Service Request Process Flow

Service requests are created in three different ways:

• A requester creates a self-service service request using the Employee Self-Service, and then Service Request, and then Service Request Wizard 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 Employee Self-Service, and then Service Request, and then Service Request component, which enables a requester to complete the service request using a one-page format.

• An agent creates a service request using the Maintenance Management, and then Service Request Management, and then Agent Service Request 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.

See Creating a Problem Tree for Use in Service Requests.

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.

See Understanding Supplemental Data.

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.