| Help and Support | |
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2. Online Ticketing support (Escendency Helpdesk)
2.1. Setting up a user account
2.2. Using the Helpdesk ticketing system
3. Joint User Development Interface
Escendency support is divided into three areas: Online help, including an interactive glossary, online support ticketing system (Escendency Helpdesk), and telephone support.
Escendency.net hosts both clients’ databases and the Escendency online
help. The help can be accessed during a session on the system. The help home
page that contains an index of help files and tutorials as well as a link to
a glossary of Escendency and performance management terms is accessed by clicking
the
icon at the top right hand side of all help pages or directly through a web
browser at http://help.escendency.net/.
To access the help during a system session, click on the HELP menu option on the left hand side of the main menu page. A help page related to the current page the user is on will be displayed (figure 1).
Figure 1: Control Panel help page. Clicking on links in the figure of the control panel page accesses related help files. Note: this page is an administrative view showing all available options.
The control panel help page is a good starting point for users to familiarise
themselves with the system as it has links to all the help files (also active
in this figure) within the online help. Selecting the HELP link for all control
panel tabs default to this page. To access this page from a web browser use
the following URL: http://help.escendency.net/cp.html.
Technically part of the online help, the glossary is an interactive repository of terms used to describe the components of the Escendency system and performance management terms as a whole (figure 2).
The glossary can be accessed from the GLOSSARY link on the module menu or directly
from a web browser using the following URL:
http://help.escendency.net/glossary.html
Figure 2: Excerpt from the online interactive Glossary
The glossary contains links to all parts of the online help as well as links
to several documents such as this guide and organisation specific documentation
such as a current list of BVPI’s for local government.
There are a series of tutorials that are online instructions designed to compliment user practice sessions on the Escendency demo systems. Users are encouraged to perform tasks as well as practice set up of targets, action plans and other features of the system.
Because the demo sites are dynamic and kept up to date with realistic targets and measurements the screenshots used in the tutorial guides may not necessarily be identical to the views on the demo.
The tutorials can be accessed from the online help or at: http://help.escendency.net/index.htm#tutorials
Most Escendency support issues are resolved through an email ticketing system provided by a third party vendor, Triangle Solutions, and customised for Escendency. The ticketing system is located on the Escendency.com domain (also shared by the Escendency website) and can be accessed in the system from the Helpdesk link on the system menu or in a web browser using the following URL: http://www.escendency.com/onlinesupport/
Figure 3: Escendency online Helpdesk login screen
New users can register an account simply by clicking on the ‘Register’ link on the Helpdesk login screen and following the defaults (figure 4).
Figure 4: Registering as a first time user on the Escendency Helpdesk
On clicking ‘Submit’ if the user has followed the registration
guidelines they will be flagged as submitted to the system and can start using
the system immediately. They will also be sent a confirmation email.
When a user logs onto the Helpdesk they will access the ‘Support Tickets
Manager’ interface (figure 5).
Figure 5: Support Ticket Manager
To create a ticket, clink on the ‘New Ticket’ link (figure 6).
Figure 6: New ticket window
Once all the fields are filled in the ticket submit button can be clicked.
NOTE: The ticket will not be sent to Escendency support unless the subject field
is also filled in. Once the ticket is submitted it will be sent to Escendency
support and logged in the right hand side of the ticket manager window for that
ticket. All correspondence related to the ticket will be visible in this window
(figure 7).
Figure 7: Submitted ticket progress
The Escendency Helpdesk is the first step for users to add enhancement requests and bug fix requests for inclusion in the Escendency roadmap. Tickets that address improvements in the system are entered into Escendency's online, customer accessible, Joint User Development Interface (JUDI) by the Escendency development team enabling customers to be able to track development work as it happens.
JUDI can be browsed and searched by a range of parameters including expected release date, type of request, priority of request, subject, category, status, assigned responsibility and more. that is accessible to all Escendency customers (read only).
JUDI can be accessed from: http://systems.escendency.net/internal/judi/default.aspx.
A username and password is required to logon to the system obtained from Escendency support.
Figure 8: Example of a list of JUDI entries
Figure 9: Example of a JUDI entry in detail.
Where resolution of an issue cannot be completed using the Escendency Helpdesk
ticketing system then Escendency support can be contacted by telephone. It is
suggested that customers use the ticketing system to schedule a block of time
for telephone support so that Escendency technical staff can give them undivided
attention.
If an issue requires immediate attention, customers are provided with a hotline
number that can be used in and out of regular office hours and days.