed.

8. Select the Status of Closed - Resolved or desired Workflow Exit State
   
   

9. Click Save

10. Click Save and Done.
    The Details tab of the Group now displays a Status of Closed - Resolved.

Duplicated Incidents

When an Incident is duplicated, the new Incident is linked with the original Incident creating an Incident Group. Incidents can be unlinked in the Group's Elements tab.