Problem Status Dialog Box


Overview

Tasks

Problem Status Dialog Box Tabs

Included with

Tivoli Problem Management

Overview

Problem Status dialog box

After a call is registered or dispatched, all work with problems is done in the Problem Status dialog box. Using the Problem Status dialog box, you can resume work on a problem or view a problem history.

Viewing a problem history and resuming work on a problem are different processes. Because they occur in the same location, the same information is present in the Problem Status dialog box. You have different functions available, however depending on what you are doing.

The Problem Status dialog box organizes and presents one complete problem history. You can also view selected details for a set of problem histories in the Work with Problems dialog box.

You can make changes and additions to a problem history in the Problem Status dialog box. You can update the problem description or change the component information. You can also add, change or delete work history information.

Some types of information in the Problem Status dialog box are permanent and unalterable. The audit trail records all actions taken to resolve a problem and all work history (even parts that were later deleted). You cannot delete anything in the audit trail. Nor can you change information related to the initial call: caller and location, for example.

There are several different reasons you might use the Problem Status dialog box.

  • Resuming work on a problem - resuming work on a problem occurs when you want to resolve the problem by activating a solution. The Diagnostic Aids are available in the Problem Status dialog box only when you have resumed working on a problem. You can modify the Problem Status dialog box boxes that describe the problem, if necessary, in order to locate the most appropriate solution.
  • Viewing a Problem History - viewing a problem history occurs when you want to examine problem history information, but not add to or change any of it.
  • Printing a Problem History - printing a problem history enables you to have printed copies of a selected problem history or a set of problem histories. You can easily print them from the Problem Status dialog box.
  • Adding Work History - adding work history notes is your choice when you resume work on a problem. Work history records the time you spent working offline on a problem. When you resume a problem and add work history, you can add this time spent offline to the total time spent working on the problem.

The Problem Status dialog box organizes and presents a complete problem history. Each tab in the Problem Status dialog box presents one facet of a problem history. The following sections describe the contents of each of these tabs.

Note: The buttons available on each tab of the Problem Status dialog box vary according to whether you are viewing or resuming a problem.


Tasks

Accessing the Problem Status dialog box

To access the Problem Status dialog box, do one of the following:

Problem Status Dialog Box Tabs

Problem tab The Problem tab includes boxes relating to the problem description and current status. You can change the values of these boxes. It also contains boxes that automatically track the time spent working on this problem; you can not change these values.

This table describes the information available on the Problem tab.

Box Description
Close Date
Close Time
Date and time the problem was resolved; values are automatically recorded by Tivoli Problem Management when you select Done in the Problem Status dialog box or in the Call Registration dialog box.
Component Component affected by the problem.
Item Item affected by the problem.
Module Module affected by the problem.
Open Date
Open Time
Date and time the problem was recorded in Tivoli Problem Management.
Problem Code Problem code assigned to the problem.
Problem ID Unique, system-generated number that identifies this problem history.
Problem Type Problem type code assigned to the problem.
Severity Problem severity code.
Status Free-form text field indicating the current status of the problem. Activating a solution from a Diagnostic Aid updates this field with the details of the solution.
System System affected by the problem.
Time Spent How much time has been spent on the problem up to now.
User Analyst currently responsible for solving the problem. This may be the person who originally took the call or it may be the person to whom the problem/call was transferred.
Calls tab The Calls tab includes a list of all calls relating to this problem. Select any one of these calls to review the call history in the boxes on the lower half of this tab. (You cannot change information in any of these boxes.)

The top half of the Calls tab displays a table of calls received about this problem. The bottom half of the Calls tab displays important details about the selected call. Selecting another call in the call table changes the information displayed in the call details section.

Note: For information on the Work with Call History dialog box, see the Work with Call History dialog.

The top half of the Calls tab contains much of the same information as the Work with Call History dialog box and adds a few columns. The table describes the information available on the Calls tab.

Name Description
Call Begin
Date
Call Begin
Time
Call Begin Date and Time are automatically recorded when you specify a location or caller in Call Registration or Call Registration Dispatch.
Call End Date
Call End Time
Call End Date and Time are automatically recorded when you select Done in Call Registration or Call Registration Dispatch.
Call ID A unique identifier for the call record in Tivoli Problem Management.
Caller ID Identification number of the caller, as specified in the Call Registration or the Call Registration Dispatch dialog box.
Caller Name Name of the caller.
Caller Phone Telephone number of the caller, as specified in the Call Registration or the Call Registration Dispatch dialog box.
Contact Name of the person who called.
Date Date when the call was recorded in Tivoli Problem Management.
Description Description of the problem associated with the call, as specified in the Call Registration, Call Registration Dispatch, or Attach Call dialog boxes.
Entries Number of calls about the problem.
Location Name of the location where the problem occurred.
Location ID Location ID associated with the call history record.
Phone Telephone number of the person who called.
Problem Type Problem type, as specified in the Call Registration or the Call Registration Dispatch dialog box.
Session Number of sessions that have occurred in the process of trying to solve the problem associated with the call.
Severity Severity code assigned to the call in the Call Registration or Call Registration Dispatch dialog box.
Status Current status of the call.
Time Time when the call was recorded in Tivoli Problem Management.
User or User ID ID of the help desk analyst who initially took the call.

Work History tab

Work history is a record of the time spent and actions taken offline, outside Tivoli Problem Management, to solve the problem. This may include notes from additional research, discussions with vendors or other support staff, and other sources of information.

Note: For many problems, there may not be any work history. If no work was done offline, or the offline work was not recorded, then the Work History tab will be empty.

This information is important because other analysts may use it later to solve similar problems, and because the diagnostics specialist (or knowledge engineer) may use this information to build additional HyperTrees or to add solutions to other diagnostic aids.

The work history for a problem stays in Tivoli Problem Management for as long as the problem is kept on the server. When the problem is archived, its associated work history is also archived.

Tip: Update the work history for a problem frequently: doing so is useful to the system administrator who may later create HyperTrees or add solutions to other diagnostic aids, based on the past experiences with a specific type of problem.

The table describes the information available on the Work History tab.

Name Description
Start Date
Start Time
Date and time when the work in the currently selected Work History began. If the Work History List is empty, these boxes display the current date and time when you first access this tab.
You can change the begin date and time. You must use military time (a 24-hour clock).
Description Description of the work performed, along with any results or additional information necessary to make this a complete record of the work done.
End Date
End Time
Date and time when the work documented in the currently selected work history record was completed. If the work history list is empty, these boxes display the current date and time when you first access this tab.
You can change the end date and time. You must use military time (a 24-hour clock).
Entries Number of work histories displayed.
Modify Code indicating the date and time the work history was added or last changed.
Problem ID Identification number of the problem to which the work history record is related. You cannot change this number.
User ID Analyst who added the work history.
Work ID Automatically generated number that identifies the work history.

Audit Trail tab

The audit trail is a detailed list of work performed on a problem. The audit trail is updated automatically whenever work is done on a problem. The types of work recorded in the audit trail are:
  • Work that help desk analysts perform while using Tivoli Problem Management
  • Work that help desk analysts perform off-line, while not using Tivoli Problem Management (in other words, Work History).

Note: The information contained in the work history also appears in the audit trail.

The audit trail for a problem consists of records that represent separate actions that occurred (either a system-generated action or an action that a help desk analyst initiated).

Whenever help desk analysts perform work on a problem, Tivoli Problem Management automatically adds a record that describes the work to the audit trail for the problem. Tivoli Problem Management creates audit trail records for activities such as:

  • Adding work history
  • Freezing a problem
  • Resuming a problem
  • Solving a problem
  • Transferring a problem

Thus, the activities of your help desk are recorded accurately. Audit trails are especially important when problems are transferred from one help desk analyst to another. By reviewing the audit trail, the second help desk analyst can avoid wasted effort:

  • Asking the caller the same questions all over again
  • Repeating problem-solving steps that other help desk analysts have already taken

The table describes the information available on the Audit tab.

Name Description
Entry Complete description of the activity which occurred.
Entry Date or Date Date when this audit trail record was created.
Entry Time or Time Time when the audit trail record was created. Shown in military time (a 24-hour clock).
Entry Type or Type Short description of the type of activity which resulted in the creation of this audit trail record. For example: New Problem, Problem Resumed by, and Quick Solution.
Entry Value or Value Additional information about the state of the problem at the time the audit trail record was generated.
ID This is the unique number which identifies the audit trail entry in Tivoli Problem Management.
Problem ID Unique number that identifies the problem for which the audit trail record is created.
User or User ID ID of the user who was working with the problem at the time the audit trail record was created.