This documentation supports the 23.3 version of BMC Helix ITSM: Knowledge Management.To view an earlier version, select the version from the Product version menu.

Configuring knowledge article review and approval


To review the knowledge article, system administrators must configure review settings in BMC Helix ITSM. This topic covers the configuration settings for reviewing knowledge articles.

The following are the review processes supported for knowledge articles:

Ticket type

Knowledge articles

Processes

RKM_Level_All


RKM_Level_One

Before you begin

You must ensure that the following preconditions are met.

  • BMC Helix ITSM users who are going to be approvers are onboarded in BMC Helix ITSM.
  • Lifecycle of knowledge articles is configured.

To configure the status for approval phases

  1. On the IT Home page go to Applications > Administrator Console > Application Administration Console > Custom Configuration.
  2. On the Custom Configuration tab, select Foundations > Advanced Options > Approval Process Configuration.
  3. On the Approval Process Configuration window, specify the form name and company, and click Search.

    Ticket type

    Form name

    Change request

    CHG:Infrastructure Change

    Release

    RMS:Release

    Knowledge article

    RKM:KnowledgeArticleManager

    The Review phase details are displayed in the search result.

  4. Select a phase for example, Review phase of a change request.

    Important

     Ensure that its status is set to Enabled, and on the Approval Process tab, the Impacts Approval Status field is set to Yes.

  5. On the Status Flow tab, under Begin specify the status that triggers the approval.
    When the change request is moved to this status, the approval process begins. If the ticket is kept on hold, it remains in the status that triggered the review process.
  6. Under Approved, specify the next status to which the change request is moved, if it is approved.
  7. Under Reject, specify the status to which the change request is moved, if it is rejected.
  8. Under No Approvers, specify the status to which the change request is moved, if there are no approvers.
  9. Save the settings.
Example

 You configure such that when a change request is moved to Request for Authorization status, the review process should be triggered.

  • If the ticket is approved, it is moved to Request for Change status.
  • If it is rejected, it is moved to Rejected status.
  • If it is kept on hold, it remains in the Request for Authorization status.

To map approvers to review phases

You can configure individual approvers and support group approvers for reviewing knowledge articles from the Approval Mapping form. In case of support group approvers, only those members of the support group who have the approver functional role can review tickets. 

  1. On the Custom Configuration tab, select Knowledge Management Approvals ConfigurationApproval Mappings.
  2. Click New Search.
  3. From the Approval Indicator list, select the ticket type Knowledge Management.
  4. Select the phase name for example, Review.
  5. To map individual approvers:
    1. From the Approval For list, select Individual.
    2. Specify the first name, last name, approver ID.
  6. To map group approvers:
    1. From the Approval For list, select Group.
    2. Specify the support company, organization, and group name in appropriate fields.
  7. Specify the Assignment Availability as Yes.

When the knowledge management request is in the specified phase, the selected individual or groups are mapped as the approver.

You can map multiple approvers for a ticket when it is in a specific phase. You can also have multiple approvers for each review phase of the ticket.

To configure approvers

You must configure individual and group approvers on the CTM:People form in BMC Helix ITSM.

To configure primary approvers

  1. On the CTM:People form, search for the person you want to configure as the reviewer.
  2. On the Support Group tab select Support Group Functional Role tab and select the support group.
  3. Click the Update Support Group and Role.
  4. On the Update Support Group Memberships and Role window, select that particular group and give the approver functional role to the selected person.

To configure alternate approvers

  1. On the CTM:People form, search for the person you want to configure as the alternate reviewer.
  2. On the  Alternate Approver tab, click the Update Alternate Approver
  3. On the Alternate Approvers window, specify the company, first and last name of the alternate approver, specify the start and end date for the alternate approver to review tickets on your behalf.
  4. Click Add.

To configure ad-hoc approvers

In BMC Helix ITSM, when a knowledge article is in review, approvers for that ticket can add individual and support groups as ad-hoc approvers. Ad hoc approvers can only be added to an active approval process where there are still pending approvals. This functionality helps to ensure that all relevant signatures are obtained. The ability to add ad hoc approvers to a knowledge article is limited to:

  • Any user with Infrastructure knowledge permissions that belongs to the assigned Knowledge Master or Knowledge Admin group or Knowledge Approver functional role.
  • Any user with Infrastructure Knowledge Master permissions or Knowledge Approver permission.
  • Any approver (or alternate approver) on the knowledge article who has permission to view the knowledge article.

You can select individual approvers who have an active People record with a login ID. The user does not need to be a member of a support group or have the Infrastructure Knowledge Approver functional role to be added as an approver. For group approvers, at least one member of the group must be a member of a support group that is assigned to review the ticket and have the Infrastructure Knowledge Approver functional role.

To configure individual as ad-hoc approver, follow these steps in BMC Helix ITSM:

  1. On the Open tab of the Approval list pane, click +Add Approver > Add Approver.
  2. Search for the approver, and add the approver.
  3. Click Close.

To configure mandatory and optional approvers

In AR System, Approval Server, open the phase form. On the Basic tab, select One must sign or All must sign in the If Multiple Approvers list. For example, you have mapped 5 approvers for a knowledge article when it is in review. If you select One must sign, then any one of the five approvers can review the ticket. If it is set to All must sign, the all 5 approvers must review the ticket.
 

On the AR System - Approval Server Role Definition form, in the If Multiple Approvers list, specify One must sign or All must sign for the reviewers you have configured.

To configure password authentication for the review phase

You can configure password authentication to authenticate reviewers on the approval banner inBMC Helix ITSM. You can set password authentication as per review phases, and if required, you can skip password authentication for a particular review phase. Reviewers must use their BMC Helix ITSM password to authenticate themselves.

  1. In BMC Helix ITSM, on the Process Definition form, on the Basic tab, specify the following details:
    • Review process
    • Form name
    • Validate Approvers as Yes
    • Require Password as Yes
  2. To reflect this update, you can either wait for a maximum 30 minutes, or you can manually clear the BMC Helix ITSMcache. For more details, see Clearing the Smart IT cache.

Important

 If you set Require Password as No, then the system will not ask for password authentication of the reviewer.

Where to go from here

Configuring classic Smart IT on-screen fields

Configuring columns in ticket console

 

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