Handle User Requests for Information

Part of Workflow(s):
Applies to User Roles:

If an incident assigned to you is a request for information (an RFI), you can search the knowledgebase to discover if an existing knowledge record addresses the user's request. You can search by using plain language queries and find related searches. Your search can yield four types of knowledgebase results:

  • Hot news entries: Very recent information regarding server outages or other infrastructure failures. Hot news can also include solutions to a new incident or problem.
  • Common problems: Solutions to problems that are identified as common or routine.
  • Error messages: Problems that generate specific error messages.
  • IR query: Thesaurus-based weighted key word matching algorithm that learns through usage. For example, two separate queries containing the words screen and terminal will return the same results.

Note: For information about performing an advanced search or about documenting a resolution or workaround, see the related topics.

To search the knowledgebase:

  1. Click Knowledge Management > Search Knowledgebase. The Search Knowledge Records form opens.
  2. To perform a basic search, enter the word or phrase you want to search for in the Search for field, and then click Search. If the search yields results, a list of knowledge entries opens. If the search does not yield results, a message appears that states that 0 documents were found.
  3. Continue to process the incident.
    1. Open the Activities section.
    2. Select the Activity Type and then click Filter to generate a record list of activity types.
    3. Check the Visible to Customer? field to make the information available to the user.
    4. Add other necessary information and notes in the Update field.
  4. Reassign the incident according to the incident resolution and recovery process.
  5. Click Save & Exit.

Change Incident Status to Pending User Information
Change Incident Status to Pending Vendor Investigation
Document an Existing Solution or Workaround in an Incident
Reject an Incident
Example: Search for a record

Incident Investigation and Diagnosis (SO2.3)