The catalog

The Request Management application is based on the concept of a catalog. A catalog, a list of parts and services, is a file that contains all of the items that a requester might want to order. This includes request categories, master categories, and line items such as a new phone, move/add/change of a PC, and a new logon ID.

The Catalog contains all the items that users can request, including request category packages, such as Employee Office Move or whether they directly request to add something to their order at a later time.

Catalog line items require detailed definitions, such as specific model numbers, prices, and delivery lead times. Other items that can be tracked include descriptions, vendors/suppliers, and approval requirements. The Request Management system is only as detailed as the Catalog entries. If it is necessary for items like cable drops, labor related items, and training to be part of a quote, they must be defined in the Catalog.

A feature of the Catalog is the ability to group items in frequently ordered bundles. For example, a common desktop workstation is identified as a 3 GHz Pentium with a 120GB hard drive, 23” monitor, 52X CD-ROM, and 2GB RAM. The requester could then just order a Standard Workstation rather than the individual components. You can also give the requester the option of changing components or ordering an individual component. This is true of services as well. A New Employee Office request may consist of a new phone connection, a LAN drop, a standard workstation, and a telephone.

Related topics

Catalog operations
Catalog view
Categories
Master catalog
Master catalog sections
Structure of the catalog