Self Help is a platform that enables you to manage knowledge content by modeling procedures in dynamic decision trees. This knowledge content can provide users with diagnostic tools, self-help resources, maintenance processes, etc.

The platform can be accessed by:

• Users: Users can open a Web browser and search for information in procedures published on customer portals, interactive Web applications, collaborative platforms, etc. These procedures can also interact with virtual agents or chatbots.

• Writers:
  • In the Desktop Studio, writers can create Self Help projects, write procedures and publish the updated versions to make them available to users.
  • In the Online Studio, they can monitor their Self Help projects using statistical reports and test their procedures.

• Administrators: In the Online Studio, administrators can monitor their Self Help projects, import metadata and lists of users, and manage virtual agents and dictionaries, etc.
   

Self Help: Operating principle

Each stakeholder on the Self Help platform, i.e. user, writer or administrator, will communicate with a Self Help server to retrieve information stored in the knowledge base. This comprises all Self Help projects, procedures and resources, as well as all of the software components required for running them.

The Self Help server is a black box used to access the knowledge base, run queries in it and retrieve information. Its internal functioning is based on three components:

• The Web server is the entry point. It runs queries and interacts with third-party products using connectors.

• The application server is used to access the Self Help software components.

• The data server is used to access the knowledge base and store all data in it in real time.

(1) One of the stakeholders working on the Self Help platform sends a query to the Web server.

(2) The Web server communicates with the application server or with one of the third-party products to retrieve the information requested.

(3) If required, the application server will send a query to the data server.

(4) The Web server sends the information requested back to the Self Help platform. The information requested will then appear on the customer portal, in the Desktop Studio or Online Studio.

Notes

• A given customer may have one or more Self Help servers.

• The Self Help server can be accessed via a URL.
  • In the on-premises version, the server is installed on a dedicated machine on the customer's premises.
  • In the SaaS version, the server is managed by the EasyVista CMC (Cloud Management Center) team.

• To access the Self Help platform, an account must be defined on the Self Help server. This account must be associated with one or more domains.
  • You manage accounts in admin mode in the Desktop Studio.  See Different accounts for the Self Help server.
  • The account can be associated directly with a domain for writers, or assigned to a user group for standard users.
  • To access the Desktop Studio, writers must install the EVSelfHelp Studio.exe program on their workstation.

• The Self Help server is managed using version numbers. This is used to inform customers when they should migrate one of their components, e.g. servers or databases, to a more recent version in order to enjoy the latest functionalities.

Procedures

See detailed step by step on Self Help portal

How to access the Self Help customer portal

1. Enter the portal URL in the URL bar of your Web browser as shown below.

The portal will appear in your Web browser.  See the description.
         

How to access the Online Studio

Via the Online Studio authentication

1. Enter the URL of the Self Help server in the URL bar of your Web browser as shown below.

2. Specify your login and password in the login page.
      

3. Click Log in or Connection via SSO depending on your authentication mode.

The Online Studio will appear in your Web browser.  See Description.
         

Via the Desktop Studio

1. Go to the Desktop Studio.

2. Select Mode > Online Studio in the menu.

How to access the Desktop Studio

Via the Online Studio

1. Log in to the Online Studio using a writer account or domain administrator account.

The Online Studio Home page will appear displaying a list of recently modified elements.
      

2. Click the component you want to modify in the Desktop Studio.

3. Click  in the toolbar of the Conception pane to modify the component.

Note if the Desktop Studio is already open

• If the Desktop Studio is opened by the same user in the same domain as the current domain of the Online Studio:
  • The Desktop Studio will automatically open in edit mode.
  • The component you selected in the Online Studio will open.

• If the Desktop Studio is opened by another user or if it is opened by the same user but in a domain other than the current domain of the Online Studio:
  • A message will ask you to confirm the closing of the active Desktop Studio session.
  • The Desktop Studio will reopen in edit mode with the parameters of the Online Studio session, i.e. logged-in user and current domain.

Via the Desktop Studio authentication

           See the detailled procedure.

1. Run the EVSelfHelp Studio.exe executable on your workstation.

The login pane will appear.
         

2. Select the server where you want to work.

3. Specify your login information.
Note: Add the relevant domain name as a prefix to your user login.

The Self Help Home page will appear.
         

4. Click Access the Studio.