LogoLogo
Click to Submit Feedback!
  • 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
Powered by GitBook
On this page

Was this helpful?

  1. Use ASM
  2. Using ASM Core
  3. Managing your CMDB
  4. Managing your Service Portfolio

Managing Service Actions

A Service Action is a specific service offering provided as part of a service.

PreviousManaging ServicesNextDefining the Outcome of Selecting a Service Action

Last updated 8 months ago

Was this helpful?

Users can order Service Actions directly from the Self Service Portal if they are subscribers of that Service Action, stakeholders, or the Action is available to all Users. You must link a Service Action to a Service to make use of it. Then you can use them to define which Services Users can request through the Service Request Catalog on the Self Service Portal. They can also be added to Service Bundles.

For the Email service, for example, you can have various Service Actions, such as “Creation of new email account”, “Password reset” and “Close email account”. A Service Action is therefore always linked to a Service.

Best Practice

  • Consider carefully what service Actions you want to expose and the level of complexity. Too many choices will potentially confuse the users or cause them to select the wrong service action.

  • It is often beneficial to look at your top ten reports for service requests (grouped by Service) and build only those service actions to start. You are then able to add more service actions as the quarterly or annual top ten reports reveal what users really need.

  • Where it is sensible, or service action. .

  • Where approvals authorities are individuals and the individual that needs the approval is dependent on what has been ordered, consider assigning these approval authorities as the user of the service action. You can then assign the approval in the Workflow Template to the Ordered Service Action>User.

Example #1: The Enterprise Application Services may only need 1 service action for the portal; Software Request. User will simply select the software from a pick list on the screen. In this case, it is not necessary to build a separate service action and/or screen for each brand or release of the software you deliver.

Example #2: In the Email Service you may only need 2 Service Actions. The first would function much like the Enterprise Applications Software Request as above for selecting and ordering email applications. The second could link to an incident response template and allow users to report issues with their email service. By using a template you can automatically route and assign the incident to the correct team, email the user and perform a host of other automated actions including suggesting help and resolutions automatically right on the self service portal.

Service Action Management

You must have CMDB Item New selected in the CMDB tab of your Configuration Management security role.

The service to which the service action relates must have been added to the CMDB.

Display New Item in Wrapper must be selected in the CMDB Item Type Details window for the Service Action CMDB Type. If you are creating a sub-type, and this option has been selected in its CMDB Item Type Details, you may see this in your submenu also.

Create a New Action
  1. Create a new CMDB item. Menu>New>Service Action

  2. Complete the details. Most of the fields are common to the other CMDB Item Details windows, except the Service Action Details window has an additional Service Details section because a Service Action is always linked to a service.

Complete the Service Details

Use this section to select the service to which the service action relates.

When you display the Service Action Details window from the New menu or the CMDB Item Search window, the Service Details section is blank. When you display it from a service, the Service Details section is populated with the details of the linked service (these details are read-only).

Complete the Service Action Details

Title - Enter a user friendly title for your service action. Keep in mind some users may be viewing the catalog from mobile browsers and that the availabel real estate for the screen contents is much smaller. Keep your titles short and easy to understand. A good rule of thumb is no more than 64 characters.

Ref - The REF is auto populated and you may leave it as it as-is. However you may also overtype it and make a more user-friendly ref to use in building reports and filters instead. For example, instead of the default SA0000636 assigned by the system, you might want to make it SW_ORDER (per our example above).

Version - The version number defaults to 1.0.0. If you are not using versioning you may leave this at the default.

Type - The Type will default to Service Action, as that is what you are creating. It is not advisable or necessary to change the value.

Class - The class further groups the service actions and aids in reporting. Select the correct class for this service action. These are configured by your organization. Some examples are: Procurement, Business Services, IT Services, HR, or Facilities.

Self Service Portal Display Category - The Self Service Portal Display Category is what determines where in the portal this item will appear. For example, if this service action is for ordering software, we might put it in a SSP Display Category of Software Catalog, or Browse Software. The SSP Display Categories are defined by your organization.

Baseline - Select to flag this CMDB item as a baseline CMDB item. Baselines refer to a given configuration of software and/or hardware that is used as a default state, for example as the initial setup for a new PC in your organization.

Template - Select to define the item as a template. A template item is similar to a workflow template, in that it is a generic base from which multiple copies or instances can be made.

Asset Catalog - This only appears for Service, Service Action or Service Bundle Details.

As well as categorizing the type as an asset, you can specify whether it should be included in the Asset Catalog accessible from the Self Service Portal. Users will be able to use the advanced search options on the Self Service Portal to view CMDB items published in this catalog.

User and Organization Details

Most Service Actions will not have a user assigned. However, there are cases where you might.

For example, an organization has an extensive software and hardware catalog. Many of these items only need the user's manager to approve, if any approval is needed at all. But some items with either a high cost associated or some licensing involved have a higher level approval required than simply the user's manager.

Problem: How can we identify this "Approval Authority" without a very complicated workflow?

Answer: Send the approval task to the User assigned to the Ordered Service Action.

How it works - in practice: Whether it is a software request or a request for an expensive laptop bundle, what we can do with this now is assign the approval in the workflow process to the Ordered Service Action's assigned User. Maintenance becomes easy because you only need to update the user on the Service Action (or Bundle) and the workflow will always route correctly. This is important, because you can use a Manage CMDB task in your offboarding/onboarding workflows to update the assigned user on these CI dynamically ensuring approvals always go where they need to go.

In this case we also modified the screen in Screen Designer and relabeled User to Approval Authority because it simply looked better. We were also able to then link the "Approval Authority" right onto the Request Review screen so the user could see who it is.

Criticality and Status Details

Criticality - The values in this list are defined by your organization. Here you will define, according to your organizations parameters, what the level of criticality is for this Service Action. For example, some Organizations will use this to indicate Capital Expenditure Items, Project Items, or Critical Infrastructure. Some define criticality as Approvals Required and No Approvals Required and still other simply use Critical and Non-Critical. Your organization should be able to provide information on what these values should be for the Service Actions they have asked you to configure.

To Configure Criticality Statuses, go to System Administration>CMDB>CMDB Item Criticality

Status - This describes the Physical Status of the Service Action. Standard values are : In Production, Retired, Available, etc. This list is configured by each organization in System Administration>CMDB>CMDB Item Physical Statuses. Most Service Actions will have a physical status of either Available or Retired.

Portfolio Status - The Portfolio Status controls visibility on the Self Service Portal. Only Portfolio statuses configured for the portal are visible on the portal.

No matter what other settings you enable, if the Portfolio status is not a status available to the Portal, the service Action will not show on the Portal.

To Configure Portfolio Statuses or to see what values will appear on the portal, go to System Administration>CMDB>Service Portfolio Statuses and look for the Self Service Portal checkbox.

Service Level - Service Level is connected to your Service Level Agreements. If you are using service level in this way, the service level defined on the Service Action can trigger the appropriate SLA.

Time Zone - Select the default timeZone for this Service Action. This will inform any SLA's you may be using with the Service Action.

Financial and Vendor Information

The Financial and Vendor Information section outlines all of the Acquisition and cost information related to this service action. While much of this is more relvant to Assets as CI, a Service Action is also a CI and so will inherit these fields. Below is a list of the fields you must absolutely populate and fields you can choose to hide on your Service Action Screen:

Here you will enter the details for:

External Supplier - If the fulfillment of the item requested is via an external supplier, such as might be the case for a SaaS offering, en=ter the supplier here.

Financial Status - The values in this list are configured according to what the organization needs. The parameters for the service action given to you should include what these values should be, if there are any. Else, you can leave the default selected, Unspecified. To configure Financial Status, go to System Administration>CMDB>Financial Status

Financial Category - The values in this list are configured according to what the organization needs. The parameters for the service action given to you should include what these values should be, if there are any. Else, you can leave the default selected, Unspecified. To configure Financial Categories, go to System Administration>CMDB>Financial Category

Acquisition Method - The values in this list are configured according to what the organization needs. The parameters for the service action given to you should include what these values should be, if there are any. Else, you can leave the default selected, Unspecified. To configure Acquisition Methods, go to System Administration>CMDB>Purchase Method

Price - Enter the cost for this item. This price will be displayed on the Self Service Portal.

Associated Costs - enter related costs such as surcharges, taxes or consultancy fees.

Shipping and Handling - Enter the cost for shipping

Rebate - Enter a rebate amount, if any

Disposal Method - The values in this list are configured according to what the organization needs. The parameters for the service action given to you should include what these values should be, if there are any. Else, you can leave the default selected, Unspecified. To configure Disposal Methods, go to System Administration>CMDB>Disposal Method

Disposal Price - Enter the cost of disposal, if any

Disposal Date - For a Service Action, unlike an asset, Disposal date is largely irrelevant. However, if you are tracking a date of obsolescence for your service actions, using disposal dates will make including these actions on such reports easy to gather.

Maintenance Annual Rate - If there is an annual cost to the user for having the requested item, include the value.

Leasing Annual Rate - If there is an annual cost to the user for having the requested item, include the value.

Image and Description

The Image and Description are what will be displayed on the Self Service Portal for the user when browsing the Service Catalog. For example:

Description - Enter a short description about this service action that will be useful for the customer placing an order for it.

Upload Image - The upload Image button allows you to assign an image to the Service Action. If you do not select an image, the default image is used which looks like a notepad

  • Ideal Image Size: 1:1 Aspect Ratio and a minimum of 100px by 100px

  • Once you upload an image, you can only replace it. You cannot delete an existing image and revert back to the system default.

Portal Submit Button - By default, the service action button says Order. If you would like it to say something else, such as Submit, you can specify the text here.

Catalog Information

The catalog information section lists all the relevant details about your service catalog item for the users. Only those items with text are visible in the SSP.

For example, if on the Visio Request Service Action we only populate Target Audience, Charging, and Training, this is all that will appear on the Service Action Summary Display in the portal:

Here you can specify relevant details about:

  • Turnaround time

  • Charging arrangements

  • Availability

  • Target Audience

  • Support Arrangement

  • Training

  • Performance and Security

  • Terms and Conditions

  • Service Hours

  • Access

  • Backup and Recovery Arrangements

  • Service Targets

Templates and Actions

For more detailed information, please see the next page "Defining the Outcome of Selecting a Service Action".

  1. In this section, you can:

  • Launch a URL - Define a URL to launch in the user's browser

  • Download an Object - Identify an object to download from attachments you have added to the service action

  • Create a Call - Present a call/ticket submission form for the user to submit a call. This is appropriate for straightforward Service Actions, such as Reset Password, that can be completed through a call

  • Create a Request - Present a request submission form, for the user to submit a request. This is appropriate for a more complex order, that requires a linked Workflow Template to log a request with various tasks and approvals to process the order.

  1. When you defined the outcome you wish you will be prompted to specify the target URL, file or template to fulfill the action.

  2. When Creating Calls and Requests, you have the option to:

    • Order Multiple Quantities - If you want to enable the quantity field, For example if you want to create a service action for Keyboards and you want users to be able to order in bulk, you can enable the quantities.

    • Create Multiple Calls/Requests - When you have multiple quantities enabled, you can specify if a separate call or request should be created for each item ordered or if one request that reflects the total quantity should be created instead.

    For example, if we enable quantity ordering for laptops and do not select Create Multiple Calls/Requests, then a user can submit an order for 10 keyboards and a single request will be created to order 10 keyboards. On the other hand, if we do select Create multiple calls/requests, that same order for 10 keyboards will create 10 separate requests.

  3. Do Not Copy Data Between forms - Select to stop data being passed through from one submission form to the next when ordering multiple quantities. This is useful if, as in the example above, a quantity order for hardware is for a specific group of users.

For example, lets assume the 10 keyboards being ordered are for new staff and are part of a service bundle. If you are tracking the assets given to individuals, you might want 10 separate requests so that you can track what keyboard has been purchased, received, and then assigned to each person. In this case, we would not want to copy user information from one form to the next.

Linking Service Actions to other CMDB Items and Finishing up
  1. Link the service action to other CMDB items, such as a service bundle if it will be part of a bundle. For more information on bundles, see Service Bundles.

    • When linking service actions to service bundles, you can select Service Bundle to Service Action (Optional) to give Users the option of ordering this linked service action, or Service Bundle to Service Action to make it mandatory for Users to order this linked service action.

  2. If you link a service action to a service through the Linked Items tab, this is a standard link.

  3. To link a service action as a core component of a service, use the Service Actions tab.

  4. Carry out further tasks on the Service Actions Explorer pane.

  5. Select Ok to save the changes and close the window, or Save New to save and close the window and open a new details window.

  6. Complete the Change Reason details, if prompted to do so.

Allocating Subscribers to a Service Action

Subscribers are people (typically Users) or organizations who are granted permission to request a particular Service Action (or Bundle) from the Self Service Portal. When creating Service Actions, you can link them to specific Subscriber Groups. Users and organizations are only able to access, and perform actions on, those service entities to which they are subscribed unless it is made available to all Users.

You cannot link a service action to a subscriber group if it is available to all Users, that is, if the Available to all Users checkbox is selected when allocating subscribers to the Service Action or to the Service Bundle. If you try to do this, a warning message will appear. You can filter visibility in the Self Service Portal by stakeholder role instead. Whether visibility is determined by stakeholder or subscriber group is determined in the CMDB tab of the Self Service portal role.

Making a Service Action available to all Subscriber Groups

  1. Scroll down to the Linking Panel at the bottom of the window, and select the Subscribers tab.

  2. Select Available to all Users, which appears just above the Subscriber Group table.

Linking a Subscriber Group

  1. Scroll down to the Linking Panel at the bottom of the window, and select the Subscribers tab.

  2. Select Add.

  3. Search for the Subscriber Group. From the search results, select the Subscriber Group you wish to link.

  4. You can also add a new Subscriber Group by selecting Add New on the Subscriber Group Search. This opens a new Subscriber Group Details window. When you save the Subscriber Group, it is linked to the selected service action.

  5. Select the Action icon or double-click on the group you want to add to see it appear in the table of subscriber groups in the Service Action Details window.

Unlinking a Subscriber Group

  1. Scroll down to the Linking Panel at the bottom of the window, and select the Subscribers tab.

  2. Select the Subscriber Group in the browse table.

  3. Select Remove.

Viewing the details of a linked Subscriber Group

  1. Scroll down to the Linking Panel at the bottom of the window, and select Subscribers tab.

  2. Select the Subscriber Group in the browse table.

  3. Select Open.

Linking Stakeholders to Service Actions

You can limit the visibility of a service action in the Self Service Portal to specific stakeholder roles. Only those stakeholders will then have access to the Service Action, unless it is made available to all stakeholders.

You can filter visibility in the Self Service Portal by subscriber group instead. Whether visibility is determined by stakeholder or subscriber group is determined in the CMDB tab of the Self Service portal role.

Making a Service Action available to all Stakeholders

  1. Scroll down to the Linking Panel at the bottom of the window, and select the Stakeholders tab.

  2. Select Available to all Users, which appears just above the Stakeholders table.

Linking a Stakeholder

  1. Scroll down to the Linking Panel at the bottom of the window, and select the Stakeholders tab.

  2. Choose the type of stakeholder that you want to add from the drop down list.

  3. Select Add.

  4. The appropriate search window appears. Search for and select the stakeholder(s) you want to add to the service action.

  5. When you return to the Service Action Details window, a pop up window appears, prompting you to select a stakeholder role. Select one from the drop down list.

  6. The stakeholder details appear in the Stakeholders table. You can change the role from here if necessary. You can also add more stakeholders, remove stakeholders, view the details, and email all or selected stakeholders.

  7. Select Ok to save the changes and close the window, or Save New to save and close the window and open a new details window. Complete the Change Reason details, if prompted to do so.

Service Action Explorer Options

The following options are available from the explorer pane on the Service Action Details window.

  1. Catalog Action - Select to display the service action as a config item action. This will display all items of that CMDB Item Type in the Catalog Portal. You will need to specify the config item type in the list.

  2. Keywords - For faster searching, you can enter keywords that a user might use when looking for this service action

  3. Clone - copy a service action in order to create a new one

  4. Object - attach objects or files from Windows applications to the service action

  5. Version History - view the history of the service action, including relevant changes to each version of the service action

  6. Depreciation - view the depreciation information for the service action

  7. Linking - display a graphical view of the other CMDB items which are linked to the service action

  8. Call Search - to display the Call Search window, where you can view all open calls logged against the service action

  9. Request Search - to display the Request Search window, where you can view all open requests logged against the service action

  10. External Resources - view external resources such as directory server users linked to the service action

  11. Discrepancy Reports - display outstanding CMDB Resource Reports (reports to be reviewed) linked to the entity

Troubleshooting Service Actions

Minimum Fields Required for Service Actions to Function Correctly

  1. Service/Service Details

  2. Service Action Details

    • Title

    • Ref

    • Type = Service Action (Do not change)

    • Self Service Portal Display Category

    • Baseline, Template, Asset Catalog Checkboxes. You can hide all but Template. Do not hide Template but only check it if the Service Action will serve as a template that you will use for cloning purposes to make additional Service Actions.

  3. User and Organization - You need not populate this, but do not hide or remove from your screens

  4. Criticality and Status Section

    • Criticality - do not hide but can be left as the default

    • Status - do not hide but can be left as the default

    • Portfolio Status - Must be populated with a portfolio status available to the Self Service Portal

    • Service Level - do not hide but can be left as the default

    • Time Zone - do not hide but can be left as the default

  5. Templates and Actions

    • Select the Action for this Service Action

    • Select the Template, URL or File to download

    • Do not hide any other field in this section, but you may leave them blank

  6. Subscriber or Stakeholders - You must specify what users will be able to access this Service Action

.

combine 1 or more tasks into one screen set
Allocate Subscribers to the Service Action