Similar to the
Maintenance module which automatically creates requests based on a schedule, recurring Change requests can be used for various purposes, particularly for standard changes such as server and service patching, certificate renewals, security updates and other recurring maintenance activities.
Although these activities can be managed using the Maintenance module, it is generally more appropriate to handle them as Change requests because they modify the state or configuration of the production environment and therefore require proper governance, approvals and auditability.
In simple terms, the Maintenance module focuses on planning and executing routine operational tasks whereas Change Management focuses on controlling, approving and documenting modifications to the IT environment. As a result, recurring activities that modify production systems are better managed as recurring Change requests even when they occur on a fixed schedule.
Currently, ServiceDesk Plus does not support recurring changes as an out-of-the-box feature. However, this can be achieved by scheduling a custom function.
Please refer to the steps outlined below to configure the same.
1. Download the script attached to this comment.
2. Navigate to the Admin > Automation > Custom Schedules, click Create New Function as shown in the screenshot below.
3. Update the URL and technician key in the script as shown in the screenshot below.
Technician/Integration key can be generated under Admin > Developer Space > Integration Key.
4. Schedule the change request as per your requirement.
If you would like to add more attributes to the script, navigate to Admin > Developer Space > API Documentation > Change where you can find all the attributes related to the Change module.
If you would like to define a workflow for the change in the script, run the following query from Reports > New Query Report to retrieve the corresponding workflow ID and then update it in the script.
select * from workflow;
The provided script currently defines two change requests to be created by the schedule. You can add or remove change requests as needed depending on the number of recurring changes you want to create. To make any changes to the script after the schedule is saved, navigate to Admin > Developer Space > Custom Function > Scheduled Functions.
Please note that we have plans to introduce recurring changes as an out-of-box feature in the application.
We hope you find this post helpful.
