Working with the Support catalog

Service Manager self-service users can request support items only through the Service Request Catalog. Users can only request generic support tickets from the Enterprise Self Service (ESS) portal (via the “Submit a Request” selection). The Service Manager administrator must configure the support categories and category items that the user selects in the Service Request Catalog interface.

For an introduction to this process, you can begin by starting a Service Manager Windows client session and expand the left navigation pane. Follow the Example suggestions to create a sample category and item. Your actual Service Catalog and item configuration are dependent on your particular organization's requirements.

For more information, see the Service Catalog section of the Service Manager Help system.

Search for a support catalog category or item

To search for a support catalog category or item, follow these steps:

1. Click Service Catalog > Administration > Manage Items.
2. Type any available information into the appropriate fields.
3. Click the Support Item checkbox to narrow the search scope.
4. Click Search. Service Manager displays a list of all support categories and items in the catalog.

Create a support catalog category

To create Support Catalog categories that contain only sub-categories and items that are related to support, follow these steps:

1. Click Service Catalog > Administration > Manage Items.
2. Click Add New Category. Service Manager displays a wizard that prompts you for the information about a new category.

3. Type a name in the Category Name field.

   Example: Type PCHelp.

4. Type a name in the Display Name field that appears in the interface as a category that you can search for items.

   Example: Type PC Help.

5. Type a description in the Description field for the new category.

   Example: Type This is a new category.

6. Click Next.

7. Make the new category a Top Level category, or you can click the drop-down list to make it a Subcategory of a selected Top Level category.

   Example: Choose Top Level.

8. Specify whether the new category should contain Subcategories, or Items and/or Bundles. Support categories can contain only items, not bundles.

   Example: Choose Items and/or Bundles to allow support items to be added to the category.

9. Click Next.
10. When Service Manager displays a message that it added a new Service Catalog category, click OK. Service Manager displays the Category Definition interface where you can refine the category by choosing an Owner or even attaching an image.
11. To create a Support category, select the Non-cart category checkbox.
12. Select the Support category checkbox.
13. Click the Access tab.
14. Click the first empty row in the Available to table.

15. Select the Service Catalog group capability word that you want to associate with this new category.

    Example: svcCatEmployeeRequester.

16. Add as many capability word groups to the list as necessary.
17. Click Save.

Create a support item

You can create individual support items for the Support Catalog, but you cannot create bundles or packages of support items. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Service Catalog > Administration > Manage Items.
2. Click Add New Support Item. Service Manager displays a wizard that prompts you for the information about a new item.

3. Type a name in the Item Name field.

   Example: Type Repair Software.

4. Select t Restrict request to a single item in the checkbox. Support catalog items should be ordered only once.

5. Type a name in the Display Name field that appears in the interface as a selectable item.

   Example: Type Repair Software.

6. Optional. Select the checkbox for an Information-only item if the item is to be read-only in the catalog and not to be requested.

   Example: A temporarily unavailable item might appear in the catalog but not be selectable. Information-only items can also be instructions that appear in the catalog with an image, description, or even attachments, but they do not have an associated price and they cannot be requested.

7. Type a brief description in the Descriptionfield for the new item.

   Example: Type Repair email software.

8. Type a description in the Detailed Descriptionfield.

   Example: Type Reinstall or upgrade.

9. Type the cost in the Cost field.

   Example: Type 100.

   Tip For support items, you may need to gather labor and material costs to accurately reflect the true cost of the support item.

10. Select the Currency unit from the drop-down list.

    Example: Use the default currency that appears.

11. Click Next.
12. Click the lookup icon to display available categories.
13. Choose a Category from the list to specify what type of record Service Manager should create when a user selects this item. Choose:
    • Complaint
    • Incident
    • Request for change
    • Request for information

    Example: Choose Request for change.

14. Select a category Subarea:
    • New service
    • Upgrade/new release 

    Example: Choose Upgrade/new release.

    Service Manager displays the New Support Catalog Item wizard.

15. If necessary, change the Category, Area, or Subarea values. Click Next.

16. Choose a connector from the Connector drop-down list. The connector is the type of record that Service Manager creates. If you do not select a connector, Service Manager creates a new interaction with the Category, Area, and Subarea values that you specified for this Support Catalog item.

    Example: Leave this blank.

17. Choose a category from theCategory drop-down list.

    Example: Choose Applications.

18. Click Next.
19. When Service Manager displays a message that it added a new Service Catalog item, click OK.
20. Service Manager displays the Catalog Item Definition interface where you can add more information about the item, add an attachment or an image.
21. If you make changes, click Save

Delete a support item

1. Click Service Catalog > Administration > Manage Items.
2. Type any available information into the appropriate fields.
3. Click the Support Item checkbox to narrow the search scope.
4. Click Search. Service Manager displays a list of all categories and items in the catalog.

5. Browse the list to find the category or item that you want to delete.

   Example: Repair software

6. Click Delete.