ServiceNow Incident Management, Service Desk/Help Desk Ticketing System, mini Crash Course
Education
Introduction
ServiceNow is a powerful platform that many organizations use for their IT service management, particularly in the realm of incident management, which is often referred to as the service desk or help desk ticketing system. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to navigate and utilize the ServiceNow incident management module, which is crucial for those aiming to establish a career in IT support or help desk roles.
Overview of ServiceNow Incident Management
The incident management function of ServiceNow is designed to assist organizations in managing service disruptions effectively. The first step in this process is submitting an incident ticket, which the users encounter through a customized front end. Many businesses tailor their instance of ServiceNow, modifying the visual aspects to align with their branding and functional needs. While users interact with a simplified interface for ticket submission, support staff work on more complex functionalities.
Accessing Tickets
Once logged in, users in a help desk role will typically see a simplified menu with relevant options just for them. Under the incident section, the following options are usually available:
- Create New: To create a new incident ticket.
- Tickets Assigned to Me: Displays tickets currently assigned to the logged-in user.
- Open Incidents: Shows all open tickets not yet closed, including those assigned to other team members.
- Open Unassigned: Displays tickets that have not yet been assigned to any technician.
- Resolved: A listing of tickets that have been resolved.
When creating a ticket, it’s essential to fill out all mandatory fields, marked with a red asterisk (*), before submitting the ticket.
Creating a Ticket
When receiving a call from a user, the process begins by creating a new ticket. Key fields to fill out include:
- Caller: The individual submitting the ticket—you can search for the user's name in the system.
- Category/Subcategory: Classify the issue appropriately, such as hardware, software, etc.
- Configuration Item: Link the incident to specific hardware or software, if applicable.
- Description: Detail the user’s issue, providing as much context as possible.
- Urgency and Priority: Set these based on the impact of the incident.
Once all pertinent information is inputted, the ticket can be submitted. If the incident has been resolved immediately, it can also be marked as resolved with appropriate resolution notes.
Assigning and Resolving Tickets
After submitting a ticket, it may automatically be assigned to a technician. However, if you want to route the ticket further to a specific group or individual, update the assignment accordingly. Include work notes and notifications for both the support team and the user.
When you resolve an incident, it’s pivotal to document the resolution steps taken for future reference and knowledge sharing, ensuring that your notes are clear and instructive.
Keywords
- ServiceNow
- Incident Management
- Service Desk
- Help Desk
- Ticketing System
- Create Ticket
- Assigning Tickets
- Resolving Incidents
- User Management
- Configuration Item
- Self-Service Portal
FAQ
Q: What is ServiceNow used for?
A: ServiceNow is primarily used for IT service management, specifically in handling incident management tasks within organizations.
Q: What is incident management in ServiceNow?
A: Incident management is a process in ServiceNow that allows users to report service disruptions or issues through a ticketing system.
Q: How do you create a ticket in ServiceNow?
A: You create a ticket by logging into the system, navigating to the incident section, and filling out the required fields such as caller, category, and description before submitting.
Q: What should you do if a ticket is assigned to you?
A: You should check the details of the ticket, work on resolving it, and update its status or assign it to the relevant group if necessary.
Q: How do you resolve a ticket in ServiceNow?
A: To resolve a ticket, select the resolution option within the ticket, provide detailed resolution information, and then finalize the ticket as resolved.