Searching for similar incidents

You can search for matching or similar incidents. By using the record matching features, you can search for existing records that describe incidents that are similar to the one you are currently trying to resolve and avoid spending time and effort trying to resolve issues that were previously resolved.

To search for matching records

1. Open or create an incident request.
2. Use one of the following methods to search for a solution:
   • Incident Matching feature. To use this method, continue with step 3.
   • BMC Helix ITSM: Knowledge Management application. When installed, this application is available from the Links area of the Navigation pane when the Incident Request form is open. For detailed information about how to open this application, see Creating an article in the Knowledge Management Console.
3. In the Navigation pane, select Functions > Incident Matching. 
4. To view details of a matching record, perform the following steps:
   1. In the search results list at the bottom of the search form, select a record.
   2. Click View.
5. If the matching record resolves the current incident, from the Relationship Type list, select Resolved by.

6. To relate the record in the search results list and to copy its solution to the resolution of the incident, click Relate with Solution.
   Alternatively, to relate the record without the solution, click Relate Without Solution.

   If you do not use the selected matching solution, the system returns you to the Incident Matching form that contains the list of matching records so that you can continue to look for a matching record.

To search for similar incident requests

1. From the Navigation pane on the Incident Management console, select Functions > Advanced Search.
2. In the Advanced Search Selection dialog box, select the type of search that you want to perform, and then click Select.
   • Search Incidents by Work Info—Searches for incident requests using fields from the Work Details tab.
   • Search Incidents by Relationships—Searches for incident requests using fields from the Relationship form.
   • Search Incidents by Assignment Logs—Searches for Incidents using fields from the Assignment Log form.
3. On the search form, provide as much information as possible, and then click Search.

4. View the incident requests that match the search criteria in the table that appears.

   Tip

   You can use the advanced search bar to define a more complex set of criteria than you can specify by using only fields in a form. For example, you can search for all incident requests with two different values in the same field. Thus, you can search for all incident requests that have a status of Resolved or Closed.