Automations
For detailed configuration steps, please refer to our help guide.
For detailed configuration steps, please refer to our help guide.
1. Is it possible to create a service request via email?
- Yes, we can make technicians to create service requests using the email command feature.
- To enable automatic creation of service requests for all users via email, this can be setup using triggers and custom functions, provided your organization is on the Enterprise edition.
2. Can an approval be triggered automatically for an incident request?
- No, approvals for incident requests cannot be automated and must be created manually after the request is submitted.
3. What is a business rule, and what does the "cascade execution on" option do?
- Business rules help automate actions based on specific criteria for all requests. By default, business rules stop executing after the first rule is applied to a request. To ensure that successive business rules are applied to a request, enable the "Turn on cascade execution" option. Separate business rules have to be created for both incident and service requests.
4. What is a trigger, and which is executed first: a business rule or a trigger?
- A trigger is a post-operation automation that executes after a business rule and is applicable to both incidents and service requests. You can define specific conditions for its application. Triggers always take precedence over business rules.
5. What are the steps to troubleshoot if a business rule doesn't work?
- Check if the business rules are properly created for both Incident and Service Requests separately if required.
- Verify that the business rule is created under the correct site where the request is created.
- Ensure that "Override BR rule values with request values" is enabled.
- Turn on cascade execution and move the business rule to the top of the list.
- If the issue persists, share the following for further analysis:
- Print view PDF of the request
- Full-page screenshot of the business rule
Note :- By default, business rules stop executing after the first rule is applied to a request. To ensure that successive business rules are applied to a request, enable the "Turn on cascade execution" option.
6. I have configured a closed request to reopen whenever a requester replies under Advanced portal settings, but other requests work correctly without a lifecycle. How can I resolve this?
- Please navigate to the associated lifecycle and ensure that you have added a transition from the "Closed" status to the "Open" status to make it work.
7. How can I automatically close a request when all associated checklists and tasks are completed?
- To achieve this, go to setup → Automation → Closure Rules → Request Closure Rules and ensure the option "Closing Requests Associated with Task and Checklist" is selected.
8. How do I send periodic reminders to end users when a request is on hold and automatically close it after a certain period if there is no response?
Let's consider a scenario :- Technicians often forget to follow up on hold requests frequently, causing them to stay longer in the request queue. To address this, the client wants to send periodic reminders to the end users for 3 days until they reply. If there is no reply within this period, they would like to close the ticket with a final notification to the end user automatically.
Status → "Waiting for End-user"
The following steps will assist you in configuring timer actions to send reminders and close the request automatically using the three-strike rule:
Step 1: Navigate to Setup → Automation → Custom Action → Timers.
Create a new timer and give it a name.
Set the Timer Duration to "User Defined."
Set the Wait for duration to "3 days."
Step 2 :- Set the "Actions - When Timer is Running"
Update the Level 1 → Number of Days -> Initiate after 1
Make a check on Report to repeat the same reminder notifications
Enter "End After 2 Executions"
Click on Add Level 1 Actions and choose Notifications to be sent
Step 3 :- Set the Abort Timer
Select the condition "Status" is not "Waiting for End-User" to abort the timer.
Step 4 :- Select the Actions - When Timer Ends
If the End user haven't responded to all the three reminder mails, we can select this action to be performed.
Select the "Status as Closed"
Set the final notification.
Final Output of the Timer configuration :-
9. Can we mandate specific fields based on certain criteria before making a request On-hold?
- This can be achieved in two ways, using the business rule abort operation and via the request lifecycle.
- Clients can utilize this functionality to restrict certain operations based on specific criteria.
- For instance, they can prevent placing a request On-hold if a designated field value is empty.
10. How can I automatically close a request when all associated checklists and tasks are completed?
- To achieve this, go to setup → Automation → Closure Rules → Request Closure Rules and ensure the option "Closing Requests Associated with Task and Checklist" is selected.
11. How can we send approvals and reassign requests to another person when the designated person is on leave?
- This can be configured using the Delegation feature, available at https://help.sdpondemand.com/delegation. Remember that delegation will only work if the technician auto-assign feature is enabled. For manual assignments, you can create a business rule to abort or reassign based on the conditions "Created Time" and "Technician."
12. What is the difference between form rules, business rules, and triggers, and in what order are these automations executed?
- Form Rules → This feature would help you to automation actions such as Hide/show, remove options, clear options, mandate/Non-mandate etc if the request is created via a web form. So this automation will not help if the request is created via Email.
- Business Rule → Business rules help automate actions based on specific criteria for all requests. By default, business rules stop executing after the first rule is applied to a request. To ensure that successive business rules are applied to a request, enable the "Turn on cascade execution" option. Separate business rules have to be created for both incident and service requests.
- Triggers → A trigger is a post-operation automation that executes after a business rule and is applicable to both incidents and service requests. You can define specific conditions for its application. Triggers always take precedence over business rules.
Order of Execution :- Form Rule (If created via web form) → Business Rules → Triggers.13. How can I trigger an approval for a user selected in a custom field?
- This can be done directly if the custom field is of the "User Lookup" type. Navigate to Triggers, setup the condition, then add the action by selecting Approvers → Request Users, which will display the user lookup field.
14. How can we mandate comments for all approvals and automatically close a request when the approval is rejected?
- To configure approval settings, navigate to setup → General Settings → Approval Settings and select the options "Mandate comments for all approvals" and "When a request is rejected, set status to".
Approval reminder settings can be found under the setup → General settings → Advanced portal settings.15. How to Associate Request Field Values to the Task Details Page When a Task is Created Through a Template or Triggers?
To associate request fields with tasks created through a template, navigate to Templates & Forms → Incident Template → Select the desired template → Tasks. Now, select the task and click "Associate Request Fields". This allows you to view the request fields while working on tasks from the task details page.
To associate request fields with tasks triggered through request triggers, navigate to Automation → Custom Actions → Tasks, create the task, then click the gear icon and select "Associate Request Fields". Next, create triggers separately and select the previously created task under Actions.
The "Associate Request Fields" option will not be available if you add a task directly under Trigger Actions. Instead, follow the method outlined above under Automation → Custom Actions to create the task first and then associate request fields.
16. Technicians want their name to be loaded in the requester's name field whenever they load the form, without requiring them to choose the requesters manually unless it is necessary.
Steps to be followed :-
- Navigate to the setup → Templates and Forms → Form rules
- Select Rule applies to all "Technicians"
- Execute when a request is "Created"
- Select without "Any conditions"
- Add actions as "Execute custom script" and add the below script.
Custom Script to load the logged in technician name and site as requester :-
var CS_context = CS.dataStore.get("CS_context");
var userInfo = CS_context.userInfo;
if(userInfo != null && userInfo.is_technician && userInfo.id != null) {
CS.setValue("requester",{"id":userInfo.id,"name":userInfo.name});
//
debugger;
var requester_data = await CS.API.get('/api/v3/requests/requester/' + userInfo.id);
requester_data = JSON.parse(requester_data);
requester = requester_data.user;
CS.setValue("site", requester.site);
CS.end();
}
17. Append custom field values to the subject of the request.
Steps to be followed :-
- Create a new rule under the "On Form Submit" event
- Select "Applicable to All Users".
- Select "On Create".
- Uncheck the "Condition" as no condition is required for this request.
- Under Actions, add an action as Execute script and add the below script.
- Save the Rule.
Script used for the above scenario D :-
var subject = await CS.getValue("subject");
var fn = await CS.getValue("udf_fields.udf_char10");
var ln = await CS.getValue("udf_fields.udf_char2");
var fnln = fn + " " + ln;
CS.setValue("subject", subject + " - " + fnln);
CS.end();
Note :- The custom scripts are available for all the editions and will work only if the request is raised via web form. You can also find default sample scripts available in ServiceDesk Plus Cloud by navigating to setup → Templates & Forms → Custom Script.
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