Hi folks,

We have due-by dates assigned automatically using SLAs, but the question comes into play when we have requests that require development.

Scenario #1:  We have a SR with multiple tasks to make some changes in a development system, validate with the user, and then promote the changes to a production environment.  Because the due-by date is set as a rule but the dependency is outside the scope of our management (i.e., the customer must validate the changes, and we have to wait on the customer), we find that we often miss the due-by date due to no fault of the technical team.

Scenario #2:  A customer submits a request today but doesn't want it enacted until a specific date. Like in the first scenario, while our SLA states we must complete this SR# in five days, the actual due-by date might be out 30 days.

How are people presently dealing with this scenario?

Is it possible to have a formula adjust the due-by date based on another field (such as a custom field labeled "Requested Completion Date"), setting the due by as a derivative of the Requested Completion Date, the prescribed SLA (or existing due-by date)?

I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on this. Let me know if this isn't entirely clear.

Thanks,

Adam