Maintaining Common Problems


Overview

Tasks

Included with

Tivoli Problem Management

Overview

What are Common Problems?

The Common Problems Diagnostic Aid enables help desk analysts to find solutions to frequently occurring problems, such as:
  • How do I program an AutoDial number on my telephone?
  • How do I replace the toner cartridge in my printer?

How are Common Problems records located?

When a help desk analyst uses the Common Problems Diagnostic Aid, Tivoli Problem Management uses the following information to find possible Common Problems records:
  • Component information
  • Location
  • Problem type

Your Common Problems database

To plan an effective list of Common Problems records, you should:
  • Review the problem and solution descriptions in your Tivoli Problem Management database
  • Consolidate similar records
  • Determine which records should be Common Problems records
  • Organize the Common Problems records into hierarchical groups

Your Common Problems records

You create an organizational hierarchy of Common Problems records by grouping individual Common Problems records into a hierarchy. Grouping enables help desk analysts to find Common Problems records quickly.

There are two types of Common Problems records:

  • Group records label logically organized groups of Common Problems records. Group records are nested to create the hierarchy. A group record cannot be activated by a help desk analyst as a solution for a problem.
  • Individual records are Common Problems records that can either stand alone or be associated with a group. Individual records can be included in a list of group records, but cannot have other Common Problems attached to them. An individual record can be activated by a help desk analyst as a solution for a problem.

Work with Common Problem dialog box

This dialog box enables users to search, modify, add, and view Common Problems records.

To access the Work with Common Problem dialog box, do one of the following:

  • If you are using the Problem Management Administrator profile or the Problem Management Analyst profile, from the Diagnostics menu, choose Common Problems.
  • If you are using the Tivoli Service Desk Administrator profile or the Tivoli Service Desk User profile, from the Problem Mgmt Diagnostics menus, choose Common Problems.
  • From the Help menu, choose Your System Profile and follow the instructions under Work with Common Problems.

Add Common Problem dialog box

The Add Common Problem dialog box enables users to:
  • Add group and individual common problem records.
  • Add information to present common problem records.

To access the Add Common Problem dialog box:

The dialog box has these tabs:

Tab Function/Fields
General tab The General tab enables users to add the Title, System, Component, Item, Module, Problem Type, Severity, Description, Organization, Problem ID, Location, and Solution.
Advanced tab This tab is used to:
  • Specify group or individual problem.
  • Associate a common problems record with a common problems group.
  • Enter maintenance information.

The Advanced tab primarily contains Node ID, Date Added, Time Added, Adding User, Diagnostic Aid Type (Individual or Groups), Parent, Action, and Hyper Tree Node.

Please Select a Common Problem dialog box

This dialog box enables users to associate a common problems record with a common problems group.

To access the Please Select a Common Problem dialog box:

  • In the Add Common Problem dialog box, under the Advanced tab, choose the Parent Browse button.

    Result: The Please Select a Common Problem dialog box appears.

Edit Common Problem dialog box

This dialog box enables users to modify both group and individual Common Problems records.

To access the Edit Common Problem dialog box:

View Common Problem dialog box

To access the View Common Problem dialog box:

Tasks

Inquiring about Common Problems records

You can review, edit, and delete individual Common Problems records. To find a specific Common Problems record, you use the Common Problem Inquiry dialog box to perform an inquiry.

To inquire about a Common Problems record:

  1. In the Work with Common Problem dialog box, choose Inquiry.
  2. In the Common Problem Inquiry dialog box, type data in any of the boxes to specify the search criteria for the Common Problems record that you want to find.
  3. Choose OK, and the Work with Common Problem dialog box appears with the list of matching records.

For information on using Inquiry dialog boxes, see Searching and Inquiring.

Adding group Common Problems records

Because group records are essentially labels that enable the user to move further into the hierarchy, you do not have to add as much information as you do for an individual record, which can be used to solve a problem.

To add a group Common Problems record:

  1. In the Work with Common Problem dialog box, choose Add.
  2. In the Title box of the Add Common Problem dialog box, type a title for the group Common Problems record.
    Note: Several of the boxes appear to be required, however when you specify on the Advanced tab that this is a group Common Problems record, the required field indicators will go away for most of the boxes on the General tab.
  3. In the Description box, type a description of the group.
  4. Choose the Advanced tab.
  5. Under Common Problem Type, select Group.
  6. Choose OK.

For instructions about how to add, update, and delete hypermedia links, see Hypermedia Links.

Adding individual Common Problems records

You can add an individual Common Problems record.

To add an individual Common Problems record:

  1. In the Work with Common Problem dialog box, double-click group Common Problems records until you see the Common Problem List where you want to add the individual record.
    Note: There is no obvious indicator to differentiate group records from individual records, but you can normally tell by reading the title and description of a Common Problems record whether it is a group or individual record. For example, the description "World Wide Web Problems" indicates a group of problems, while the description "IP Address is Missing" indicates an individual problem.
  2. Choose Add.
  3. In the Title box of the Add Common Problem dialog box, type the title of the Common Problem record.
  4. From the System, Component, Item, and Module lists, select the appropriate component information.
    Note: If you are adding an individual record as a child of a group record, the component information from the group record already appears in these boxes.
    The more SCIM hierarchy information you specify, the less the help desk analyst will need to specify to find this Common Problem.
  5. From the Problem Type list, select a problem type.
    If you leave the Problem Type box blank, you are indicating that this Common Problems record applies to all problem types.
  6. From the Severity list, select a severity.
  7. In the Description box, type a description of the problem.
    Be sure to include symptoms or adjectives describing the problem and make sure those words are in your Adaptive Learning Thesaurus.
  8. Do one of the following:
    • In the Organization box, type the exact name of the organization associated with this Common Problems record.
      Note: If you type an invalid organization name in the Organization box, no organization is associated with this Common Problems record.
    • Choose the Organization button beside the Organization box. In the Organization dialog box, select a organization, then choose Select. The Add Common Problem dialog box appears with the selected organization in the Organization box.
  9. Do one of the following:
    • In the Problem ID box, type the exact name of the problem ID associated with this Common Problems record.
      Note: If you type an invalid problem ID name in the Problem ID box, no Problem ID is associated with this Common Problems record.
    • Choose the Work with Problems button beside the Problem ID box. In the Work with Problems dialog box, select a problem ID, then choose Select. The Add Common Problem dialog box appears with the selected problem ID in the Problem ID box.
  10. Do one of the following:
    • In the Location box, type the exact name of the location associated with this Common Problems record.
      Note: If you type an invalid location name in the Location box, no location is associated with this Common Problems record.
    • Choose the Browse button beside the Location box. In the Location dialog box, select a Location, then choose Select. The Add Common Problem dialog box appears with the selected Location in the Location box.
  11. In the Solution box, type a description of the solution.
    Be sure to include the steps required to solve the problem, then choose the Advanced tab.
  12. In the Advanced tab under Common Problem Type, select Individual.
  13. If you want to associate this Common Problems record with a Common Problems group, choose the Parent Browse button.
  14. In the Please select a Common Problem dialog box, select a group title, then choose Select.
  15. To specify a TSD Script or external program to run when a help desk analyst activates this Common Problems record as a solution, type the command for that program in the Action box.
  16. The syntax for an TSD Script program is either:

    • module:procedure ()
    • or

    • module:function()

    For example:

      INCIDENT:QUICKSOLUTION ()

    The syntax for an external command is:

      D:\directory\filename.ext

    For example:

      WINHELP.EXE HELPFILE.HLP

    Note: When specifying actions, you cannot use commands that call for arguments. For executable and command programs, you must include the extension (such as .exe, .com, .cmd, and so on).

  17. To display a HyperTree node when a help desk analyst activates this Common Problems record, do one of the following:
    • Type the node ID in the HyperTree Node box. Continue with step 17.
    • Choose the Browse button beside the HyperTree Node box. The Pick Diagnostics Node dialog box appears. Select a node, then choose Select.
    • Note: When you specify a HyperTree Node, the description of the node overrides any text you typed in the Solution box on the General tab.

  18. Choose OK.
  19. When the Advanced tab appears, choose OK.
Adding individual Common Problems records from Solutions You can create an individual Common Problems record from a Solutions record that is already in the database.

To create a Common Problems record from a Solutions record:

  1. In the Work with Common Problem dialog box, double-click group Common Problems until you see the Common Problem List where you want to add the individual record from a Solutions record.
  2. Choose Add.
  3. In the Title box of the Add Common Problem dialog box, type a title for the Common Problem.
  4. Choose Find Solution.
  5. In the Solutions Inquiry dialog box, specify any search criteria for the Solutions records you want to display.
  6. Choose OK.
  7. From the Solution List in the Work with Solution dialog box, select the Solutions record for which you want to create a Common Problem.
  8. Choose Select.
  9. In the Add Common Problem dialog box, add any additional information to the record, then choose OK

Navigating Common Problems record hierarchies

You can move up and down within the hierarchy of Common Problems records. In the Work with Common Problem dialog box, there is no visual distinction between individual and group records unless you used a special convention for record titles or descriptions.

To move down the hierarchy:

  1. In the Work with Common Problem dialog box, select a group title from the Common Problem List.
  2. Choose Activate.

To move up the hierarchy:

  1. From the Work with Common Problem dialog box, select a Common Problems record.
  2. Choose Backup.

Viewing Common Problems records

You can easily retrieve and view any Common Problems record. In view mode, however, you cannot make any changes to the record.

To view a Common Problems record:

  1. In the Work with Common Problem dialog box, select a Common Problems record from the Common Problem List.
  2. Choose Activate until the Common Problems record that you want to view is listed in the Work with Common Problem dialog box.
  3. Select the Common Problems record that you want to view.
  4. Choose View.

Editing a group Common Problems record

You can edit both group and individual Common Problems records. The following procedure explains how to edit a group Common Problem record.

To edit a group Common Problems record:

  1. In the Work with Common Problem dialog box, select a Common Problems record from the Common Problem List.
  2. Choose Activate until the Common Problems record that you want to edit is listed in the Common Problem List.
  3. Select the Common Problems group record that you want to edit.
  4. Choose Edit.
  5. In the Edit Common Problem dialog box, edit the Common Problems record. The boxes and options in the Edit Common Problem dialog box are identical to those provided in the Add Common Problem dialog box
  6. Note: The following information on the Advanced tab is saved with each record for historical purposes and cannot be edited:

    • Node ID
    • Date added
    • Time added
  7. Choose OK.

For instructions on adding, updating, and deleting hypermedia links, see Hypermedia Links.

Editing an individual Common Problems record

You can edit both group and individual Common Problems records. The following procedure explains how to edit an individual Common Problem record.

To edit an individual Common Problems record:

  1. In the Work with Common Problem dialog box, select a Common Problems record from the Common Problem List.
  2. Choose Activate until the Common Problems record that you want to edit is listed in the Common Problem List.
  3. Select the Common Problems record that you want to edit.
  4. Choose Edit.
  5. In the Edit Common Problem dialog box, edit the Common Problems record. The boxes and options in the Edit Common Problem dialog box are identical to those provided in the Add Common Problem dialog box, which are described earlier in this chapter.
  6. Note: The following information on the Advanced tab is saved with each record for historical purposes and cannot be edited:

    • Node ID
    • Date added
    • Time added
    • Adding user
  7. Choose OK.

For instructions on adding, updating, and deleting hypermedia links, see Hypermedia Links.

Deleting Common Problems records

When you delete a Common Problems group record, you also delete all individual Common Problems records in that group.
You cannot delete a Common Problems record that has been used to solve a problem.

To delete a Common Problems record:

  1. In the Work with Common Problem dialog box, select a Common Problems record from the Common Problem List.
  2. Choose Activate until the Common Problems record that you want to delete is listed in the Common Problems List.
  3. Select the Common Problems record that you want to delete.
  4. Choose Delete.
    • If the selected Common Problems record is a group record, the following Warning message appears: "There may be nodes that are related to this Diagnostics aid. By deleting you will remove all the nodes. Are you sure you wish to delete this Diagnostic record?"
    • If the selected Common Problems record is an individual record, the following Warning message appears: "Are you sure you wish to delete this Diagnostic record?"
  5. Choose Yes.
    Result: Tivoli Problem Management removes the Common Problems record from the Common Problems List.
  6. Choose Close.

Refreshing the Common Problem list

If you have been working with Common Problems records for some time, and other users are updating the data in your database, you should periodically refresh the Common Problem List in the Work with Common Problem dialog box.

To refresh the list of Common Problems records, in the Work with Common Problem dialog box, choose Refresh. The list is updated to reflect any changes that have been made since you opened it.