Logging a Call

Key in part or all of the user's name, and press Enter.

If there is only one match, the field is completed. If there are several, a list of matching user names is shown, from which you can select one. Alternatively, use the button to search for and find the user.

To view the person details, select the arrow on the button and then select the Details option. This will display the CMDB Item Details window, showing the details stored against this item in vFire.

If you have selected a user that is linked to CMDB items, you can view impacted items, and carry out transactions.

You can view impacted CMDB items based on disruptions or issues relating to this user by selecting the arrow on the button and selecting Impact. In the Impact Search window, you can choose to view configuration items, services, services actions, service bundles, person, organization, contract, IPK group or Workflow group.

To carry out a transaction against linked CMDB items, select the arrow on the button and then select the Transactionsoption. This will display a pop-out menu of available transaction types. Select the transaction type that you want to carry out, and complete the details in the Transaction Details window. You can select the User Person Data checkbox to complete several of the fields based on the details held for the user.

If you have already identified the user or configuration item, and if they are linked to an organization, the Organization field is automatically completed.

To identify one in this field, type part or all of the name and press Enter. If there is only one match, the organization is displayed. If there are several, a list of matching organizations is shown, from which you can select one.

Alternatively, type % and press Enter to see all available organizations, or use the button, changing the search field by clicking on the arrow and choosing from the pop-up list. You can add new organizations from the window that is displayed.

If the organization is linked to CMDB items, you can quickly view impacted CMDB items based on disruptions or issues relating to this user by selecting the arrow on the button and selecting Impact.

Alternatively, type % and press Enter to see all available locations, or use the button, changing the search field by clicking on the arrow and choosing from the pop-up list. You can add new locations from the window that is displayed.

If the location is linked to CMDB items, you can quickly view impacted CMDB items based on disruptions or issues relating to this user by selecting the arrow on the button and selecting Impact.

Type part or all of the service name and press Enter. If there is only one match, the field is completed. If there are several, a list of matching services is shown, from which you can select one. Alternatively, you can use the button, changing the search field by clicking on the arrow and choosing from the pop-up list.

To view the selected service details, select the arrow on the button and then select the Details option. This will display the Service Details window, showing the details stored against this service in vFire.

If you have selected a linked service, you can view impacted services and items, linked services and items, and carry out certain transactions.

You can view impacted CMDB items based on disruptions or issues relating to this service by selecting the arrow on the button and selecting Impact. In the Impact Search window, you can choose to view configuration items, services, services actions, service bundles, person, organization, contract, IPK group or Workflow group.

You can also view the links between this and other elements of the CMDB. Select the arrow on the button and then select the Linkage option. This will display the Linking Diagram in which you can view the links in a graphical display, and can simulate an outage, find causes for outages, and so on.

To carry out a transaction against this item, select the arrow on the button and then select the Transactions option. This will display a pop-out menu of available transaction types. Select the transaction type that you want to carry out, and complete the details in the Transaction Details window.

If you have selected a user who is linked to a configuration item, the configuration item displays in this field. However, the user details will not change even if you select a different configuration item.

You can select a config item from any of the partitions to which you have access. If you forward this call to an analyst who does not have access to the partition in which the config item was created, the analyst will still be able to view and edit the details of the config item linked to the call.

Type part or all of the config item name and press Enter. If there is only one match, the field is completed. If there are several, a list of matching config items is shown, from which you can select one. Alternatively, you can use the button, changing the search field by clicking on the arrow and choosing from the pop-up list.

To view the selected configuration item details, select the arrow on the button and then select the Details option. This will display the CMDB Item Details window, showing the details stored against this item in vFire.

If you have selected a linked CMDB item, you can view impacted items, linked items, and carry out certain transactions.

If you have selected a linked CMDB item, you can quickly view impacted CMDB items based on disruptions or issues relating to this user by selecting the arrow on the button and selecting Impact. In the Impact Search window, you can choose to view configuration items, services, services actions, service bundles, person, organization, contract, IPK group or Workflow group.

You can also view the links between this and other elements of the CMDB. Select the arrow on the button and then select the Linkage option. This will display the Linking Diagram in which you can view the links in a graphical display, and can simulate an outage, find causes for outages, and so on.

To carry out a transaction against this item, select the arrow on the button and then select the Transactions option. This will display a pop-out menu of available transaction types. Select the transaction type that you want to carry out, and complete the details in the Transaction Details window.

If your vFire system is configured for Availability Management, you can create an outage against this call for the selected service or config item.

The Create/Link Outages checkbox will only be visible if you have Create Outage from Call selected in your Availability Management security role, and the service/item is linked. You must also have availability management configured for the service/config item.

Identify the underlying issue type.

Select the button to display the menu of issue types. Depending on the number of tiers configured for your system, you may see a minimum of one to a maximum of five tiers. When you select an type at one level, the available types within that category are displayed. You can select types from any available level.

When you first display the Details window, the screen associated with the default type is used. Depending on your system configuration, the screen may refresh when you select an issue type to display a custom screen associated with that issue type.

If IPK tiers are enabled and issue types are limited by IPK status by your system administrator, only the issue types linked to the call’s IPK status are available for selection in the Type field.

These three fields often work together.

Impact refers to the number of people affected, or likely to be affected by, a particular incident. Urgency refers to how quickly the incident is likely to cause serious interruptions to services (and thus how quickly it must be fixed). Priority refers to the importance of getting a particular issue resolved. Every Call Details window will have a Priority field. Your system may be configured to derive the priority automatically from the Impact and Urgency fields.

If a large network is undergoing an upgrade and is thus slower than normal, then there will be a high impact (that is, everyone on the network is affected) but a low priority (nobody is seriously affected by the issue). If the hard drive on one PC has a fatal crash, then that would have a low impact (one person), but a high priority (it will quickly and seriously impair the service).

If your administrator has configured your system to use a formula to automatically derive the priority from impact and urgency, the Priority field will be disabled. You must complete the Urgency and Impact fields before the call priority can be calculated automatically. If your system is not configured for the priority calculation, simply select the appropriate priority from the Priority list.

If a priority has been deleted by your administrator, it will be flagged with an asterisk. You should notify your administrator in this case so that they can configure the priority matrix to pick an active priority for the selected impact and urgency combination.

All changes to Priority are automatically recorded in the call history.

Use this tab to describe the problem associated with this call in as much detail as you wish. As you enter text, the window automatically scrolls down. To enlarge the Description area in a larger window, click on the full view hyperlink in this field. You can return to the call by clicking OK on the Text Editor window.

If your administrator has configured the default format for your system is HTML, you can format your description using the options on the HTML formatting toolbar.

This tab is only visible if you are working with a Known Error or a Major Incident.

You can use this tab to record the solution to the problem at hand.

Select this tab to view a summary of the call history, with a list of all of the actions taken on the call.

To view detailed call history information, select the History explorer option or select from the toolbar.

Use this tab to describe the actions taken and any solutions suggested for the current call in as much detail as you wish. Once saved, this information will form part of the call history and is available at later stages if the call is deferred or referred to another analyst.

To enlarge the call Actions and Solutions field in a larger window, click on the full view hyperlink in this field. You can return to the call by clicking OK on the Text Editor window. If your administrator has configured the default format for your system is HTML, you can format the information you add into the actions and solutions using the options on the HTML formatting toolbar.

If you want users to view the call’s action history on the Service Portal, select the Visible in Portal checkbox. If you clear this option, users can only view the call on vFire Self Service and not the history. Clearing this option is useful if you want to avoid disclosing private or sensitive information to users.

This option is selected by default if the History Private option is selected in the IPK Settings (Partitioned) window. However, you can still clear the option if needed.

If the system administrator has enabled security profiles and you have access to more than one security profile on your person record, you can restrict access to the actions and solutions of each call logged in vFire. To allow only the analysts linked to a particular security profile (for example, Management) to view the Actions and Solutions field, select the security profile in the Security list. Analysts without access to that particular security profile cannot view the aforementioned call information.

You can only see the security profiles to which you have access on this list. If you do not have access to any security profiles, this field will not be displayed.

This section contains fields for estimating and recording the time spent to resolve the call, as well as additional costs associated with the call. Estimated and actual time statistics can be reported upon and compared.

Some or all of these fields may be switched off on your system.

If the call was forwarded in the system after the action was carried out, you can set a date earlier than the time the call was logged.

You must have Backdate Calls selected in the Options tab of your IPK Management security role.

This time is system generated. However, you can edit it. This may be necessary if the call was forwarded in the system after the action was carried out.

When you change the Action End date, the new date and time will appear on browse tables as the time and date the call was last actioned (Calls Outstanding windows and Search windows results).

The new date and time at Action End date becomes the time stamp in call history.

You can adjust any extra time you have logged against a call by entering a negative value in the Hrs and Mins fields. This will automatically adjust the Action Start time to a time that is after the Action End time.

This field shows the current total time that a support analyst has specified for the call. Therefore, if estimated time shows 4 hrs 30 mins and you have spent another one hour and ten minutes on the call, you should enter a 5 in the Hrs (Hours) field and 40 in the Mins (Minutes) field. When you action the call, the estimated time field will be updated to show 5hrs, 40 mins.

When the action is completed, type the actual time in this field.

If you change the Time Spent, the Action Start date automatically resets to reflect this.