Change Requests

Last modified on 2023/07/17 16:14
Contents
Definition

A change request is a request made to perform a change, usually for an item managed in the CMDB that may have an important impact on employee activity.

EndDefinition

Each request:

  • Is created by a Back Office technician via a Quick Call.
  • Is associated with a catalog entry, through its category.
  • Is managed by the workflow of the category.
  • Is usually approved by a manager before it is integrated.
  • Must be scheduled to avoid collision with other previously scheduled changes, release projects or blackout periods and ensure that any disruption to IT services is minimized.
     

Process for handling a change request. Open url.png  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. Open url.png 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

  • To ensure that the payroll application works correctly at the end of each month, a blackout period is defined during the last three days of each month for the Payroll Server CI hosting the application.

The three types of change requests according to ITIL

  • Standard change requests: Pre-approved changes with little risk. They do not require the creation of a change request and can be processed using existing procedures in service requests.

    example  Install a fix for Service Manager

  • Urgent change requests: Changes to be implemented as soon as possible. They are processed by a specific procedure and decisions are usually taken by a dedicated advisory committee (ECAB).

    example  Replace the hard disk of an application server

  • Normal change requests: Changes that are neither standard nor urgent. They are examined by an advisory committee (CAB) and are processed through the predefined steps of the change management process.

    example  Upgrade the version of the DBMS ==> Prior analysis of possible regressions, impact on specific developments

Notes

  •  You can create a new request in different ways:
    • Ticket. Open url.png See the procedure.
    • Quick access command that will run the wizard for creating the type of change. Note: You must first define the quick access command.
    • Select Service Transition > Change Requests > New Request in the menu.
  • You can cancel a request using the Cancel / Close wizard. This is possible only if no action has been performed.
  • You can define blackout periods using the New Blackout Period wizard or in a release project. You can also select Service Transition > Collision Detection > Blackout Periods in the menu.

Caution

  • 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.
          Open url.png See the examples.
    SLA_ApplicationRule_Override
    • You can use the Change SLA wizard to override the SLA. If this is the case, the new SLA will be applicable.

Best Practice

  • To schedule a change and detect collisions with other previously scheduled changes, you can use the different resources available:
    • The Collision Detection wizard by specifying the requested start date or scheduled start date in the request.
    • The Forward Schedule of Change, by selecting Service Transition > Collision Detection > Forward Schedule of Change. This lists all changes, release projects and blackout periods scheduled for a given period.

Characteristics specific to versions 2016 and earlier

The Change Request form in versions 2016 and earlier is different:

Menu access

Service Transition > Change Requests

Description of tabs

       Change request.png

TabUpdateRules_After2016Versions

Create a new item Delete an item or association with a related item

Run the New wizard at the top of the tab

Fundamentals - Form - New wizard.png

Move the cursor over the corresponding item and click Trash icon.png

Fundamentals - Form - Delete wizard.png

Alphabetical order of the tabs

QuickAccess

Activity

Change 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.
         Action tab - Timeline.png

Representation Description
Timeline - Detail.png History of actions
  • The history is displayed in reverse chronological order.
  • To Do section: Actions to be performed.
  • Done section: Actions performed and completed.
    • A counter indicates you the number of actions.
    • Click the title of the section to display or hide the actions.
    • You can display the history in a timeline or in a table. Switch to the two modes using the Display as table icon.png and Display as timeline icon.png.
    • Note: You can change the information of a completed action. Open url.png See the procedure.
  • (1) Click the icon next to the action or click the label of the action to display its details in the sidebar pane.
  • (2) Move the cursor over the icon to display the type of action.
Timeline - Tools.png Different options allow to adjust the size of the timeline.
  • The Compact mode is used to not display actions associated with an action type whose Hidden in the Action History flag is checked. Otherwise all the actions will be displayed.
    • When you select this mode, the history counter indicates you the number of hidden actions.

      example 3 / 5 ==> It indicates than two actions are hidden.

    • When you do not select this mode, all the actions will be displayed. The history counter indicates you the total number of actions.
  • Plus icon.png: Used to expand the timeline and display each action fully.
  • Minus icon.png: Used to reduce the timeline.
Timeline - Action history as timeline.png History of actions in Timeline mode
  • Display as table icon.png: Used to return to the history in Table mode.
  • Edit icon.png: Used to open the form editor to select the fields displayed in the history.
  • (1) Click the icon next to the action or click the label of the action to display its details in the sidebar pane.
  • (2) Move the cursor over the icon to display the type of action.
  • (3) Move the cursor over the Action timeline - View description on hover icon.png icon to quick view of the contents in the Comment / Description / Solution field.
    • The icon is displayed only if the field contains content.
Timeline - Action history as table.png History of actions in Table mode
  • Display as timeline icon.png: Used to return to the history in Timeline mode.
  • Display as large table icon.png: Used to display the table of the history over the full width of the page. Click Display as large table icon.png to return to standard display.

    Display as large table.png

  • Display as high table icon.png: Used to display the table of the history over the full height of the tab. Click Display as large table icon.png to return to standard display.

    Display as high table.png

  • Edit icon.png: Used to open the form editor to select the fields displayed in the history.
  • (1) Click an action to display its details in the sidebar pane.
  • (2) Move the cursor over the Action timeline - View description on hover icon.png icon to quick view of the contents in the Comment / Description / Solution field.
    • The icon is displayed only if the field contains content.
Activity wizards.png Wizards
  • (1) Wizards that can be run outside the workflow are found at the top of the tab.

    example Create Task, Hold/Reopen

  • (2) Wizards specific to an action are found in the Wizards list icon.png list. The three most recently used wizards will appear as buttons, enabling you to access them quickly.

    example Process this Action, Notify Support Person, Create Related Action

Details

ObjectNumber

Number: Automatically generated number of the current object when it was created.

Best Practice icon.png  You can format the number via the Administration > Parameters > Auto-Inc Fields menu.

CreationDate

Creation Date: Creation date of the current object.

  • The date is used as the start date and time for calculating SLA maximum time.
  • This is displayed in the time zone of the recipient.
Status

Status: Current status of the current object, automatically updated via the steps of the workflow.

Best Practice icon.png  You can display the workflow associated with the current object by clicking ▼ next to the Status field. Next, click World icon.png Display Related Information. The current step will be highlighted in red.

Priority

Priority: Level priority automatically calculated based on the urgency and impact of the current object.

Best Practice icon.png  You can use the priority to prioritize the processing of tickets with identical SLA target dates/times.

Target Implementation Date: Latest date on which the change should be implemented.

  • 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.
IsTemplate

Is a Template: Used to indicate if the current object can be used as a template (box is checked) or not (box is not checked). If it is used as a template, certain information in the template will automatically be preloaded when a new ticket is created.

  • You can use a template to create a ticket from the quick call by clicking the Copy From Template action button. Open url.png See the procedure.
  • The preloaded information is specific to the template.

Best Practice icon.png  You can define the list of fields that should not be duplicated using the Other Parameters {SM} Exclude SD_REQUEST fields when duplicating incidents option.

     Open url.png  See How to manage templates

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 Red star.png in forms), the urgency level will automatically be decremented by one. This means that the urgency and the priority level increase by one.
RequestingPerson

Requesting Person: User who reported the current object to the IT Department.

Change Description: Catalog entry associated with the request, used to run the relevant workflow.

Note

Note: Comments on the current object. You can also add images or tables using HTML tags.

Justification

Justification: Reasons given by the user to justify the request, taken into account in the approval workflow.

CIName

CI Name: Configuration item (CI) related to the current object.

  • Click CMDB Graph icon.png to display the CMDB graph.
  • When you create a ticket for a CI associated with a critical level (indicated by Red star.png in forms), the urgency level will automatically be decremented by one. This means that the urgency and the priority level increase by one.
Equipment

Equipment: Asset tag of the equipment concerned by the current object.

  • When you create a ticket for a CI associated with a critical level (indicated by Red star.png in forms), the urgency level will automatically be decremented by one. This means that the urgency and the priority level increase by one.

Release Project Code: Project associated with the request, describing the change release.

Estimated Costs: Estimated amount for the change release.

Requested Start/Requested End: Requested period for implementing the change.

Scheduled Start/Scheduled End: Scheduled period for implementing the change.

Real Start/Real End: Actual change implementation period.

Financials

Set of financial information used for the charge back of the current request based on hourly or fixed costs.

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

Duration

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: 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.
        Open url.png See the examples.
ImmediateSolution

Immediate Solution: Used to indicate if the IT Department has solved the current object right from the quick call (box is checked) or if one or more actions have been carried out by different Support persons (box is not checked) involving a transfer or escalation.

MaxResolution

SLA Target: Date by which the IT Department must have resolved the current object.

  • This is calculated using the start time of the current object and by applying the SLA of the current object.
  • The date is displayed in the time zone of the recipient.
SolutionDate

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

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.
TimeToSolve

Time to Solve: Actual processing duration of the current object, taking into account the service hours of the IT Department and public holidays (OLA/UC defined for the workflow).

  • Duration expressed in HH:MM.
TotalCosts

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 Discussion - Delete icon.png.

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.

Charged Back Services

ChargedBackServiceTab

List of options that can be charged back for the current request. These options are defined during creation.

  • Charge back elements are based on the service request catalog applicable on the creation date of the request. 
  • Modifications made subsequently will not affect the request.

Attachments

AttachmentTab

List of documents attached to the current object. Open url.png See uploading and downloading documents.

  • You can also attach documents in the ticket.

Questions/Responses

QuestionResponseTab

History of all answers to questions in standard or multi-section questionnaires associated with the current object.

  • Update: Via the workflow steps associated with the current object.

Equipment/Software/Contracts

List of equipment, software and contracts in the current request.

Consumables

ConsumableTab

List of consumables in the current object.

  • Update:
    • Automatically via destocking actions in the Logistics step of the workflow for the current object.

      example  Request to replace a HP LaserJet 4L printer ==> planned destocking action: delivery of a toner cartridge

    • Use this tab to perform destocking actions outside the Logistics step of the workflow.
  • When a consumable is deleted, the quantity is automatically reintegrated into the storage location stock.

Orders

OrderTab

List of orders associated with the current request, including both closed and open orders.

  • Update: Each time an order related to the current request is placed.

Related Incidents

RelatedIncidentTab

List of incidents related to the current object.

  • Update: Use the Link to a Change Request wizard in an incident.
  • The current request and linked incidents will each be managed by their own workflow. The status of the current object will not have any impact on linked objects.

Related Problems

RelatedProblemTab

List of problems related to the current object.

Related Services

RelatedServiceTab

List of service requests linked to the current object.

Related Changes

RelatedChangeTab

List of change requests related to the current object.

  • Update: Use the Link to a Service Request wizard.
  • The current request and linked requests will each be managed by their own workflow. The status of the current request will not have any impact on linked objects.

Related Events

RelatedEventTab

List of events related to the current object.

Equipment

List of equipment, other than those in the initial request, associated with the current object.

  • When new equipment is added, this does not generate a notification or action in the Request form.
  • The Equipment form is not updated.
  • Equipment linked to the new equipment will not be associated with the request.

Licenses

LicenseTab

List of licenses in the current object.

  • When a new license is added, this does not generate a notification or action in the form of the current object.

Contracts

ContractTab

List of contracts in the current object.

CI

CITab

List of configuration items (CI) associated with the current object.

  • The main CI is specified when the ticket is created.
  • The Changes tab in the CI form is automatically updated.
  • When a new CI is added, this does not generate a notification or action in the Request form.
  • Impacting and impacted CIs linked to the new CI will not be associated with the request.

History of Changes

HistoryOfChangeTab

List of all modifications made to the form of the current object. 

Release

ReleaseTab

List of release projects associated with the current object.

Projects

List of projects associated with the current object.

Blackout Periods

BlackoutPeriodTab

List of blackout periods defined for the CI associated with the current request as well as for all impacting upstream CIs and impacted downstream CIs.

Procedures and Wizards

How to create a change request

Via a ticket (Back Office)

     Open url.png  See the procedure

Using a quick access command

You can define a quick access command to run the case creation wizard directly in the search field in the top banner.

     Open url.png See the procedure

       Ticket via Quick access command.png

How to manage templates

TemplateManagement_Procedure

Step 1 (optional): Select the fields that should not be duplicated 

1. Select Administration > Parameters > Other Parameters in the menu.

2. Select Other Parameters > {SM} Exclude SD_REQUEST fields when duplicating incidents.

3. Specify the fields you do not want to duplicate when using the template.

  • Each field name must be separated using the semicolon (;).

example  HOUR_PER_DAY;ESTIMATED_PERCENT_COMPLETE;BUDGET_PLANNED

   Date and System fields are never duplicated.

example Incident number; request number

Step 2: Create a template

1. Open the form of the object to be used as a template.

    Only objects whose meta-status is Processing in Progress can be selected.

2. Select the Is a Template box.

3. Save the form.

Delete a template

  • Open the form of the object defined as a template.
  • Unselect the Is a Template box.
     

Step 3: Use the template when creating a quick call

1. Click Copy From Template in the quick call.

2. Select the relevant template.

The quick call will be preloaded with data from the template fields.

Wizards

Link to a Project
Link to a Service Request
Link to a Continuity Plan
Link a to Problem
Cancel / Close
Change Target Resolution Date
Change SLA
Create a Child Request
Detach Release
Collision Detection
Create Unavailability
Send Email to Requestor
Impact Analysis
End of Unavailability
Execute Script
Update Request Detail
Notification for Action
Notification for Information
New Blackout Period
New Task
Notify Support Person
Reminder for Support Person
Reopen
Availability simulation
Capacity Simulation

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