FLAGPOLE: checklists (was Re: [rt-users] RT3.4.1 Custom fields)

[Jay R. Ashworth]

On Thu, Mar 03, 2005 at 11:50:55AM +0000, Ian Norton wrote:
> Our student helpdesk service take calls on a number of different issues
> and I'm currently trying to convert them to using RT from an Access 
> database (sic).
> 
> My stumbling block is that we want to set a number of custom fields 
> based on the type of query.  For example, if they take a call regarding 
> a faulty printer, we need RT to then present another custom field so 
> that we can describe the printer fault.

I'm a real newbie as far as RT is concerned, but I'd spent a fair
amount of time designing my own before I found it, so I've given some
thought to things like this.

The thing that worries me about custom fields by queue is: what happens
if you have to merge or move a ticket to a different queue because it
wasn't reported correctly.

I was actually going to separate ProblemReport from Diagnosis for
precisely that reason: users are not the best, sometimes, at describing
what's really wrong.

But I understand the problem: making sure you ask all the right
questions.

I visualise a new transaction type: checklist.  You could pick the
proper checklist off a pulldown, and attach it to the ticket, and then
the system could keep track of who checked which boxes and when, and
collect a short comment on each line.

Does an approach like that sound like it would suit the need you find
you have?

I'm not familiar enough with the codebase to know exactly how you'd do
this, but I'm sure it will come in time.   Oh, the Subject TAG?  "Run
it up the flagpole, and see if anyone salutes."

Cheers,
-- jra
-- 
Jay R. Ashworth                                                jra at baylink.com
Designer                          Baylink                             RFC 2100
Ashworth & Associates        The Things I Think                        '87 e24
St Petersburg FL USA      http://baylink.pitas.com             +1 727 647 1274

      If you can read this... thank a system adminstrator.  Or two.  --me