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  • Welcome to ASM HERMES!
    • HERMES 10.6.8 Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.14379 AUG 24 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.14627 SEPT 24 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.14701 OCT 24 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.14800 OCT 24 2 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.14879 NOV 24 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.14901 N0V 24 2 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15038 DEC 24 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15097 JAN 25 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15121 JAN 2 25 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15289 FEB 25 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15348 FEB 2 25 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15509 MAR 25 MR Release Notes
      • 10.6.8.15572 APRIL 25 MR Release Notes
    • HERMES 10.6.9 RC Release Notes
      • 10.6.9.14735 OCT 24 RC Release Notes
    • ASM Video Library
  • ITSM Solutions
    • Example Solutions - Best Practices for a Successful Outcome
      • Managing Changes to your ASM Application
      • Business Continuity Planning
      • Capacity Planning
      • Change Management
        • Planning Change Management
        • Build Your Workflow
      • Dynamic Ticket Routing
      • Environmental Impact Analysis (for TBL Accounting)
      • Knowledge Management
        • Planning Knowledge Management
      • Major Incident Management
        • Configure Major Incident Management
        • Allow Users to Subscribe to MI
      • Project Management
        • ASM Project Management How-To Videos
      • Service Validation and Testing
        • Example Configuration
      • User Survey Systems
        • Planning and Implementing Surveys
        • Survey Fields and Configuration
      • Workforce and Talent Management
        • Example Configuration
      • 2-Part Call Close Process
      • Incident Management
        • Planning Your Incident Management Implementation
        • Setup IPK Management
        • Build Screens to Support IPK
  • Use ASM
    • About the Alemba Service Manager Family
      • URLs and Access Parameters
        • System Access URLs
        • ASM Self Service Portal URLs
        • Pre-Populating Search Fields
    • Using the Self Service Portal
      • Logging on to Self Service Portal
        • Forgotten User ID and Password (Self Service Portal)
        • Password Expiry
      • Self Service Portal Home Page
      • Self Administration in Self Service Portal
        • Updating Your Contact Details
        • Changing Your Password
        • Delegating Work
      • Logging and Reviewing Tickets and Tasks/Approvals
        • Using the Logging Forms in Self Service Portal
        • Suggested Knowledge in the Self Service Portal
        • Reviewing Your Tickets in the Self Service Portal
          • Cloning Tickets in Portal
          • Chasing Ticket or Request
        • Off-Line Conversations with Support
        • Closing Your Tickets
        • Reopening Your Tickets
        • Cloning Your Tickets
      • Following Tickets
      • Self-Help/Self-Diagnosis in Portal: Scripts
      • Searching the Knowledge Bank in Self Service Portal
      • Chat
        • Alembot - Chatbot
      • Service Request Catalog
      • Your Surveys
    • Using Nano
      • Nano Feature List
      • NANO Video Tutorial - Quick Start
      • Nano Application
        • Viewing Your Workload in NANO
        • Viewing Bulletins
        • Nano Matching Panel
        • Using the Call, Request, and Task Details window
        • Working with Entities in Nano
          • Followers
        • Using Resource Manager in NANO
        • Viewing Your Outstanding Tasks
        • Keyboard Shortcuts
    • Using ASM Core
      • Getting Started
        • The ASM Core Window
          • The Information Panel
          • The View Option
          • The New Option
          • Configuring search results
        • Changing your Password
        • Generating an ASM statistics report
        • Printable Reports from within Core
        • Searching for Items
          • Using Wildcards in Search
          • Outstanding Item Searches
          • Saved searches
          • Viewing Search Results in Graphs
          • Creating Reporting Views from Search Results
        • Indicators - Icons
      • View Your Consolidated Workload
      • Viewing Daily Stats
      • Chat
      • Managing Followers
      • Managing Your Tickets - Calls and IPK
        • Working with Calls
          • About the Call Details Window
          • Cloning Option
          • Log New Request from Call
          • Watch Call
          • Change a Call from an Incident to a Problem, Known Error, Major Incident, or Service Request
          • About the Service Window
          • About the Call Information Panel
          • About the Matching Panel
          • Add Notes - Updating Your Tickets
            • Notes: Offline Conversations with the User
          • Managing and Using Call Activities
          • Assigning Work Based on Skills
        • Call Details Explorer Options
          • Call Activities Explorer Option
          • Linking Explorer Option
          • Forum Analysts Explorer Option
          • AI Ops Explorer Option
          • Viewing Event Transactions from a Call or Request
          • Email All Explorer Option
        • Overview of CTI in Alemba Service Manager
          • Storing Telephone Numbers for CTI
        • Logging a Call
        • Using Quick Solutions
        • Using Quick Forms
        • Deferring a Call
        • Reassigning/Forwarding a Call(s) Internally
        • Forwarding a Call Externally
        • Creating an Outage from a Call
        • Closing a Call
        • Global Updates
        • User Chased Tickets
        • Escalating Tickets
      • Sending Ad-Hoc Surveys
      • Requests and Tasks
        • Viewing your Request Workload
          • Viewing Outstanding Requests
          • Searching for Requests
        • Submit a New Request
        • Escalate a Request
        • Searching for Tasks
        • Suspending a Task
        • Completing a Task
        • Sending email from a task
        • Forwarding a Task Internally - Reassignment
        • Completing an Approval
        • Managing Change Calendars
        • Managing Resources
          • Preparing to Use Resource Manager
          • Using Resource Manager
          • Allocating Tasks in Resource Manager
      • Ordering Service Actions within ASM Core
      • Adding Attachments
      • Managing your CMDB
        • Managing CMDB Items
          • Cloning CMDB Items
          • Completing CMDB Item Details
          • CMDB Linking Diagram
          • Freezing CMDB Items
          • Linking CMDB Items
        • Managing Your Assets
          • Managing Inventory Items
          • Managing Software Products
          • Thresholds Explorer Option
          • Managing Transactions
            • Purchasing Items
            • Reserving Items
            • Allocating Items
            • Transferring Ownership of Items
            • Retiring Items
            • Changing Availability Status of Items
            • Adding an order from a search field
          • Specifying Usage Criteria
        • Managing your Service Portfolio
          • Managing Services
          • Managing Service Actions
            • Defining the Outcome of Selecting a Service Action
          • Managing Service Bundles
        • Managing Organizations
        • Managing Locations
        • Managing Cost Centers
        • Managing Jurisdictions
        • Managing Subscriber Groups
        • Managing Stakeholders
        • Options in the CMDB Items Explorer Pane
        • Allocating Change Windows to CMDB Items
        • Managing People
        • Managing Contracts
        • Managing Availability
          • Managing Outages
          • Impact Criteria
          • Displaying Outages
        • SLM - Managing Agreements
          • Defining Agreement Thresholds
          • Linking Service Items to an Agreement
          • Attaching Selection Criteria to Agreements
          • Agreement Measurements
      • Configuring AI Ops
        • Using the AI Ops Wizard
        • Managing AI Ops Rules
      • Knowledge Management
        • Managing Knowledge Entries
        • The Knowledge Bank Explorer
        • Viewing Knowledge Entries
        • Knowledge Administration
      • Configuring Reminders
      • Using IPK Workflow Rules
        • Part 1 - Building the Workflows
        • Part 2 - Defining Workflow Criteria Rules
          • Defining Call Fields for IPK Rules
        • Part 3 - Assigning Workflows to Rules
        • Configuring Call Auto Close Rules
        • Running Multiple Workflow Types on a Call
      • The Bulletin Board
        • Viewing Bulletins
        • Managing Bulletins
      • Using Timesheets
      • Scheduling Calls and Requests
      • Using Quick Forms
      • Using Call Scripts in Core
      • Instant Messaging/Internal Messages
      • Sending an Email
        • Finding Recipients
      • Delegation Setup
      • Purging Data
  • SetUp & Configure ASM
    • Licensing
      • Licensing model
      • ASM Person Licenses
    • Installation and Patching
      • Alemba Service Manager On-Premise Architecture
      • HERMES Installation Guide
        • HERMES Prerequisites
        • Upgrading/Installing ASM to HERMES Step by Step Guide
      • Installation PowerShell Parameters
        • Administration Using PowerShell Scripts
      • Installation Guide for Syncfusion Dashboards
        • Part 1-Syncfusion Dashboard Server Installation
        • Part 2-Syncfusion Server Check HTTPS Binding has been Configured
        • Part 3-Syncfusion Server User Management Server (UMS) Configuration
        • Part 4-Syncfusion Server Configure the Dashboard Server
        • Part 5-Syncfusion Server Patching the Scheduler Service
      • Upgrading from vFire 9.2 or Below
      • Installing and upgrading on Multiple Web Servers
      • Patching where downloading files is not possible
        • Installation Using Setup.exe
      • Configuring external network access to ASM
      • About the Polling Services
      • Uninstalling ASM Core
    • Setting Up your System
      • On-Premise: System Console Configuration Settings
      • Logging in as Administrator
      • ASM Nano
        • Enabling Nano
        • Request Phases
      • Setup IM (Internal Messaging)
      • Setup Email
        • Setting Up Incoming and Outgoing Email
          • Email Server Configuration
          • Methods of Authentication for Mail Servers
          • Incoming Email
            • Recognized Incoming Email Subject Headings
            • Incoming POP3, and IMAP Email Server Settings
            • Incoming Email via API
            • How the Logging Analyst is Determined on an Incoming Email
          • Outgoing SMTP Email Server Settings
          • Outgoing Email via Webhooks
          • Configure Azure MS Graph API
          • Configuring Exchange Web Services (EWS)
            • Prerequisites
              • Web Redirect URL Configuration
              • Creating an Azure Client Secret
            • EWS - Configure Outgoing Email
            • EWS - Configure Incoming Email
            • EWS - Authorize the Connection
            • EWS - Troubleshooting
        • Mail Message Access (MMA)
      • Setup Chat
    • Configuring your System
      • Accessibility Features
      • ASM Solutions
      • Call Template Administration
      • Configuration Post Go-Live
        • Preparing Production for Sys Admins and Developers
        • ASM Application Configuration Change Management
          • ASM Application Configuration Change Screens
          • ASM Application Change Workflow Template
      • Configuration Post Go-Live using SDLC
      • Configuring Escalations and Chase
      • Configuring the Data Purge Service
      • Configuring Screens
        • Creating New Screen Sets
        • Screens Available for Configuration using ASM Designer
        • Building Screens in ASM Designer
          • Configuring Fields
          • Creating a Custom Field
          • Deleting & Unlinking Fields
            • ASM System Fields for Call Screens
            • ASM System Fields for Request Screens
            • ASM System Fields for Task Screens
            • ASM System Fields for Approval Screens
            • ASM System Fields for CMDB Item Screens
          • Screen Widgets
            • Data-Grid Widgets
            • Self Service Portal System Widgets
          • Knowledge Article Screens
          • Configuring Message Templates
          • Importing/Exporting Screens
          • Troubleshooting Screens: The Screen's Dead Zone
        • Dynamic Screens
          • Deep Linking Field Data Across Screen Sets
          • Field Calculations
          • Using Rules
          • Adding Images and Progress Indicators to your screens
        • Deleting a Custom Screen
        • Configuring Button Labels
      • Conversation History Widget For Nano
      • Customizing Options for the Self Service Portal
        • Add Me: Set up "Add-Me" for Subscribing to or Following Issues
        • Styling the Self Service Portal
        • Enable Request Correction and Resubmission
      • System Administration Settings
        • Custom Global Profile Fields
        • System Settings Menu
          • Your Organization
          • Partitioning
            • Configuring Partitions
            • Partition Settings
          • System Settings
          • Security Profiles
          • Server Time Zone
            • Storing Time Zone Information
            • Time Zone Settings
          • Defining Working Hours
          • Defining public holidays
          • Reset References
          • System Source Titles
          • Browse Limits
          • Messaging
          • Message Types
            • Message Type Definitions
          • Pager Settings
          • Pager Types
          • Activity Log
          • Stored Procedures
          • System Titles
          • Quick Launch
          • Quick Notes
          • Auditing
            • Administration Audit Trail
          • User and Analyst Search Field Settings
          • Email Header and Footer
        • Security
          • Security Settings
          • Security Settings (Partitioned)
          • IPK Groups
          • Workflow Management Groups
          • Controlling log in
          • Email and Pager Options for IPK and Workflow Groups
        • Security Roles
          • General Access Security Role
            • Admin Tab
            • Timesheets Tab
          • IPK Management Security Roles
            • IPK Management Role: Options Tab
            • IPK Management Security Role: Groups Tab
            • IPK Management Security Role: IPK Streams Tab
            • IPK Management Security Role: IPK Statuses Tab
            • IPK Management Security Role: Forms Tab
            • IPK Management Security Role: Quick Launch Tab
            • IPK Management Security Role: Fwd Groups Tab
          • Workflow Management Security Roles
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Shared Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Requests Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Tasks Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Processes Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Groups Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Request Screen Sets Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Task Screen Sets Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Appr. Screen Sets Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: User Approval Screen Sets Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: External Supplier Screen Sets Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Closure Task Screen Sets Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Forms Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Template Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Request Quick Launch Tab
            • Workflow Management Security Role: Task Quick Launch Tab
          • Configuration Management Security Roles
            • Configuration Management Security Role: CMDB Items Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: People Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Roles: Organizations Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: Locations Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: Contracts Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: Subscriber Groups Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: Cost Centers Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: Jurisdictions Tab
            • Configuration Management Security Role: Forms Tab
          • Service Level Management Security Roles
            • Service Level Management Security Role: Options Tab
            • Service Level Management Security Role: Forms Tab
          • Availability Management Security Roles
          • Knowledge Management Security Roles
            • Knowledge Management Security Role: Options Tab
            • Knowledge Management Security Role: Content Access Tab
            • Knowledge Management Security Role: Statuses Tab
          • Bulletin Board Security Roles
          • Dashboard Management Security Role
          • Integration Security Role
        • IPK and Workflow
          • Incident, Problem & Known Error (IPK) Management
            • Configuring IPK Settings
            • IPK Settings (Partitioned)
            • Action Type
            • Call Attributes
            • Call History Types
            • Call Impact
            • Call Physical Statuses
            • Call Priority
            • Call Screen Sets
            • Stakeholder Roles
            • Call States
            • Call Status Titles
            • Call Urgency
            • Closure Groups
            • Custom Call Profiles
            • User Survey
            • User Survey Screen Set
            • IPK classes
            • IPK Streams
            • IPK Statuses
            • Link Stream/Status to Call Screen Set
            • Link Type/Stream/Status to Call Screen Set
            • Link Screen Set to Reasons
            • Link Type to Reason
            • Limit Type by IPK Status
            • Link Type to Call Screen Set
            • Priority Matrix
            • Quick Forms
            • Quick Solutions
            • Reasons
            • Call Scripts: Scripting
            • Type Tiers
          • Workflow Management
            • Workflow Management Settings
            • Workflow Attributes
            • Approval Types
            • Request Action Types
            • Request Implementation Profiles
            • Request Implementation States
            • Request Link Types
            • Request Physical Statuses
            • Request Phases (Nano)
            • Request Priority
            • Request Risks
              • Request Risk Assessment
              • Request Impact
              • Request Complexity
              • Request Risk Assessment Matrix
            • Screen Sets for Requests, Tasks and Approvals
            • Request Stakeholder Roles
            • Request Completion Statuses
            • Request Types
            • Task Action Types
            • Task Phases
            • Task Physical Statuses
            • Task Priority
            • Task Status Titles
            • Task Types
            • Workflow Management History Types
            • Request History Filters
            • Workflow Processes
            • Workflow Export and Import - Workflow Porting
            • Linking Approval Screens to Partitions
        • Service Level Management
          • SLM Settings
          • Agreement Attributes
          • Agreement Selection Priority
          • CMDB Selection Priority
          • Agreement Stakeholder Roles
          • Agreement Statuses
          • Exclusion Reasons
          • Agreement Types
          • Event Activity Types
          • Agreement Matrices
          • Measurement Types
          • Payment Types
        • CMDB (Configuration Management Database)
          • CMDB Settings
          • CMDB Service Levels
          • CMDB Item Classes
          • CMDB Item Criticality
          • CMDB Item Physical Statuses
          • CMDB Item Types
          • CMDB Link Status
          • CMDB Link Types
          • Contract Support Type
          • Contract Types
          • Cost Center Category
          • Custom CMDB Profiles
          • Person Profile
          • External Contact Type
          • User VIP Statuses
          • Disposal Methods
          • Financial Statuses
          • Financial Category
          • Freeze Statuses
          • Link Manufacturer to Model Type
          • Manufacturers
          • Model Types
          • Organization Profiles
          • External Supplier Statuses
          • Purchase Method
          • Service Link Types
          • Service Portfolio Statuses
          • Service Cost Types
          • Service Periods
          • Asset Management - Asset Lifecycle Status
          • Asset Management - License Type
          • Asset Management - Transaction Status
          • Self Service Portal Display Categories
          • Stakeholder Roles
          • Auditing Configuration Items
        • Availability
          • Configuring Availability Management
          • Outage Types
          • Schedule Definition
        • Depreciation
          • Batch Run Parameters
          • Depreciation by CMDB Item Type
          • Depreciation Methods
          • Depreciation Schedules
        • Knowledge Bank
          • Knowledge Bank Settings
          • Knowledge Base Types
          • Knowledge Entry Types
          • Knowledge Profiles
          • Knowledge Ratings
          • Knowledge Statuses
          • Knowledge Document Import
        • Bulletin Board
          • Configuring the Bulletin Board
          • Bulletin Board Priorities
          • Bulletin Stakeholder Roles
        • Text Retrieval
          • Common Words
          • Keywords
          • Synonyms
        • Analytics
          • Analytics Settings
          • Classic Syncfusion Dashboard Server Configuration
        • Self Service Portal
          • Self Service Portal Settings
          • Self Service Portal Settings (Partitioned)
          • Self Service Portal Roles
            • Options Tab
            • CMDB Tab
            • Content Access Tab
            • Workflow Templates Tab
            • Call Templates Tab
            • IPK Status Tab
            • Dashboard Management Tab
          • Self Service Portal Systems
          • Self Service Portal My Options
          • Self Service Portal Tables
          • Service Order Status Titles
          • Question Mappings
          • Catalog Promoted Items
          • Suggested Knowledge in the Self Service Portal
          • Creating Custom Pages
          • Link Organization to Portal Key
        • Nano
        • Preview Features/Advanced Options
          • Settings
            • Multi Language
              • Languages
                • Portal Label Language Updates
                • Service Title Language Updates
            • Call Activities
            • Enable Active Directory Mappings to Sub Groups
            • CTI
              • Setting up the Alemba Service Manager CTI
            • SignalR Scale Out Options
            • External Chat tool Integrations
          • Portal Settings
          • Global Search
          • Chat Bot
      • Workflow Template Administration
        • Basic Process for Building a Workflow
          • Task List for Workflow (Request Template) Creation
            • Create a Service Action and Attach a Workflow to it
        • Managing Tasks - Adding Tasks to the Dependency Diagram
          • About Tasks - General
          • Task Types in the Task Palette
            • Defining Request Start Details
            • Creating a Standard Task
            • Create Request Task
            • Creating an Approval Task
            • Creating a User Approval Task
            • Conditional Branching Tasks
              • Defining a Dependency Rule
              • Defining Dependency Actions
            • Creating a Messaging Task
            • Creating a Delay Task
            • Creating a Manage CMDB Task
              • Recursive CMDB Task
              • Adding Transactions to a Manage CMDB task
              • Asset Management Transactions in a Manage CMDB Task
              • Mapping Fields to be Updated by a Transaction
            • Creating an Outbound Action Task
            • Creating an SLM Start Clock/Stop Clock Task
            • Creating an External Supplier Task
            • Creating a Run External Procedure Tasks
            • Creating a Change Window Task
            • Creating a Closure Task
            • Creating an Activation Task
        • Component Workflows
        • Setting Up Amendable Requests
        • Troubleshooting Workflow and Service Action Linking
        • Sharing Parent Request Items with Child Requests
    • Dashboards and Reporting
      • Dashboard Configuration and User Learning Guide
      • Descriptions of Default Reports and Dashboards (SDI Classifications)
        • 8.3 Number of Incidents and Service Requests
        • 8.4 Average Time to Respond
        • 8.6 Average time to resolve incidents or fulfill service requests
        • 8.7 First Contact Incident Resolution and Request Fulfilment Rate
        • 8.8 First Level Incident Resolution and Request Fulfillment Rate
        • 8.9 Reopned Incident Rate
        • 8.10 Backlog Management
        • 8.11 Percentage of hierarchic escalations
        • 8.21 Percentage of Functional Escalations copy
        • 8.23 Average incident resolution time by priority
        • 8.24 Average request fulfilment time by priority
        • 8.25 Average resolution time by incident category
        • 8.26 Average fulfilment time by service request type
        • 8.27 Comparison of service level targets to performance
        • 8.28 Service Desk Knowledge Usage
        • 8.29 Customer Facing Knowledge Usage
        • 8.30 Service Desk Knowledge Quality and effectiveness
        • 8.31 Customer facing knowledge quality and effectiveness
        • 8.33 Monitoring Incidents caused by changes measured against target
        • 8.34 Total cost of service delivery
        • 8.35 Average cost per incident by channel
        • 8.36 Average cost per service request by channel
        • 8.43 Problem records created through proactive problem management
        • 8.44 Incident reduction through problem management
      • Install SDI Reporting Pack
      • Dashboards and Reports (.sydx Files)
      • Connecting to Other Data Sources
      • Sample SQL Queries
      • Migrating your Syncfusion Dashboards to a New Server
    • FAQ
      • Limited Support/End of Life Capabilities
        • Configuration Portability
          • Overview & Best Practices
          • Porting Configuration Data
          • Viewing the Export and Import Logs
        • Server Console
          • Accessing the Server Console
          • Creating a New ASM System
          • Server Console system tasks
          • Customization nodes
          • SQL Server and Table Ownership
          • Updating Scripts
          • ASM Core Registry Keys
        • Concurrent Licensing
          • License Corrals
        • Alemba Classic API
          • Programming with the Classic API
            • WCF Client
          • Code Examples
          • Return Values
          • API Message Types
          • API Lookups
          • API Transactions
            • Availability Transactions
            • Call Transactions
            • CMDB Item Transactions
            • Contract Transactions
            • Cost Center Transactions
            • Jurisdiction Transactions
            • Location Transactions
            • Organization Transactions
            • Person Transactions
            • Subscriber Group Transactions
            • Knowledge Transactions
            • Bulletin Transactions
            • System Transactions
              • Session Transactions
              • Add Note Transactions
              • Attribute Transactions
              • Development Transactions
              • Message Transactions
              • Object Transactions
              • Stakeholder Transactions
            • Workflow Transactions
              • Workflow (Request) Transactions
              • Task Transactions
          • API Classes
          • API WSTester Application
      • Configuration or Customization
  • Integrate
    • Integration Overview
    • Managing Integration
      • Setting Up the Integration Platform
        • Defining Connectors
        • Defining Sources
        • Configuring an Integration Source
        • Resource Mapping
        • Defining Property Transforms
        • Defining Profile Maps
        • Defining Resolution Rules
        • Defining Link Type Mapping
      • Single Sign-On using SAML
        • Integrated Security vs. Single Sign On
        • Technical and Access Requirements
        • Configuring ASM for Single Sign-On
        • Importing Identity Provider Metadata
        • Service Provider Signing Certificate
        • Configuring the Service Provider
        • Exporting Service Provider Metadata
        • Importing Service Provider metadata into the Identity Provider
        • SSO Troubleshooting
        • SSL Binding
        • Creating a Self Signed Certificate
        • Extending the Single Sign-On Connector
      • Configuring Azure Active Directory discovery
      • Azure Multi-factor Authentication
      • Viewing Integration Activity
        • Viewing Integration Log
      • Connectors to ASM Core
        • Connector Matrix
        • Installing Connectors
        • CMDB Connectors
          • Altiris Network Discovery Connector
          • CA Cohesion Connector
          • Centennial Discovery/FrontRange Connector
          • EMC Smarts NCM Connector
            • Service Assurance Manager Connector
          • LANDESK Connector
          • Microsoft Azure Connector
          • Microsoft SCOM Connector
          • Microsoft SMS and SCCM Connector
          • Snow Connector
          • SolarWinds Connector
          • VMware Application Discovery Manager Connector
          • VMware vCenter Configuration Manager Connector
          • VMware vCloud Director Connector
          • vRealize Orchestrator Connector
        • LDAP Connectors to ASM Core
          • Microsoft Active Directory Server Connector
          • Novell eDirectory Server Connector
        • Generic Connectors to ASM Core
          • Email Event Connector
          • External Process Connector
          • Stored Procedure Connector
          • ASM to ASM Connector
          • Jira Connector
            • Developer Notes for the Jira ICNF
          • CSV File Connector
          • MS Azure DevOps Connector
          • Connector Suite for MS SQL Server Tables
          • Resource Databases Connector
            • Tutorial for Configuring the Database Resources Connector
        • Microsoft Alemba ITSM Connector
      • Build your Own Connector
        • Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Active Directory) - Connector Builder
        • Microsoft Intune - Connector Builder
      • Managing the Federated CMDB
        • Managing Scheduled Integration Scans
        • Auditing Configuration Items
      • Managing External Resources
      • Selecting Fields for Mapping
      • Managing Inbound and Outbound Actions
        • Configuring Inbound and Outbound Actions
          • Configuring Outbound Actions
            • Using Outbound Actions
          • Configuring Inbound Actions
        • Inbound or Outbound Action Source Parameters
      • Managing Events
        • Configuring Event Management
          • Event Management Source Parameters
          • Viewing Event Types
          • Managing Event Type Mappings
        • Using Events
      • Webhooks
        • Webhook Payloads
      • Canvas App Widgets
      • Microsoft Teams Chat Integration
      • Microsoft Project Integration
      • Connector Diagnostics
    • API's
      • Alemba RestFul API
        • Alemba API Architecture
        • Installing the Alemba API
        • Logging In to the Alemba API Explorer
        • Navigating the Alemba API Explorer
        • Alemba API Programmers’ Guide
        • Alemba API Programmers' Cookbook
          • Recipes
        • Alemba API Related Database Tables
        • Using API Reporting Views
        • Authentication
          • Configuring Authentication for the Alemba API
          • Configuring Windows Authentication for the Alemba API
          • Configuring Single Sign On using SAML for the Alemba API
      • Azure/ Web API/Logic Apps
      • ASM API Quick Reference Guide
        • Getting Started: The ClientId
        • Postman for Testing
        • Search for Existing Calls
        • Locking and Updating Calls
        • Creating New Calls
  • Earlier Versions of ASM
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On this page
  • Why Use a Customer Approval Task?
  • The benefits of using the Customer Approval Task
  • Creating a User Approval Task
  • Completing an Approval
  • Complete the Common Task Fields
  • Troubleshooting User Approval Tasks
  • The Task Never Became Active
  • The Wrong Email is Going Out
  • The Wrong Recipient is Being Notified
  • The correct number of tasks were not created - I have X recipients, but only some of the tasks were created
  • The request's completion status shows in progress even though it was rejected and closed
  • The Customer Says the Email Doesn't Tell Them Enough About the Request to be Able to Approve Via Email and the Portal isn't Showing any Details Either

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  1. SetUp & Configure ASM
  2. Configuring your System
  3. Workflow Template Administration
  4. Managing Tasks - Adding Tasks to the Dependency Diagram
  5. Task Types in the Task Palette

Creating a User Approval Task

Users can approve or reject these tasks using the Self Service Portal

PreviousCreating an Approval TaskNextConditional Branching Tasks

Last updated 7 months ago

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If there is a Conditional Branching Task preceding the Customer Approval Task in the workflow and a Forward To recipient is specified on the Conditional Branching Task, then, at run time, the value specified in the Conditional Branching Task will override the value specified in the Customer Approval Task.

Why Use a Customer Approval Task?

Workflow processes often require approvals to be given before a workflow can progress. Approvals are a critical stage in any workflow; they restrict approval permissions to certain individuals or groups and record details of the approval or rejection for auditing purposes. Once an approval task is completed, the workflow progresses down certain dependency paths, based on the approval or rejection decision.

Generally, approvals are completed within the main ASM Core or NANO application with a workflow officer logging into the system, locating the approval and completing it.

The Customer Approval Task provides a similar function with some key differences:

  • Customer Approval Tasks can only be completed through the Self-Service Portal or via email.

  • A person flagged as a customer must exist in ASM for the Customer Approval Task to be assigned.

The benefits of using the Customer Approval Task

  • The approver does not need to know how to navigate the full ASM application interface. Learning how to use the Self-Service Portal interface requires less training than the full application.

  • The approver does not need a license; this means an unlimited number of customers can be approvers through the Service Portal.

  • A person can set up as both an analyst and a customer through their person details record, allowing analysts to complete Customer Approvals through the Self-Service Portal. This configuration can free up shared licenses.

User Approval Tasks can also be approved in the main application by full analysts with Approver rights on the Tasks tab of their Workflow Management security role. This may be necessary when a user is unavailable to handle an approval that has been assigned to them.

When a User Approval task is added to a workflow, a user must be linked to the task.

Request managers can assign one or more users to the User Approval task when adding the task to a workflow template or request (if the approval has not yet become active).

If multiple users are added, then when the task is activated, a separate User Approval task is created for each one.

Creating a User Approval Task

  1. Search for the Request Details window, if it is not already on screen.

  2. Select the Update Dependencies explorer option on the Request Details window, or the button from the toolbar. The Task Dependencies window appears with icons for task entity types displayed below the toolbar.

  3. Choose the task icon from the palette, and drag it to the window.

  4. On the dependency diagram, double-click the User Approval task icon to view the User Approval Details window.

  5. To link users to the task, expand the Recipients section and click Add.

  6. In the Recipients window, find and select recipients.

People

Select to find and select users as the approvers. Specify the name and/or organization and click Find. From the results table, select each user you want to approve the task and click Add.

Other

Select to forward the Approval task to the person selected in a specific field when the task becomes active. This could be the user selected on the request, user who logged the request, and so on. You can then select from the drop-down list of available fields.

Alternatively, you can forward a User Approval task to a variable (such as the user selected on the request) using a Conditional Branching task.

Stakeholders

Select to send the approval task to a request stakeholder. A list of stakeholder roles appears. choose how many levels of available Stakeholders to display in the selection list.

The list of Stakeholders has recipients available related to Linked CIs. Notifications can be sent to the stakeholders of CIs linked to the CIs Attached to the current Request. This affects CIs linked up to 2 levels from the current CI. The linked higher/lower options relate to the CI relationship mapping.

  • Request CIs/Linked CIs – Higher/Stakeholder

  • Request CIs/Linked CIs – Lower/Stakeholder

Example: CI A is linked to CI B. CI A has stakeholder 1 and 3. CI B has stakeholder 2 and 4. If CI A has a change logged to it, the workflow can be configured to notify stakeholder 1, 2, 3, and 4 using the messaging task.

Select the stakeholder role(s), and click Add.

To select the stakeholder of the person who authorized the request, select Authorized By/Stakeholder.

Click OK. The window is closed. The selected recipient(s) are added to the browse table on the Details window.

Repeat to add more recipients, then save the details.

When the User Approval task becomes active in the workflow, a separate user approval task will be created for each recipient. Only one user can be linked to a User Approval task once it has become active in the workflow so if you edit the task from the request, the Recipients tab is disabled.

Once the task is activated (that is, preceding tasks have been completed) the user receives an email, provided the user has an email address specified in their person details record. This email provides information on what needs to be approved and includes a web address. The user can click on the web address to be taken to the User Approval task in Self Service Portal (they may be required to log in before they can see the task) or they can click the Approve or Reject button in the email.

Users can also locate their tasks by logging into the portal and viewing their Approval Summary page, or by selecting the Outstanding Approvals option in the menu. Once the task has been opened, they can approve or reject the task.

If the linked request has been opened by an analyst when a user wishes to approve a User Approval Task, a warning message appears, but the task can still be approved. However, if the task has been set to update the request status and the request has been opened by another analyst, the request cannot be updated.

User Approval tasks are completed automatically as soon as the user approves or rejects the task.

Completing an Approval

  1. Once the task is opened, the customer selects either the Approve or Reject button. They can then enter comments about their decision prior to completing the task (they may be required to re-enter their Service Portal password).

  2. Customers having approval rights can view and action a Customer Approval Task assigned to them through the Service Portal, provided they have access to the portal. If the assigned customer is also flagged as an officer through their Person Details record, they can also view and action a Customer Approval Task assigned to them through the main application.

Customer Approvals can be approved in the main application by full officers with Approver rights on their Workflow Management security role. This may be necessary when a customer is unavailable to handle an approval that has been assigned to them.

Complete the Common Task Fields

  1. Set the Screen Set for the task. By default, the System's default task screen will be used, but you can select Screen Set from the Task Explorer window, and choose a different screen set. Any message templates on the screen set will be used for notifications.

Best Practice: If you want a custom email template to be used for this customer approval, you can:

  • Create a custom screen set for the User Approval Task linked to the Request Screen Set for your Workflow

  • Build a message template in the screen set in Screen Designer

  • Link the new screen set to your User Approval Task (In the Task Explorer window)

  • Link the new email template in System Admin Message Types: 130: Task - User Approval

  1. Complete the Task Status, Title, Description (this forms the body of the notification email, in many cases), and where present, the Request Status on Rejection (Approval Tasks) and Request Status on Completion.

Updating the Request Status on completion of the task will automatically update the request's overall, or "Completion Status" so that it is easy to tell exactly where the request is at all time. For example, after the Approvals are completed, you might want to automatically change the request status to "In Progress".

  1. Enter the time it should take this task to complete.

  2. OLAs can be applied to tasks by Task Type and Assigned Group. If you are using OLA for tasks, it is important to specify the correct task type and assigned group to get the correct OLA applied to the task.

  3. All CMDB items linked to the request are displayed on this type of task in the Linked CIs and Linked Services fields. If required, you can schedule changes against linked CI the CMDB items and create a planned outage against these items as they will not be available for use when they are being updated.

  1. After you have completed the fields,

    • forward the task internally - Assign the task to a Group

    • Save your task's changes

Troubleshooting User Approval Tasks

The Task Never Became Active

Most User Approval Tasks that fail to activate, fail because the intended recipient has no email address or no Portal account with approval rights.

The Wrong Email is Going Out

ASM will send the email message template linked to the User Approval's Task Screen Set and mapped in Message Type Maps.

  • Ensure you have linked your desired Screen Set to the User Approval Task

  • Ensure your Message Template on that screen set (Screen Designer) is the one you intend to send

  • Ensure the message template is mapped System Admin > Message Types > Message type 130: Task - User Approval

The Wrong Recipient is Being Notified

Primarily, the Customer/User Approval task will notify whoever is listed in the recipients section. Incorrect notification always lie in how the recipients are configured. There are 2 possible reasons why:

  • The Recipient is set incorrectly on the User/Customer Approval Task itself. Ensure you have specified the correct user to notify on the task in the Recipients section.

  • Using Distribution Lists as email addresses. Ensure that you have not assigned the approval task to a recipient where the email address is a Distribution List (DL) and if you have, the DL is correct and current.

For example, The E-CAB Spammer

An organization recently implemented Change Management in ASM. They already maintain an E-CAB email Distribution list tied to pagers and other notifications, and they wanted to keep it that way. A former member of the E-CAB was still receiving notification emails even though they left the group. They sent an angry email to the Service Desk Supervisor complaining the the change process was "Spamming" their inbox with notifications. In truth, this individual had only received 4 emails in the last 30 days but to him, it was excessive. These were the original requirements for the E-CAB/CAB:

  1. They do not complete approvals via Email, but they do want the notifications to go to the email address for the E-CAB Group because that triggers other automated actions throughout their organization.

  2. They deployed a special Self Service Portal for the Change Team to complete Approvals and view all of the Changes along with the Change Calendar. Each CAB member has access to the portal with Single Sign On where they can complete their individual approvals, but there is also an E-CAB general user/shared account.

  3. The E-CAB User should be able to see Emergency Changes and approve or reject them. Anyone with the E-CAB credentials can log in as the E-CAB User and complete Emergency Change Request Approvals.

    • They have assigned the E-CAB user's account in ASM an email address the corresponds to the E-CAB DL.

    • This way, for emergency changes one approval is created and one email is sent, but it goes to the Distribution list.

    • Anyone on the E-CAB can log in to the E-CAB Portal and review, approve, or reject Emergency Changes.

Root-Cause of the Spam Problem: In this example, the impacted former E-CAB member left the E-CAB group but was not removed from the Exchange Distribution List by the Exchange Administrators. This means they still received E-CAB emails because ASM is merely emailing the DL, and not the individuals listed within it. In this case, updating the DL solved the problem of unintended emails going to the wrong person.

The correct number of tasks were not created - I have X recipients, but only some of the tasks were created

ASM will aggregate User Approval Tasks and will not create tasks for users with no email address or approval rights.

  • So for example, if you have the User Approval Task assigned to the User of the Linked CI's, and there are 3 linked CI's, you would correctly assume that 3 approval tasks would be created, except if of the 3 linked CI, the user of 2 of them is the same, then the approval task will consolidate those 2 approvals into one so that the user is only sent one approval for the request.

The request's completion status shows in progress even though it was rejected and closed

You must set the Request Completion Status on each task in your workflow. This includes Conditional branches, etc. It is likely that you have not configured the "Request Status on Completion" field.

The Customer Says the Email Doesn't Tell Them Enough About the Request to be Able to Approve Via Email and the Portal isn't Showing any Details Either

ASM ships with many default screens, right out of the box. This includes email templates and Portal Review Screens. However, the data on these templates and screens is limited to just select system field values; Request Number, Task Number, Request Description, Task Description, etc..

  1. Ensure the data needed to be able to understand what has been requested is added to the Message Templates and Review Screens, including any new fields you may have created and added.

  2. Ensure you have written a thoughtful Task Description that will form the body of your email message that tells the Approver what is required. Use the Task Description consistently and map it into the body of the email template(s), then add remaining fields needed for clarity.

  3. Make the Request Description, and Request CI's required fields so that users submitting must give the minimum level of information when submitting and prevent notifications from arriving blank in an email or requests appearing too sparsely populated on your portal screen.

See Also:

Outages against a linked CMDB item can be created through a request or task. See for more information. Also see, .

Complete the details, if appropriate.

Ensure the User you have assigned the task to has a valid

Ensure your User has a that allows approvals

See also

See also,

Outages and Availability
Managing Availability
Resource Management
email address in ASM
Portal Access role
Creating a Task
Complete the common task fields on this task.
The Task never became Active
Completing the Common Fields