Create and Manage Workflow Actions

This article contains the following topics:

As an administrator, you can configure the workflow actions to suit the ticket management process that is specific to your organization. The workflow actions are available in the Workflow group under the Action button on the ticket details workspace.

Considerations

Consider the following points for workflow actions:

• A workflow action is created for a ticket type. A workflow action option can be related to only one ticket type.
• Workflow actions are available in the Actions button on the ticket, under the Workflow group. Workflow actions are available only when the ticket meets the matching conditions.
• A workflow action is available on a ticket, based on matching conditions. 
• If no matching condition is indicated, all tickets match the condition for the workflow action. Therefore, the workflow action is available on the related ticket type at all the stages of the ticket life-cycle.
• A new workflow action is applied only to the tickets that are created after the workflow action option is configured. The existing tickets remain unaffected by the new workflow action.
• Modifications to a workflow action are applicable only for new tickets. Modifications to a workflow action do not affect the existing tickets.
• Permissions govern the access to workflow actions.

• You can change the ticket fields through a workflow action.

• You can use a communication template from a workflow action.
• You can define the required ticket fields for a workflow action.
• You can relate a special function with a workflow action. The function gets automatically triggered when the workflow action is applied to the ticket.
• You can specify multiple values for a field that does not enforce single values from a value list. Separate multiple values by using "|" symbol. The application treats "|" as logical OR. For example, A|B is treated as A or B.
• Use a blank matching condition value field for creating a condition with a NULL value.
• Use the special character % in the matching condition value fields for a LIKE condition.
• Link two or more INCLUDE SQL statements with an OR operator. For example, XXX=a OR YYY=b OR ZZZ=C.
• Link two or more EXCLUDE SQL statements with an AND operator. For example, XXX=A AND YYY=b AND ZZZ=C. Two or more conditions get linked with AND operator when one statement is INCLUDE statement and other is EXCLUDE statement.

Prerequisites

Verify the following prerequisites:

• The roles, support groups, and contacts must be configured so that permissions can be assigned.
• The communication templates must be configured to send notifications through the workflow action.
• The custom fields must be configured so that a custom field can be used in matching condition or as a required field.

Special Functions

You can configure Special Functions to initiate automated actions when an action is applied to the ticket. Execution of the action option automatically triggers the action that is associated with the special function. For example, select the Assign Ticket to Group special function for a workflow action ABC and select the desired support group. The ticket is automatically assigned to the selected support group after the workflow action ABC is applied on the ticket.

Some special functions have dependent fields on the form that are activated only when you select the related special function. For example, the Available Groups list gets activated when you select the Assign Ticket to Group special function. Similarly, the field Tasks for Auto Creation is enabled when you select the Auto Create Tasks special function.

The drop-down list that is associated with the Special Function field displays a list of automated actions. The automated actions can be applied to the ticket when the workflow action is executed. Some special function options allow you to create child tickets from an open ticket when the action is executed, and set assignment of the ticket. 

• The special function Check for Open Tasks allows you to set an action. You can apply the action when a global issue is being resolved. The Check for Open Tasks action ensures that child task tickets that are related to global issue are closed. The child task tickets are closed before the global issue that is related parent ticket is closed.
• The special function of Auto-Create Tasks allows automatic creation of task tickets when the associated action option is executed. The Auto-Create Tasks action eliminates the need to create task tickets manually when the ticket reaches the appropriate stage or condition.

You can use special function for a workflow action where you want the workflow action to execute another associated action. Special function is not a required field, and can be used when the workflow action merits its inclusion. You cannot add a new special function to the list. However, new special functions get added to the list to accommodate enhanced functionality that is related to workflow action options.

Set Fields 

Workflow actions and auto-routes can be configured to trigger changes in the standard ticket fields and ticket custom fields. When a ticket is subjected to an auto-route or a workflow action, the values in ticket fields get updated automatically.

You can define set field values from the set fields tab of the workflow action or auto-route record. The tab displays a table where one column allows you to select the field to be set, and the other column allows you set the corresponding field value.

You can modify the set field values, or add or remove fields from the set fields list. The changes get applied the next time the action option is used on a ticket. Older records do not get impacted by any changes made in the set fields tab.

The following table describes the available ticket status:

Note: These statuses are fixed and cannot be modified for an organization. The progression of the request through these different statuses is controlled by the workflow that is defined by the administrator. It is not necessary for a ticket to move through each status in a sequence. The movement of the ticket from one Status to another is controlled through the current status of the ticket and its current state in the workflow.

Create Workflow Actions

Follow these steps:

1. Create Workflow Template: Navigate to MANAGE> ADMINISTRATION> Tools> Workflow Actions and click Create New.
2. Fill in the details and click Apply Changes.
   Note: The tabs to configure the workflow action appear when you click Apply Changes. You can use the Web Service Operation list to link the application to third-party systems in such a way that selection of a particular workflow action invokes the selected web service call in the third-party application. For example, selecting a workflow in Intelligent Service Management can create a ticket in Service Desk Manager. The Apply Status To Parent Service Request option lets you control the parent ticket through the child ticket. 
3. Create Matching Condition: Construct the matching condition by providing values in the fields. For example, create a workflow action for high priority and high urgency tickets for a particular organization. Enter the Organization details, select the Priority, and Urgency values, and click Apply Changes.
   Note: When you click Apply Changes, the criterion is constructed by applying a logical AND to all the selected conditions. If you specify another condition and click Apply Changes, a logical OR is applied to the second condition.
4. Set Fields: Click the Set Fields tab and specify the fields to set and the field values.
5. Set Required Fields: Click the Required Fields tab and click Add on the fields that you require in the ticket for the current workflow action.
6. Add Communication Template: Click the Communications tab and then click Add Template to add the Communication Template. You can associate multiple communication templates to send out multiple notifications when an action is executed through an action option. The Communication tab lists all the communication templates that are related to the action option.
7. Manage Permissions: Click the Permissions tab, and manage permissions for the workflow action.
8. Click Apply Changes.

Note: The Sort Order of a workflow action controls the order in which the action is displayed in the Actions menu. The order of the matching condition indicates the sequence in which the matching condition gets applied by the system. When a ticket is being checked for matching conditions of an action option, all matching conditions are matched one after another, according to  their order. You can change the order without affecting the result of the execution of the action. If you do not specify an order for the matching condition, it gets the order of 0 by default.

Switch Ticket Status Automatically

You can use the Set Fields tab in a workflow action to configure an automatic ticket status switch over. You can configure the workflow action so that after a specified date, the current status of the ticket is changed to a specified status.

Follow these steps:

1.  Select a workflow action and click the Set Fields tab.
2. Add the Ticket_Status field. Relevant conditional fields are displayed on the right side.
3. Use the Reset Status field to specify the future status.
4. Specify a Reason Code to be displayed after the status changes. For example: Auto Switch.
5. Specify the date when the current status switches over to the value selected in the Reset Status field.

Restrict Workflow Actions

You can restrict workflow actions to specific roles and the owner of the ticket. You can apply such restrictions by limiting the actions to contextual users. When you set restrictions on a workflow action, it is visible to only the user who is not only having permission but also has contextual permission for it. The following roles can be set as contextual users, outside of the regular permissions to the action:

• Assigned Individual - The analyst who owns the ticket. 
•  Assigned Group - The support group which owns the ticket. 
• Manager of Assigned Individual - The manager of the analyst who owns the ticket. 
• Group Lead of Assigned Group - The group leader of the support group which owns the ticket.

Users with contextual permissions can perform the following operations using a workflow action:

• Execute the actions, such as create, update, delete, and search. 
• Update the Matching Conditions and Set Fields that are related to the ticket. 
• Execute workflow actions through web services and outbound calls.

Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to MANAGE> ADMINISTRATION> Tools> Workflow  Actions. 
2. Open the details of a workflow action.
3. Click the Permissions tab.
   
4. Click the arrow button next to the Limit to field, select the type of roles from the Contextual Users pop up, and click Select.
5. Click Apply Changes.

The workflow action is now available to the assigned contextual users.