Define the status types

The ticket status identifies the ticket's current stage of completion and indicates whether action is needed.

By default, Web Help Desk includes the following status types. You can modify all preconfigured status types and create additional status types.

Status	Description
Open	This issue requires a resolution. This is the default status of a ticket when it is created.
Pending	The ticket was received, but is currently on hold. For example, this status could be used to indicate that a feature request was received, but management has not decided if the request will be granted. This status can also indicate that the assigned tech is waiting for information from a client. You can also create a new status for this purpose. The Count Time setting indicates whether the time in this status is included in the ticket's total open time. When this option is deselected, the time spent in this status will extend the default ticket due date.
Resolved	The tech believes that a solution was provided, and is waiting for the client to confirm the resolution. By default, when a tech changes a ticket status to Resolved, the client receives an email asking if the issue is resolved to their satisfaction. If the client clicks Yes, the ticket status changes to Closed. If the clients clicks No, the ticket status changes to Open.
Closed	The client confirmed that the issue was resolved. You can also configure Web Help Desk to automatically close a ticket if the client does not respond to the confirmation request within the specified time period.
Canceled	The client is no longer experiencing the problem, or no longer needs the service requested in the ticket.

You can edit the existing status types and create custom status types to meet the needs of your organization. For example, to enable Change Access Board (CAB) features, you can add the Pending Approval, Approved, and Denied status types.

See the following sections:

Define a custom status type

1. Click Setup > Tickets > Status Types.
2. Click New.

3. Enter a name and description for this status type.

4. From the Display Order menu, set the order that this status type is displayed in relation to other status types.

5. Select the background color for the label background. Click white for no label color.

6. Select the Include in My/Group Tickets Filter checkbox if this status type is used as the default filter in the Tickets > My Tickets and Tickets > Group Tickets tab lists. Selecting this option ensures that your techs are a member of each selected background color parameter to view tickets in the Group Tickets view. Otherwise, leave this checkbox unchecked.

   The My Tickets and Group Tickets options are displayed when you click Tickets.

7. Select the Use for Load Balance checkbox if this status type is used when determining the load balance ticket total for a tech group level. Otherwise, leave this checkbox unchecked.

   When you define your tech groups, you can implement load balancing In a tech group level when the application auto-assigns tickets to each tech in the group. Group level options specify how tickets are assigned and which techs are members of that level. At least one level must be configured for each group. You can add multiple levels if you want to escalate tickets to more experienced techs.

8. Select the Alerts Enabled checkbox to indicate that alerts are enabled for this status type. Otherwise, leave this checkbox unchecked.

9. Select the Count Time checkbox if you want the time a ticket spends with this status type to be included in the ticket's total open time. Otherwise, leave this checkbox unchecked.

   Open time is the difference between the time the ticket was open and the time it was closed.

10. Select the Client Reminders checkbox to send reminder emails to clients for tickets set to this status type. Otherwise, leave this checkbox unchecked.

    Reminders are sent to clients only if the ticket status type has this option enabled and the ticket priority type includes a client reminder interval. See Setup > Tickets > Priority Types & Alerts > [Priority type] > Client Reminder interval to enable this setting.

11. Select the Show in Calendar checkbox to display tickets with this status type in the calendar views. Otherwise, leave this checkbox unchecked.

12. If you want to automatically close tickets with this status, define when the ticket status automatically changes to Closed:

    • To automatically close tickets after they have been in this status for a certain amount of time, specify the amount of time in the Automatically Close Ticket After section.

    • To prompt the client to confirm that their issue was resolved, select the Prompt Client to Confirm Ticket Resolution checkbox.

      When this checkbox is selected, Yes and No buttons and the confirmation message are shown in the client email and Ticket Detail view in the user interface:

      • If the client clicks Yes, the ticket status changes to Closed.

      • If the client clicks No, the ticket status type changes to the status type selected in the Reopened Status type drop-down menu located in the Options tab (for example, Open, Pending, or Reopened).

    • Specify both options to prompt the client but automatically close the ticket if the client doesn't respond within the specified time:

      • If the client clicks Yes or No within the specified time, the ticket status changes as described above.

      • If the client clicks does not respond within the specified time, the ticket closes automatically when that time has elapsed.

13. To associate custom fields with this status, select Specific next to Additional Activated Custom Fields. Then select the custom fields.

    The custom fields you select are displayed in addition to any custom fields linked to the request type.

14. Click the Options tab.

15. Select the Client Can Reopen Closed Tickets checkbox to allow clients to add notes to closed tickets. The ticket status type will automatically change to the reopened status type you select in the next step.

16. From the Reopened Status Type menu, select the status type for a ticket reopened by a client.

17. If the ticket's request type requires approval, define how the status changes during the approval process:

    1. From the Needs Approval Status Type menu, select the status type assigned to the ticket before it is approved or disapproved.

    2. From the Approved Status Type menu, select the status type assigned to the ticket when it is approved.

    3. From the Approval Denied Status Type menu, select the status type assigned to the ticket when it is denied.

18. From the Client Update Sets Status To menu, select the status assigned to a ticket when the client updates the ticket. Select No Change to leave the status type unchanged.

19. From the Tech Note Default Status menu, select the status type applied in the Tech Note editor when a new note is created. Select No Change to use the current ticket status by default.

20. In the When Tickets Are Merged section, specify what happens when a child ticket is merged into a parent ticket:

    • To delete the child ticket after it is merged, select Delete Child Tickets.

    • To change the status of the child ticket, select Set Status of Child Ticket and specify the status.

21. In the E-Mail Recipients After Auto Close section, choose how email is sent when a ticket automatically closes.

    • Select Use Ticket Settings to send email according to the recipients set in the ticket.

    • Select Override to reset the ticket recipients to your specific options. These options will be used for the email message.

22. Click Save.

Modify a preconfigured status type

1. Click Setup > Tickets > Status Types.

2. In the list of status types, click the type you want to modify.

3. Change the default options as required.

4. Click Save.

Apply a new status type to an existing ticket

After you create a new status type, you can apply the status to an existing ticket.

1. Locate and open a ticket that requires a new status type.

2. Scroll down to Status & Schedule.

3. Click the Status drop-down menu and select the new status type.

4. Click Save.

Set up an automated reminder for ticket status

You can set up automated email reminders to clients about ticket status and priority. To begin, enable the client reminder functionality in the console. When you are finished, set up the client reminder interval settings.

Enable the client reminder

1. Click Setup > Tickets > Status Type.

2. Click a status type for the reminder.

   

3. In the Status Types tab, select the Client Reminders checkbox.

   

4. Click Save.
5. Repeat step 1 through step 4 to set up client reminders for the remaining, required status types.

Set up the client reminder interval

1. Click Setup > Tickets > Priority Types & Alerts.

2. In the Priority Types column, click a priority type that requires a reminder email.

3. In the Priority Types Details page, select the Client Reminder Interval checkbox and select the targeted interval for the reminder email.

4. Click Save.
5. Repeat step 1 through step 4 to set client reminders for the remaining required priority types.

Select the email recipients for auto-close tickets

You can configure Web Help Desk to respond differently when a ticket auto-closes. For this situation, you can enable the application to send email to the recipients set in the ticket or reset the ticket recipients to Tech, Client, or Cc.

1. Log in to Web Help Desk as an administrator.
2. Click Setup > Tickets > Status Types.
3. In the Status Type Name column, click Closed.
4. Click the Options tab.

5. In the E-Mail Recipients After Auto Close section, select the individuals who receive mail when the ticket automatically closes.

   • Select Use Ticket Settings to send email to the recipients set in the ticket.

   • Select Override and then select Tech, Client, or the Cc field.

6. Click Save.