AppsIT Desk

Incidents, problems and changes · Autessa IT Desk

Problem management and known errors

Autessa IT Desk includes problem management: a problem is the root cause behind repeat incidents, worked from New through Assess, Root Cause Analysis and Fix in Progress to Resolved. When you mark a problem as a known error, IT Desk writes a draft knowledge article with the symptoms, workaround and cause, so agents can apply the workaround right away.

A core ITSM / ITAM capability, done properly
Start free
Problem · PRB0001008Service DeskSAMPLE
NewAssessRoot cause analysisFix in progressResolvedClosed

Laptops lose Wi-Fi after waking from sleep

Linked incidents
7 incidents
Configuration item
Office Wi-Fi
Workaround
Turn Wi-Fi off and on, or run the network reset shortcut.
Root cause
Driver 22.1 power-saving setting on one laptop model.
Mark known errorCreate change
KB0001019Known error: Laptops lose Wi-Fi after sleepDraft

The problem

Fixing the same incident every week

If agents only ever restore service, the same printer driver or VPN setting breaks again and again. ITIL problem management looks for the cause and removes it. IT Desk links the incidents to the problem, records the root cause and the workaround, and hands the permanent fix to change management.

What you get

  • Create problem on an incident copies its description, configuration item, category, impact, urgency and group, and links the incident as the first report.
  • Problems have their own number (PRB0001001 and up), priority from the matrix, SLAs and activity stream.
  • The Analysis section holds the workaround, the root cause and the fix notes.
  • Mark known error sets the known-error flag and creates a draft IT knowledge article with Symptoms, Workaround and Cause sections.
  • A known-error banner tells agents a workaround exists and links to the article.
  • Create change starts a normal change titled with the fix, linked back to the problem.
  • Related lists show every incident linked to the problem and every change raised from it.

How it works

How does problem management and known errors work in Autessa IT Desk?

  1. Raise it

    Open a problem from Create New, or press Create problem on an incident that keeps happening. The incident links to the new problem.

  2. Assess

    Decide whether it is worth investigating, then Start root cause analysis.

  3. Find the cause

    Write down the root cause and any workaround. If there is a workaround, Mark known error so agents can use it while the fix is built.

  4. Fix it

    Move to Fix in progress and press Create change for the permanent fix.

  5. Resolve and close

    Resolve with a resolution code once the fix is in place, and close it when the related incidents stop.

Every option

Problem fields and states

OptionWhat it does
StatesNew, Assess, Root Cause Analysis, Fix in Progress, Resolved, Closed.
CategoryThe same seven categories as incidents.
Impact, urgency and priorityImpact and urgency 1 to 3; priority is calculated by the priority matrix.
First reported byThe incident that led to the problem.
AnalysisWorkaround, Root cause, Fix notes.
Known errorRead-only flag set by Mark known error, with a link to the known-error article.
ResolutionResolution code and resolved date.
ActionsAssign to me, Assess, Start root cause analysis, Fix in progress, Resolve, Close, Mark known error, Create change.

Permissions

Who can do what?

RoleCan
IT agentCreate and work problems, mark known errors and create changes.
IT administratorEverything an agent can, and publish the known-error article to the knowledge base.
Knowledge authorEdit the draft known-error article and submit it for review.

AI assist

How the IT Desk Assistant helps

Ask the IT Desk Assistant which incidents look alike, to summarize a problem and its linked incidents, or what to do next at the current state. It can draft the root cause or workaround text into the open form for you to review and save.

The assistant acts as you, with your role. It fills forms but never saves them, and anything risky waits for you to press Confirm.

About the IT Desk Assistant →

Connected

How it connects to the rest of IT Desk

IT DESK FEATURE

Incident management

Incidents link to the problem behind them, and agents apply its workaround.

IT DESK FEATURE

Knowledge base

A known error becomes a draft article that goes through review and publish.

IT DESK FEATURE

Change management

The permanent fix is a change raised from the problem.

IT DESK FEATURE

CMDB

Problems point at the configuration item at fault and show on its page.

FAQ

Questions about problem management and known errors

What is the difference between an incident and a problem?

An incident is one interruption that needs service restored. A problem is the cause behind one or more incidents. You open a problem when the same thing keeps breaking.

What is a known error in Autessa IT Desk?

A problem with a known cause or workaround. Marking it creates a draft knowledge article with the symptoms, workaround and cause, and a banner on the problem points agents to it.

Do small teams need problem management?

Not on day one. Small teams can start with incidents and requests and add problems and changes later; nothing has to be set up again.

Try problem management and known errors in Autessa IT Desk

Autessa IT Desk includes problem management: problems move from assess to root cause analysis to fix, and marking a known error writes a draft knowledge article with the workaround.

Start free

Setup wizard · starter catalog, SLAs and dashboards included · remove sample data any time

100% customizable, code and all

Make Autessa IT Desk fully your own.

Use it out of the box, then change anything. Ask Autobot, Autessa’s AI builder, for a new field, screen, report, workflow or agent and it builds it into your copy of the app. Or open the code and edit it yourself. Nothing is locked: the app, its data and its code are yours.

Start free and make it yours