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ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. Introduction and Overview ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ HODstar Supporter provides a unique call tracking platform for your help desk staff. This platform not only provides call tracking but also the ability to model and document your networks. The call tracking features include automatic queue updates and call alarming. Your help desk staff start and watch multiple queues tracking any variety of call status and types. You control how often these queues automatically refresh themselves, or you can refresh them manually. You also can define the call types assigned to calls, and what triggers an alarm call requiring immediate attention. Other settings you control include call search keys, support groups, and support staff. HODstar Supporter includes the HODstar Monitor product. Help desk staff can immediately pull up a customer's network profile as they take the call. For example if a customer reports a printer problem, then you can immediately identify what printer that user has assigned and more importantly quickly determine if that problem will affect other customers using that same network resource. If a server goes down or a server loses any of its resources, you know at a glance who is affected and what other resources are managed by that downed server. HODstar Supporter/Monitor is network independent. It does not require a network to be installed or active on your machine. Nor does it require a special network to support your users. Any kind of network can be modeled using the Monitor facility. HODstar Monitor is intended primarily to be used as a reference tool. Your network administrators will decide how to model your network, and they decide what information to put in the HODstar Database. They also may be responsible for making sure the information in your database stays current, or they may provide that information to the help desk staff for database maintenance. Like all HODstar products HODstar Supporter is user friendly and designed to be easy to use: o Anytime a field is modified the field is highlighted in red and the window title changed so that users remember to save their changes. o Information is organized into logical 'pages' in a notebook to give a folder or book-like feel. o All features are accessible using either the keyboard or the mouse. Mouse options can be accessed from a menu line or using popup menus. o Drag-and-drop permits you to easily assign relationships between call and network objects, and list buttons may be used also. o HODstar Supporter runs from either the OS/2 Desktop or from the command-line. This Tutorial covers configuring Supporter, working with calls, queues, and reports, as well as some advanced topics like batch loading and database optimization. The Supporter Tutorial assumes that you have completed the Monitor Tutorial and will use names defined in the Monitor Tutorial as examples for Supporter. The following topics are covered in the Tutorial: o Introduction to Supporter Tutorial o Working with Queues o Working with Calls o Working with Events o Working with Reports Additionally there are the following Advanced topics - o Changing User Security o Export/Import o Managing Logged-on Users o Centralized Database o Related HODstar Products As you go through this Tutorial, the next and previous lesson will be highlighted. If you need to go back to the previous lesson, just select Previous Lesson. If you are comfortable that you have finished the lesson, select Next Lesson. Click on Begin Tutorial - Configuration to start. Remember that on-line help is always available when using Supporter. Just select HELP->Reference or F1 to get additional information about Supporter. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. Chapter 1 - Introduction to the Supporter Tutorial ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ The Supporter Tutorial assumes that you have already completed the Monitor Tutorial. During the Monitor Tutorial, you created the HODstar database and defined network resources like Users, Applications, and Drives. During this chapter, you will add yourself to Supporter as a member of the Help Desk, review the standard Supporter objects, and define the Supporter objects like Calls and Queues for your Help Desk. Consideration: You may already have the HODstar common database on your network! After completing this tutorial contact your system administrator to determine if they are using other HODstar products and, if so, whether you should use their database for day-to-day use. o Next Lesson 1.1 - Logging-On to HODstar Supporter o Lesson 1.2 - Adding Support Personnel o Lesson 1.3 - Supporter Objects o Lesson 1.4 - Defining the standard Support Objects o Previous Section - Introduction and Overview ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.1. Lesson 1.1 - Logging-On to HODstar Supporter ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ The first time Supporter is run you must logon with a user ID of 'HODSUPER' and a password of 'PASSWORD'. 'HODSUPER' is the default HODstar Supervisor ID, created everytime the USER table is rebuilt. Use this ID to create your other supervisor and administrator IDs, then delete the 'HODSUPER' profile to prevent unauthorized access. Each newly created user profile is automatically assigned a password equal to their user ID. The first time that user logs on with that default password they are forced to change the password to something else. You must always logon to Supporter before you can run any other object (with the exception of the Maintenance Panel). If you are not logged-on when you try to run these other objects then you will receive an error message and the Control Panel is automatically started for you. Logon to Supporter by starting the Control Panel object from the HODstar folder, and specifying your user ID and password when prompted. o Previous Lesson - 1.0 Introduction to the Supporter Turorial o Next Lesson - 1.2 Adding Support Personnel ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.2. Lesson 1.2 - Adding Support Personnel ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ During this lesson you will add yourself as a help desk person to the database. Note: The lessons in the Supporter Tutorial assumes that you have completed the Monitor Tutorial and will use the same users and other resources as examples during the lessons. If you have not completed the Monitor Tutorial, now would be a good time to run through it. In most networks, the alias will be the person's LAN userid they use to sign onto the network. Using this convention is best since you can simply ask the user for the logon ID to quickly bring up their complete network profile. 1. Start the 'Users List' object from the HODstar folder. The Users List window will appear. 2. Select the Resources -> Add menu item. The Add new user profile notebook will appear. 3. Fill out the Profile page. Put your network ID as the Alias and enter your name and phone number. 4. Select the level of Support responsibility. Any setting higher than 'Customer' will designate you to Supporter as Help Desk personnel. Customer has the lowest security level, Supervisor the highest. 5. Press the Add button to add the user information to the database. The status line will display "User profile successfully added" when the information has been stored in the database and the window will change to the "alias - Change User Profile". 6. If you would like to add additional information for yourself, fill out the Contact page. As you change or add fields, they are displayed in red so you'll know that you have not yet saved the new information. 7. If you would like to add Assignments for your user profile, go to the Assignments page, add the resources, and then select the Save Changes 8. If the window title says *(unsaved changes)* be sure to press the Change button on the Profile page to save the changes. 9. When done, close the Change User Profile notebook. o Previous Lesson - 1.1 Logging Onto Supporter o Next Section - 1.3 Supporter Objects ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3. Lesson 1.3 - Supporter Objects ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ This section will describe the objects and terms used in Supporter for the Help Desk. Later lessons will take you through creating and working with these objects. o Queues o Calls o Events o Groups o Call Types o Call Keys o Library Calls ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.1. Queues ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Queues provide a way to group and order calls. You may have a queue for all NEW calls that your help desk personnel works on. Another queue may list all unassigned calls and your designated DBA (Database administer) would assign the calls to individual help desk personnel. Depending on how your help desk is run, each help desk person may have their own queue of assigned and working calls or everyone may work from a single queue for a specific product. New queues are created from the Queue List. Supporter provides a set of standard support Queues to serve as examples. As you use Supporter, you will add, delete, and change the queues to more closely model how your Help Desk runs. In this release support staff will activate thei queue monitors from the Queues List. The next release of Supporter will permit users to automatically activate and view their assigned queues when they first logon. o Calls o Previous Lesson - 1.30 Introduction to Support Objects ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.2. Calls ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ A call is a tracking record. The call could be to report a problem, request a work order, or track testing. A call goes through a series of events to describe the current status of the call. Some of the events include NEW, WORKING, TRANSFER, and CLOSED. A call is composed of two parts: a header, and one or more events. The call header identifies the call #, the customer opening the call, and the current status of that call. Call status is changed depending on the last event added. The call header has both a summary and a general description field. Use the summary field to summarize the call as briefly as possible; this summary is what users browsing lists of calls will see. Use the general description field for more detail on the overall call, and to leave messages for other support staff who may handle the call. The general description field is equivalent to the Notes page on all other Profile objects. It will hold up to 3,072 characters (about two-three typed pages). Every call has at least one event, the NEW event created when the call is first opened. Up to 999 events can be added to a call. Events may be added, changed, or viewed but they cannot be deleted. Events show how much time was spent on the call during that event, and also control who the call is assigned to, what queue will track it, and what support group is responsible for the call. The type of call is also set within the latest event. There are two ways to create a call. A call can be created from the Call List or a call can be created from an active queue. There are two types of calls: o Active - An active call is one that was worked or is being worked by the help desk staff. o Library - A library call is a special type of call used for reference. The library item may be in a question and answer format or provide hints and tips. Library calls would be searched when working active calls to see if the problem being reported has already been answered. This area will be more fully enhanced as Supporter adds on more automated call search features. o Events o Queues ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.3. Events ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Events provide a current action for a call. Each call will have at least one event. Events are created from within a call. Your administrator may have added others, but the following types of events are required by Supporter. All are automatically installed everytime the RESOURCE table is rebuilt: o ALARMED - no one has taken a NEW call, or has not updated a call within a specified period of inactivity. Your administrator controls the timeout periods for calls based on their priority and whether the call is new or on-going. ALARMED events are not added consecutively, but all monitoring queues will notify their operators as long as the call status satisfies search requirements. o ASSIGNED - The call has been assigned to a specific Support representative. o CALLIN - Customer called-in to check on the status of their call only. o CALLOUT - The customer was called by the help desk, or another support representative or vendor has been called (beeper, other support) to work/assist with the call. o CLOSED - The call has been completed - the problem was resolved, the work order completed, or the requester cancelled the call. o LIBRARY - The Library event designates that this call will become a library item. There are additional events unique to Library items that will be covered under Library. o NEW - The call has not been assigned to a support representative and no one is currently working the call. Queues configured to monitor NEW call alarms add an ALARMED event if the specified inactivity period elapses. o RESCHEDULE - No action needs to be taken on this call until the time/date specified. This could be used if the user reporting the problem will be unavailable for an extended time or if the support representative is waiting on hardware, fix, or other item to be delivered. Queues configured to monitor for inactive calls add an ALARMED event if the specified inactivity. o TAKEN - A support representative has assigned a call to themself. o TRANSFER - A call is being moved between queues. If the call is on a queue for software and the problem is determined to be hardware, then Transfer would notify the hardware support representatives that they have a new call. o WORKING - Working indicates that a support representative has begun problem determination, begun the work order, or is otherwise working on the call. Typically the event summary details what action is performed or will be performed. o Groups o Calls ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.4. Groups ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Supporter allows you to designate Support Groups. These groups are used to organize various types of help desk staff. Your administrator may have added their own or installed the HODstar default Support Groups. Essentially, any group with the Support flag checked in their profile will appear in Support Group lists. Example Support Groups can be automatically added from the Supporter page of the Maintenance Panel. You can create your own Groups from the Groups List object. o Call Types o Events ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.5. Call Types ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Call Types allow you to indicate from a keyword what type of problem a call is. You can use the default call types provided by HODstar or instead define your own call types to organize your calls. Default Call Types can be manually installed from the Supporter page of the Maintenance Panel. You can add and delete your own call types from the Call Types page. The default Call Types are: o Errors - Hardware - Application - DOS - OS/2 - Network - Windows - other o Install - Hardware - Application - other o Orders - Work - Hardware - Software - Training - other o Questions - Application - Order - Problem - Hardware - Network - Training - other o Call Keys o Groups ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.6. Call Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Call Keys specify keywords for searching calls. Keys are used when researching calls from the Analysis page of any Call Profile notebook. Keys are a very fast and efficient way to search for calls and when used correctly minimize the need for slow fuzzy searching. Default Call Keys can be automatically added from the Supporter page of the Maintenance Panel. None of these keys are required by Supporter and are provided for your convenience. You can add and delete your own call keys from the Call Keys page. o Library Calls o Call Types ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.3.7. Library Calls ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Supporter provides the ability to convert calls to library items. This allows your support personnel to search a database of items for previously reported problems. Library items allow answers from any one person to be available to everyone-increasing thier knowledge and speeding the answer time on calls. A library call is a special type of call used for reference. The library item may be in a question and answer format or provide hints and tips. Library calls would be searched when working active calls to see if the problem being reported has already been answered. In this release library calls are not fully implemented. You can use this facility to manually model your current help desk operations. The next release of Supporter will provide an automated facility to separately manage library calls and to use them for an automated problem solving/research facility. Library items typically have different Events than Active calls: o Approved - The library item has been reviewed and is correct. Anyone can search and use this item. o Expired - The library item has been in the library for a predetermined length of time and needs to be reviewed. If the item contains out of date information it would be updated or deleted from the library. If the information in the item is still current and useful, the item should be re-approved and a new expiration date set. o Pending - A call has recently been upgraded to Library and has not yet been reviewed. o Review - A library item is being reviewed for accuracy. o Next Lesson - 1.4 Installing the default Support Objects o Previous Lesson - 1.36 Call Keys ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2.4. Lesson 1.4 - Installing the default Support Objects ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ In order to get your help desk working quickly, Supporter has already defined some standard support values for Call Types, Queues, Call Keys, and Groups. You can also define your own values, but to get started fast, this lesson will take you through adding the standard support objects. Note: Setting Supporter via the Maintenance panel will add to the database - if you are using a shared database, any changes will be seen by all Help Desk personnel. 1. Start the Maintenance Panel object from the HODstar folder. This will display the Database page of the Maintenance panel 2. Select the Supporter page. There are several pages to this section of the notebook. The first page allows you to add the HODstar standard support objects defaults. o Standard Call Keys a. Press the Call Keys button to add the HODstar standard Call Keys. Call Keys are search words that you add to calls to help searches while you work a problem. o Adding or Deleting Call Keys a. Select the Call Keys notebook tab from the Supporter page of the Maintenance Panel The Search keys window will appear. b. VIEW - Press the Refresh button and scroll the list. c. ADD - Type a word or phrase you want to use for searching into the Search Keys field and then press the Add button. Then press the Save button to make the addition permanent. d. DELETE - Scroll the list and select the word or phrase you want to delete and then press the Delete button. Then press the Save button to make the change permanent. o Standard Call Types a. Call Types are used to categorize help desk calls for reports and work assignment. o Adding or Deleting Call Types a. Select the Call Types notebook tab from the Supporter page of the Maintenance Panel The Call Types window will appear. b. VIEW - Press the Refresh button and scroll the list. c. ADD - Type a word or phrase you want to use for reports into the Call Types field and then press the Add button. Then press the Save button to make the addition permanent. d. DELETE - Scroll the list and select the word or phrase you want to delete and then press the Delete button. Then press the Save button to make the change permanent. o Support Group Names a. Press the Groups button to add the HODstar standard support Groups. Support Groups are used to assign help desk calls to groups of Help Desk personnel. Note: Adding the Support Groups only creates the groups - it does not add any USERS to the groups. You will now add your userid to the DBA group. o Updating Groups a. Select the Groups button from the Control Panel. The Groups List window will appear. b. Select the group called HELPDESK and select Resources -> Change The HELPDESK - change Group profile window will appear. c. Go to the Assignments page and press the Refresh button. d. Select Users from the resource list and either drag your name from the Users List or use the Add from List for category button. e. Press the Save changes button. f. Close the HELPDESK - change Group profile. You have now added yourself to the HELPDESK group. o Standard Queues a. Press the Queues button to add the HODstar standard Queues. Queues will be used to sort, track, and work through the help desk calls. You will create and work with your own queues later in the tutorial. The standard queues will now be listed in the Queue List window. o Supporter Timeouts Timeouts control how often HODstar Supporter will automatically refresh lists or profile displays of information. Queue monitors, lists of resources, and call and resource profiles all can be automatically refreshed. Timeouts define in minutes or hours the time between refreshes. HODstar defaults are intended to provide up-to-date information without putting too much drag on database access performance. Settings can be specified as fractions, i.e. specifying '0.5' would wait 30 seconds before starting another refresh. HODstar does not recommend such short timeouts - many users all updating or reading from the database will slow performance for other users. a. From the Maintenance panel Supporter page, select the Timeouts. The Timeouts page appears. Call Profile sleep time - this parameter controls in minutes how often a Call Profile display will refresh. This setting is rarely needed since typically the user will jump in, view the call, then jump back out. It usually is more efficient to monitor calls by list or monitor. Some help desk environments will need this automated refresh function. Queue sleep time - this parameter controls in minutes how often a Queue monitor automatically refreshes itself. Since Queue Monitors are the workhorse of your support environment you will want to experiment with keeping the refresh time as fast as possible but without slowing performance for all your operators. Refresh Pending calls on operation - not yet implemented Alarm Calls on open - not yet implemented Profile sleep time - this parameter controls in minutes how often any network resource profile's notebook automatically refreshes itself. Most environments will not adjust this setting. Refresh Assignments on open - not yet implemented List sleep time - this parameter controls in minutes how often any network resource list automatically refreshes itself. Most environments will not adjust this setting. Refresh Associations on open - not yet implemented 3. You have now added the standard support objects to your Supporter database. Close the Maintenance panel o Next Chapter - 2.0 Working with Queues o Previous Lesson - 1.3 Supporter Objects ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Chapter 2 - Working with Queues ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ The Supporter tutorial will take you through working with automated queues. Each time a queue automatically refreshes it will reset its timeout using your settings. This means you can fine-tune your timeouts and call selection criteria while the queues are running. o Lesson - 2.1 Creating your own Queues o Lesson - 2.2 Monitoring the Queues o Previous Lesson - 1.3 Defining the standard support objects ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.1. Lesson 2.1 - Creating your own Queues ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ In an earlier lesson, you created the standard queues pre-defined by HODstar. In this lesson you will create a queue for any problems assigned to you as a help desk support person. 1. Start the Queues List object from the HODstar folder. The Queues list window will appear. The window will contain a list of the example support queues added in the earlier lesson. 2. Select the Resources -> Add menu item. The Add new Queue notebook will appear. 3. Give the new queue a name, type MYQUEUE in the Alias 4. Enter a description. 5. Select the Assigned to checkbox. 6. Press the Add from List button. A window will appear with a list of the Users that have Support Responsibility. 7. Select your userid from the list and press Add button. 8. Select the RESCHEDULE event to ignore. Any event type selected here will cause the call not to be displayed in the queue. 9. Press the Add button to create your queue. 10. The Call Types lets you set what call types are not shown in the queue. You can use the HODstar standard call types or define your own. 11. The Alarms page of the notebook lets you specify how you want to be notified of activity on your queue. o First Response specifies whether a 'NEW' call can alarm, under what situations it will alarm, and what the alarm action will be. o Inactivity Alarm specifies whether an open, active call can alarm, under what situations it will alarm, and what the alarm action will be. o The Action allows you to specify if you want your computer to beep you, display a pop-up window, or run a program when some action occurs for First Response or Inactivity, for example run a procedure created by HODstar Pager to dial your beeper. 12. If you change any of the values on the Alarms page, be sure to go back to the Profile page and press the Change button to save the changes. 13. Close the MYQUEUE - change Queue profile notebook. 14. Press the Refresh button of the Queues List window. MYQUEUE will now appear in the list. You have now created a queue for the calls that you will be assigned to you. In the next lesson, you will begin monitoring the queues. o Next Lesson 2.2 - Monitoring the Queues o Previous Section - Chapter 2 Working with Queues ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3.2. Lesson 2.2 - Monitoring the Queues ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Now that you have created queues, you are ready to start monitoring a queue's calls. 1. Start the Queues List object from the HODstar folder. The Queues List window will appear. 2. Select the queues you want to monitor. At a minimum, select the MYQUEUE queue. Then, press the Monitor the Queue(s) button. Once the queue monitor window appears it will initiailize itself and refresh the call display before putting itself to sleep until the next refresh timeout. There are two override checks on each queue monitor. They default to 'ON' and in this mode behave exactly as they were configured. When one or both are disabled they override the queue settings. You can disable display of calls assigned to a user, and disable exclusion of calls by call type. o Next Section - Working with Calls o Previous Lesson 2.1 - Creating your own queue ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. Chapter 3 - Working with Calls ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ A call is a history of a customer problem or request. Calls are composed of one or more events, and types are either 'ACTIVE' or 'LIBRARY'. These types are determined by the last event type added to the call. A library call has the specific event called 'LIBRARY' assigned to it. Any other event assigned to a call makes the call 'ACTIVE'. In this section, you will create a call, put it on a queue, update the information in the call, and then complete the call. This is the basic process for any call that the help desk receives. o Next Lesson - 3.1 Creating a Call o Previous Chapter - 2.0 Working with Queues ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.1. Lesson 3.1 - Creating a Call ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ In this lesson, you will create a call. There are three ways to create a call. You can create a call by selecting ADD from the Call List's Resources menu, by clicking the NEW CALL button from a call profile, and finally also from a Monitored Queue List by clicking the ADD button. In this lesson, you will create a call from the Calls List. The Calls List will display all calls currently on the system. For this lesson, one of your users, Jane Doe (DOEJ), is having a problem with her LAN printer. You will create a call for Jane. 1. Start the 'Call List' object from the HODstar folder. 2. After the call list displays select Resources -> Add menu item from the Calls List window. The Add new Call notebook will appear. 3. In the Customer Alias field, enter the alias for Jane Doe, DOEJ. If you then press the Enter key Jane's name, phone number, and default group are automatically inserted into the call record. You may want to verify her phone number is correct and give Jane her Call number for reference. Note that you can choose a user by typing in the first letters of the alias. As each match is made the appropriate information is displayed. You can automatically complete the alias by pressing the Enter key when the correct information is displayed. You can also type in an alias for a customer who has not yet been defined. This updates just the call and does not actually define the customer to the system (this must be done from the User Profile notebook). If you needed to look at Jane's User profile, you could press the View Profile button and see all the information about Jane, including her full network profile. You will use View Profile in a later lesson. 4. Enter a Call Summary of "Printer not working". 5. If you would like to enter additional information about this problem, you can use the General Description field to enter text. At the minimum, put a very brief overview of her printer problem in the call summary field. Remember that the summary field is what your teammates will see in their queues lists, and that if they handle this call later they will appreciate any background information you can specify in the General Description (2-3 pages) field. 6. Press the Save button to create the call. You will get an Add Event notebook displayed. 7. Select a Call Type - for example "ERROR-HARDWARE" 8. Enter your userid in the Rep field. This will cause the call to be assigned to you. You could also have put the call on the MYQUEUE queue, but you'll do that in a later lesson. 9. Select the File button to save the event. The event will be stored and it will appear in the Call Events list on the call record. 10. Close the call record. o Next Lesson - 3.2 Transferring a Call o Previous Section - 3.0 Working With Calls ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.2. Lesson 3.2 - Transferring a Call ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ It may be necessary to move a call from one queue to another. For example if after researching the problem, you determine that Jane Doe's problem needs someone from the hardware team to go work on the printer then you would move the call to the Hardware team's queue to allow them to be notified of the problem. 1. Find and view the call from either the Call List or from an active Queue Monitor. 2. When the call is displayed then 'lock' the call by selecting the Lock checkbox. Note that if another operator has locked that call then you will need to wait until they release it. The Change Call for User DOEJ notebook will be displayed. 3. To just reference an event, select the event and click the VIEW button. 4. Now, you will add another event to the call to requeue it to MYQUEUE for this lesson. Press the Add button to add a new event. 5. Enter MYQUEUE in the Queue field or select from the list presented after you press the List Queues button. 6. Enter an event summary of "Re-queue to MYQUEUE to resolve printer problem" 7. Change the Event Type to TRANSFER 8. Click File button to save the event. 9. Close the call notebook. The call will now appear on your queue, MYQUEUE. o Next Lesson - 3.3 Working a Call o Previous Lesson - 3.1 Creating a Call ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.3. Lesson 3.3 - Working a Call ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ As you work on a call you will need to update the call with information about conversations with the user, testing, and other related events. In this lesson you will update the call with such information. 1. Find and view the call from either the Call List or from an active Queue Monitor. 2. When the call is displayed then 'lock' the call by selecting the Lock checkbox. Note that if another operator has locked that call then you will need to wait until they release it. The Change Call for User DOEJ notebook will be displayed. 3. Use the General Description field to update and add to the text entered about the problem. 4. You can add an event to show that you are working the problem. Press the Add button to add a new event. 5. Change the Event Type to WORKING and update the Event summary with a short description, like "Testing printer". 6. If you want to add text to just this event about your current testing or research, update the Notes page of the Event. 7. Press File button to save the event. 8. Close the call notebook. o Next Lesson - 3.4 Closing a Call o Previous Lesson - 3.2 Transferring a Call ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4.4. Lesson 3.4 - Closing a Call ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ When you have resolved the problem Jane Doe encountered you are ready to close the call. 1. Find and view the call from either the Call List or from an active Queue Monitor. 2. When the call is displayed then 'lock' the call by selecting the Lock checkbox. Note that if another operator has locked that call then you will need to wait until they release it. The Change Call for User DOEJ notebook will be displayed. 3. Select the Notes page to update and add to the text entered about the problem and describe the problem resolution. 4. Add an event to show that you are closing the problem. Press the Add button to add a closing event. 5. Change the Event Type to CLOSED and update the Event summary with a short description, like "Printer fixed with new adapter". 6. Press File button to save the event. 7. Close the call notebook. o Next Chapter - 4.0 Library Calls o Previous Lesson - 3.2 Working a Call ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Chapter 4 - Library Calls ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Library calls permit your support staff to research current calls to see if the Library already contains a solution. Library calls are not fully implemented in this release. For now, use them as you would any other type of call event. This will prepare your research library for the next release of Supporter. Typically you will want to assign a database administrator to 'clean up' closed calls before they are libraried. This administrator would make sure the General Description field contains just information relevant to answering the call, and be responsible for verifying this information with other members of the support staff for accuracy and completeness. Library calls will be fully implemented in the next release of Supporter. o Previous Chapter - 3.0 Working with Call o Next Chapter - 5.0 Reports ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Chapter 5 - Reports ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Reports are not implemented in this release of Supporter. DB2 users are already able to customize their own reports and queries directly against the HODstar Common Database using the existing DB2 utilities. Contact HODstar for the published table formats as needed (note that this information is already available by using the existing DB2 utilities to detail all tables). o Previous Chapter - 4.0 Library Calls o Next Chapter - Advanced Topics ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Advanced topics ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ This section includes information about using some of the advanced features of Supporter. Most casual users of HODstar Supporter will not need to refer to this section. The information presented here primarily affects LAN or enterprise network environments, administrators migrating or integrating HODstar products. Select the topic you would like to cover: o Changing User Security o Export/Import o Managing Logged-on Users o Centralized Database o Related HODstar Products ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.1. Changing User Security ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Administrators and Supervisors can dynamically change a user's security level from the Maintenance Panel. Supporter provides four levels of security ranging from Customer (lowest) to Supervisor (highest). In later releases of Supporter supervisors will be able to control programmable fields and pages for all Profile panels. This process is similar to pulling up the User's profile and changing their security there, but this approach is faster for staff with access to the Maintenance Panel. Staff cannot change a user's security to higher than their own. For example, an Operator can only change security to either Customer or Operator. Only a Supervisor can raise another user's access to the Supervisor level. Follow these steps to change a user's security. 1. Start the Maintenance Panel object from the HODstar folder. 2. When the panel is displayed, go to the 'Staff Access' page by clicking its tab at the bottom of the notebook. 3. Click the REFRESH button. This shows a list of all users defined on your system. 4. Select any one user. Note that their security level is shown to the right of the panel. 5. Change their security by clicking a different button on the right. 6. Make the change permanent by clicking the SAVE button. 7. Click the REFRESH button to see the change in security. o Previous Section - Advanced Topics o Next Section - Export/Import ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.2. Export/Import ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Export/Import allow you to exchange database information between the HODstar product line and any other database product, and to migrate databases between the HODstar standalone database and the HODstar DB2 databases. Both functions allow you to scale up your use of HODstar products as your network grows and matures. This feature will be implemented the the next release of Supporter. DB2 users already have the ability to export/import data using the existing DB2 utilities. Contact HODstar for the published table formats as needed (note that this information is already available by using the existing DB2 utilities to detail all tables). o Previous Section - Changing User Security o Next Section - Managing Logged-On Users ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.3. Managing Logged-On Users ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Staff with access to the Maintenance Panel have the ability to view users logged onto HODstar Supporter, and to force-off users. You may need to force off a user if they are unauthorized to use that ID, if they stayed logged-on during a time when you need everyone off the system, and if they improperly shutdown their PC without first logging off. Follow these steps to view logged-on users. Do not perform the force-off step if your users are not otherwise expecting it. 1. Start the Maintenance Panel object from the HODstar folder. 2. When the panel is displayed, go to the 'Staff Access' page by clicking its tab at the bottom of the notebook. 3. Go to the Logon Status page by clicking its tab to the right of the notebook, or by selecting the Page Down key. 4. Click the REFRESH button. This shows a list of all users currently logged onto your system. 5. Select any one user. Note that the FORCE OFF button is enabled whenever selecting a user. 6. Force off the user by selecting the FORCE OFF button. 7. Click the REFRESH button to see that the user has dropped-off the list of logged-on users. o Previous Section - Export/Import o Next Section - Using a Centralized Database ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.4. Using a Centralized Database ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ If you have a network environment, this lesson describes how to access a shared database. In order to take this lesson you may need to contact your administrator for access to and information about the central database. This central database may be the HODstar Standalone Database shared on a network drive, or a DB2 database on a central database server. Only a system database administrator can grant you access to create, load, or modify a database on a DB2 server. In a large network environment, the database may be a server to all users of HODstar Supporter or of other HODstar products. For DB2 environments, this lesson assumes that you already have DB2/2 installed and have authority to create local databases. A HODstar Standalone Database does not require DB2, nor does it require any special logon IDs. Recommendation: HODstar strongly recommends not changing the default values for table name, qualifier id, database name for DB2 platforms. Changing these values could impact integration or migration of other HODstar products. Only qualified system database administrators should change these fields, and then only when they collide with or prevent integration with other DB2 database structures. Recommendation: HODstar Supporter v1.0 should use the IBM DB/2 database engine for shared network access. Consideration: The HODstar standalone database engine in this version can be shared over a network, but be aware that you risk loss of database integrity in this environment. This is a fundamental consideration for any network environment where multiple users are simultaneous modifying the same actual data file. The DB2 environment is preferable since network users go through a single program (the database server program) for access to the physical file, rather than all users directly updating that actual file, and therefore that single server program can guard against file corruption. File corruption is less critical if there is only one user updating the database, and the remaining network users are merely viewing data. DB2/2 provides the highest performing and most stable platform for cross-network, multi-platform data access and should be considered if your environment values these features. o Next Lesson - Configuring a Centralized Database o Previous Section - Managing Logged-on Users ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.4.1. Lesson - Configuring a Centralized Database ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ To define Supporter to access a shared database, do the following: 1. Start the Maintenance Panel from the HODstar folder. o This will display the Maintenance Panel. 2. On this panel, fill out the database type. If you are sharing the HODstar Standalone Database for shared network access (you do understand the issues, right?!) then set the database path to a shared network drive ID. For the DB2 database make sure that you are logged on with a user ID defined by your system database administrator as granting create access. Select the Save button after making any needed changes. 3. Select Build New to build the database. Note that for DB2 environments this option requires that you be on the actual DB2/2 server. This step is not required if you are connecting to an already established HODstar common database. 4. Close the Configure Database panel. At the HODstar Supporter Control Panel select the Refresh button. For DB2 environments this connects you to the server before pulling down a list of users to display in the Available Users list on the left of the screen. o Previous Section - Using a Centralized Database o Next Section - Related HODstar Products ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7.5. Telephone Number Formats ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ Automatic telephone number formatting is optional. You can disable formatting for a specific number by specifying the plus (+) character as the first character in the field. You have up to twenty-five characters for the number. Formatting must also fit within this range. All alphabetic and special characters are stripped out. The following considerations only apply if automatic formatting is not overriden with the plus symbol. User Enters Formats To 1112223333 1 (111) 222-3333 (note the added '1' prefix) 111222333 111-2223 33 1112223333444444 1 (111) 222-3333 444444 (added '1' prefix) 2223333 222-3333 444444 444444 (not changed - an extension) 9,AA111 9,111 (alphabetics stripped) +9,AA11 +9,AA11 (not changed - overridden) +9,2222 +9,2222 (not changed - overridden) ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 8. Related HODstar Products ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ HODstar Loader - HODstar Loader is intended for IBM LAN Server environments. While the HODstar Monitor and Supporter products are network-independent, HODstar Loader is ideal for automatically loading and maintaining the HODstar Common Database for the IBM environment. HODstar Pager - HODstar Pager uses the HODstar Common Database to send messages to your users over today's common pager devices. HODstar Pager also can be used to create standalone paging programs that can be called from any OS/2 batch file, REXX program, or commercial application. HODstar Broadcaster - HODstar Broadcaster displays company messages to your users either when they log onto your network or as a shared application. Users can print messages, save them to their PCs as needed, or cut and paste critical information into their applications. Broadcaster supports message archives and uses the HODstar Common Database. ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 9. Trademarks ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ The following products are trademarks of HODstar(TM) Support Solutions: o HODstar Monitor o HODstar Supporter o HODstar Pager o HODstar Broadcaster o HODstar Supporter o HODstar Loader The following products are trademarks of International Business Machines, Inc.: o Database2 (DB2) o Database 2/2 (DB2/2) o Operating System/2 (OS/2) o OS/2 LAN Server Windows and Windows NT is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Netware is a trademark of Novell Corporation.