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Helpdesk / Ticketing Software
Helpdesk / Ticketing Software
- Hi All,
I just got hired on at a company that is at 100 people growing at about 10 new people per week. We now have 2 in the IT department and we are becoming insanely disorganized. All of our requests come in via email or in person, we do not use telephones. I am wondering if anyone has had good experience with a small or customizable ticketing software? I checked out Frontrane Solutions: Heat, but wasn't very impressed.
Please let me know what you use and what you like about it!
Thanks!
Answers
- Hello,
for a small one i suggest to create your own Access database for your special needs. We have used one in the past and that was really enough, even with 300 people. (Unfortunal i don't have it anymore)
We used just small infos about names, offices, telephone, email, problem description field, call numbering and solution. Of course you can also add fields for serial numbers hardware descriptions etc. etc.
Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:09 PM
- Hi,
A god and well organized ticketing software is always expensive and takes time to learn how to use it. In a lot of cases it can be a bigger problem than solving the Help Desk problems. It may be too demanding or it may need a lot of time to fulfill the incident info in the DB of the software.
What I would recommend is going step by step and in that case you can see what fit's you best and then takes the necessary steps to implement it.
For start check the Office Template for tracking Calls.... you can modify it so it can fit your needs better but it is also nice out of the box solution which will at least identify your bottlenecks and / or weak spots.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC102068791033.aspx?CategoryID=CT101428241033
Best....- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:08 PM
- I actually really like Numara's TrackIt product: http://www.numarasoftware.com/ Heat, Remedy, and ServiceDesk always struck me as having too much overhead for the function they performed.
Then again, there's a beta out for Microsoft System Center Service Manager, but it's for Win2008 X64 only... http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/en/us/service-manager.aspx
www.operatingquadrant.com- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:08 PM
- We use a product called Alloy Navigator. It has a few issues and a few limitations, but overall it does the job. Provides for tickets in the following categories: Incidents, Problems, Change Requests, Work Orders, and Projects. You can build out a knowledge base, and there is a web portal for your users to submit tickets, check status, and browse the KB. Also provides a place to store info on your service offerings and SLAs. Does active asset management (hardware/software inventory), we have it setup to inventory each time someone logs in. Will also let you track software licenses and purchase orders. The reporting system requires you to purchase a crystal reports module from them, but then you can generate a lot of different reports.
My biggest wish would be a better equipment checkout system.
http://www.alloy-software.com/a5/
Doug Evans
IT Manager
Association of Washington Cities- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:08 PM
- We used a great web based service that was very scalable for our company size. We were the same size as you and very successfully used a service called Parature. http://www.parature.net/
Excellent support and the product was flexible enough to allow us to use it for both internal IT Ticketing and for external clients that we support.
Hope that helps -
Bill- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:09 PM
Hello SomeDudePPF,
I would highly recommend SpiceWorks (Free of charge), it has a ticketing system integrated with a lot more cool sysadmin features, such as inventory tracking (software/hardware/etc).
Regards,
Jordan- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:09 PM
- have you thought about moving to a managed service platform, this will help you in every way possible regarding being organized. most Manged services include there own ticketing system. send me your email if you are interested in more info.. to much to type !!
- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:08 PM
All Replies
- Hello,
for a small one i suggest to create your own Access database for your special needs. We have used one in the past and that was really enough, even with 300 people. (Unfortunal i don't have it anymore)
We used just small infos about names, offices, telephone, email, problem description field, call numbering and solution. Of course you can also add fields for serial numbers hardware descriptions etc. etc.
Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:09 PM
- Hi,
A god and well organized ticketing software is always expensive and takes time to learn how to use it. In a lot of cases it can be a bigger problem than solving the Help Desk problems. It may be too demanding or it may need a lot of time to fulfill the incident info in the DB of the software.
What I would recommend is going step by step and in that case you can see what fit's you best and then takes the necessary steps to implement it.
For start check the Office Template for tracking Calls.... you can modify it so it can fit your needs better but it is also nice out of the box solution which will at least identify your bottlenecks and / or weak spots.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/TC102068791033.aspx?CategoryID=CT101428241033
Best....- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:08 PM
- have you thought about moving to a managed service platform, this will help you in every way possible regarding being organized. most Manged services include there own ticketing system. send me your email if you are interested in more info.. to much to type !!
- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:08 PM
- I actually really like Numara's TrackIt product: http://www.numarasoftware.com/ Heat, Remedy, and ServiceDesk always struck me as having too much overhead for the function they performed.
Then again, there's a beta out for Microsoft System Center Service Manager, but it's for Win2008 X64 only... http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/en/us/service-manager.aspx
www.operatingquadrant.com- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:08 PM
- We use a product called Alloy Navigator. It has a few issues and a few limitations, but overall it does the job. Provides for tickets in the following categories: Incidents, Problems, Change Requests, Work Orders, and Projects. You can build out a knowledge base, and there is a web portal for your users to submit tickets, check status, and browse the KB. Also provides a place to store info on your service offerings and SLAs. Does active asset management (hardware/software inventory), we have it setup to inventory each time someone logs in. Will also let you track software licenses and purchase orders. The reporting system requires you to purchase a crystal reports module from them, but then you can generate a lot of different reports.
My biggest wish would be a better equipment checkout system.
http://www.alloy-software.com/a5/
Doug Evans
IT Manager
Association of Washington Cities- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:08 PM
- Kayako's SupportSuite (www.kayako.com) is a proved software with Ticketing support and Live chat facility. But it is not complaint to standards like ITIL. My suggestion is to start with a tool which is complaint to ITIL is the better choice.
ManuPhilip - We used a great web based service that was very scalable for our company size. We were the same size as you and very successfully used a service called Parature. http://www.parature.net/
Excellent support and the product was flexible enough to allow us to use it for both internal IT Ticketing and for external clients that we support.
Hope that helps -
Bill- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:09 PM
Hello SomeDudePPF,
I would highly recommend SpiceWorks (Free of charge), it has a ticketing system integrated with a lot more cool sysadmin features, such as inventory tracking (software/hardware/etc).
Regards,
Jordan- Marked As Answer byKevin RemdeMSFT, OwnerMonday, November 02, 2009 1:09 PM
- I guess the free version of SysAid Helpdesk software tools will help you to organize the IT issues.
iprem
