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Service Types Tutorials

Service Types Tutorials

A service manager is a tool used to manage and streamline an organisation’s service management processes. It helps organisations automate and track service requests, incidents, queries, changes, and problems. It includes features for ticketing, management, and reporting. It aims to improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and ensure a higher level of service quality by enabling organisations to manage, prioritise, and resolve issues effectively.

The Service Manager in BOS can also be used to track and follow up on leads and to manage Projects.

A Service Type defines the interface for service tickets. Organisations may have an unlimited number of Service Types.

Navigation: Main Menu > Setup > Service Types

Tutorials: Service Types

These tutorials explain how to create and edit Service Types.

How to Create a Service Type

Navigate to Service Types.
Click New (button).
Click Add/Edit (button) if it is not greyed out.
Description = Type a description for the Service Type.
Code = Type a brief description for the Service Type.
Entity = Select an entity from the dropdown list or select all.
Click Settings (tab).
1. Click Settings (button) next to Add.
2. Select all the settings you want to add. Only those you want to change need to be added.
3. Click Add/Update (button) and confirm that you want to add the settings.
4. For all the added settings, click next to the setting in the Value column and select or type the necessary information.
5. Close the popup.
Click Save (button) to update the tabs based on the settings.
Complete the tabs (see the individual topics for each of the tabs below).

How to Edit a Service Type

Navigate to Service Types.
Click View (button).
Double click the Service Type you want to edit.
Click Add/Edit (button) if it is not greyed out.
Change any of the fields as needed.
Click Save (button).

How to Delete a Service Type

A Service Type that has been used cannot be deleted.

The deletion is permanent. Unlike service tickets, service types are not sent to the recycle bin.

Navigate to Service Types.
Click View (button).
Right click the Service Type you want to delete and select Delete from the context menu.
Confirm the deletion.

How to Select Transactions for Creation

Transactions can be created directly from a service ticket.

The applicable transaction types are selected using this procedure.

You only need to add the first transaction type in a transaction flow because the other transactions are created by copying the initial transaction (e.g. select a quotation only, because it is copied to a delivery note and customer invoice).

Edit a Service Type.
Click Settings (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) if it is not greyed out.
Add the setting:
1. Click Settings (button).
2. Click the setting: General > Transactions.
3. Click Add/Update (button).
4. Confirm that you want to add the settings.
On the Settings tab click Edit in the Value column next to General > Transactions.
1. To Add transactions: Move the Transaction Types from the Available to the Selected section using the arrows in the middle.
2. To Remove transactions: Move the Transaction Types from the Selected to the Available section using the arrows in the middle.
Click Save (button).

How to Create a Lead Source Lookup List

Edit a Service Type.
Click Add/Edit (button) if it is not greyed out.
Click Settings (tab).
Add the setting:
1. Click Settings (button).
2. Click the setting: Sales > Enable Sales (Lead Source, Referrer, Value, Probability).
3. Hold down the Ctrl key and click the setting: Sales > Lead Source Lookup.
4. Click Add/Update (button).
5. Confirm that you want to add the two settings.
On the Settings tab:
1. Check the checkbox in the value column next to Sales > Enable Sales (Lead Source, Referrer, Value, Probability).
2. Click the Value column next to the setting Sales > Lead Source Lookup and type the lead sources (e.g. Website, Telemarketing, Referral).
  1. Enter the list, one word at a time, pressing Enter after each word.
  2. Check the checkbox next to Auto Height to see the full list.
Click Save (button).

How to Create a Reference Lookup List

Edit a Service Type.
Click Add/Edit (button) if it is not greyed out.
Click Settings (tab).
Add the setting:
1. Click Add/Edit (button) if it is not greyed out.
2. Click Settings (button).
3. Click the setting: Reference Lookup.
4. Click Add/Update (button).
5. Confirm that you want to add the setting.
On the Settings tab:
1. Click the Value column next to the setting Reference Lookup and type the references.
  1. Type one word, press Enter.
  2. Check the checkbox next to Auto Height to see the full list.
Click Save (button).

Tutorials: Project Tags

Tags allow you to add a description to project items. These tutorials explain how to create and edit project tags.

How to Create a Tag

Edit a Service Type.
Click Project Tags (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Click the top line that shows: Click here to add a new row and fill in the details as follows:
1. Code = Type an abbreviation for the tag. The abbreviations show on the tickets.
2. Description = Type a description for the tag.
Click Save (button).

How to Edit a Tag

Edit a Service Type.
Click Project Tags (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Overtype any of the fields.
Click Save (button).

How to Delete a Tag

Edit a Service Type.
Click Project Tags (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Right click the entry you want to delete and select Delete from the context menu.
Confirm the deletion.

Tutorials: Statuses

These tutorials explain how to create and edit Statuses for Service Types.

How to Create Default Statuses

Edit a Service Type.
Click Statuses (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Click Add Default Statuses (button) and select a default status from the dropdown list.
Edit any of the entries if applicable.
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

How to Add Statuses

Edit a Service Type.
Click Statuses (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Click the top row where it says: Click here to add a new row and fill in the details as follows:
1. Code = Type a short description for the code (e.g. Pending).
2. Description = Type an explanation of when the status is used (e.g. Pending Approval).
3. Default = Select New from the dropdown list if this status must be applied to new tickets.
4. Group = Select a group from the lookup list of groups. The options are:
  1. Pending: The ticket is incomplete and can be changed.
  2. Active: The ticket is active.
  3. Complete: The ticket is complete.
  4. Cancelled: The ticket is inactive / cancelled.
5. Notification: Select who should be notified when the status changes:
  1. None: Nobody is notified.
  2. Internal: Only internal staff members are notified.
  3. All: Customers, suppliers, and staff will be notified.
6. Colour: Click inside the colour block and select a different colour from the available colours.
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

How to Reorder Statuses

Statuses should be listed in the order they are used to facilitate actions like next or previous status.

Edit a Service Type.
Click Statuses (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Right click the applicable status and select Move Up or Move Down from the context menu.
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

How to Delete Statuses

Statuses that have been used cannot be deleted.

Edit a Service Type.
Click Statuses (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Right click the applicable status and select Delete from the context menu.
Confirm the deletion.

Tutorials: Notes

These tutorials explain how to create topics for notes that should be added to a ticket.

How to Add Default Note Topics

Default Note Topics can only be added if the list is empty.

Edit a Service Type.
Click Notes (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Click Add Default Notes (button) and select an option from the dropdown list (Standard, Helpdesk, or NCR).
Edit the notes as needed.
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

How to Add a Note Topic

Edit a Service Type.
Click Notes (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Click the top row where it shows: Click here to add a new row.
Fill in the details as follows:
1. Reference = Type a name for the note.
2. Set Status = Select a status option from the dropdown list of statuses. Select Unchanged if you do not want to change the status.
3. Assign To = Select the user you want to assign the ticket to from the dropdown list.
4. Transaction = Select a Transaction Type from the dropdown list if applicable. This feature creates a note when that transaction is created and set to the status as selected in the next step.
  - Note: Use the backspace key to delete a Transaction Type if you do not want one.
5. Trans Status: Select a Status for the transaction that should trigger the note.
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

How to Edit a Note Topic

Edit a Service Type.
Click Notes (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Edit any of the fields.
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

How to Add a Note to a Note Topic

Edit a Service Type.
Click Notes (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Right click any of the Note Topics and select View/Edit Note from the context menu.
Type a note in the block provided.
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

How to Display or Hide Notes linked to Note Topics

Edit a Service Type.
Click Notes (tab).
Click Preview (button). If there are notes they are displayed indented in the Reference column below the applicable heading.
- Note: Click Preview (button) if it is greyed out to hide the notes.

How to Delete Note Topics

Edit a Service Type.
Click Notes (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Right click the applicable Note Topic and select Delete from the context menu.
Confirm the deletion.

Tutorials: Categories

Categories allow you to group and sort service tickets. These tutorials explain how to create and edit categories.

How to Create a Category

The columns for Severity and SLA Hrs are only available if the setting General > Enable Service Level Agreements (SLA) is added and checked.

Edit a Service Type.
Click Categories (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Click the top row where it shows: Click here to add a new row.
Fill in the details as follows:
1. Description = Type a description for the category.
2. Severity = Select Low, Medium, or High from the dropdown list to indicate how urgent the matter is.
3. SLA Hrs = Type the number of hours you expect to take.
4. Colour = Click inside the block to display an arrow. Click the arrow and select a colour.
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

How to Edit a Category

Edit a Service Type.
Click Categories (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Edit the fields.
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

How to Delete a Category

Edit a Service Type.
Click Categories (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Right click the category you want to delete and select Delete from the context menu.
Confirm the deletion.

Tutorials: Project Resources

Project Resources refer to people or services you can use to deal with the service tickets. These tutorials explain how to create and edit Project Resources.

How to Add Staff

Edit a Service Type.
Click Project Resources (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Click Add Staff (button).
Click the staff members to add (Use Ctrl Left click to multi-select).
Click Select (button).
The selected staff members are added.
- Note: If you select to add all the staff members, those who are already added are skipped.

How to Create a Resource

Edit a Service Type.
Click Project Resources (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Click the top row where it shows: Click here to add a new row.
Fill in the details as follows:
1. Code = Type an abbreviation for the description.
2. Description = Type the description.
3. Hourly Rate = Type the hourly rate of the resource.
4. Active (checkbox) = Check the box if the resource is active.
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

How to Edit a Resource

Edit a Service Type.
Click Project Resources (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Edit the fields as needed.
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

How to Delete a Resource

Edit a Service Type.
Click Project Resources (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Right click the resource you want to delete and select Delete from the context menu.
Confirm the deletion.

Tutorial: Profit or Loss Statement

A profit and loss can be displayed for projects or non-conformance reports.
Once setup (as per the instructions below), each relevant timekeeping record or transaction must be allocated to the applicable service ticket.

Edit a Service Type.
Click Settings (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Add the settings:
1. Click Settings (button) next to Add.
2. Press Ctrl key and click each of the settings in the group Profit/Loss.
3. Click Add/Update (button).
4. Confirm that you want to add the items.
5. Close the settings popup by clicking the X in the corner.
Edit the added settings as follows:
1. Profit/Loss > Timekeeping – Expenses (+): Check the checkbox in the Value column if you want the timekeeping cost to be added to the profit or loss. (Time worked multiplied by the hourly rate.)
2. Profit/Loss > Transactions – Expenses (-):
  1. Click the Value column and click Edit.
  2. On the popup: find any transaction types in which returns or refunds from suppliers are recorded (e.g. Supplier Debit Notes).
  3. Hold down the Ctrl key and click the transaction types in the Available column you want to add.
  4. Click the arrow to move them to the Selected column.
  5. Click Save (button).
3. Profit/Loss > Transactions – Expenses (+):
  1. Click the Value column and click Edit.
  2. On the popup: find any transaction types in which expenses are recorded (e.g. Supplier Invoices).
  3. Hold down the Ctrl key and click the transaction types in the Available column you want to add.
  4. Click the arrow to move them to the Selected column.
  5. Click Save (button).
4. Profit/Loss > Transactions – Income (-):
  1. Click the Value column and click Edit.
  2. On the popup: find any transaction types in which returns or refunds to customers are recorded (e.g. Customer Credit Notes).
  3. Hold down the Ctrl key and click the transaction types in the Available column you want to add.
  4. Click the arrow to move them to the Selected column.
  5. Click Save (button).
5. Profit/Loss > Transactions – Income (+):
  1. Click the Value column and click Edit.
  2. On the popup: find any transaction types in which income is recorded (e.g. Customer Invoices).
  3. Hold down the Ctrl key and click the transaction types in the Available column you want to add.
  4. Click the arrow to move them to the Selected column.
  5. Click Save (button).
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

Tutorials: Copy Rules

These tutorials explain how to create and edit Copy Rules for Service Types.

How to Create a Copy Rule

Edit a Service Type.
Click Copy Rules (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Complete the top row as follows:
- Copy To = Select the Service Type you want to copy the ticket to from the dropdown list.
- Set From Status = Select a status from the dropdown list if you want to change the ticket’s status once it is copied. Leave the field blank to not change the status.
- Caption = Type a caption that will appear on the Actions button (e.g. Copy to Projects).
- Reset Flow = Check the checkbox if the new service ticket is not related to the one being copied. Leave it unchecked, if the ticket must be linked (e.g. if you copy a sales ticket to a project ticket).
- Copy Projects = Check the checkbox if the project must be copied. (Only applies if the Service Type uses projects.)
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.
Right click the rule that was just created and click Edit User Access on the context menu.
Move users from the Available to the Selected section to grant them access to the rule.
Move users from the Selected to the Available section to revoke their access.

How to Edit Copy Rules

Edit a Service Type.
Click Copy Rules (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Edit any of the fields as needed.
Click Save (button) if it is not greyed out.

How to Add Notes to Copy Rules

The note always opens. However, if you are not in edit mode (Add/Edit button greyed out), you cannot edit the note.

Edit a Service Type.
Click Copy Rules (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Right click the applicable rule and select View/Edit Note from the context menu.
Type a note in the block provided.
Click Save (button).
Click Notes (button) on the Copy Rules tab to display the note below the rule.

How to Delete a Copy Rule

Edit a Service Type.
Click Copy Rules (tab).
Click Add/Edit (button) on the top row if it is not greyed out.
Right click the applicable copy rule and click Delete on the context menu.
Click Yes (button) on the confirmation popup to confirm the deletion.