Managing Knowledge Entries
You can create knowledge entries from scratch, or clone a call to become a knowledge entry.
Depending on your security role permissions, you can do any or all of the following within the knowledge bank in ASM Core:
Create a knowledge entry
Moderate the entry to ensure it is accurate before it is published
Update the details
Review the knowledge entry
Delete the knowledge entry
Users and Analysts can then:
Search for knowledge entries
View the knowledge entry
Give feedback on knowledge entries
Creating a Knowledge Entry
Before you start
To create a knowledge entry from scratch, you must have Author selected in the Options tab of your Knowledge Management Security Role.
To clone a knowledge entry from a call, you must have Clone from Calls selected in the Options tab of your Knowledge Management Security Role.
To assign a knowledge profile, you must have Author permissions for it in the Content Access tab of your Knowledge Management Security Role.
To assign a status, you must have Author permissions for it in the Content Access tab of your Knowledge Management Security Role.
Display the New Knowledge Entry dialog box, in any of the following ways:
Select New > Knowledge.
Search for a knowledge entry, either using the standard search, or the knowledge admin search, and from the bottom of the Knowledge Search Criteria pane, select Add New if available. Alternatively, select the New icon from the toolbar in the Results pane.
In the New Knowledge Entry dialog box, select into the box and choose the type of entry you want to create. You can select from any of the available tiers. Base entry types are system defined. Further entry types can be created in the Knowledge Entry Types window.
3. Select OK to display the Knowledge Entry Details window. The fields and sections displayed will vary depending on the type of knowledge entry.
4. Complete the details. Some of the sections may be collapsed, so you can only see the headings. To expand them to view the fields, simply click on the heading.
Knowledge Ref | Each entry within the Knowledge Bank has a unique reference number. This number is allocated by ASM Core and cannot be changed. |
External Ref | External Reference number or ID for the Knowledge Entry. You can use this to assign an external reference number or ID to the entry. |
Status | Select a status for the knowledge entry, which defines the level of visibility the entry will have. (Draft, Published, etc...) Knowledge statuses are defined in the Knowledge Statuses window. The statuses listed here are the ones to which you have access on the Statuses tab of your Knowledge Management Security Role. You can update entries that have a status to which you do not have access, but you can only change the entry’s status to one which you do have access. Values with a * in the Status field indicate a deleted status or one to which you do not have access. You can only moderate your own knowledge entries if you have Review Own selected in the Options tab of your Knowledge Management security role. |
Profile | Profiles answer the question, "Who is the Audience?", and are defined in the Knowledge Profiles window. You can only select profiles to which you have access on the Content Access tab of your Knowledge Management security role. Knowledge Profiles are used to control access to content by audience. Keep this in mind when selecting or building your knowledge profiles. |
Entry Type | This field is automatically populated with the entry type you selected in the New Knowledge Entry dialog box. Use the drop-down list to display all available entry types, and click on one to select it if you wish to change the entry type. This will automatically update the window and load the fields for the selected entry type. |
Type | The issue type that you want to link to the knowledge entry. Select into the field and select the issue type. You can select from any of the available tiers. These are defined in the Knowledge Entry Types window in System Administration. Knowledge entries can be linked to the same types and CMDB items as a call. This will result in analysts being alerted to potentially helpful Knowledge Bank material from the call window. If the call is dealing with the same service and type, the Related Knowledge section of the Service window is populated to indicate potentially helpful material. |
Created By | The person who created this entry. |
Owner | The person who has responsibility for this entry. |
Next Review | The date on which this entry is due for review. The default review period is set in the Knowledge Bank Settings. You can change it by selecting and picking another date. Alternatively, you can type the date and time. Depending on Knowledge Bank settings, contributors and/or creators are notified by email when an entry is due for review. |
Expires | The date on which the knowledge entry is to expire. After this date, the knowledge entry will not be listed in knowledge search results. However, it will still be listed in Knowledge Admin Search results. |
The fields displayed in the bottom half of the window depend on the type of entry you have selected. You may need to scroll down to see them all. Complete them as necessary.
If you have selected Abstract as the base Entry Type, provide the Abstract information.
Title | Type a Title for your knowledge entry. This is a mandatory field. |
Format | Select the format in which you want to publish your knowledge entry. If you switch from HTML to Plain Text, you will get a warning that HTML formatting you may have applied will be lost. The default format is set in the System Settings. |
Abstract | Type the details of the knowledge entry in the text area provided. When HTML content from a document or web page is pasted into a knowledge entry, some information is removed from the content. This information includes scripts, objects, applets, absolute positioning, images, and input elements. |
Additional Information | Expand the Additional Information section to add more information to the knowledge entry. This field is only visible when viewed in ASM Core. It is hidden when viewed from the Self Service Portal. It can be used to record information that may be too sensitive or technical for the public, such as references to legislative information. |
Linked CMDB Items | Expand the Linked CMDB Item section to search for and select the CMDB Items to which you want to link the knowledge entry. Knowledge entries can be linked to the same types and CMDB items as a call. This will result in Analysts being alerted to potentially helpful Knowledge Bank material from the call window. If the call is dealing with the same service and type, the Related Knowledge section of the Service window is populated to indicate potentially helpful material. Select the Include Deleted checkbox to include all removed and/or deleted CMDB items in the list. Select Add to display the CMDB Item Search window, in which you can search for a CMDB item. Double click to select the item you want to link. If you are linking several items, select them in bulk. Once the items are displayed in the Linked CMDB Items table, you can view an individual item by selecting it and then selecting Open, or unlink it by selecting it and then selecting Remove. |
If you have selected Call as the base Entry Type, complete the following fields to provide the description and solution.
Title | A Title for your knowledge entry. This is a mandatory field. |
Format | Select the format in which you want to publish your knowledge entry. If you switch from HTML to Plain Text, you will get a warning that HTML formatting you may have applied will be lost. The default format is set in the System Settings. |
Description | A description of the problem or incident that led to the call being raised, and the environment in which the problem occurred. |
Solution | Expand this section if necessary, and then describe the solution to the issue. If your knowledge entry is in HTML format, you can include links, images and so on. |
Additional Information | An additional section in which you can provide information which may be helpful but is not vital to the solution. This field is only visible when viewed in ASM Core. It is hidden when viewed from the Self Service Portal. It can be used to record information that may be too sensitive or technical for the public, such as references to legislative information. |
Linked CMDB Items | Expand the Linked CMDB Item section to search for and select the CMDB Items to which you want to link the knowledge entry. Knowledge entries can be linked to the same types and CMDB items as a call. This will result in Analysts being alerted to potentially helpful Knowledge Bank material from the call window. If the call is dealing with the same service and type, the Related Knowledge section of the Service window is populated to indicate potentially helpful material. Select the Include Deleted checkbox to include all removed and/or deleted CMDB items in the list. Select Add to display the CMDB Item Search window, in which you can search for a CMDB item. Double click to select the item you want to link. If you are linking several items, select them in bulk. Once the items are displayed in the Linked CMDB Items table, you can view an individual item by selecting it and then selecting Open, or unlink it by selecting it and then selecting Remove. |
If you have selected FAQ as the Entry Type, provide the question and answer to be displayed.
| Question | Type in the question. This is a mandatory field. |
|---|---|
Format | Select the format in which you want to publish your knowledge entry. If you switch from HTML to Plain Text, you will get a warning that HTML formatting you may have applied will be lost. The default format is set in the System Settings. |
Synopsis | An elaborated summary of the question. This appears beneath the question in knowledge search results and helps readers determine if the FAQ is relevant to their issue. |
Answer | Expand this section if necessary. Type the answer to the question. If the format is set to HTML, you can format your text and add images, etc. |
Additional Information | Expand the Additional Information section to add more information to the knowledge entry. This field is only visible when viewed in ASM Core. It is hidden when viewed from the Self Service Portal. It can be used to record information that may be too sensitive or technical for the public, such as references to legislative information. |
Linked CMDB Items | Expand the Linked CMDB Item section to search for and select the CMDB Items to which you want to link the knowledge entry. Knowledge entries can be linked to the same types and CMDB items as a call. This will result in Analysts being alerted to potentially helpful Knowledge Bank material from the call window. If the call is dealing with the same service and type, the Related Knowledge section of the Service window is populated to indicate potentially helpful material. Select the Include Deleted checkbox to include all removed and/or deleted CMDB items in the list. Select Add to display the CMDB Item Search window, in which you can search for a CMDB item. Double click to select the item you want to link. If you are linking several items, select them in bulk. Once the items are displayed in the Linked CMDB Items table, you can view an individual item by selecting it and then selecting Open, or unlink it by selecting it and then selecting Remove. |
If you have selected KCS as the base Entry Type, provide the description, cause and resolution details.
| Question | Type in the question for the KCS. This is a mandatory field. |
|---|---|
Format | Select the format in which you want to publish your knowledge entry. If you switch from HTML to Plain Text, you will get a warning that HTML formatting you may have applied will be lost. The default format is set in the System Settings. |
Description | Describe the issue or scenario. |
Cause | Expand this section if necessary and type the underlying reason for the issue. |
Resolution | Expand this section if necessary and type the steps involved in resolving the issue. |
Linked CMDB Items | Expand the Linked CMDB Item section to search for and select the CMDB Items to which you want to link the knowledge entry. Knowledge entries can be linked to the same types and CMDB items as a call. This will result in Analysts being alerted to potentially helpful Knowledge Bank material from the call window. If the call is dealing with the same service and type, the Related Knowledge section of the Service window is populated to indicate potentially helpful material. Select the Include Deleted checkbox to include all removed and/or deleted CMDB items in the list. Select Add to display the CMDB Item Search window, in which you can search for a CMDB item. Double click to select the item you want to link. If you are linking several items, select them in bulk. Once the items are displayed in the Linked CMDB Items table, you can view an individual item by selecting it and then selecting Open, or unlink it by selecting it and then selecting Remove. |
If you have selected Known Issue as the Entry Type, provide details of the issue and workaround.
| Title | Type in a title for your knowledge entry. This is a mandatory field. |
|---|---|
Format | Select the format in which you want to publish your knowledge entry. If you switch from HTML to Plain Text, you will get a warning that HTML formatting you may have applied will be lost. The default format is set in the System Settings. |
Problem | Type the details of the problem that was reported. |
Workaround | Expand this section if necessary and type the workaround for the issue. |
Additional Information | Expand the Additional Information section to add more information to the knowledge entry. This field is only visible when viewed in ASM Core. It is hidden when viewed from the Self Service Portal. It can be used to record information that may be too sensitive or technical for the public, such as references to legislative information. |
Linked CMDB Items | Expand the Linked CMDB Item section to search for and select the CMDB Items to which you want to link the knowledge entry. Knowledge entries can be linked to the same types and CMDB items as a call. This will result in Analysts being alerted to potentially helpful Knowledge Bank material from the call window. If the call is dealing with the same service and type, the Related Knowledge section of the Service window is populated to indicate potentially helpful material. Select the Include Deleted checkbox to include all removed and/or deleted CMDB items in the list. Select Add to display the CMDB Item Search window, in which you can search for a CMDB item. Double click to select the item you want to link. If you are linking several items, select them in bulk. Once the items are displayed in the Linked CMDB Items table, you can view an individual item by selecting it and then selecting Open, or unlink it by selecting it and then selecting Remove. |
When you have completed the details, select Save. The Save window appears. Complete the details.
| Minor Update | The first time a knowledge entry is saved, this option is disabled. |
|---|---|
Review Required | Select this option if you want this entry to be reviewed by another Analyst who has access to the entry and permission to review it. Once you select this option, it is disabled until the entry has been reviewed. People viewing this entry from Knowledge Search results, will see the message “This entry has been flagged for review” at the bottom of the information pane. |
Reviewed | This option is not available when first saving a knowledge entry. It becomes available after a knowledge entry is saved with Review Required check box selected. The analyst reviewing the entry can select this option to indicate that the review on the entry has been completed. When this option is selected and the entry is saved, the Review Required check box will become unselected. |
Status | The value displayed in this field is inherited from the Entry Details window. However, you can set a different status by selecting the required value from the list. To display the entry on the Self Service Portal, the selected status must have the Publish to Self Service Portal option selected on the Knowledge Statuses window. If moderation is enabled for the Knowledge Bank, it must also have the Moderated option selected on the same window. |
Rating | This option is unavailable when first saving a knowledge entry. The text is grayed out and the drop-down list disabled. Contributors cannot rate their knowledge entries. Therefore, if you create or contribute an update to an entry, it is not possible to rate that entry. If you are reviewing or editing an entry, you can select a rating for the entry only if you want to make a minor update to the entry. If you leave the Minor Update option unselected, you automatically become a contributor for the entry, and hence cannot assign a rating to it. |
Comments | Use this field to add any other relevant comments about the entry. These comments are only visible in Knowledge History window of the knowledge entry. |
Select OK to publish the entry. The window closes.
How External Knowledge Content is Indexed
Each knowledge entry is either an Internal or an External entry. Internal knowledge entries are those that are stored in the database, such as Abstracts, FAQs, Call, KCS structured entries, and known issues. External knowledge entries point to an external location – a physical directory (file) or a website (web page), where knowledge entries are located. External articles are discovered by the ASM Core Indexing Service and returned in knowledge searches. An external knowledge entry may be linked to several external articles.
ASM Core indexes external information using the following processes:
External entries returned in the Knowledge Search results window do not display punctuation marks. Punctuation marks are ignored, except hyphenated words which are treated as a single word.
The indexing process tries to extract metadata from the document in order to make search results more informative. Web pages, Word, and OpenDocument format documents generally have a "title" metadata field that is used as the page title. If the title metadata field does not exist or is empty, the document file name is used instead (this is the case for PDF documents). Some file types also have a "subject" metadata field which is used as the document thumbnail. Where this field does not exist or is empty, the first 100 characters of the document body are used instead. Some websites assign all pages the same title. In this case, all indexed pages are stored with that same title.
The indexing service schedules a scan to detect changes to external websites. All the external documents associated with this website are marked as needing to be rescanned. The indexing service then sends an HTTP request to the index start page. If the web server responds with a 200 response (this means that the web page exists), the indexing service checks to see if the page has changed by looking at the time of the last change made on the page. If the page has changed, the indexing service needs to scan the page again.
The indexing service does the above for each URL. If the link is bad (that is, it returns a non-200 HTTP response), it marks the web page as deleted in ASM Core. If the link is working, it checks to see if the page has changed, and then in turn checks each URL to see if they are bad. The indexing service checks outwards until it finds no more links or reaches its depth limit (configurable on the Website Details window).
When ASM Core has finished searching for changes, any web pages that are marked as still needing to be scanned will be marked as deleted in ASM Core. This is because any remaining unscanned pages are from links that are no longer used from the parent web page. As no links from the parent web page point to these web pages, these pages are no longer considered relevant or required.
Knowledge Entry Details Window
The Knowledge Entry Details window displays the configuration details of the knowledge article, the text for the knowledge entry, as well as statistics and linked items.
Depending on the permissions on your Knowledge Management security role, you will be able to edit and review the knowledge entry, provide feedback, and modify items linked to the entry.
The knowledge entry details window contains three sections: The Explorer Option, the Entry Details, and the Information Panel.
Knowledge Entry Information Panel
Status | This informs the reader if the entry is a “New Knowledge Entry”, “Active” or “Deleted”. It does not correspond with the status field displayed on the knowledge details screen. This value cannot be manually selected by analysts. |
Review | This indicates whether the entry has been flagged for review. |
Created By, Created At, Updated By, Updated At, Published By, Published At, Reviewed By, Reviewed At. | These fields show the names of the Analysts who created, last updated, published and reviewed the entry, as well as the date and time when the action was performed. |
From Call | The call number that the knowledge entry is cloned from, if the knowledge entry was created by cloning from a call. No value is shown if it was not. |
Hit Count | The number of times the entry has been viewed. |
No of Rating Responses | The number of people who have rated the entry for its quality and content. |
Feedback Rating | The overall rating of the entry in terms of quality and content. |
Call Referrals | The number of calls linked to this entry. |
Help Factor | Knowledge entries can be displayed when logging calls via the portal (Suggested Knowledge) and ASM Core (Matching Panel). This field shows the number of times the entry contained sufficient information for the analyst/user to close a call. |
Contributors | The Analysts who have made a major update to the entry |
Partitions | The partitions that the entry is accessible from. |
Reviewing a Knowledge Entry
A knowledge entry can be saved as “Review Required”. When the entry is viewed in 'read' mode, the message “This entry has been flagged for review” appears at the bottom of the information pane.
Assuming you have the appropriate permissions in your Security Role, you can review the contents for accuracy and usefulness, change the entry to 'edit' mode, make necessary changes, and then flag it as reviewed.
Before you start
To review other Analysts’ knowledge entries, you must have Review and Editor selected in the Options tab and Editor selected for the Knowledge Profile of the entry in the Contents Access tab of your Knowledge Management Security Role.
To review knowledge entries which you have created or contributed to, you must have Review Own selected in the Options tab of your Knowledge Management Security Role.
Statuses you can select in the Knowledge Entry details are determined by the settings in the Statuses tab in your Knowledge Management Security Role.
Search for the entry, selecting Review Required as one of the search criteria.
When the knowledge entry details are displayed , select the Action icon from the toolbar.
Modify the required details on the Details window.
When you have finished, select Save. The Save window appears. Complete the details.
Minor Update | Select this option to indicate that the changes to the entry were minor such as spelling corrections or adjustments to review or expiry dates. The credit for the entry is attributed to the original author. If you are making significant changes, leave this unselected to save the change as a “major update”. The credit for the entry is now attributed to you as the Analyst who made the changes. You will become a “contributor”. The system displays a warning that you may not be able to review this entry. |
Review Required | This option is grayed out until after the entry is saved with the Reviewed check box selected. |
Reviewed | Select this option to indicate that the review has been done. When this option is selected and the entry is saved, the Review Required option will be deselected. |
Status | The value displayed in this field is inherited from the previous window. However, you can set a different status by selecting a different value from the list. To display the entry on the Self Service Portal, the selected status must have Published to Self Service Portal selected on the Knowledge Statuses window. If moderation is enabled for the Knowledge Bank, it must also have the Moderated option selected. |
Rating | You can select a rating for the entry only if you want to make a minor update to the entry. If you leave the Minor Update option deselected, you automatically become a contributor for the entry and hence cannot provide a rating as creators and contributors are prevented from rating their own knowledge entries. |
Comments | Use this field to add any other relevant comments about the entry. These comments are only visible in Knowledge History window of the knowledge entry. |
Select Ok to save the changes. You are returned to the search window and the details are saved.
Updating a Knowledge Entry
Once a knowledge entry has been saved, it can be updated in a number of ways, including changing the status and updating the information it contains, as well as adding, changing or deleting objects attached to the entry.
Search for the entry.
When the details are displayed, select the Action icon from the toolbar.
Modify the required details on the Details window.
When you have finished, select Save. The Save window appears. Complete the details.
Select OK to save the changes. You are returned to the search window and the details are saved.
Deleting a Knowledge Entry
Select Admin > Knowledge Bank.
Select the entry you want to delete in the browse table, and select the Delete icon . The entry disappears from the browse table.
If you want to view the entry before you delete it, select it in the browse table and then select the Action icon. When the details are displayed, select the delete icon.
You can restore deleted entries if necessary, following the instructions below.
Restoring Deleted Knowledge Entries
Search for the knowledge entry, deselecting the Active and select the Deleted search criterion. Add any further search criteria you wish to use to filter the search results.
Select Search to display the results in a browse table. You can adjust the column widths if required.
Highlight the entry you wish to undelete in the search results and select the Undelete icon. If you wish to review the entry before undeleting it, select the entry you wish to undelete. When the details are displayed, you will see a banner across the top of the window informing you that the item has been deleted. Select the Undelete link in the top right corner.
The banner disappears from the list and if you return to the window containing the search results, selecting Active and deselecting Deleted, you will see the entry is restored.