together we stand strong
TRANSCRIPT
-
FROM HuGE LOGFILE TO CONVENIENT REPORTManaging countless servers is not easy. How do you search all logfiles and create convenient reports of this information? Over the past year, Dutch health insurance provider CZ Tilburg has been using the SCOM-TOPdesk link to manage their IT infrastructure from TOPdesk.
20 CuSTOMER IN FOCuS Photography: Jonas Mertens
-
Tom Taminiau, technical application manager for CZ
CuSTOMER IN FOCuS 21Text: Stefanie Klaassen
-
The how and why of SCOMTom Taminiau is a specialist in the Technical
Application Management department. Here
he works with the SCOM (Microsoft System
Center Operations Manager)-TOPdesk link and
makes sure that the application runs properly.
Taminiaus department is part of a larger IT
department. There are about 180 of us,
says Taminiau, but CZ is a big company with
over 3,000 employees in total. Here at the IT
department we do everything ourselves. We
maintain our own website, manage workfl ows
and have our own server park here in Tilburg,
with another park of almost the same size in a
nearby city.
At a certain point the decision was made
to have SCOM feature more prominently
within the company. At CZ we pay close
attention to the processes and monitoring
is very important, but it takes a lot of time
and manpower, says Taminiau. That is why
we started using this tool. If something goes
wrong in the middle of the night, SCOM sends
you a text message so you can fi x the problem
before the workday starts. TOPdesk and
partner 3Ffi ty created the link in two days.
Straightforward reportingSCOM lets organizations see server error
messages. Thanks to the TOPdesk-SCOM link,
these can be put through to TOPdesk in two
clicks. But why do this in TOPdesk, if SCOM
has already indicated that something has
gone wrong in the IT infrastructure? Taminiau
explains. We want to register everything.
If a hard disk breaks or is full, SCOM lets us
know. But we did not have a clear view of
the number of errors that were generated
for things that broke or did not go well. Now
everything is clearly registered in TOPdesk,
the link grants us insight into these processes
and we can send monthly reports. This lets the
management immediately see what is going
well and what isnt.
Relief for the service deskThe TOPdesk-SCOM link has resulted in a lower
workload for the service desk at CZ and a
more effi cient registration procedure. Before
we, meaning the IT department, had to email
the helpdesk to create a ticket for ourselves
in TOPdesk whenever we received an alert in
SCOM, explains Taminiau. This then had to
be put through to the right person within our
IT department.
This is no longer necessary. TOPdesk knows
which user is linked to the incident type
and automatically assigns the incident to
this person. The incident is put through and
processed in TOPdesk. Taminiau says, Every
day we receive various types of incidents for
different clusters, persons or departments.
For instance, if we receive an incident relating
to Exchange, it is automatically sent to the
Exchange manager. This burdens fewer
people: fewer people are now involved with
the incident process.
Shorter linesNow the lines in our registration process are
so much shorter, everything is faster, explains
Taminiau. This saves time for the helpdesk,
but also for us. This lets us get straight back
to our work. In the morning we log in and
put the most important alerts through to
TOPdesk. After registration we process it
straight away. At fi rst you were dependent on
the duration of the helpdesk when an incident
was assigned to you. For that matter, we do
not register incidents in TOPdesk ourselves, to
help maintain the overview. We only register
such incidents via SCOM.
Previously this process was not only time-
consuming, but a lot of knowledge was
also lost. The help desk information was
not always as complete as you would want:
they cannot know the technical details of
everything, so they are not always able to
properly explain the situation. With TOPdesk,
this step is now removed. One click and
everything is sent to TOPdesk, and you
immediately have all the information you
need right there on your screen.
All in allTaminiau says that the TOPdesk link with
SCOM has made his work a lot easier. He
believes that every organization that uses
both tools should have this link. Its simple,
he says. If you use SCOM and have TOPdesk,
this link is a solution. You can seamlessly
integrate your service management and
your system management. Soon we will be
upgrading SCOM and switching to the newest
version of TOPdesk. We are very satisfi ed with
how things are going now.
THE LINES IN OUR REGISTRATION PROCESS ARE SHORTER AND EVERYTHING IS MUCH FASTER
22 CuSTOMER IN FOCuS
-
The server park in Tilburg
comprises about 1,000 registered machines.
On average we receive 250 to 300 system messages per day. But that is not to say that these messages are always acute.
For instance, we currently have
94 critical alerts, of which only 1 is vital.
An agent goes through the server logfiles and any handmade monitors, and reports on errors or anomalies.
SCOM checks what should happen with the incident: should an email be sent, or is it
so urgent that it requires a text message?
SCOM in FaCTS
CuSTOMER IN FOCuS 23
-
24 TOOL
is a TOPdesk consultant. He is specialized in documenting and
sharing knowledge about TOPdesk and service management.
COLin BaSSanT
Your service desk uses TOPdesk intensively. You register incidents and changes, put these through to the correct operator and keep track of your own task list. However, you may not be using all the useful features TOPdesk offers. One of these is the Caller Card.
Telephone? Open the Caller Card!The Caller Card is the step that comes before
registering an incident or request for change.
You can open the Caller Card when a custo-
mer calls, for instance.
On this card you can select the correct cal-
ler and register information in the Notes fi eld.
After hanging up you can create a new fi rst
or second line incident or request for change
with the press of a button. All information you
entered on the Caller Card is automatically
copied to the new card, the selected caller is
linked and your notes from the Notes fi eld are
moved to the Request fi eld. But that is not all
you can do with the Caller Card.
All information at handDid you know that you can also use the Cal-
ler Card as a search screen? When you select
the caller or branch, all incidents registered by
this caller or branch will appear on the Logged
Incidents sub tab. The Changes sub tab pro-
vides an overview of all requests for change
previously registered by the person or branch
in question. This helps you quickly fi nd the
incident or change you need.
Using this sub tab can be useful when a
customer contacts you about the status of a
certain incident, for instance. Of course, when
you pass this information on to the customer,
you want to update the incident in TOPdesk.
DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN USE THE CALLER CARD AS A SEARCH SCREEN?
ARE YOu uSING THE CALLER CARD?
-
tOOl 25
You can do this by filling in the Notes field,
selecting the incident in question on the
Logged Incidents sub tab and using the Add
to selected Incident button. The text from the
Notes field is automatically added to the inci-
dents Action field.
Linking incidents to major incidentWhen you are dealing with a large malfunc-
tion, you may receive many incidents about
the same topic. In such situations, it is impor-
tant to register how many incidents you
receive. The major incident feature in TOPdesk
lets you link all these incidents to a single inci-
dent that has been assigned major incident
status. This enables you to update the major
incident with information on how the situati-
on progresses. When the problem is resolved,
all linked incidents can be closed at once.
The Caller Card makes it easy to link new
incidents to existing major incidents. On the
Major Incidents sub tab you can find an over-
view of current major incidents. When you
receive a call about such an incident you only
have to select the right caller, select the major
incident and then click on the Create new inci-
dent on the basis of selected Major Incident
button. This creates an incident featuring all
the information from the major incident. The
incident is also automatically linked to the
major incident. The only thing you need to do
is save the incident.
The Caller Card as starting pointAs you can see, the Caller Card offers a lot of
benefits. I advise you to use the Caller Card
as your starting point for every incident or
change. You can add a shortcut to your Quick
Launch Bar by clicking on the pen icon in the
bottom left corner.
The Caller card features all incidents logged by this caller
Text: Colin Bassant
-
26 TOPDESK ON TOuR
WORKING TOWARDS SHARED SERVICES
During the run up to TOPdesk on Tour 2013, TOPdesk launched the Collaboration Barometer*. This barometer measured the level of collaboration with customers and other
departments. TOPdesk customers proved to be well on their way towards a shared tool, service desk and working processes for HR, FM and IT.
0%
05%
10%
15%
20%
25%
37%
No shared tool
Tool shared by two departments
Tool shared by three departments
63%
42%
81%
14%
24%
03%
27%
21%
47%74%
Small group uses the SSD Entire organization uses the SSDSSD ideal for calls
Nothing shared Two departments Three departments
One tool for several departmentsOver 63 per cent of respondents uses TOPdesk for
several departments. 42 per cent shares the tool
between two departments; 21 per cent uses the
tool for HR, FM and IT.
-
0%
05%
10%
15%
20%
25%
37%
No shared tool
Tool shared by two departments
Tool shared by three departments
63%
42%
81%
14%
24%
03%
27%
21%
47%74%
Small group uses the SSD Entire organization uses the SSDSSD ideal for calls
Nothing shared Two departments Three departments
tOPDEsk ON tOUr 27Text: Jordi Recasens
0%
05%
10%
15%
20%
25%
37%
No shared tool
Tool shared by two departments
Tool shared by three departments
63%
42%
81%
14%
24%
03%
27%
21%
47%74%
Small group uses the SSD Entire organization uses the SSDSSD ideal for calls
Nothing shared Two departments Three departments
Self Service Desk as central registration desk74 per cent of respondents uses the Self Service Desk to
support their users. This roughly corresponds with the
percentage that indicates that the Self Service Desk is the
ideal way to receive calls, namely 81 per cent.
Shared tool, service desk and processes24 per cent of respondents has two departments sharing
not only a tool but also processes and a service desk.
in addition, 3 per cent has arranged this for the three
supporting departments Hr, FM and iT. They are already
well on their way to shared services. 14 per cent of
respondents has not yet started organizing shared services.
Shared Service ManagementYou can cut costs by setting up a shared tool, service desk and processes. Moreover, doing so will
help you better meet your customers expectations of your services. TOPdesk sees the Shared Service
Management trend as the future of service management. Introducing a shared tool is a great fi rst step
towards collaboration between several supporting departments.
* The Collaboration Barometer was fi lled in by 210 participants.
-
28 wOrkiNg smArtEr
You want to be able to analyse interesting data in TOPdesk, such
as the equipment you manage in Configuration Management, the
customer details in Supporting Files and process information on
process cards. In TOPdesk you can analyse this data using reports
on the Dashboard pages.
If you would rather work with Excel or a reporting tool, you can use
TOPdesk to easily export data in Microsoft Excel format. You can
consult exported data offline, or use it as a source when importing
it to a different information system. I discussed these possibilities in
the previous TOPdesk Magazine.
In this article I will tell you about the CSV Export Wizard. This add-on
is useful if you regularly perform the same export, wish to export
data from linked cards or want to use data from tables that do not
have a card. An example of this is a list of all operators and their
operator groups, or a list of all current calls sorted according to the
operators branch.
CSV Export Wizard add-onThe standard TOPdesk interface enables you to easily export data
that can be found on the cards. If you regularly perform exports or
want to export more data, the free CSV Export Wizard add-on may
be what you are looking for.
Unlike TOPdesk, the CSV Export Wizard generates CSV text files
instead of Excel files. CSV stands for comma-separated value. In
such files the end of a column is indicated using a specific delimiter
such as a comma or semicolon. New rows start on a new line. Many
programs, including Microsoft Excel, can work with this file type.
The CSV Export Wizard can export the same data as TOPdesk. In
addition, you can also export:
1. Data regarding linked cards, such as extra information about
objects, callers, operators, or a calls suppliers.
2. Data for which there are no cards, such as drop-down lists
and categorization.
3. References to the same table, such as categorization or
sub branches.
ExPORTING DATA FROM TOPDESK (PART 2)In the previous TOPdesk Magazine I showed you how to easily export interesting data from TOPdesk to Excel, enabling you to process it in another system. In this article I will explain more about the CSV Export Wizard add-on.
Photography: robin Kuijs
is an information distribution coordinator. He is specialized in
technical issues and optimizing processes.
PaTriCK MaCKaaiJ
-
wOrkiNg smArtEr 29
After installation, every operator can start the CSV Export Wizard via
http://[TOPdesk server hostname]/tas/secure/csv/.
The CSV Export Wizard starts by choosing a source: a selection you
previously saved in TOPdesk or a table from the database (Image 1).
If you wish to open the fi le in Microsoft Excel, it can be useful to
select a Column delimiter that is the same as the character that
has been set up as the List Separator in Microsoft Windows (Control
Panel > region and Language > additional settings). In European
Windows installations the default List separator is a semicolon, in
American installations it is a comma. Excel will then automatically
divide the data into columns.
Select the Row delimiter that suits the operating system you will
use to open the export fi le. The Include column name option ensures
TOPdesk exports the database fi eld names in question as the fi rst
row functioning as a header above the columns. Some programs
require double quotation marks around the content of a fi eld:
activate Use quotes for this.
Using Open fi le at execution, you can indicate whether you wish
to immediately open the fi le and edit it further or save it at a fi xed
location. If you select the latter, indicate what should happen to the
existing fi le: overwrite or append.
You can determine the fi lename using Save result as. To include date
and time in the fi lename, activate this option: Use a timestamp in
the fi lename.
In the next screen (Image 2) you can indicate the database fi elds
you wish to export. The CSV Export Wizard displays the fi eld name
Image 1 Step 1 in the CSV Export Wizard Image 2 Step 2 in the CSV Export Wizard
TIP: You can set up a standard location in the CSV Export
Wizard. To do this, adjust the location.save parameter
in the bespoke-work-resources\csvexport.
properties fi le. Please note the double slashes and
Text: Patrick Mackaaij
-
30 wOrkiNg smArtEr
from the TOPdesk card and the field name in the database. If the field is related to another
card, you will see the name of the table in question in the Linked table column. Clicking
on the plus icon opens the field selection for that table. Data that links to itself, such as
categories and subcategories, can be exported one level deep.
You can discover what a table is called in TOPdesk via Help > DataDict. Here you can
see that Category and Subcategory are linked to the Classificatie table, for example. If
necessary, contact your TOPdesk application manager if this menu option is not available.
The Save Export button lets you save settings for exports. This enables you to quickly
switch between different structures for your export files, saving you the trouble of setting
up the columns to be exported each time.
TOPdesk saves the settings of the saved exports on the TOPdesk server. The default
location for this is web\secure\csv\properties. When removing the CSV Export
Wizard, such as when you wish to install a new version after an update, TOPdesk empties
this folder. This is why it is advisable to make a copy of this folder before updating. You
can also adjust the default location in the bespoke-work-resources\csvexport.
properties file via the location.properties parameter and restart TOPdesk.
You can open saved reports in the first screen of the CSV Export Wizard using the Saved
Exports button. From here you can edit, run or delete a defined export.
Automatic exportsTOPdesk can run a saved export when you access a URL. For Windows Server, look at
Scheduled tasks and the tool cURL (http://curl.haxx.se/). Include an operators login
details in the URL using the parameters j_username and j_password. The TOPdesk
setting Settings > Technical Settings > Login Settings > Operators Section > allow
parameters in the UrL must be activated for this.
aDD-OnS FOr TOPDESK
TOPdesk offers Enterprise customers a number of add-ons to address questions
relevant to several customers. Add-on installation usually happens under
supervision of a TOPdesk consultant, who can provide information and take
care of the initial set-up. You can request the CSV Export Wizard add-on via the
TOPdesk Extranet.
TIP: If you frequently use the CSV Export Wizard, the overview of saved reports or a specific report, you can create a shortcut to them on your Quick Launch Bar.
Editorial
Want to comment? Go to
www.scribd.com/TOPdesk
The TOPdesk Magazine covers subjects
that are topical in the world of
professional service desks in IT, facilities
and other service providing organizations.
TOPdesk Magazine is intended for
managers, service desk employees,
facilities organizations and electronic
city councils anyone who is involved
with supporting clients on a daily basis.
This concerns both the processes and the
technology behind these services.
TOPdesk Magazine is a TOPdesk
publication
Tel: +44 (0) 207 803 4200
Email: [email protected]
Editor-in-chief: Nicola van de Velde
Editors: Leah Clarke, Nienke Deuss, Timme
Hos, Stefanie Klaassen, Milou Snaterse
Translators: Leah Clarke, Nicola van
de Velde
Contributors: Colin Bassant, Judith
Disberg, Claudia Funk, Patrick Mackaaij,
Jasmijn Moerman, Jordi Recasens, Marieke
Spapens, Robbert Petterson, Bram Verheij
and Courtney Wheeler
Layout: Elise Kerner
Photography: Menno van der Bijl,
Aad Hoogendoorn, Robin Kuijs and
Jonas Mertens
Copy editor: Leah Clarke
A print run of 6,000
Quarterly magazine
Languages: Dutch, English
-
+31 (0)15 270 09 [email protected]
WORK TOWARDS A
SUCCESSFUL SELF SERVICE DESK!
Please feel free to contact us to discuss the possibilities of your Self Service Desk promotion.
The more your end users use the SSD, the more time and money you will save.
After a successful promotion, your end users will be motivated to log their calls in the SSD.
-
32 KLANT IN BEELD
tips + tricksUploading files using drag and dropFrom TOPdesk 5.2 onwards it is possible to upload files in
the Operators Section before you save the card. You can
do this using the Upload a file button in the progress
trail. After clicking on this, you can immediately select one
or more files. It is no longer necessary to first save the card
before you can add files.
Moreover, it is now possible to upload documents or
screenshots using drag and drop in all browsers except
Internet Explorer. This lets you move several documents from
your desktop or a folder to the Action field in TOPdesk. The
files are uploaded once you release them in the Action field.
Uploading files using drag and drop is possible in all TOPdesk
modules that have a progress trail. It is also possible to click
on Upload a file in all internet browsers; doing so lets you
navigate to your files.
Using HTML tags in comments in the Self Service DeskFrom TOPdesk 5.2 onwards you can use a number of HTML
tags to format the comment text for calls and reservations
in the Self Service Desk. This makes it easier to present
instructions or other information to your callers in a clear
way. In addition to text formatting, it is now also possible to
create a table or add an image, for instance.
1. Under Settings, go to the Module Settings
for the Self Service Desk.
2. Select Call Management or reservations
Management.
3. On the General tab you can adjust the
text in the comments field for a number
of languages. *
> You will now see the comments with HTML
formatting when you create a new call or
reservation in the Self Service Desk.
* Permitted HTML tags: a, b, blockquote, br, caption, cite,
code, col, colgroup, dd, dl, dt, em, h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, i, img,
li, ol, p, pre, q, small, strike, strong, sub, sup, table, tbody, td,
tfoot, th, thread, tr, u, ul.
Please note: advanced HTML features are not supported and
are therefore removed when saved.
TOPdesk UK limited t +44 (0)20 7803 4200 e [email protected] w www.topdesk.co.uk
TOPdesk nederland BV t +31 (0)15 270 09 00 e [email protected] w www.topdesk.nl
TOPdesk Deutschland GmbH t +49 (0)631 624 00 0 e [email protected] w www.topdesk.de
TOPdesk Belgium bvba t +32 (0)3 292 32 90 e [email protected] w www.topdesk.be
TOPdesk Magyarorszg Kft. (Hungary) t +36 1 301 0190 e [email protected] w www.topdesk.hu
Copyright 2013 TOPdesk UK limited. Although this magazine has been produced with the utmost care and attention, the writers cannot be held responsible in any way for any damages that may occur due to errors and / or deficiencies in this publication.
TOPdesk Danmark a/St +45 7015 7500 e [email protected] w www.topdesk.dk
TOPdesk Consulatoria e Tecnologia De Software - Eirilit +55 11 3040 2817 e [email protected] www.topdesk.com.br