3 Replies Latest reply on Sep 9, 2011 4:19 AM by dmshimself

    Collect as much as possible information in one window

    Specialist
    thomas.junge Sep 8, 2011 5:16 AM

      Hi,

       

      we are just thinking about to optimize our workflow a little bit and want to save some time for our analysts.

       

      At the moment the analysts are able to add their working time and what they have done by clicking on 'Add incident working time' and then enter the information and then save them. Then they have to click on 'Resolve' and enter the information for the resolution. So they have to enter information in two different windows.

       

      My idea is to enter these information in the resolution window so they only have to enter all the information in one window instead of 2 windows.

       

      I just tried that in a way that works but I think it is not the best way because I will create a lot of redundant data:

       

      The analyst enters all the information (resolution, working time etc) in the resolution window. (I added some attribute to 'Resolution' BO)

      Then after the resolution window is saved, an automatic action will create an new 'incident workting time' entry based on the 'Add incident working time' BO and copy some fields from the resolution window.

       

      The best way would be to create the incident workting time directly in the resolution window with a relationship between 'Resolution' and 'Add incident working time' BO, but I don´t know how or if this would work.

       

      Maybe someone has an idea how to solve this a better way or someone knows if this is generally possible.

       

      Thanks for a hint.

       

      Regards

      Thomas

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        • 1. Re: Collect as much as possible information in one window
          ITSMMVPGroup
          dmshimself Sep 8, 2011 1:44 PM (in response to thomas.junge)

          If you already have those objects I think you are most of the way there.  In the process designer after resolution you'll add an automatic action and pick the add incident working time.  Then in each of the fields that you need to fill in on the incident working time window use a right hand click and choose value type.  From the tree navigate to resolutions and pick the field in there that you want to copy across.  Repeat for all the fields.

           

          If you unresolve and then resolve again, this will create two incident working time entries, which might be what you want, but equally might not be! So if you just want to overwrite the time sepnt on each resolution you'll need to use what's called a windowless action to update some fields in the incident itself.  It's more complex and not worth explaining if you do actually want to have a set of incident working times for each resolution. From you concerns over consistency of existing data I think do want one entry per resolution.  You would need to train people that each resolutions will add in the time they enter to the collection.

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          • 2. Re: Collect as much as possible information in one window
            Specialist
            thomas.junge Sep 9, 2011 2:03 AM (in response to dmshimself)

            Thanks for your answer, Dave

            If you already have those objects I think you are most of the way there.  In the process designer after resolution you'll add an automatic action and pick the add incident working time.  Then in each of the fields that you need to fill in on the incident working time window use a right hand click and choose value type.  From the tree navigate to resolutions and pick the field in there that you want to copy across.  Repeat for all the fields.

            Yes, that is what I tried and it works fine.

             

            If you unresolve and then resolve again, this will create two incident working time entries, which might be what you want, but equally might not be! So if you just want to overwrite the time sepnt on each resolution you'll need to use what's called a windowless action to update some fields in the incident itself.  It's more complex and not worth explaining if you do actually want to have a set of incident working times for each resolution. From you concerns over consistency of existing data I think do want one entry per resolution.  You would need to train people that each resolutions will add in the time they enter to the collection.

            I think it is OK for me, that it will create several incident working time entries. So if someone else worked on the incident in a earlier point of time he has to add his working time manually by clicking on the add incident working time action.

             

            I hope it will be possible to summarize the working times of all the analysts who worked on that incident in a query or report when it is closed.

             

            But it there no way to avoid redundant data?

            Following the way above I will store the same data in the resolution table and in the incident working time table.

             

             

            Thomas

            • 3. Re: Collect as much as possible information in one window
              ITSMMVPGroup
              dmshimself Sep 9, 2011 4:19 AM (in response to thomas.junge)

              It depends on what you mean by redundant as you want to change how you collect the data.  You could just use the resolution data but if you have been previously using the collection of incident working time you then have a problem of keeping reporting consistent.  So you either continue using the incident working time collection so it's consistent or you say from this point onward we only use resolution data.

               

              I gues in theory you could copy all the incident working data back into the equivalent resolutions but that quite hard if there are more incident working time items than resolutions on one incident.

               

              I'd stick with what you current do and accept you have changed your working practice, but thats just me.

               

              Reports off the incident working time could be done with queries or reports or you could do a calculation which summarised all the incident working times up to a single field on the incident.  Once again this sort of calcualtion summary is easier to do from a point in time onwards rather than trying to retrospectively fix things up.