Prerequisites

When setting up the KACE SMA HelpDesk module, several elements need to be configured to ensure optimal ticket management. Here is how to proceed:

  • An SMTP server (anonymous if you have Exchange)
  • A POP3 server
  • An email address for communication with users

Emails will be read using POP3. A specific email address for KACE is necessary; otherwise, KACE will create a mail item for every email in the mailbox and delete all emails.

Mail Configuration

POP3 and SMTP will be used to send emails to users, who can then respond to these emails to update their tickets.

Activating POP3

  • Activate POP3 in the network settings (from the control panel), and then restart.
Activating POP3 settings

In most cases, there will be a single queue. Categories will be used to differentiate services (Developer, Proximity, Administrator, etc.).

POP3 and SMTP Configuration

  • In “Service Desk” select “Configuration”.
Menu Configuration
  • Configure the queue with the information for POP3 and SMTP.

From now on, your users can:

  • Create a ticket by logging onto the KACE portal (http://K1000).
  • Send an email to Support (or whichever email address you have selected).
  • And call support.

Categories

Overview

Primary Ticket Categorization

Categories will allow for the classification of tickets, and can be configured so that based on the category, the ticket is automatically assigned to the correct support group.

Creating Categories

  • Here is an example of category creation that we will configure in this tutorial:
    • Account – Creation => Admin Support
    • Account – Password Issue => Level 1
    • Application – Business => Business Support
    • Application – Office Software => Level 1
    • Printer – Toner => Proximity
    • Printer – Replacement => Proximity
  • We will then create the categories.
  • In the queue configuration, select “Customize these values”.
Category Customization
  • To create subcategories use (colon colon):
  • Continuing with the example:
    • Account::Creation
    • Account::Password Issue
    • Application::Business
    • Application::Office Software
    • Printer::Toner
    • Printer::Replacement

Tip: For subcategories, create a first category called “Select…” to prompt users to make a choice.

Support Groups

Definition

  • Owner => The person who resolves the incident
  • Issuer => The person who has the problem

The goal is to automatically assign tickets to support personnel based on their categories.

Creating Groups

I will continue with my example, for which I will need the following groups (with the members of my support team):

  • Admin Support
    • Luke Sky
    • David Miel
  • Level 1
    • Arnold Swa
    • Luc Legrand
  • Business Support
    • Marcel Lepetit
    • R2D2
  • Proximity
    • Damien Rome
    • Herve Paff

Creating Groups

We will create a user in KACE for each group with “No Access”.

  • Admin Support
  • Level 1
  • Business Support
  • Proximity

Each group (user without access in KACE) will correspond to an email ALIAS (to be configured on your mail server).

User with No Access

Labels

Creating Labels

We will create a label for each group. The group and its members will be applied to this label.

Example:

Label_SupportAdmin

  • Admin Support
  • Luke Sky
  • David Miel

Label_Level1

  • Level 1
  • Arnold Swa
  • Luc Legrand

Label_BusinessSupport

  • Business Support
  • Marcel Lepetit
  • R2D2

Label_Proximity

  • Proximity
  • Damien Rome
  • Herve Paff
Label Configuration

Creating the Global Label

We will then create a label for all support personnel for our queue.

Label_Queue

  • Admin Support
  • Luke Sky
  • David Miel
  • Level 1
  • Arnold Swa
  • Luc Legrand
  • Business Support
  • Marcel Lepetit
  • R2D2
  • Proximity
  • Damien Rome
  • Herve Paff
All-inclusive Label

Dynamic labels can be made based on groups in the AD.

Global Labels

This label encompasses all IT service personnel and groups.

  • In “Owner’s Label” from the queue configuration, select the global label (Label_Queue).
  • This limits the people who can resolve incidents.
Global Label Configuration

Owners

  • Go back to categories and associate the category with the support level.
Category Associations

The Result

  • When creating a ticket, I can select a category for my ticket which will have the effect of assigning it to the right group.
Ticket Creation Result
  • And support can filter incidents by their group.

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