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2
Supportworks Quick Start Guide
Supportworks Training


Contents Page
Supportworks terminology 3
Logging in, Supportworks Today, the Helpdesk view and client configuration
Logging a call !, "
#pdating a call $
%ccepting a call $
%ssigning a call &
'lacing a call (n Hold &
Taking a call (ff Hold )
*esolving a call )
%nalyst email notification options )
Searching for calls and customers +,
Timesaving tips - .ulti/lips and Quick0Log calls +,
The 1nowledge2ase +,
/ustomer we2 self service ++


3+42 ,+0,$02,++
%uthor5 .ark Temple

3
Supportworks Quick Start Guide
Supportworks Training
Supportworks what is it?
Supportworks is the call67o2 management system, used 2y support teams throughout the #niversity to allocate and
track support re8uests4
Some Terminology
Whos Who
Analyst - mem2er of staff or student who uses Supportworks to manage support re8uests
Support Team - logical or physical group of analysts who support a particular system or function
Customer (Requester) - mem2er of staff, student or 3
rd
party who re8uests support from analysts 9can 2e another analyst:
Call Classes
/hange or Service *e8uest 0 The addition, modification or removal of an ;T Service or asset
;ncident or <ault - %n unplanned interruption to an ;T Service or asset, or reduction in the 8uality of an ;T Service or asset4
/hange /ontrol - #sed 2y infrastructure teams to propose, authorise6re7ect and record changes made to ;T systems and services
Software Testing ;ssue 9SL': - #sed 2y SL' functional and technical teams to report issues during system testing phases
Call Status
% support call has a lifecycle, and will 2e in one of the following statuses at any given time4
nassigne! - the call has not yet 2een assigned to an analyst, 2ut resides at team level
na""epte! - the call has 2een assigned to an analyst, 2ut has not yet 2een accepted
#n Progress - the call has 2een accepted 2y an analyst
$n %ol! - the call has 2een placed on hold until a specified time6date 9analyst awaiting further information etc4:
$&& %ol! - the =on hold until> time has passed
's"alate!($) - the call has 2een escalated to its owner
Resol(e! - the analyst has signed off the re8uest as complete, and awaits feed2ack 9if any: from the re8uester
Close! - no re8uester feed2ack re8uired - work is complete4 The system will automatically close resolved calls +,
calendar days from resolution
Can"elle! - call is a duplicate of another call and has 2een raised in error, or customer cancels re8uest 2efore
analyst has had time to action it


Supportworks Quick Start Guide
)ogging #n
Launch Supportworks from your Start .enu or
desktop icon, then enter your G#;? and associated
password, and click on the Login 2utton4
The #nter&a"e
Supportworks To!ay
The first screen that you@ll see when you log in is known as =Supportworks Today>4
This is where you@ll see general alerts, together with 8uick access links to your support team@s calls4







%elp!esk *iew
The Helpdesk 3iew displays a list of support teams 9the support tree:, together with any calls assigned to you or your
team4 Aou can also view a graph showing the status and num2er of calls currently assigned to you and your team4
/olumn headings can 2e sorted in ascending or
descending order, and you can move their position
around to suit your needs4 Grid lines, diary previews
and alternate row colours can also 2e switched on
to help differentiate one call from another4
Client Con&iguration
Tools6(ptions and Settings
+4 /heck all 'references 2oBes 9under settings ta2:
24 Spelling - set the options which suit you 2est
34 Cmail - select appropriate email templates for
your team6role, then select email format
4 ?efault .ail (rigin - +ST 2e set to a routa2le address 0 ;T Helpdesk System 9ithelpdeskDglasgow4ac4uk:





!
Supportworks Quick Start Guide
)ogging a Call
+4 /lick on the =Log Eew /all> 2utton, then select a call class from the list4
9/hange or Service *e8uest, or ;ncident or <ault:
24 <ill in the re8uester@s details
The left hand fields are all =lookups>, so will search on the criteria you specify
as soon as you ta2 out of the field4 The re8uester@s details will resolve if only
one record is found, or you@ll 2e presented with a pick list if more than one
record matches4













34 <ill in alternative contact details if relevant, otherwise click in the ='ro2lem 'rofile> field to launch the
pro2lem profile picker4
Select the appropriate SL% for the impact and urgency of the re8uest4
CBpand the profile tree to reveal the functional areas, then eBpand these to drill down to the appropriate
su2 level4 Select the final level of detail, then click on (14
This will transfer the default description shown in the right hand pane into the 'ro2lem ?escription field4
Aou can then supplement this information with any other relevant teBt4 Screenshots or other files can 2e
attached 2y clicking on the paperclip icon, then following the =(pen <ile> dialogue 2oB to navigate to your
file9s:4

4 Log the call using the appropriate Log /all option4
a4 Log - will log and assign the call to the team whose conteBt you are in at the time4
24 Log F %ssign - will log the call and assign it to the team or analyst who you pick from the pop0up list4
c4 Log F Take - not widely used4
d4 Log F %ccept - will log the call and assign it to you4 *esponse timer will stop4
e4 Log F *esolve6/lose - will log and resolve the call in one operation4


"
Supportworks Quick Start Guide
!4 Sending the re8uester a confirmation email4
a4 /lick (1 when prompted to 2y the =Eew /all /onfirmation>
pop0up4
24 The email template will now launch, giving you the
opportunity to review the email 2efore sending it to the
re8uester4 The re8uester will only receive the email if you
click on the Send 2utton - it@s not magic4


























$
Supportworks Quick Start Guide
p!ating a Call , you can update any call that you have access to i4e4 calls owned 2y other team mem2ers
Like many windows02ased interfaces, there are a num2er of ways of achieving the same outcome - the following
outlines a couple of ways of updating a call, 2ut the method of accessing these options is the same for su2se8uent
events in the call@s lifecycle4
+4 (pen the call 2y dou2le clicking on it in the Helpdesk 3iew, then click on the =/all ?iary> ta2 to view the
call@s progress to date4
Select the #pdate /all icon in the tool2ar 9notepad and
pencil:, or #pdate /all option from the actions menu4
This will launch the =#pdate /all> form4
1ey your update into the =%ction ?escription> field 2elow4
#ncheck =#pdate to 2e pu2lic> if you do not wish the
re8uester to 2e a2le to view this update via self service4
#ncheck =C0mail customer> if you do not wish to send the
update to the re8uester4

24 /lick on the =#pdate> 2utton once you have completed the
a2ove, or =#pdate and %ssign> if you wish to then pass the
call to another team or analyst4

34 The email template will now launch if you left this option
checked, giving you the opportunity to review the email
2efore sending it to the re8uester or other 9advisor of
studies:4

4 The re8uester@s email address and name, together with
the call details and any template teBt will automatically
2e filled in for you4
'lease note that you may 2e presented with a choice of
templates, depending on your role or team i4e4 update
may 2e to %oS, and not re8uester 4

!4 /lick on =Send> once you have reviewed the email@s contents4
A""epting a Call assigne! to you or your team
%ccepting a call confirms to others that you have taken ownership
of it, and are dealing with it4
To accept a call, either open it up as in section + of =#pdating a
/all>, then click on the =%ccept /all> 2utton 9pink arrow pointing
left:, or open it up and then select the =%ccept /all> option from
the actions menu4
Cither of the a2ove options will launch the =%ccept /all> form,
which you will notice, is almost identical to the =#pdate /all>
formG the same options apply for =#pdate to 2e pu2lic>, and =C0
mail customer>4
/lick on the =%ccept> 2utton when you are ready accept the call4

&
Supportworks Quick Start Guide
Assigning a Call
Aou will assign a call to another analyst or team for any num2er of reasons - a few eBamples 2eing5
+4 Aou are a team leader6supervisor allocating the call to one of your staff
24 Aou are a support analyst allocating a call to colleague 2ecause the re8uest re8uires a particular skill which
they possess
34 Aou have worked on a call and are now passing it to another team or analyst for further
investigation6completion
4 The call has 2een incorrectly assigned to you or your team i4e4 the re8uest is outwith you or your team@s
remit or eBpertise
Aou can assign a call to another team or analyst 2y simply dragging the
call from the list of calls in your Helpdesk 3iew, then dropping it on
the appropriate team or analyst in the support tree4
%nother way to assign a call is to open the call, then click on the
=%ssign /all> tool2ar 2utton 9note2ook with grey arrow pointing to
right: or =%ssign /all> from the action menu, which will in turn launch
the =%ssign to> form displaying all availa2le support teams and
analysts4 This list will 2e longer than the support tree which you will 2e
used to seeing towards the left of your screen, as it contains teams
whose calls you won@t normally have access to4
Please note that you shoul! always assign "alls at team le(el unless you ha(e -een !ealing !ire"tly with another
analyst. as the re"ei(ing team are -est pla"e! to !e"i!e who is a(aila-le to work on the request/
Pla"ing a Call $n %ol!
Aou will normally place a call on hold when you are waiting for information from the re8uester or a 3
rd
party4
=(n Hold> will not escalate any further as their timers are stopped, 2ut will go =(ff Hold> if the =on hold until> time
passes without the analyst taking the call =(ff Hold> themselves4 % call which has a status of =(ff Hold> must 2e
accepted again 2y its owner in order for them to resolve it4 =(ff Hold> calls will also 2ecome visi2le in the 8ueues of
all of your fellow team mem2ers4
To place a call =(n Hold>, open the call, then click
on the ='lace /all on Hold> tool2ar 2utton 9two
purple Hs: or ='lace /all on Hold> from the action
menu, which will in turn launch the ='lace /all on
Hold> form4
Two fields are mandatory5 when and whyI
/lick on the ='lace on hold until> drop down menu,
then select an appropriate time and date 9whenI:
using the picker4
Type in the reason 9whyI: for placing the call on
hold into the =%ction ?escription> field, then click
on the ='lace /all (n Hold> 2utton if you are happy
with any other selected options4
%n =(n Hold> email template will 2e displayed if you re8uested this, and the process of sending the email is the
same

)
Supportworks Quick Start Guide
Taking a "all 0$&& %ol!1
Aou may wish to take a call off hold 2efore its =on hold until> time has 2een reached e4g4 the re8uester may have
responded to you straight away4
To do this, simply click on the same 2utton that you used to place the call =(n Hold>, and you will notice that it now
reads =Take /all (ff Hold>4 The call will now return to a status of =;n 'rogress>4
Resol(e a Call
There are two options left to you when a call has reached its natural conclusion and there is no more work to 2e
done on it - resolve it or close it4
Aou will more often than not resolve a call, as the call can still 2e updated with re8uester confirmation teBt or
=Thanks very much>, as the system will automatically close the call +, calendar days after resolution, giving the
re8uester time to come 2ack to you if they are not happy with the outcome4
/losed calls drop out of your Helpdesk 3iew, and can only 2e viewed 2y first searching for them using the left hand
or top menu options4
To resolve a call, open the call 2y dou2le clicking on it in the Helpdesk 3iew, then select the *esolve /all icon in the
tool2ar 9notepad and green tick:, or *esolve /all option from the actions menu4
This will launch the =*esolve6/lose /all> form4
/lick on the 2utton marked with 444 9to the right of the resolution profile field:, then select the appropriate profile as
you did when logging a call4 'lease note that there may 2e more resolution profiles than there were logging6pro2lem
profiles4
1ey your resolution teBt, 9which should 2e an overview of
how the call was resolved: into the =%ction ?escription>
field 2elow4 This update should 2e pu2lic, and you should
send the re8uester an email to confirm that the call is
now closed4
There is also an option to add the call to the
knowledge2ase, 2ut it is prefera2le for you create <%Qs
via Supportwork@s 1nowledge2ase menu option, as these
tend 2e more structured, delivering 2etter results4


Analyst 'mail 2oti&i"ation
%s an analyst, you can elect to receive email notification when a call is assigned to you, to a team which you are a
mem2er of, or 2oth4 Aou can also receive email notification when a call which you own is updated 2y another analyst
or the re8uester 9via self service:4
This mechanism saves you having to sit watching Supportworks, waiting for call updates or assignment, and
ultimately helps us manage concurrent licence usage4




+,
Supportworks Quick Start Guide
Sear"hing
The two main entities which you will want to search for are /ustomers 9staff, students and eBternal 3
rd
parties:, and
/alls4 Aou will normally perform these searches via the left hand menu options4

Searching for /alls
/lick on the =Search <or /alls> option, then enter your search criteria in the appropriate field4 Like any search, the
8uality of the information which you supply will determine 2oth the 8uality and the 8uantity of the returned result
set4 EJ 0 the default result set is limited to !,, records, 2ut you can ad7ust this if re8uired4
There is also a =<ree TeBt Search> option which can 2e utilised 9sparingly: if you are una2le to supply any of the
structured search criteria4 This type of search is likely to return a poor 8uality result set, and is eBtremely resource
intensive, so should only 2e used as a last resort4
Searching for /ustomers
/lick on the =/ustomers> option in the left hand menu, and follow the same procedure as you would do searching
for calls4
Timesa(ing tips
+ultiClips
The .ulti/lip ;tem Cditor, to give it its Sunday name, is a persistent clip2oard which gives you a right0click option to
insert pre0populated 2locks of teBt into diary updates or emails4
The editor is accessed via the Tools menu, and new 2locks can either 2e defined for personal or group use4
To add a new 2lock, select =Eew Jlock> from the menu, then give it a meaningful name, type in the 2lock of teBt,
then save it under the group or personal headings4 Aou can drag a 2lock from one heading to the other4
3ui"k )og Calls
Aou can pre0populate call logging templates for fre8uently re8uested profiles6events 2y partially completing the call
log details, then saving the details via <ile6Save %s6Quick Log /all4 Give the 8uick log call a name, then click on save,
and the 8uick log call will now 2e availa2le to you via the drop down arrow to the right of the Log /all 2utton4

4nowle!ge-ase
1nowledge can 2e defined as a resolved6closed call, <%Q, or eBternal document4
Aou can search the 1nowledge2ase from your left hand menu option, as re8uesters can from self service, and can
help to populate the 1nowledge2ase using the top menu options within the Supportworks client4
;n short, an <%Q consists of a description of the pro2lem, a description of the solution to the pro2lem, some
keywords to help re8uesters and other analysts search for it, and the option of whether the article can 2e viewed 2y
re8uesters via self service4
CBternal documents 9in most popular teBt formats: su2mitted as knowledge are indeBed 2y Supportworks 9i4e4 it
reads them, making their contents searcha2le too:4
'lease remem2er the =gar2age in, gar2age out> principle when adding content to the knowledge2ase, as inaccurate
or out of date knowledge could 2e more misleading and potentially damaging than no knowledge at all4

++
Supportworks Quick Start Guide
Sel& Ser(i"e
%ll staff and students can su2mit support re8uests via customer we2 self service, accessed via the .yGlasgow portal,
or directly via www4gla4ac4uk6it6selfservice
%ccess is controlled using the re8uester@s G#;? and password, and different categories of staff6students will see
different options and profiles when they log in4