Adding solutions

You can add solutions, ad hoc templates, and knowledge articles by completing mandatory and optional details in a Solution form. This topic  describes tabs and fields that you need to complete to create an HR solution that can be later used by end users for creating HR service requests,  and HR agents for completing cases.

This topic describes the following:

Before you begin

Before adding new solutions,  some of the drop-down lists in a Solution form,  need to be populated with necessary values that are initially added in the System Settings. The following table describes menus that need to be configured:

Drop-down list

To add values to this menu, navigate to...

For details see

Group Name

Actions > System Settings > Foundation > Groups

Assigned Group

Assigned Group Tier

Organization Type

Actions > System Settings > Foundation > Organizations

Site Name

Actions > System Settings > Locations > Sites

Priority 

Actions > System settings > Application Settings > Priority

Resolution Code

Actions > System settings >  Application Settings > Menus

Categorization Tier 1

Categorization Tier 2

Categorization Tier 3

Categorization Tier 4

Actions > System settings > Application Settings > Categories & Regions

Related topics

Where to find more information

Solutions-console-features-overview

To add a solution

  1. Open a Solution form in one of these ways:
    • If the Solutions tab is visible to you, navigate to it, and click New.
    • If the Solutions tab is not visible to you, open the Actions menu, and click Add Solution.
  2. Complete mandatory details of a solution on the tabs available in a Solution form:
    1. Complete mandatory details on the Solution Details tab. For more information, see Complete Main Details of a solution.
    2. Complete mandatory fields on the Description tab. For more information, see Add description to a solution.
    3. Complete mandatory fields on the Case Access tab. For more information, see Add access restrictions to a solution.
    4. Click   Save & Close .

Overview of a Solution form

The following table describes a Solution form:

Tab

Tab description

The tab is available for

Solution

Adhoc template

Knowledge article

Solution Details > Main Details

Displays the main details of a solution that you must complete.

For more information, see Complete Main Details of a solution.

Solution Details > Journal

(Optional)

This tab includes a Journal section, where you can perform the following actions:

  • Add an external or internal note and attachments
  • Send an email with attachments
  • Attach a document from the document library

For more information, see Adding entries to solution's journal.

Description

Includes a Description section where you must perform one of the following actions:

  • Add or modify an internal description (internal)
  • Add or modify an external description (applies only to the knowledge article solution type)
  • Add or modify self-service instructions (applies only to the solution type)

For more information, see Complete description of a solution

Case Options

Includes a Case Options section where you must select a user group to be automatically assigned to all cases opened automatically based on this solution.

You can also add other details:

  • Select a case priority
  • Specify a category for all tier levels
  • Assign case individuals
  • Select a case resolution code

For more information, see Complete case options of a solution.

Questions

(Optional)

This tab displays a Tree Control Panel section representing a built-in questions process designer.

You might need to add questions to a solution to collect additional information from a self-service user submitting a request. The answers that a self-service user submits, are necessary for HR agents for resolving cases that are created based on solutions with questions. The questions are displayed in the request form in the BMC MyIT web console. The answers that a self-service user submits, are saved in a form of the related case, on the Self-Service Answers tab.

Using this tab, you add questions for a self-service user who has to answer in the BMC MyIT web console. Questions can be of different types. For more information, see Add questions to a solution.

Note: This section becomes editable only when a solution is created and is in draft mode. 

Tasks

(Optional)

This tab includes a Tree Control Panel section representing a built-in tasks process designer.

You add tasks that HR agents have to accomplish to resolve a case based on this solution. Tasks can be of different types. For more information, see Adding tasks to a solution.

Note: This section becomes editable only when a solution has been saved, and is in draft mode. 

Access

(Optional)

By default, all active solutions are available to all HR agents who have access to the Solutions console. For each solution, you can add multiple access restrictions, modify restrictions, and delete them when necessary. You can add access restriction filter for:

  • Users of a selected person type
  • Users belonging to a selected a group name
  • Users belonging having a selected organization name
  • Users from a selected company site

For more information, see Configuring access for solutions.

Related Items

(Read only)

This tab displays all cases related to a solution.

To configure details of a solution

The following topics describe the configuration options in a Solution form that you might need to add, or change:

Complete Main Details of a solution

The Main Details section is common for all solution types.The following table describes fields that you must complete:

Field

Description

Record ID

A record ID is automatically generated when a Solution form opens.

Solution Name

Important: Do not use the following symbols in the Solution Name field: <, >, $, &.

Summary

 

Solution Type

Select  adhoc template ,  solution , or  article  solution type from the list.

Solution Sub Type (Optional)

Note: This option applies only to article solutions.  

Select one of the following options: 

  • Document Library Reference 
  • FAQ 
  • Manual 
  • White Paper

Accessibility

Indicates who can view the solution. Select one of the following options:

  • Internal—Restricts access of the solution to HR agents and administrators only
  • External—Makes the solution available to all users (employees, self-service users, HR agents, and administrators)

Note: If you selected adhoc template as the solution type, accessibility is always internal and cannot be changed.

Data Group

Select a group that has access to the solution. Only users belonging to this group, which is defined in the users' Case Login Details, has access to the solution.

Configure data groups by navigating to Actions > System Settings > Foundation > Groups. For more information, see Adding-groups-and-roles.

Category

Select a category to classify the solution.

Configure categories by navigating to Actions > System Settings > Application Settings > Solution Category. For more information, see Configuring-categories-for-solutions.

Sub Category (Optional)

Select a sub-category for the selected category. Options change depending on which category you select.

Configure categories by navigating to Actions > System Settings > Application Settings > Solution Category. For more information, see Configuring-categories-for-solutions.

Owner (Optional)

Search for and select an owner of the solution.

Solution Start Date

Date when a solution is available.

Solution End Date (Optional)

Date when a solution is no longer available.

Status (Optional)

The following statuses are available: 

  • Draft (the default status)—Solution is not ready and cannot be applied
  • Active—Solution is available and can be applied
  • Inactive—You no longer want the solution to be available for selection
  • Retired—Solution is out of date and you do not want it to be available for selection

To change the status, click status.png  next to the Status field.

Requires Update (Optional)

Select the check box to indicate that the solution must be updated. When this setting is applied, the solution is displayed red in the list of solutions.

Image_Filename(Optional)

Select a file from the list. The file is displayed as an avatar for the solution in the BMC MyIT console.

Times Solution Viewed

These fields are not editable, and they are updated automatically when a solution is active.

Times Solution Used

Complete Description details

The selections you make in the Accessibility field in the Main Details section, determine which fields you must complete on the Description tab.

Click here to view the screenshot..

image2016-12-28 15:42:56.pngimage2016-12-28 15:42:56.png

The following table explains the fields that you must complete on the Description tab:


Fields to enter

Internal solution

External solution

Internal article

External article

Adhoc template

Internal Description

#37

mandatory

 

#38

mandatory

#39

mandatory

#40

mandatory

n/a

External Description

n/a

n/a

#41

optional

#42

mandatory

n/a

Self Service Instructions

#43

optional

#44

mandatory

n/a

n/a

n/a

Complete Case Options

  1. In a Solution form, navigate to the Case Options tab. 

    The [expand] macro is a standalone macro and it cannot be used inline. Click on this message for details.

  2. From the Assigned Group  list, select a group.
     The  Assigned Group Tier  field is automatically populated with a value from  the assigned group configuration . 
  3. (Optional)  From the  Assigned Individual  list, select a person to be automatically assigned to a case when it is opened automatically.
    Users available in the Assigned Individual list are those who have this group available on the Case Login tab in a People record form.
  4. (Optional) Complete other fields as required:

    • Priority
    • Resolution Code 
    • Categorization Tier 1
    • Categorization Tier 2
    • Categorization Tier 3
    • Categorization Tier 4

Add access restrictions for a solution

  1. In a Solution form, navigate to the  Access  tab.
  2. Click Add.

  3. Select restrictions that you want to enable.

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  4. Click Save & Close.

You can add tasks to a solution of "solution" or "ad hoc template" type only when it is in draft mode, and only after it has previously been saved.

Note

You can modify existing tasks if a solution is active; however, you cannot add new tasks to an active solution.

Add tasks to a solution

  1. Open a solution that you intend to add tasks to.

  2. If the status of the solution is Active, change it to Draft.

    Note

    You can modify existing tasks if a solution is Active; however, you cannot add new tasks to an active solution.

  3. Navigate to the Tasks tab. The tasks designer section is displayed, with the task options listed at the left, and the  Tree Control Panel at the top.

    If the tasks in the tree move out of the view, change the way the tree is displayed. Click Tree Control Panel to see the options. You can also move the items by dragging them to a desired location.

    The [expand] macro is a standalone macro and it cannot be used inline. Click on this message for details.

  4. To add a task, click one of the options listed at the left. The selected task is mounted to the parent solution item.
  5. Right-click the task that is added, and select Modify. 
  6. In the  Task Name  field, add descriptive name of the task. 

  7. In the  Task Instructions  field, add descriptive text of the task.
    If you are adding a Change Assignment task, or Modify eForm Task, it is not mandatory to add task instructions.

     If a task assignment and group are not configured, the task is automatically assigned to the case assignee or requester if it is an HR agent who creates the case.

  8. (Optional) From the Assigned Group list, select a group
    If you are using Change Assignment task, it is mandatory to select an assigned group.
  9. (Optional) From the  Assigned Individual  list, select a user  

  10. Complete the fields as required to configure a task.

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  11. To add more tasks, repeat steps 6 through 10.
    You can add as many tasks as you need.
  12. When you are finished adding and configuring tasks, click Save & Close.

 

Important

 You must configure all tasks that you have added. You cannot save your solution in active status if you have not fully configured its tasks.

To add questions to a solution

  1. Open a solution that you intend to add tasks to.

  2. If the status of the solution is Active, change it to Draft.

    Note

    You can modify existing questions if a solution is Active; however, you cannot add new questions to an active solution.

  3. Navigate to the Questions tab. The questions designer is displayed, with the question options listed to the left, and the Tree Control Panel at the top.

    If the question icons in the tree move out of the view, change the way the tree is displayed. Click Tree Control Panel to see the options. You can also move the items by dragging them to a desired location.

    The [expand] macro is a standalone macro and it cannot be used inline. Click on this message for details.

  4. To add a question, click one of the options listed at the left. The selected question types are mounted to the parent solution item.
  5. Right-click the item you added, and select Modify.
  6. In the Question Label field, add a descriptive text for the question label.

  7. Complete the fields as required to configure the question.

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    Important

    You must configure all questions that you have added, so that you will be able to save your solution in active status. The questions that lack configuration details, are displayed with a red frame.

  8. To add more questions, repeat steps 3 through 6.
  9. When you are finished adding and configuring questions, click Save & Close.

 

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