Understanding Service Request Creation and Use
Service requests enable employees and non-employees, who may not have access to a help desk provider or PeopleSoft Maintenance Management, to enter a request by means of a self-service web page to repair, move, or maintain one or more of an organization's assets. When a user enters a service request to report a problem, an agent receives the service request. The agent solves the problem, assigns a technician to solve the problem, or creates a work order in PeopleSoft Maintenance Management, which is used to assign labor, material, and tools resources to solve the problem.
This section discusses:
Service request product integrations.
Service request setup.
Service request process flow.
Service request resolutions.
Service requests integrate with:
PeopleSoft Asset Management.
When users create a service request, they normally identify the asset needing repair in the asset repository.
PeopleSoft Human Capital Management (PeopleSoft HCM).
If a service request user is an employee and the employee's organization has PeopleSoft HCM, then the system can synchronize the employee data with the PeopleSoft HCM data.
Third-party applications.
If the user is an employee, the organization can integrate the employee data from a third-party application.
PeopleSoft Maintenance Management.
Once the service request is created, an agent is assigned to manage the service request in PeopleSoft Maintenance Management. The agent can create a PeopleSoft Maintenance Management work order from the service request. In addition, the agent can associate a calendar with an employee (agent or technician) assigned to manage a service request by generating the employee as a resource using the Create Resource functionality in PeopleSoft Maintenance Management.
Note: You can manually enter employees into the PeopleSoft Financials database. However, non-employees can also create a service request without being set up in the database. To create a service request, only a user ID is required.
To create and process a service request, organizations must set up:
Permission lists, user profiles, and roles.
See documentation PeopleTools: Security Administration
Service request business units.
A service request business unit for specific users in the Define User Preferences, Maintenance Management page.
SMTP (Single Mail Transfer Protocol) settings.
See documentation PeopleTools: System and Server Administration, Setting Application Server Domain Parameters
Service request statuses. (Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related, Maintenance Management, Setup, Service Request Status)
Problem, Cause, and Resolution (PCR) data (optional).
This includes problem, cause, and resolution definitions and problem groups.
A problem tree, which is the source for much of the default data in a service request.
Employees in PeopleSoft Maintenance Management or PeopleSoft HRMS and generate them as resources in PeopleSoft Maintenance Management.
See Understanding Problem Tree Setup for Use in Service Requests.
Service requests are created in three different ways:
A requester creates a self-service service request using the component, which guides the requester step-by-step through the service request information.
Note: The requester can be an employee, a non-employee, or a representative, such as a manager.
A requester creates a self-service service request using the component, which enables a requester to complete the service request using a one-page format.
An agent creates a service request using the component, which enables the agent to not only create a service request, but also create a work order from the service request.
Note: Only the Agent Service Request component is documented in these topics. The Agent Service Request contains the same features as the self-service components, along with additional features, such as the Create Work Order button.
Service Request Problem Definition Using a Problem Tree
The fields that display in the Request Detail group box are based on the levels defined in a problem tree in PeopleSoft Maintenance Management and optionally on any additional fields your organization defines as supplemental data. The first node level of the problem tree represents the Request Type field, which lists the various categories of problems, such as Computers, Fleet-Vehicles, and Facilities, depending on how your organization sets up the tree. The next field, which represents the second level of the problem tree that displays on the page is dependent on your specific Request Type selection. For example, if you select Computers as the Request Type in the service request, then the next field name that displays is Computers. You then select from a list of different types of computer problems, which represent the next level in the problem tree, such as Hardware and Software. The field name or names that display next on the page are dependent upon the field value you select. For example, if you select the field value Hardware, then field name Hardware displays next on the page. You then select from a list of Hardware problems, which are defined in the next level of the problem tree, such as Mouse doesn't work, CD ROM doesn't read, Printer does not work and more. Your selection of this field value determines what other field names appear on the page.
The problem tree fields control the asset identifier that displays in the service request. If the service request is used for a facilities move, the problem tree controls whether special Facilities Move Request fields appear in the service request. If you add fields using supplemental data, the supplemental data fields are dependent on the last node value selected in the problem tree. For example, if you created a supplemental data field, Operating System, that is associated with the selection ofCD ROM, then when you select CD ROM in the service request, the Operating System field displays.
The problem tree provides several methods of filtering the eligible assets for a problem identified on the service request. You can specify the asset classification characteristics (asset type, subtype, manufacturer, model), asset ownership (employee assets), and smart tags.
A smart tag is a tag number, which is used to identify eligible assets and is subdivided into groups of characters where each group represents a particular attribute of an asset. For example: C4BFGMTR0002 – where C4 represents "combustion turbine 4", BFG represents "boiler flue gas system", MTR represents "motor", and 0002 represents a sequential equipment number. Even though you have the capability to narrow down asset selection in a service request by asset classification and ownership, smart tags can allow for even more flexibility and fine-tuning.
Supplemental Data in a Service Request
You can also define supplemental data fields that display in the service request and further specify the problem. When either a requester or agent creates a new service request and selects values that display based on the problem tree setup, additional fields may appear, based on the setup of supplemental data, that prompt the user for more information about the problem. For example, if you select the value, Mouse doesn't work, which is derived from a level in the problem tree, and you set up two additional supplemental data fields such as, Operating System and Type, these fields appear in the service request. You can then select values for each of these fields to better describe the problem. A set of supplemental data accompanies PeopleSoft Maintenance Management, which you can use or modify depending on the needs of your organization.
Facilities Move Request
You can also create a special type of service request called a facilities move requests. A facilities move is a request to move an employee's office or one or more pieces of office equipment to another office. If you create a problem tree for a facilities move request and define the WM_MOVE_SBR in the Subrecord field, these system-defined fields appear in the request:
Move From Location.
Move To Location.
Charge To Department.
Move Employee.
Move Phone.
Move Equipment and Furniture.
If a work order is created, these fields are copied to the work order description field or work order notes to enable a technician to see the details of the move on the printed work order.
Submitting a Service Request or Facilities Move Request
For service requests, requesters have the option of selecting the specific asset requiring service, as well as the asset's location. They can specify search criteria to locate an asset in PeopleSoft Asset Management asset repository.
In addition, requesters can further define the problem and add any number of attachments such as documents, diagrams, and screen shots, which can help describe the problem.
When the requester selects the Finish button in the Service Request Wizard component or selects the Submit button in the Service Request single-page component, the service request is saved and the requester is transferred to the My Service Requests component where the new service request appears at the top of the list. From the My Service Requests page, a requester can view, add notes and attachments, and close or reopen a completed request.
If a technician or agent requests more information from the requester, an alert indicator appears on the request line of the My Service Requests page, which instructs the user to E-mail a reply. Submitting a service request also sends it to the Service Request Inbox in PeopleSoft Maintenance Management, which is shared by one or more agents.
Either a user or an automatic process may trigger state transitions for a service request. Users trigger state transitions by selecting buttons or changing a field status. Automatic processes include the completion or cancellation of a work order.
Service Request Assignment and Processing
Once a requester creates a service request, any employee who is set up in an agent's role may access it through the Service Request Inbox.
An agent can:
Change the contact information, re-categorize the request type, change the asset information, and add notes and attachments to the service request.
Solve the problem and change the status of the service request to complete.
Request more information from the requester about the problem.
Assign the service request to a technician if more work is required without creating a work order.
Create a work order in PeopleSoft Maintenance Management if more work is required.
Cancel an existing work order.
The following table describes the types of individuals typically involved in the service request process and the activities each one performs.
Important! There are specific roles and permission lists already created for PeopleSoft Maintenance Management in the sample data included in your software. You should base your setup on this data and not the roles and permissions described in this table.
|
Individual Responsible |
Activity |
|---|---|
|
Requester |
Creates a service request using the self-service service request options. |
|
Agent |
Create and manage service requests and create work order. |
|
Service Request Technician |
Create and manage service requests and create work order |
|
Planner/Scheduler |
Plans workload and schedules technicians for work orders. |
|
Work Order Technician |
Performs work identified on work order. |
The agent's user ID is the default value in the Assigned To field on the service request. The agent can assign a service request to a technician or another agent. However, you must set up this agent in the agent role and the technician role before an agent can assign the service request. In addition, you must define the technician's role in the problem tree, which determines the resources that are listed on the drop-down list for the Assigned To field in the service request. If the agent changes a service request's category, then the list of technicians can also change.
After an agent creates a work order, a planner assigns it to a work order technician. The work order technician may or may not be the same individual as the service request technician. From the Technician Workbench component, the work order technician can drill down to the work order and then drill down further to access the Service Request. The technician for the work order can also access any assigned service requests by selecting a link directly in the Technician Workbench component, which displays a list of the technician's assigned service requests. The technician for the work order can request more information from the requester by sending the requester an email directly from the work order Notes page. Pending displays in the Notes field in the requester's My Service Request page for the service request submitted by the requester. When the requester responds to the note, then Replied displays in the Notes field of the Service Request Inbox, as well as in the Technician Workbench.
Agents and technicians resolve service requests by:
Completing a service request, which automatically generates an email notifying the requester that a simple service request was resolved.
When the agent or technician changes the status to complete and saves the service request, the system sends an email to the requester indicating the completion of the service request and its closing in a specified number of days. If not satisfied with the results, the requester may reopen the service request. The email to the requester contains a link to the Service Request Update page.
Canceling a service request, which automatically generates an email notifying the original requester of the cancellation.
The requester has no recourse for the cancellation of a service request other than opening a new service request or asking the agent to open a new service request.
Creating a work order for a service request that cannot be easily resolved.
This generates a new work order number and copies it back to the service request. The agent can make changes to the work order or make changes to the service request to update the work order. In the latter case, the work order is updated with changes made to the service request based on the following rules:
If the work order status is identified as the Initial Status in the Work Order Status Setup page, if you change contact information, request type, problem summary and detail, and asset information in the service request, the system updates this information on the work order.
If the work order status is anything other than Initial, only a change in the contact information on the service request is updated in the work order.
Note: Contact information includes only the contact method and alternate email address or phone. Agents and technicians cannot change the Requested For field once a work order is created. They cannot change the Requested By field in the service request once service request is submitted.
Associating multiple, related service requests with a single work order.
The requestor can use the Service Request Inbox or the Agent Service Request to establish a relationship between multiple service requests and a single work order. Once the work order is complete, all associated service requests have their status set to ‘Completed.’ You can also implement email alerts so that all requestors are notified of the completion. The many-to-one relationship can help improve maintenance planning and scheduling, and reduce overall asset downtime by addressing multiple service requests at once.
Canceling a work order.
An agent or technician may cancel a work order created from a service request if the work order status is set to Initial. However, if the work order status is set to a status other than Initial and the work order's status allows a transition to Canceled, then when the service request agent or technician selects the Cancel Work Order button in the Service Request, the system sends an email to the assigned planner or technician requesting the cancellation of the work order. The planner or technician can decide to cancel or not cancel the work order. The system notifies the agent if the work order was canceled, which automatically cancels the service request. A notification is also sent to the requester that the service request was canceled.
Completing a work order.
The system notifies the requester that the work order is complete and that the service request will be closed automatically based on the number of days specified in the service request business unit. The system notifies the requester that if the work is unsatisfactory, the requester may click on the URL in the email and access the Update Service Request page and reopen the service request.
All PeopleSoft Maintenance Management users, excluding the original service request requester, can view the audit history of a service request.