Investment Requests
Definition
An investment request is a purchase request that is related to an equipment, software or consumable configuration to replenish stock in anticipation of events such as the arrival of new employees, the replacement of equipment at the end of their life cycle, or the opening of a new agency.
Unlike service requests, these requests are not assigned to recipients.
EndDefinition
Each request:
- Is created manually by a Back Office technician via an order.
- Is associated with a catalog entry, through its category.
- Is managed by the workflow of the category.
- Can be submitted for several storage locations in multi-site management.
- Is budgeted based on the cost of the equipment, software or consumables defined in their respective catalogs and can be charged to a budgetary commitment when invoicing the request.
- Is usually approved by a manager before it is integrated.
Process for handling an investment request. 
See the life cycle
- The workflow starts once the questionnaire defined in the initial step, if any, is completed. This can be a standard or multi-section questionnaire.
- It generates actions which can be manual actions or automatic actions. See Action types.
- Each time an action is performed, the status of the request is updated and shows the progress of the process.
- A history enables you to store a trace of each action performed.
Example
Creation of an investment request for the renewal of servers:
1. Standard catalog configuration including two elements: PowerEdge Server + Cisco Commutator
2. Submission of a multi-site request:
- New York storage location: 5 servers + 5 commutators
- Boston storage location: 3 servers
3. Budgetary commitment for charging to the Server renewal account
Notes
- The only way to complete an investment request is to place an order. You cannot take items from stock.
- Generally, the workflow of an investment request consists of a limited number of steps:
- An approval step performed by the hierarchical and financial manager.
- A logistics step if the request is accepted, to place an order for the requested elements.
- By default, the contents of each new request correspond to the standard configuration defined in the catalog.
- Equipment, software and consumables can be deleted or added before generating the request.
- Multi-site management: The standard configuration is proposed for each of the storage locations. You can modify the items and quantities for each location before generating the request. See the procedure.
- You can modify the contents of the request as well as unit prices subsequently using the Update Request Detail wizard, provided financial approval has not been given, or failing that, provided the reception phase has not been totally completed.
- You can cancel a request using the Cancel / Close wizard. This is possible only if no action has been performed.
- Application rules of SLAs:
SLA_ApplicationRule
- The SLA applicable is always the most restrictive one, i.e. the one with the shortest resolution time, of the two SLAs defined respectively for the catalog category and for the SLA by priority. Note: The SLA by priority is automatically readjusted when the levels of urgency and impact are modified when creating the ticket. It also takes into consideration the VIP level of the recipient.
See the examples.
- You can use the Change SLA wizard to override the SLA. If this is the case, the new SLA will be applicable.
- The SLA applicable is always the most restrictive one, i.e. the one with the shortest resolution time, of the two SLAs defined respectively for the catalog category and for the SLA by priority. Note: The SLA by priority is automatically readjusted when the levels of urgency and impact are modified when creating the ticket. It also takes into consideration the VIP level of the recipient.
- A request can lead to a new order or it can be added to an existing open order. See the procedure (step 2).
- Orders and invoices are issued for a single supplier. If the request involves several suppliers, you must place an order and issue an invoice for each supplier.
- You can monitor analytical cost allocation for each element in the request. You can also book ancillary expenses when invoicing the request.
- Difference between a service request and an investment request
| Operation type | Investment Request | Service Request | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movement | Stock entry | Stock exit | ||
| Performed | Only through orders (logistics step) | Through orders and taken from stock | ||
| Destination | One or more storage locations | A recipient user | ||
| Allocation | Budgetary commitment | Budget allocation |
Best Practice
- If you create a multi-site investment request, you must check the distribution of quantities prior to final approval. No consistency control will be performed automatically.
- Logistics action types are not visible in the Quick Dashboard. To see them, select Service Transition > Logistics or Service Operation > Logistics in the menu.
- When you perform the reception of a request in the Logistics menu item, you should ensure that you select the correct order. To do this, display the view called P.O. Number instead of the view called Delivery Location. See the procedure.
Characteristics specific to versions 2016 and earlier
The Investment Request form in versions 2016 and earlier is different:
- Menu access
- Graphic interface:
- General overview of the form See the Fundamentals
- Screens in the Investment Request form
- Some wizards of the Activity tab are available under action buttons on the Action form.
- A VIP user (recipient or requestor) is indicated by one or more
depending on the level. This means that the request must be given top priority in processing.
- General overview of the form
- History of actions
- Create the request using the catalog
- Process an investment request (order, delivery, invoicing)
Menu access
Financial Management > Investment Requests > Requests
See the menu access in Versions 2016 and earlier
Description of tabs
TabUpdateRules_After2016Versions
Click to see the general principles for updating tabs.
| Create a new item | Delete an item or association with a related item |
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Run the New wizard at the top of the tab
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Move the cursor over the corresponding item and click
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Alphabetical order of the tabs
QuickAccess
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Activity
Investment Request Description
DescriptionTab
Information on the current object, e.g. title and description, urgency and impact, equipment and service associated with the object.
- Update: In this tab.
Timeline
ActivityTab
List of successive actions performed to process the current object displayed in a timeline. They can be actions linked to a step in the workflow (e.g. incident processing), to a task (e.g. reminder for user), to a problem that enabled the solution of the object, actions modifying the target resolution date, e.g. modification of the SLA.
| Representation | Description | |
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History of actions
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Different options allow to adjust the size of the timeline.
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History of actions in Timeline mode
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History of actions in Table mode
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Wizards
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and 
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: Used to expand the timeline and display each action fully.
: Used to reduce the timeline.
: Used to open the 
icon to quick view of the contents in the Comment / Description / Solution field.
: Used to display the table of the history over the full width of the page. Click 
: Used to display the table of the history over the full height of the tab. Click 
list. The three most recently used wizards will appear as buttons, enabling you to access them quickly.
Details
ObjectNumber
Number: Automatically generated number of the object when it was created.
- To format the number, select Administration > Parameters > Auto-Inc Fields in the menu.
Status
Status: Current status of the current object, automatically updated via the steps of the workflow.
- To display the workflow associated with the object, click ? next to the Status field. Next, click
Display Related Information. The current step will be highlighted in red.
Created by: User who created the request.
- A VIP user is indicated by one or more depending on the level. This means that the object must be given top priority in processing.
CreationDate
Creation Date: Date on which the current object was created.
- This is used as the start date and time for calculating SLA maximum time.
- The date is displayed in the time zone of the recipient.
Investment Description: Catalog entry associated with the request, used to run the relevant workflow.
RequestingPerson
Requesting Person: User who reported the current object to the IT Support team.
Recipient
Recipient: User associated with the current object. It can be different from the requesting person.
- When you create a ticket for a recipient user associated with a VIP level (indicated by in forms), the urgency level will automatically be decremented by one. This means that the urgency and the priority level increase by one.
Estimated Costs: Total amount of discounted prices in the request.
- The amount is calculated when the request is created and then recalculated automatically each time the request is modified.
Requested Delivery Date: Latest date on which the contents of the request must be delivered.
- This date is for information purposes only and does not take the SLA of the request into account.
- The date is displayed in the time zone of the recipient.
Budgetary Commitment: Account in which the total amount of the request is booked.
- The amount is automatically updated when the ordered elements are totally or partially received.
Justification
Justification: Reasons given by the user to justify the request, taken into account in the approval workflow.
Note
Note: Comments on the request. You can also add images or tables using HTML tags.
Solution
SolutionTab
Set of information specified at the end of processing for the current object.
- Update: When an action related to the current object is completed. You can also use the Close wizard.
List of fields
Solution: Contents of the Comment field specified in the final or closing action for the current object.
Elapsed Time: Actual time spent by different Support persons working on the current object, calculated using information entered in the intervention summary of actions.
- Unlike elapsed time, this information does not take into account the OLA/UC for each action.
- Duration expressed in HH:MM.
SLA: SLA applied to the current object.
SLA_ApplicationRule
- The SLA applicable is always the most restrictive one, i.e. the one with the shortest resolution time, of the two SLAs defined respectively for the catalog category and for the SLA by priority. Note: The SLA by priority is automatically readjusted when the levels of urgency and impact are modified when creating the ticket. It also takes into consideration the VIP level of the recipient.
See the examples.
- You can use the Change SLA wizard to override the SLA. If this is the case, the new SLA will be applicable.
Immediate Solution: Used to indicate if the current object was solved during the creation of the ticket (box is checked) or if it led to one or more actions (box is not checked) involving a transfer or escalation.
MaxResolution
SLA Target: Date by which the current object should be resolved.
- This is calculated using the start time of the current object and by applying the SLA of the object.
- The date is displayed in the time zone of the recipient.
Solution Date: Date on which the processing of the current object ended and its meta-status became Completed.
- The date is displayed in the time zone of the recipient.
Late: Number of minutes exceeding the maximum processing date/time of the current object, calculated using information entered in the intervention summary of actions.
- Field calculated for each action: Processing time of the action - OLA/UC target.
- Duration expressed in HH:MM.
Elapsed Time: Actual processing duration of the current object, taking into account the service hours of the Technical Support team and public holidays (OLA/UC defined for the workflow).
- Duration expressed in HH:MM.
Total Costs: Total processing cost of the current object, calculated using information entered in the intervention summary of actions.
- Field calculated for each action: Fixed costs + (Hourly costs * Elapsed Time)
Discussions
DiscussionTab
List of discussions which users can access based on their domain and the visibility of the discussion.
- Enter the keywords you want in the Search field and press Enter.
- To cancel the search criteria and return to the complete list of discussions, provided you have the relevant rights, click within the box and then click
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User Information
UserInformationTab
Information on the recipient of the current object, e.g. name, function, phone number, email address, location and department.
- Update: Only the recipient and location can be modified in this tab.
Equipment/Software/Consumables
EquipmentSoftwareConsumableTab
List of equipment, software and consumables in the current request.
- The cost of elements is defined using the information in the catalog. To enter the cost of an element in the request manually, use the Update Request Detail wizard.
Attachments
AttachmentTab
List of documents attached to the current object. See uploading and downloading documents.
Related Equipment
List of other equipment locally associated with the main equipment processed by the current object.
Related Licenses
List of licenses linked to the current object. This includes licenses of earlier versions merged with the new version to become a single software license in order to facilitate management.
- Update: Use the Purchase Upgrade wizard in a license.
example Purchase of an upgrade license for Illustrator
- Main license: New version, CS5
- Related licenses: Previous software versions, 12 and 13
Related Projects
RelatedProjectTab
List of projects related to the current object.
- Update: Via the Link to a Project wizard.
Procedure and Wizards
How to create an investment request
Step 1: Create the request.
1. You can select Financial Management > Investment Requests > New Request in the menu.
The list of configurations available in the catalog will appear.
Step 2: Select the relevant configuration.
1. (optional) Click the name of a configuration to display lower-level entries.
2. Click the sequence number of the relevant configuration in the first column # of the grid.
A new request will appear.
Step 3: Generate the request.
1. Specify the required information, e.g. location, urgency, recipient, etc.
2. Click Save in the top banner.
The request will be generated.
Wizards
Link to a Project
Cancel / Close (only for non-closed requests)
Close (only for non-closed requests)
Execute Script
Update Request Detail