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ITIL Helpdesk Manual

Overview

VNCproject Helpdesk Portal allows to create, update, and monitor all incidents in one place. The VNC Helpdesk/Support Team manages all incidents and ensures that all your questions and queries are answered within the expected time.

This step-by-step guide provides the instructions on how to:

  • login to the VNCproject Helpdesk Portal;
  • create incidents in an easy way;
  • monitor your incidents.

In addition, the guide provides the information about functions, which you can use at each stage of the incident handling process until you get the solution to the issued incident.

VNCproject Helpdesk Portal supports the following web browsers:

  • Google Chrome/Chromium;
  • Mozilla Firefox 2.0 and higher;
  • Internet Explorer 6 or 7 or higher;
  • Safari on Macintosh OS X or later.

In case you have additional questions to the VNC Helpdesk/Support Team - use vncproject-support@vnc.biz email address to contact.

Access VNC Helpdesk Portal

Use the link from the table below to get the instructions on how to access VNC Helpdesk Portal from VNC product that you use:

VNC product Instruction link
VNCcalendar Web Client and Desktop Client Contact VNC Service desk
VNCcalendar App Contact VNC Service desk
VNCcommander Web Client and Desktop Client Contact VNC Service desk
VNCcontacts+ Web Client and Desktop Client Create an incident in VNC Service Desk
VNCcontacts+ App Create an incident in VNC Service Desk
VNClagoon LIVE Platform Create an incident
VNCmail Web Client and Desktop Client Contact VNC Service Desk
VNCmail App Contact VNC Service Desk
VNCtalk Web Client and Desktop Client Contact VNC Service Desk
VNCtalk App Contact VNC Service Desk

VNC Helpdesk Portal interface

After you access VNC Helpdesk Portal, you should see:

  • Helpdesk main bar with the Incidents, Known Errors, Solution KB categories.
  • My tickets section
  • New incident form

Create an incident

  1. On the VNCproject Helpdesk Portal page, you should see the following incident form:

  2. On the form, fill in the fields:

    The fields with the asterisk are required.

    • Subject: The field should contain an incident subject.
    • Requested for: By default, there is a name of a person who creates an incident in the field. But also the field has the drop-down menu with the users list who work in the same organization. And you can select another user from your organization and they will become an owner of this incident.
    • Product: the drop-down menu contains the list of VNC products;
    • Version: the drop-down menu contains only those versions that are available for a selected VNC product from Product menu;
    • Impact: the drop-down menu with 3 options for identifying the impact area;
    • Urgency: the drop-down menu with 3 options for identifying the urgency level;
    • Used hardware type: the drop-down menu with different hardware types for identifying a hardware type where an issue occurs;
    • Operating system: the drop-down menu contains only those operating systems that are available for a selected hardware type from Used hardware type menu;
    • Browser: the drop-down menu contains only those types of browsers that are available for a selected operating system from Operating system menu;

  3. Enter a detailed description of an incident.

  4. If you need to attach a file/screenshot, click UPLOAD. The maximum size of the attachment should be 29.3 MB.
  5. Once you’re finished, select Create. Also you should receive the corresponding email about the incident creation.

Incidents

An Incidents console allows to create and manage incidents, and also monitor incidents statuses.

To access an Incidents console:

  1. Open VNCproject.

  2. Click Helpdesk on the VNCproject's main menu bar:

  3. Click Incident:

The Incidents console contains the following fields and functions:

  • Filters: Sort existing incidents by status, assignee, author, date when the incident was created or updated and other criteria. The status filter is applied by default.
  • Columns (): List displayed columns, manage their order. You can also create custom columns if you need to track additional information.
  • Status list: Incident statuses indicate which phase an incident is currently in. Incident statuses let you define and communicate the overall progress of incidents.
  • Incident table: Incidents view with many management options.
  • Refresh button: Re-display the whole page.
  • New incident button: Raise a new request to the support team.

Create an incident

  1. From the Incident console, click the NEW INCIDENT button:

  2. On the form, fill in the fields:

    The fields with the asterisk are required.

    • Subject: The field should contain an incident subject.
    • Requested for: By default, there is a name of a person who creates an incident in the field. But also the field has the drop-down menu with the users list who work in the same organization. And you can select another user from your organization and they will become an owner of this incident.
    • Product: The drop-down menu contains the list of VNC products.
    • Version: The drop-down menu contains only those versions that are available for a selected VNC product from Product menu.
    • Impact: The drop-down menu with 3 options for identifying the impact area.
    • Urgency: The drop-down menu with 3 options for identifying the urgency level.
    • Used hardware type: The drop-down menu with different hardware types for identifying a hardware type where an issue occurs.
    • Operating system: The drop-down menu contains only those operating systems that are available for a selected hardware type from Used hardware type menu.
    • Browser: The drop-down menu contains only those types of browsers that are available for a selected operating system from Operating system menu.

  3. Enter a detailed description of an incident.

  4. If you need to attach a file/screenshot, click UPLOAD. The maximum size of the attachment should be 29.3 MB.
  5. Once you’re finished, select Create. Also you should receive the corresponding email about the incident creation.

Incident statuses

Every time when VNC Support Consultant performs any actions with the incident, you will receive the corresponding email to your email address about these actions.

Generally, there are 10 incident statuses. The table below contains the statuses list and their short description:

Status title Short description
New It means that an incident is created and assigned to nobody
Assigned It means that an incident is assigned to a VNC Support Consultant
In Progress It means that an incident is actively being worked on
Pending - Customer It means that an incident owner should provide their feedback
Pending - Problem It means that VNC Support Consultant escalates an incident to another Support Consultant
Pending - Change It means that a new incident was added as a child to the major incident.
Pending - Other Incident It means that a new incident was added as a child to the major incident.
Resolved (Pending Approval) It means that an incident is resolved and an incident owner should approve or disapprove a resolution
Completed It means that an incident owner approved a resolution
Cancelled It means that an incident is cancelled

Status: New

You create the incident. After that, the incident will have "New" status and you will be able to check it in the New tab in "Incidents" console:

So far the incident is assigned to nobody.

Status: Assigned

The VNC Helpdesk Portal Manager assigns the incident to a corresponding Support Consultant. After that, the incident will have "Assigned" status and you will be able to check it in the Assigned tab in "Incidents" console:

Also if you open the incident, you should see the following notification in the History section:

Within the time frame specified in the Service Level Agreement(SLA), you should receive the corresponding email about the incident assignment.

Status: Pending - Customer

If the Support Consultant, who starts to work on the incident, needs more information or requires your feedback in regards to the incident, you will receive the corresponding email. After that the incident will have "Pending - Customer" status and you will be able to check it in the Pending - Customer tab in "Incidents" console:

All incidents that have "Pending - Customer" status require the owner's feedback in order to get processed further.

To provide your feedback, click the incident and click UPDATE at the top or at the bottom. Then enter required reply to Notes field and click Submit.

Status: Assigned

After you update the incident, it will have "Assigned" status again and you will be able to check it in the Assigned tab in "Incidents" console:

Status: In progress

If the project set to project status "In progress", this means that the project is being executed, and therefore, time can be registered on it.

Status: Pending - Change

When you associate multiple changes with the appropriate major incident, the incident the incident status will be "Pending - Change":

Status: Pending - Other Incident

When you associate multiple incidents with a appropriate major incident, the incident the incident status will be "Pending - Other Incident":

Status: Pending - Problem

If the Support Consultant escalates the incident to another Support Consultant, the incident status will be "Pending - Problem". You will be able to check the incident in the Pending - Problem tab in "Incidents" console:

Also if you open the incident, you should see the following notification in the History section:

Status: Resolved (Pending Approval)

After the Support Consultant resolves the incident, it will have "Resolved (Pending Approval)" status. You will be able to check the incident in the Resolved (Pending Approval) tab in "Incidents" console:

At this stage, you should approve or disapprove the resolution. For this, open the incident and click DISAPPROVE or APPROVE at the bottom or at the top. Then add required text to Notes field and click Submit.

If you disapprove the incident resolution, the incident will have "Assigned" status and you will be able to check it in the Assigned tab again in "Incidents" console.

Status: Completed

After you approve the incident resolution, the incident will have "Completed" status. You will be able to check the incident in the Completed tab in "Incidents" console:

Status: Cancelled

After you cancel the incident that has "New" status, the incident will have "Cancelled" status. You will be able to check the incident in the Cancelled tab in "Incidents" console:

View incident details

The incident details page lets you review and take action on an incident.

  1. Click the Incidents tab. This opens the incidents list view page.

  2. Click the number link of the incident to view the incident details:

This opens the incident details page:

Each incident contains the following sections:

  • Toolbar: A strip а control buttons that let you perform various actions on an incident.
  • Title bar: Shows basic incident details including the title of the incident.
  • Incident Information: Shows general details of the incident such as Status, Priority, Status, Product, Version, Platform, Urgency, Impact, Assignee, Requester, Due By Date, Closed Date, Used Hardware Type, Operating System, and Browser.
  • Description: Contain a detailed description of an incident.
  • Relations: The table of related incidents, problems, tasks, and changes. Click Add to relate an incident to another incident, problem, task, or change. Click to delete relation.
  • History: Includes any change that might have been made to the incident. It includes comments made, changes to status, priority, assignment, or root cause, and any subtickets that have been created.
  • Time tracking: Tracks time spent on the incident. Click the the collapse arrow icon on the right to open the Time tracking section. From here, you can see a list of watchers added to an incident. You also have an option to add users as watchers or delete them by clicking Add or relatively.

Time tracking feature

The time tracking feature makes the time tracking process simple and fast. The system accurately tracks time and automatically adds these statistics to the appropriate incidents.

Time tracking starts automatically when the user creates the incident.

Active time tracking progress is displayed in days, hours, minutes, and seconds. The active time tracking panel can include the following information:

  • Time left: Indicates the amount of time left to complete an incident. When the deadline is over, the timer will turn in red.
  • Time consumed: Shows the amount of time taken to complete the incident.
  • Time in status: Shows the amount of time the incident spent on the status.
  • Time passed: Shows the amount of time that are overdue.
  • Time pending: Shows the amount of unapproved time, giving real-time high resolution on how much time has been spent on incident.

Active time tracking is stopped when the incident has been canceled or completed. In that case, the time tracking panel visualizes the Time consumed information only:

Update an incident

You can update an incident only if it has "Pending - Other Incident" status and it is accessible in "Pending - Other Incident" tab.

  1. Open VNCproject.
  2. Click Helpdesk on the VNCproject's main menu bar and then Incident.

  3. Select the Pending - Other Incident tab:

  4. Use the filter to find a required incident. For this click .

  5. Click Add filter and select Author/Assigned or Watcher.
  6. Select is from the 1st drop-down menu and select <> from the 2nd menu. Then click Apply.

  7. Click the number link of the required incident:

  8. Click the UPDATE button.

  9. Enter your comments to Notes field. If you need to attach a file/screenshot, click BROWSE.
  10. Click SUBMIT.

Cancel an incident

You can cancel an incident only if it has "New" status and it is accessible in "New" tab.

  1. Open VNCproject.
  2. Click Helpdesk on the VNCproject's main menu bar and then Incident.

  3. Select the New tab:

  4. Use the filter to find a required incident. For this click .

  5. Click Add filter and select Author/Assigned or Watcher.
  6. Select is from the 1st drop-down menu and select <> from the 2nd menu. Then click Apply.

  7. Click the number link of the required incident:

  8. Click the CANCEL button.

  9. Add your comment to Notes field and click SUBMIT.
  10. You can check the incident in Cancelled tab.

Change the ownership of an incident

You can change the ownership of an incident only if it has "Pending - Other Incident" status and it is accessible in "Pending - Other Incident" tab.

  1. Open VNCproject.
  2. Click Helpdesk on the VNCproject's main menu bar and then Incident.

  3. Select the Pending - Other Incident tab:

  4. Use the filter to find a required incident. For this click .

  5. Click Add filter and select Author/Assigned or Watcher.
  6. Select is from the 1st drop-down menu and select <> from the 2nd menu. Then click Apply.

  7. Click the number link of the required incident:

  8. Click the CHANGE OWNERSHIP button.

  9. Select a required person from the Requested for drop-down menu and add a comment to Notes field.
  10. If you need to attach a file/screenshot, click BROWSE.
  11. Click SUBMIT.

Download an incident content

You can download the Incident content in the PDF format:

  1. Open a required incident by clicking its number link:

  2. This opens the incident details page.

  3. Click PDF at the bottom of the page:

Known errors

Known Errors means an Incident or Problem for which the root cause is known and for which a permanent fix has not initially been identified. A temporary workaround may or may not be available initially.

To access a Known Errors console:

  1. Open VNCproject.

  2. Click Helpdesk on the VNCproject's main menu bar:

  3. Click Known Error:

The Known Errors console contains the following fields and functions:

  • Filters: Sort existing incidents by the keyword, project, product, solution status, version, status.
  • Operations menu: Select the PDF symbol to download a known error content.
  • Known Error table: List of known errors.

View known error details

The known error page lets you review known error records.

  1. Click the Known Errors tab. This opens the Known Errors page.

  2. Click the number link of the known error to view the known error details:

This opens the solution details page:

Each solution contains the following sections:

  • Title bar: Shows basic known error record details.
  • Known Error Information: Shows general details of the known error such as Author, Product, and Project name.
  • Description: Contains a detailed description of a known error.

Download a known error

  1. Open VNCproject.
  2. Click Helpdesk on the VNCproject's main menu bar and then Known Errors.
  3. Search for a required known error. For this, you can apply the filters.
  4. Click the title of the known error record. This opens a modal window.
  5. To download the error record, click .

Other way to download a known error record is to:

  1. Click the number link of a required known error record:

  2. Click the PDF button at the top of the page:

Solution KB

Solution KB is the repository of resolutions to incidents common to your helpdesk project and the products you get support for along with it.

You can browse the solutions Knowledge Base for a resolution in case you have a difficulty in using a VNC-product before creating an incident in VNC Helpdesk Portal as well as filtering for potential resolutions via text search.

To access a Solution KB console:

  1. Open VNCproject.

  2. Click Helpdesk on the VNCproject's main menu bar:

  3. Click Solution KB:

The Solution KB console contains the following fields and functions:

  • Filters: Sort existing incidents by the keyword, project, product, status.

  • Operations menu: Select the action you want to do and click the corresponding icon:

  • Solution table: The list of solution with many management options.

View solution details

The solution modal window lets you review and take action on a solution.

  1. Click the Solution KB tab. This opens the Solution Knowledge Base page.

  2. Click the number of the solution to view the solution details:

This opens the solution details page:

Each solution contains the following sections:

  • Title bar: Shows basic solution details.
  • Solution Information: Shows general details of the solution such as Author, Product, and Version.
  • Description: Contain a detailed description of a solution.

Download a solution

  1. Open VNCproject.

  2. Click Helpdesk on the VNCproject's main menu bar:

  3. Click Solution KB:

  4. Search for a required resolution. For this, you can apply the filters.

  5. To download the resolution, click .

Alternatively, you can click the resolution and then click the PDF button at the top of the page: