Harepoint Helpdesk Admin Guide en

HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint Administration Guide
For SharePoint Server 2010, 2013, SharePoint Foundation 2010, 2013
This manual has been produced by MAPILab and contains information essential for the successful installation of HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint on your computer.
Product version 15.2.0.2 January 23, 2014
( This Page Intentionally Left Blank )
Introduction | HarePoint.Com
Contents
I. II. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 5 General description of the product ...................................................................................................... 6
III. Preparation for deployment ................................................................................................................. 8 1. 2. System requirements ........................................................................................................................ 9 Before the installation and deployment ......................................................................................... 10
IV. Installation and deployment ............................................................................................................... 11 1. 2. V. 1. 2. Automatic installation and deployment using Setup.exe ............................................................... 12 Manual installation and deployment (for SharePoint 2010 only) .................................................. 17 Upgrading of the product version ....................................................................................................... 18 Automatic upgrading using Setup.exe ............................................................................................ 18 Manual upgrading (for SharePoint 2010 only) ............................................................................... 22
VI. Removing the solution ........................................................................................................................ 23 1. 2. Automatic removing using Setup.exe ............................................................................................. 23 Manual removing (for SharePoint 2010 only) ................................................................................ 26
VII. Initial configuration ............................................................................................................................. 27 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Creating a HarePoint HelpDesk Web site ....................................................................................... 27 Settings access permissions ............................................................................................................ 29 Generating the page of creating and viewing requests by users ................................................... 30 Setting parameters and roles for the HarePoint HelpDesk site...................................................... 32 Setting the time zone and defining the working time .................................................................... 35 Configuring notifications ................................................................................................................. 37 Setting SLA rules.............................................................................................................................. 39
VIII. Possibilities for further configuration of the product ......................................................................... 42 1. 2. 3. 4. Modifying/supplementing lists ....................................................................................................... 42 Modifying notification templates ................................................................................................... 44 Editing workflows............................................................................................................................ 48 HarePoint HelpDesk Workflow activities ........................................................................................ 51 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Is user in role of HarePoint HelpDesk ..................................................................................... 52 Evaluate due date ................................................................................................................... 52 Get value of HarePoint HelpDesk variable .............................................................................. 52 Send an HarePoint HelpDesk Notification .............................................................................. 53 HarePoint.Com | Introduction 3
4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 5.
Wait for Field Change in Current Item until date ................................................................... 53 Wait for Field Change in Current Item with time-out ............................................................. 53 HHD Evaluate SLA rule ............................................................................................................ 54 HHD Get Escalation property .................................................................................................. 54 HHD Get SLA rule property ..................................................................................................... 54 HHD Round Date/Time............................................................................................................ 54 HHD Run Escalation actions .................................................................................................... 55 HHD Set Field in Current Item to Blank................................................................................... 55 HHD Start a List Workflow ...................................................................................................... 55 Wait for Field Change in Current Item by SLA rule ................................................................. 55 Wait for Field Change in Current Item until date from field ................................................... 56
HarePoint HelpDesk macros ........................................................................................................... 57
IX. Updating HarePoint HelpDesk sites .................................................................................................... 59 1. X. Updating HarePoint HelpDesk workflows....................................................................................... 60 Migrating SharePoint HelpDesk from SharePoint2010 to SharePoint2013 ....................................... 63
XI. Viewing HarePoint HelpDesk requests ............................................................................................... 65 1. Subscription to the requests ........................................................................................................... 65
XII. Viewing HarePoint HelpDesk reports ................................................................................................. 67 1. Subscription to the Reports ............................................................................................................ 69
XIII. E-mail Support..................................................................................................................................... 71 1. 2. 3. Incoming e-mail configuration ........................................................................................................ 72 Configuring automatic user registration ......................................................................................... 73 Configuring notification of the automatic registration of users ..................................................... 76
XIV. Reply Templates .................................................................................................................................. 78 1. Creating and editing reply templates ............................................................................................. 79
XV. Knowledgebase ................................................................................................................................... 82 XVI. License management .......................................................................................................................... 83 1. Entering license keys ....................................................................................................................... 85
Introduction | HarePoint.Com
I.
Introduction
HarePoint HelpDesk is a ready-made customer support system for internet and intranet sites based on the SharePoint platform. This solution allows you to create an efficient system for processing incoming support requests. Key features: Convenient and functional interface for handling and working with support requests. Customizable categories, levels and priority settings Support of collaboration among helpdesk team members with reassignment of requests Assignment of responsibility using workflow Customized e-mail notifications using workflow Analysis of helpdesk usage and operator performance using a set of specialized reports Request processing cycle management using workflow
The most outstanding feature of the product in that it is easily deployed and immediately ready for use. The installed product presents a site template through which you can create one or more support sites. The web part with the request creation form can be placed on a page of any site in the collection. The products logic is based on standard SharePoint declarative workflows, and using SharePoint Designer, you can easily configure notification templates, modify automatic assignment of support requests, and modify the request processing cycle. HarePoint HelpDesk is used for our technical support, so you can get an idea of how the product works by contacting our support team with a request or suggestion. We are happy to receive product development ideas from you.
HarePoint.Com | Introduction
II.
General description of the product

HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint is a solution containing the template of the SharePoint site. HarePoint HelpDesk site contains necessary lists, views, forms and workflows that provide the automation of the technical support service work. In the current version of HarePoint HelpDesk all users using the specified site are divided into two big groups according to the performed role: User The consumer of technical support services. Users with this role generate requests, take part in the process of clarifying request details and make decisions on the quality of provided solutions. Technician The specialist of the technical support service. The responsibility of such user includes ensuring an adequate level of technical support service, timely response to requests generated by consumers, providing consumers with the most viable options for solving problems described in the request.
A simplified scheme of a HarePoint HelpDesk site can be represented as follows: 1. User creates a request to the technical support service. The request is created by a special mechanism, which we shall call User Dashboard. Using the features implemented in User Dashboard, User can specify the subject, description, as well as additional request parameters. User Dashboard from a technical point of view is a Web Part that can be placed on any page of the site collection. This method of User Dashboard implementation allows you to completely close the direct access of consumers to the very HarePoint HelpDesk site. 2. Technician, having received the notification via E-mail, makes the decision to appoint a person responsible for processing the incoming request. To work with the incoming requests, Technician uses another mechanism Technician Dashboard. Technician Dashboard provides an employee of the technical support service with a rich set of tools for working with users requests. Person responsible for further processing of the request is also notified. 3. Responsible Technician analyzes the contents of the consumer's request and gives him the most adequate solution of the described problem. In case it is necessary to obtain additional information from the consumer to solve the described problem, Technician has the opportunity to ask a question to the consumer, using the mechanism of comments to the request. 4. User, having received the notification on the decision of providing him with a solution, makes a decision about whether he is satisfied by the provided solution. If the solution satisfies all the consumers requirements, the latter closes the request by clicking the appropriate button in the User Dashboard interface. Furthermore, permitted request can be closed automatically after a certain period. The entire life cycle of the request, as well as some other mechanisms of the automated request processing are implemented using declarative workflows. Such implementation of automation processes 6 General description of the product | HarePoint.Com
makes it easy to make necessary changes to the request life cycle and ensures its fine-tuning almost for any required conditions. Workflows supplied as a part of the solution perform the tasks of monitoring the terms of implementation of some major stages of request processing, send out notifications via email, automate the processes of assigning persons responsible for processing incoming requests, etc. The storage of applications and related information is implemented using standard SharePoint lists. To implement the storage of notifications, virtually all list functions are used, including features such as list views, setting default values, using declarative workflows associated with lists. This approach to the implementation of request storage allows you to extend the HarePoint HelpDesk system with maximum flexibility, using only standard API SharePoint. In particular, you can create new views, add fields to existing lists, create custom subsystems for creating and so on. Notification templates sent via e-mail are also easily customizable. For this purpose, the usage of Microsoft SharePoint Designer is proposed. Besides a simple changing of templates, you can also create their localized copies.
HarePoint.Com | General description of the product
III.
Preparation for deployment
HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint is deployed on all servers in the SharePoint farm. To install and deploy the program successfully, you must have administrator rights for both SharePoint servers and for the Windows Server on which the Product will be deployed. The product can be installed and deployed in two ways: Automatically using Setup.exe Manually using Stsadm.exe (for SharePoint 2010 only)
We recommend using Setup.exe because it checks whether HarePoint HelpDesk can be installed and performs the installation automatically. It checks: Installation of SharePoint Permissions to install and deploy SharePoint Solution Whether the necessary services are started
It allows you to: Install and deploy the solution Repair the solution (retract the solution and deploy it again) Remove the solution Select the web-applications to which the solution should be deployed
Also, it generates Installation.log which simplifies the troubleshooting if any problems occur during the installation or deployment.
Preparation for deployment | HarePoint.Com
1.

System requirements
Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013, SharePoint Foundation 2013, Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010, SharePoint Foundation 2010
HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint is designed to operate in:
(Hereinafter referred to as SharePoint) environments. The Product has no special requirements to the operating system and its components, RAM memory space and CPU type. The Product may operate at any configuration where SharePoint is deployed.
HarePoint.Com | Preparation for deployment
2.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Before the installation and deployment

The latest version of the product is downloaded from HarePoint.com. The downloaded product ZIP is unzipped into the temporary folder on the WFE server. The SharePoint farm is configured completely. The web-sites and SharePoint Central Administration web-site are working properly. All files web.config are not write-protected.
Here is a list of items which should be checked before the installation and deployment of the product.
In case of automatic installation and deployment using Setup.exe the following items will be checked automatically. In case of manual installation and deployment (for SharePoint 2010 only) you should check also the following: 1. A command-line tool for the SharePoint administration (Stsadm.exe) is accessible. You must be an administrator on the local computer to use Stsadm.exe. It is located at the following path on the drive where SharePoint Products and Technologies are installed: %COMMONPROGRAMFILES%\microsoft shared\web server extensions\14\bin 2. You are starting the installation from the SharePoint Web front-end server. 3. You have administrator rights for both SharePoint servers and for the Windows Server on which the Product will be deployed. 4. Make sure that Administrative Service is started. The service name is one of the following: 5. Microsoft SharePoint Foundation administrative service; 6. Make sure that SharePoint Timer Service is started.
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Preparation for deployment | HarePoint.Com
IV.
Installation and deployment
Please, read carefully the Preparation for deployment area of the Administrator guide before the installation. The product distributive contains the following files and folders: Bin the folder contains a program library for the installation tool Resources the folder contains all necessary files to deploy HarePoint HelpDesk manually HarePoint.Installer.Core.dll core program library of the installation tool installation.log this file is created when the installation tool is started. Contains installation logs. Setup.exe executable file to start the installation tool Setup.exe.config XML file with the directions to the installation tool.
HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint can be deployed in the automatic mode and manually.
HarePoint.Com | Installation and deployment
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1.
Automatic installation and deployment using Setup.exe

1. At the first step the installation tool checks the version of SharePoint which is installed and shows the error message if incorrect distributive of the product is downloaded. If the appropriate version is detected you will see the following window:
The installation and deployment are performed by a special tool. To start it click file Setup.exe.
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Installation and deployment | HarePoint.Com
2. At the next step the installation tool checks the necessary components and the permission to install and deploy the product. If everything is OK you will see the following window:
3. If you see a red mark in the list you should fix the problem before continuing the installation.
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4. At the next step you should read and accept the License Agreement:
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5. At the next step you should select the Web-applications and Site Collections to which the product should be deployed:
6. When you click Next the product deployment will be started and you will see the window with the status bar and deployment logs. When the deployment is finished you will see message
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Installation completed successfully at once after the status bar.
7. Click Next and Finish to exit from the installation tool. The product is installed and deployed.
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2.
Manual installation and deployment (for SharePoint 2010 only)
Please read carefully the Preparation for deployment area of the Administrator guide before the installation. To install the program successfully, you must have administrator rights for both SharePoint Foundation 2010 and for the server on which the Product will be installed. 1. The software distributive contains a folder named Resources\2010\. Folder contains the HarePointHelpDesk.wsp solution. This solution file will be added to the repository of solutions of SharePoint Foundation 2010. 2. Enter the following in the command line: > stsadm -o addsolution -filename HarePointHelpDesk.wsp 3. Next run the command: > stsadm -o deploysolution -name HarePointHelpDesk.wsp allowgacdeployment -allcontenturls Depending on the configuration of your SharePoint Foundation 2010, additional attributes (for example, -immediate) may need to be indicated. 4. Make sure that the deployment of the solution is completed successfully. The following command may be used to verify this: > stsadm -o displaysolution -name HarePointHelpDesk.wsp The above command displays the current state of solutions. In our case, it is important that the Deployed parameter be TRUE.
5. Next, run the command on each SharePoint farm server: > stsadm -o copyappbincontent
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V.
Upgrading of the product version

We are working permanently to improve the product and we strongly recommend you to use the latest available version of the product. Using the procedures described below, HarePoint HelpDesk for the SharePoint solution update is only performed. If you have previously created HarePoint HelpDesk sites, then to update them you need to perform additional operations described in paragraph Updating HarePoint HelpDesk sites. HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint can be upgraded in the automatic mode and manually.
1.
Automatic upgrading using Setup.exe

1. At the first step the installation tool checks the version of SharePoint which is installed and shows the error message if incorrect distributive of the product is downloaded. If the appropriate version is detected you will see the following window:
The upgrading are performed by a special tool. To start it click file Setup.exe.
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Upgrading of the product version | HarePoint.Com
2. At the next step the installation tool checks the necessary components and the permission to upgrade the product. If everything is OK you will see the following window:
3. If you see a red mark in the list you should fix the problem before continuing the installation.
HarePoint.Com | Upgrading of the product version
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4. Select Upgrade and click the Next button:
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5. When you click Next the product upgrading process will be started and you will see the window with the status bar and logs:
6. Click Next and Finish to close the wizard. 7. Go to the SharePoint Central Administration -> Application Management-> Manage web applications page. Select the web application where the product has been deployed, click Manage Features in the ribbon. Deactivate and activate again the feature 'HarePoint HelpDesk WebApplication Timer Jobs' to complete the installation. The product is upgraded.
HarePoint.Com | Upgrading of the product version
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2.
Manual upgrading (for SharePoint 2010 only)
Please read carefully the Preparation for deployment area of the Administrator guide before the upgrading. To complete the updating procedure successfully, you must have administrator rights for both SharePoint Foundation 2010 and for the server on which the Product is installed. 1. The software distributive contains a folder named Resources\2010\. Folder contains the HarePointHelpDesk.wsp solution. This solution file will be added to the repository of solutions of SharePoint Foundation 2010. 2. Enter the following in the command line: > stsadm -o upgradesolution -name HarePointHelpDesk.wsp -filename HarePointHelpDesk.wsp -allowgacdeployment Depending on your configuration of SharePoint Foundation 2010, it may be necessary to indicate additional attributes (e.g. -immediate). 3. Make sure that the update has been completed successfully; to do this, run the following command in the command line: > stsadm -o displaysolution -name HarePointHelpDesk.wsp Running the above command will display the current state of solutions. In our case, it is important that the Deployed parameter be TRUE, and that the value of LastOperationResult - is DeploymentSucceeded.
4. Next, run the command on each SharePoint farm server: > stsadm -o copyappbincontent 5. Restart SharePoint 2010 Timer service on each server.
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VI.
1.
Removing the solution

Automatic removing using Setup.exe
HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint can be removed in the automatic mode and manually.
The installation, upgrading and removing the product are performed by a special tool. To start it click file Setup.exe. 1. At the first step the installation tool checks the version of SharePoint which is installed and shows the error message if incorrect distributive of the product is downloaded. If the appropriate version is detected you will see the following window:
HarePoint.Com | Removing the solution
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2. At the next step the installation tool checks the necessary components and the permission to upgrade the product. If everything is OK you will see the following window:
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Removing the solution | HarePoint.Com
3. Select Remove and click the Next button:
HarePoint.Com | Removing the solution
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4. When you click Next the product removing process will be started and you will see the window with the status bar and logs:
5. Click Next and Finish to exit from the installation tool. The product is installed and deployed.
2.
Manual removing (for SharePoint 2010 only)
To complete the removal process successfully, you must have administrator rights for both SharePoint Foundation 2010 and for the server from which the Program is removed. 1. Enter the following in the command line: > stsadm -o retractsolution -name HarePointHelpDesk.wsp Depending on your configuration, it may be necessary to indicate additional attributes (e.g. immediate). 2. Make sure that the removal has been successfully complete by checking the feedback from the following command: > stsadm -o displaysolution -name HarePointHelpDesk.wsp Running this command will display the current state of the solution. In our case, it is important that the Deployed parameter be FALSE, and that the value of LastOperationResult is RetractionSucceeded. 3. Remove the solution using the command: > stsadm -o deletesolution -name HarePointHelpDesk.wsp 4. Restart SharePoint 2010 Timer on each server. 26 Removing the solution | HarePoint.Com
VII.
Initial configuration
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Creating a Web site using a HarePoint HelpDesk template. Settings access permissions to the contents of the created site. Generating the page of creating and viewing requests by users. Setting parameters and roles for the HarePoint HelpDesk site. Setting the time zone and defining the working time.
The process of product configuration can be represented simply by the following steps:
1.
Creating a HarePoint HelpDesk Web site
When deploying HarePoint HelpDesk to the SharePoint farm, a new template of the HarePoint HelpDesk site is added.
HarePoint.Com | Initial configuration
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The creation of a HarePoint HelpDesk site is performed exactly the same as creation of any other site just select the specified template, enter the site name and address and click Create. The site created in such a way is a simple SharePoint site which has enabled HarePoint HelpDesk feature, which is also created during the solution deployment. Note that the HarePoint HelpDesk feature can also be activated on the previously created site. However, be aware that this approach to the site creation may lead to a conflict between names of lists created during the feature activation. HarePoint HelpDesk performs the following operations during the feature activation: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Creation of HarePoint HelpDesk lists. Creation of event handlers for site lists. Creation and activation of HarePoint HelpDesk workflows. Calculation and setting default values for properties of the HarePoint HelpDesk site. Creation of templates for E-mail messages.
When deactivating the HarePoint HelpDesk feature, lists and other site items are not removed. 28 Initial configuration | HarePoint.Com
The update and restoration of HarePoint HelpDesk items is performed during the feature reactivation. In particular, this means that if any list or the entire workflow is accidentally deleted or damaged, you can always run its restoration by deactivating/activating the HarePoint HelpDesk feature.
2.
Settings access permissions

List Permissions o Add Items - Add items to lists and add documents to document libraries. o Edit Items - Edit items in lists, edit documents in document libraries, and customize Web Part Pages in document libraries. o Delete Items - Delete items from a list and documents from a document library. o View Items - View items in lists and documents in document libraries. Site Permissions o View Pages - View pages in a Web site. o Open - Allows users to open a Web site, list, or folder in order to access items inside that container.
To work with HarePoint HelpDesk requests, a user must have the following permissions:
In order to form the specified set of permissions, perform the following steps. 1. Go to the page of configurations of the current collection root site. a. In menu Site Actions (Settings ) select Site Settings. b. On page Site Settings click link Go to top level site settings.
2. In section Uses and Permissions click link Site permissions.
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3. On page Permissions click Permission Levels.
4. Create a new Permission Level and mark the check boxes of permissions enumerated above. 5. Use the created Permission Level when creating access permissions for target groups of users.
3.
Generating the page of creating and viewing requests by users
HarePoint HelpDesk provides two different mechanisms of working with requests. One of them, User dashboard, is intended for the work of users belonging to role Users. The other one, Technician dashboard for users with role Technician. Technician dashboard is located at: http://<helpdesk>/_layouts/HarePoint/HelpDesk/Requests/Requests.aspx Where <helpdesk> is the HarePoint HelpDesk site address. User dashboard is represented by a special Web Part. The specified Web Part is installed during the solution deployment. To make the Web Part be available for use, you need to activate the feature of HarePoint HelpDesk Client Web Part of the site collection level. To form User dashboard, perform the following steps: 1. Go to the page of configuration of the current collection root site. 2. On the page of configuration click Site collection features in section Site Collection Administration. 3. Activate the HarePoint HelpDesk Client Web Part feature. 4. Create a new page available for users or select the previously created one.
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Initial configuration | HarePoint.Com
5. Add Web Part HarePoint HelpDesk Client Web Part to the page.
6. If the page to which the Web Part is added is located not in the same site as HarePoint HelpDesk, the Web Part will contain an error message.
This error occurs, because the Web Part cannot find the necessary lists. To fix the error, you need to further customize the Web Part. 7. Open the settings panel of the Web Part by selecting Edit Web Part in the Web Part context menu.
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8. Specify the HarePoint HelpDesk site address in field HarePoint HelpDesk installation url:
9.
Hide list of requests setting allows to limit access to Requests list. If its checked user would be able to create a new request only, while viewing previously created requests and adding comments to them would be unavailable. This scenario implies that when a new request is received technicians would contact the user by e-mail, phone or in any other way, except using the HelpDesk.
10. In addition to the HarePoint HelpDesk site address, settings panel of the Web Part also allows you to configure the position and appearance of buttons for creating requests.
4.
Setting parameters and roles for the HarePoint HelpDesk site
For normal operation of the HarePoint HelpDesk site, it is necessary to set a number of important parameters, as well as define the roles of users. To open the page of configuration of the HarePoint HelpDesk parameters, perform the following steps. 1. Open the page of HarePoint HelpDesk site parameters: in menu Site Actions (Settings Site Settings. ) select
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2. On page Site Settings click link Settings in section HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint:
The following parameters are presented on this page: HarePoint HelpDesk full name Full product name to be used in the notification header. If this property value is empty, HelpDesk E-mail address will be used as its name. The HarePoint HelpDesk Web site name is used as a default value. HarePoint HelpDesk e-mail Product E-mail address used to send notifications. The field is critical. The construction of form Site name [site@email.com] is used as a default value. Where Site name the HarePoint HelpDesk site name, site@email.com E-mail address specified in the SharePoint farm settings for a Web application. HarePoint.Com | Initial configuration 33
Request page for the technicians The reference to the request management page for the technicians, the reference is used in notifications. This field is critical. By default, the field contains the absolute address of the page for working with the request. Change the value of this parameter in case Alternate Access Mapping is used for access to the Web site. Request view address template for the user Request view address template for the user, the template is used in notifications. The value of this parameter must be changed! The parameter contains special macro [%RequestID%]. When generating an E-mail message, this macro is replaced by the value of the request identifier. You should set the value of this parameter as follows: 1. Open the page intended for user work with requests. About how to create such a page is described above, in paragraph Generating the page of creating and viewing requests by users. You have to open the specified page as the user should do it. 2. Click Create Request to create a new request. 3. In mandatory field Subject specify an arbitrary value and click Post Request. 4. Copy the page address from the browser address field into the clipboard:
5. Address of the following form will be put into the clipboard: http://<server>/SitePages/UserConsole.aspx?mlwebpartmode=Request&ContextListID=554 b66d6-f2ec-420e-a396-978ef7efca5f&ContextID=2 6. Replace the number that specifies parameter ContextID by macro [%RequestID%]. 34 Initial configuration | HarePoint.Com
7. In result, the address is supposed to be similar to the following form: http://<server>/SitePages/UserConsole.aspx?mlwebpartmode=Request&ContextListID=554 b66d6-f2ec-420e-a396-978ef7efca5f&ContextID=[%RequestID%] 8. Specify the address template obtained in such a way as the value of parameter Request view address template for the user. Request view address template for the technicians. Request view address template for the technicians, the template is used in notifications. This field is critical. By default, the field contains an address template of the page for working with the request. Change the value of this parameter in case Alternate Access Mapping is used for Web site access. Request Timeouts Request Assigning time-out (work minutes) Time, to the minute, by which a responsible person must be assigned to the query. Request Approving time-out (calendar days) The number of days after which automatic approval of the solution is set and the query is closed. Technicians The list of users and groups which perform the technician role at HarePoint HelpDesk. By default, this parameter is not specified. For normal functioning of the site specify the list of users and/or groups as the value. Users The list of HarePoint HelpDesk users. By default, this parameter is not specified. For normal functioning of the site specify the list of users and/or groups as the value. Attachments blocked file types and maximum upload size Specify the maximum size and allowed file types of attachment can be uploaded. By default, the user has the permission for attaching the request with files no larger than 4MB and having well-defined types. If in your case this limitation is insufficient or excessive, modify it in the corresponding way.
5.
Setting the time zone and defining the working time
HarePoint HelpDesk takes the information on the time zone and working time from standard SharePoint parameters. It is important to correctly configure the specified parameters, because time intervals in the context of implementation of workflows supplied with the HarePoint HelpDesk solution are calculated on their basis. To configure these settings, you need to perform the following steps. 1. In menu Site Actions (Settings ) of the HarePoint HelpDesk site select Site Settings.
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2. In section Site Administration click link Regional settings.
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3. On page Regional Settings specify the corresponding time zone and operating mode of the technical support service. Click OK.
6.
Configuring notifications
HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint lets you quickly and easily configure user notifications concerning various events on the HelpDesk site. To configure notification, the following actions are required: 1. Open the page of HarePoint HelpDesk site parameters: in menu Site Actions (Settings ) select Site Settings. 2. On the Site Settings page, click link Settings in section HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint.
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3. In the Notifications Management section, click on the Configure notifications link:
4. A modal window will open where notifications can be managed:
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This notification management window has a categorized list of notifications which are sent from the HarePoint HelpDesk site when various events are processed. By checking the various boxes indicating types of notifications, you can permit or prevent such notifications from being sent. Two notification types should be noted, since they contain, among other things, user lists. These are the New request is added and The time of assigning responsible person is up types. If the list of recipients is empty, the given notification will be sent to all users of the HarePoint helpdesk site who have the Technician role. In most cases, this is not optimal, so it is usually best to identify those users who are responsible for administration of such inquiries at this stage, before the inquiries are sent out to tech support personnel.
7.
Setting SLA rules
The mechanism for automated monitoring of Service License Agreements (SLA) fulfillment is one of the key components of the HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint. Automatic monitoring of the terms of the SLA ensures that tech support processes are completed properly and on time to end users. In HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint, this mechanism operates using bundled workflows and special rules. Using rules greatly simplifies monitoring of SLA without modifications of workflows. Configuration of this feature does not require knowledge of programming or similar skills. To navigate to the page for managing SLA rules, do the following: 1. Open the page of HarePoint HelpDesk site parameters: in menu Site Actions (Settings Site Settings. 2. On page Site Settings click link Settings in section HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint. 3. Click Configure SLA link in SLA Management section of settings: ) select
The Service License Agreement rules page shows a list of rules that have been created. The order of the rules in the list is important, since they are executed in this order.
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The Move Up and Move Down links in the Actions column lets you change the order of the application of the rules. To create a new rule, click the Create in the ribbon. A dialog will open that lets you set the many parameters of a new SLA rule.
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1. SLA Details Enter the name and a short description of the SLA rule. 2. Criteria Condition for application of the rule. Query field values can be used as parameters to formulate conditions. 3. Response and resolution time The time allowed for the creation of a comment to the query and to solve the issue, respectively. You also have the option to resolve requests irrespective of the operational hours and holidays by enabling Should be resolved irrespective of Operational Hours. By selecting this option, you will be overriding the operational hours of your organization and the due by time is calculated from the creation time without taking into consideration the holidays and operational hours. 4. If the request is not responded within the specified Response Time, you can set escalation levels for notification to higher level support reps. To escalate requests when the response time elapses, a. Click Enable Level 1 Escalation. b. Choose the support rep to which the ticket needs to be escalated by clicking Choose button. c. You can specify the actions to be carried out while performing the escalation from Choose Action drop down. d. Set the Date and Time, Before or After the escalation. 5. Similarly, if the request is not resolved within the specified Resolution Time, you can set up to 4 levels of escalation to support reps. 6. Click OK to save the newly-formed rule. Changes in existing SLA rules is analogous. For this, you need to choose the rule from the list with its hyperlink, change the parameters as required, and click OK. To delete one or several rules, choose them with a flag and click the Remove button in the ribbon.
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VIII.
Possibilities for further configuration of the product
HarePoint HelpDesk site created by the template can be modified by almost any means available within the SharePoint platform. We propose to use Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2010 for SharePoint 2010 or SharePoint Designer 2013 for SharePoint 2013 as the basic method of configuration, as well as custom tools for editing pages and list contents available through the browser. Let us consider the following examples as examples of possible settings and fine-tunings of the HarePoint HelpDesk site: 1. Modifying/supplementing lists. 2. Modifying notification templates sent via E-mail. 3. Editing workflows.
1.
Modifying/supplementing lists
The storage of applications and related information is implemented using standard SharePoint lists. To implement the storage of notifications, virtually all list functions are used, including features such as list view, setting default values, using declarative workflows associated with lists. This approach to the implementation of request storage allows you to extend the HarePoint HelpDesk system with maximum flexibility, using only standard API SharePoint. In particular, you can create a new view, add fields to existing lists, create custom subsystems for creating and so on. To get access to all lists included in the HarePoint HelpDesk site, perform the following steps: 1. In menu Site Actions (Settings ) of the HarePoint HelpDesk site select View All Site Content. 2. On opened page All Site Content you will see a desired enumeration of lists. Some of the available lists are created taking into account the functions that will be implemented in future versions of the product. Any of the available lists can be modified in accordance with the needs of the end customer. You can use your own SharePoint tool page of setting parameters of list List Settings.
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With the help of this tool you can add new fields to the list of requests, or any other list, create a new view and perform many other operations. Some of the lists created during the formation of the HarePoint HelpDesk site initially have one or more records. All such records are built-in. Their removal is blocked by the system, because such changes may disrupt the normal functioning of the product. However, such records can be modified. Let us consider, for example, a list containing the enumeration of all possible request statuses. This list is located at http://<helpdesk url>/Lists/HHDStatus/. The list initially contains 4 possible states of the request status.
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If you try to delete one of these records, the following message will be shown:
If necessary, you can create additional states of the request status by simply adding a new record in the required list. Manually added record can be modified or removed without any restrictions.
2.
Modifying notification templates
Special templates are used for generating a notification sent via E-mail. Templates are stored as htmlfiles in a special folder of the HarePoint HelpDesk site. To edit a template, you need to use a standard tool for administrating SharePoint sites - Microsoft SharePoint Designer. When creating a HarePoint HelpDesk site templates of E-mail notifications are located in folder http://<helpdesk url>/HHDEmailTemplate.
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Folder HHDEmailTemplate contains a subfolder named Default and may also contain subfolders with the names of cultures, for example: en-US, ru-RU, etc. When generating notifications, first an attempt to find a template in the language corresponding to the culture of the HarePoint HelpDesk site is made and, if there is none, a template from the Default folder is used. To edit a notification template, you need to double-click on its name. In the right part of Microsoft SharePoint Designer pane the form for editing a template will open.
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Template is a regular file in HTML format. The contents of HTML-tag TITLE are used as the subject of the created message:
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Special macros described in paragraph HarePoint HelpDesk macros are used in the message template. When generating a message macros are replaced by particular values of parameters specified in them. Initial versions of templates are created in the form of so-called ghosted-files. In this case, it means that the message template will be automatically updated when you update your product. However, it will be so only as long as the template is not changed with the help of Microsoft SharePoint Designer. In this case the template will turn into the customized state, and automatic updates will not run.
If necessary, you can undo your changes and return to the original state of the template by choosing item File Reset to Site Definition in the file context menu.
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In this case, the status of the template will be returned to not modified, and custom changes will be saved as a backup. Saved backup can be located in the templates folder indefinitely this will not influence the process of generating notifications.
3.
Editing workflows
Workflows provided with the solution can be arbitrarily modified, using Microsoft SharePoint Designer. At the moment, the product contains the following workflows: 1. HarePoint Helpdesk v2 - Assigning Support Rep An automated workflow that assigns a responsible person for the query corresponding to the querys category. If a responsible person cannot be assigned automatically, then this process 48 Possibilities for further configuration of the product | HarePoint.Com
monitors the timeliness of manual assignment and sends notifications. This workflow launches automatically when a new query is created. 2. HarePoint HelpDesk v2 - Evaluate SLA This workflow determines an SLA rule. In accordance with the rule found, the process enters the DueBy Date and Response DueBy Time parameters. The estimated dates as well as the SLA rule identifier, is saved in a query field. This workflow launches when a query is created or modified. 3. HarePoint HelpDesk v2 - Check SLA This workflow controls the timeliness of reports and the identifies the solutions to problems described in queries. Criteria for this process include dates for DueBy Date and Response DueBy Time, designed by the workflow HarePoint HelpDesk v2 - Evaluate SLA. If the conditions described in the SLA rules are not met, escalation is enacted along with other actions described in the rules. Furthermore, this process controls the approval procedure for a solution found by the user. This workflow is launched when a query is created or modified. 4. HarePoint HelpDesk v2 Escalation This workflow executes escalation of a query when an SLA rule violation occurs. It is launched when there is no response or solution. This workflow launches automatically in the context of another workflow: HarePoint HelpDesk v2 - Check SLA. In order to get acquainted with the peculiarities of workflows in details, or to change any of them, you need to perform the following steps: 1. In menu Site Actions of the HarePoint HelpDesk site select Edit in SharePoint Designer. In SharePoint 2013 the Settings menu does not contain Edit In SharePoint Editor option, so in order to work with the site it's necessary to launch SharePoint Designer and then open the site in it.
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2. In window Navigation of Microsoft SharePoint Designer click Workflows.
3. All workflows included into HarePoint HelpDesk have the appropriate prefix.
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4. Select the necessary workflow, in the Customization section click link Edit workflow.
5. Make necessary changes to the workflow and click Publish in the ribbon. The above-mentioned workflows contain both standard activities and additional ones, also supplied as a part of the HarePoint HelpDesk solution. These activities are described in paragraph HarePoint HelpDesk Workflow activities.
4.
HarePoint HelpDesk Workflow activities
To simplify the construction of HarePoint HelpDesk workflows, specific activities and conditions are included in the product.
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4.1 Is user in role of HarePoint HelpDesk This condition is initially displayed in a workflow step as If this user is in this role of HarePoint HelpDesk The condition checks the user belonging to one of the HarePoint HelpDesk roles. One of the following values can be specified as this parameter: User, Technician. 4.2 Evaluate due date This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Evaluate due date from this time for 0 days, 0 hours, 5 minutes (Output to Variable: due date) The activity calculates date and time of the task completion, starting from this time with the duration specified in parameters days, hours and minutes. The data set from regional settings of the current site is used as initial data for the determination of working time. Following is an example of what the action might look like in a workflow step, Evaluate due date from Today for 0 days, 10 hours, 0 minutes (Output to Variable: due date ) 4.3 Get value of HarePoint HelpDesk variable This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Get value of HarePoint HelpDesk variable by name (Output to new variable) The activity puts the value of the HarePoint HelpDesk parameter to variable new variable. The list of parameters and their current values can be learnt using the command: > stsadm -o hhddisplayproperties -url <HarePoint HelpDesk installation web url> 52 Possibilities for further configuration of the product | HarePoint.Com
Following is an example of what the action might look like in a workflow step, Get value of HarePoint HelpDesk variable helpdeskfullemail (Output to new variable) 4.4 Send an HarePoint HelpDesk Notification This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Send notification from this address TO this address CC this address BCC this address with importance Normal using template with static name Activity creates and sends a message with the specified parameters, using a template. The template name is specified in parameter static name. To learn where message templates are located, look for details in paragraph Modifying notification templates. In fields that define the recipients of the notification you are permitted to use macros described in paragraph HarePoint HelpDesk macros. Following is an example of what the action might look like in a workflow step, Send notification from {%hhdprop:helpdeskfullemail%} TO {%hhd:roles.technician.emailrecipients%} CC this address BCC this address with importance High using template with RequestAssigningTimeoutToTechician 4.5 Wait for Field Change in Current Item until date This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Wait for field to equal value until date this time. Store timeout flag to Variable: isTimeOut. This action pauses the workflow until the field in the current item has changed to a new value with specified time-out. Following is an example of what the action might look like in a workflow step, Wait for Approval Status to equal 1;#Rejected until date 03.03.2012. Store timeout flag to Variable: isTimeOut 4.6 Wait for Field Change in Current Item with time-out This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Wait for field to equal value with timeout 0 days, 0 hours, 5 minutes. Store timeout flag to Variable: isTimeOut. This action pauses the workflow until the field in the current item has changed to a new value with specified time-out. Following is an example of what the action might look like in a workflow step, HarePoint.Com | Possibilities for further configuration of the product 53
Wait for Approval Status to equal 1;#Rejected with timeout 0 days, 0 hours, 5 minutes. Store timeout flag to Variable: isTimeOut 4.7 HHD Evaluate SLA rule This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Evaluate SLA rule for request. Store rule id to Variable: SLARuleld . This activity defines the identifier of a SLA rule for the given query. Following is an example of what the action might look like in a workflow step, Evaluate SLA rule for Current Item . Store rule id to Variable: SLARuleld . 4.8 HHD Get Escalation property This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Get value of Escalation properly by name from escalation details (Output to new variable) This activity gets the value of the indicated escalation property . Following is an example of what the action might look like in a workflow step, Get value of Escalation property EscalationRecipient from Parameter: escalationDetails (Output to Variable: escalationRecipient) 4.9 HHD Get SLA rule property This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Get SLA property. SLA Id: 0 . Property name: key. Output to: value . This activity obtains the value of the indicated SLA property Following is an example of what the action might look like in a workflow step, Get SLA property. SLA Id: Variable: SLARuleld . Property name: UseWorkinqHours . Output to: Variable: useWorkingHours. 4.10 HHD Round Date/Time This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Round this time using method Trim seconds (Output to Variable: value) This activity rounds dates/times. The options available are: Trim seconds, Trim minutes, Round to minutes, Round to hours. Following is an example of what the action might look like in a workflow step, Round Variable: dueByPate using method Trim seconds (Output to Variable: dueByDate) 54 Possibilities for further configuration of the product | HarePoint.Com
4.11 HHD Run Escalation actions This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Run escalation additional actions (escalation details) for request Execution of additional escalation actions according to an SLA rule. Following is an example of what the action might look like in a workflow step, Run escalation additional actions (Parameter: escalationDetails) for Current Item 4.12 HHD Set Field in Current Item to Blank This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Set field to Blank This activity lets you set a selected field as blank in the current query in the list. Following is an example of what the action might look like in a workflow step, Set Response DueBy Time to Blank 4.13 HHD Start a List Workflow This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Start HarePoint HelpDesk list workflow with data on this item . Run options: Synchronous but allow postpone . This operation lets you run a workflow connected to a list. 4.14 Wait for Field Change in Current Item by SLA rule This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Wait for field to equal value by SLA rule id 0 . Escalate using workflow with name pattern workflow name pattern . Store waiting result to Variable: variable . This activity suspends the execution of a workflow until an expected condition is met. The given activity is applied in the context of a workflow that monitors the execution of an SLA rule, specifically the HarePoint HelpDesk v2 - Check SLA process. The indicated workflow is associated with a list of user queries Requests (Lists/HHDRequests). This activity is not applicable in any other circumstance. Standard completion of this activity occurs when the required condition is met. However, there are other, non-standard possibilities. The result of the completed activity returns the variables value. The following values can be assigned to this variable. HarePoint.Com | Possibilities for further configuration of the product 55
1. <MatchCondition/> - waiting for the condition to be fulfilled. 2. <SLARuleChanged/> -while waiting, the SLA rule changed. The SLA rule identifier is taken from the SLA Rule field from the Requests list. 3. <DueByIsIncreased/> - a change (increase) in the date and time assigned in the Due By Date field in the Requests lists. It is possible to have a situation, where the result is affected by multiple factors. Following is an example of what the action might look like in a workflow step, Wait for Status to equal [%Variable: statusResorved%]||[%Varia... by SLA rule id Current Item:SLA Rule . Escalate using workflow with name pattern ^HarePointHelpDeskv2 - Escalation^ Store waiting result to Variable: resolution Waiting Result. 4.15 Wait for Field Change in Current Item until date from field This action is initially displayed in a workflow steps as Wait for field to equal value until date from field field . Store timeout flag to Variable: isTimeOut This action pauses the workflow until the field in the current item has changed to a new value with specified time-out.
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5.
HarePoint HelpDesk macros
In a general form, a HarePoint HelpDesk macro is a string that looks like: [%type: value.subvalue%] The use of braces is also allowed: {%type: value.subvalue%} When parsing a macro the register of the type parameter is ignored. The following values of parameters included in the macro are allowed: type: variable The macro will be replaced by the text value of the workflow variable. The variable name is specified as the value parameter. Example: [%variable: currentStatusName%] type: current item The macro is replaced by the field value of the current record. Static or display field name can be used as the field name. Example: [%Current Item: Title%] Besides the field name, you can also specify which of its values should be used. For fields of type Lookup you can specify the subvalue parameter, equal to one of the following values: id, value. For fields of type User: id, value, sipaddress, name, email, loginname, fullemail. Examples: [%Current Item: Product.Value%], [%Current Item: Author.email%]. type: hhd Purely technical type of the macro. One of the following values can be specified as a value: o value: roles When subvalue is equal to technician.emailrecipients, the TO field value of the message is formed. The list of users with the Technician role is used as the source of recipients. Example: John Smith [smith@example.com]; Sergey Voronkov [voronkov@example.com]; o value: userrequestviewform Address of the page containing the form for viewing the request of user with the User role. o value: technicianrequestviewform Address of the page containing the form for viewing the request of user with the Technician role. o value: technicianrequestsview The address of the page containing the list of requests of users with the Technician role.
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value: requestuser The value of the RequestUser field. If the specified field is empty, the value of the Author field is taken. Example: [%hhd: requestuser.fullemail%]. type: hhdprop The macro is replaced by the value of the HarePoint HelpDesk parameter. The list of parameters and their current values can be learnt using the command: > stsadm -o hhddisplayproperties -url <HarePoint HelpDesk installation web url> Example: [%hhdprop:helpdeskname%].
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IX.
Updating HarePoint HelpDesk sites

Before starting the update, you should always create a backup copy of the updated site. HarePoint HelpDesk provides an opportunity to update previously created sites. Update operations are built in such a way as to maximally preserve the settings made at the stage of setting the HarePoint HelpDesk site. In order to perform an automatic update of a HarePoint HelpDesk site, you have to deactivate and then activate again the HarePoint HelpDesk feature. To do this: 1. In menu Site Actions (Settings ) of the HarePoint HelpDesk site select Site Settings. 2. In section Site Actions click link Manage site features. 3. Click Deactivate opposite to the name of the HarePoint HelpDesk feature and confirm the necessity of deactivation. 4. Click Activate opposite to the name of the HarePoint HelpDesk feature. In the process of updating the site, the changes of the following items are made: Lists In the process of product development the structure of lists undergoes some changes: new fields are added to lists, the structure of list representation is supplemented and improved, etc. When updating lists the safety of the existing data in lists is guaranteed. Any field can be added to the list, or the existing one can be slightly modified. The current field cannot be removed under any circumstances. Pages of applications This pages are located in folder %ProgramFiles%\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\14\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\HarePoint\HelpDesk\. In particular, there are pages for working with lists of requests for support staff, etc. Application pages are automatically updated when you update the solution. Workflows The update of workflows provided with the solution is the most time-consuming procedure. Details of this process are described in paragraph Updating HarePoint HelpDesk workflows. E-mail notification templates Notification templates sent via e-mail are automatically updated when you update the solutions. However, this does not happen in case template files were in the customized state before updating the solution. In order to bring notification templates to the version installed with the help of HarePoint HelpDesk solution, you have to return them to the unmodified state, as described in paragraph Modifying notification templates. HarePoint.Com | Updating HarePoint HelpDesk sites 59
1.
Updating HarePoint HelpDesk workflows
The HarePoint HelpDesk site includes several workflows. When creating a site the latest version of the workflow is always installed.
The version of the installed workflow is specified directly in its name. For example: HarePoint HelpDesk Assigning by Category.v1.0. The previously created version is not updated under any circumstances. Instead, a new version of the workflow is created.
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It is important that the new version of the workflow is created only on the site, but it is not published. That is, the previous version becomes operational after the update. This approach ensures the safety of all possible changes made to the workflow in the process of fine-tuning of workflows. In order to run the new version of the workflow, you need to perform the following steps: 1. Open the editing form for properties of the current version of the workflow. Empty check boxes Start workflow automatically when an item is created, Start workflow automatically when an
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item is changed.
2. Press Publish in the ribbon. 3. Open the editing form for properties of the new version of the workflow. Mark check boxes Start workflow automatically when an item is created, Start workflow automatically when an item is changed in accordance with how they were installed in the previous version of the workflow. 4. Press Publish in the ribbon. If the previous version of the workflow has any unique changes made during the fine-tuning of the workflow on-site, they have to be replicated in the new version. If no changes were made to workflows and you just need to install new versions with deleting the old ones, the update procedure can be optimized. To do this, you have to manually delete the current versions of workflows before starting the update process.
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X.
Migrating SharePoint HelpDesk from SharePoint2010 to SharePoint2013

HarePoint HelpDesk site can be migrated from SharePoint2010 to SharePoint2013. You must use a database attach upgrade, which means that you upgrade only the content for your environment and not the configuration settings. Before you copy the databases, 1. Install SharePoint HelpDesk to SharePoint2013 using Setup.exe 2. Make sure that the account that you use to copy the databases has access to SQL Server Management Studio on both the SharePoint 2010 Products and SharePoint 2013 environments and has access to a network location that can be accessed from both environments to store the copies of the databases. Please, backup content databases of the web application where HarePoint HelpDesk site is located. To back up a database by using SQL Server tools 1. Verify that the user account that is performing this procedure is a member of the db_owner fixed database role for the databases. 2. In Management Studio, in Object Explorer, connect to an instance of the Database Engine, expand the server, and then expand Databases. 3. Right-click the database that you want to back up, point to Tasks, and then click Back Up. 4. The Back Up Database dialog box appears. 5. In the Source area, in the Database box, verify the database name. 6. In the Backup type box, select Full. 7. Under Backup component, select Database. 8. In the Backup set area, in the Name box, either accept the backup set name that is suggested or type a different name for the backup set. 9. In the Destination area, specify the type of backup destination by selecting Disk or Tape, and then specify a destination. To create a different destination, click Add. 10. Click OK to start the backup process. Copy the backup files that you created in the previous procedure from the SharePoint 2010 Products environment to the SharePoint 2013 environment. After you configure the new SharePoint 2013 server farm, you can restore the backup copies of the databases to SQL Server. To restore a backup copy of a database by using SQL Server tools, 1. Verify that the user account that is performing this procedure is a member of the db_owner fixed database role for the databases.
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2. After you connect to the appropriate instance of the SQL Server 2008 Database Engine, in Object Explorer, expand the server name. 3. Right-click Databases, and then click Restore Database. 4. The Restore Database dialog box appears. 5. In the Restore Database dialog box, on the General page, type the name of the database to be restored in the To database list. 6. In the To a point in time text box, keep the default (Most recent possible). 7. To specify the source and location of the backup sets to restore, click From device, and then use the ellipsis (...) to select the backup file. 8. In the Specify Backup dialog box, in the Backup media box, be sure that File is selected. 9. In the Backup location area, click Add. 10. In the Locate Backup File dialog box, select the file that you want to restore, click OK, and then, in the Specify Backup dialog box, click OK. 11. In the Restore Database dialog box, under Select the backup sets to restore grid, select the Restore check box next to the most recent full backup. 12. Click OK to start the restore process.
After that, you need to create a web application. You can use the same url(including name, port, and host header) as web application that existed in the SharePoint 2010 Products. Before you attach the content database to the web application, use the TestSPContentDatabase Windows PowerShell cmdlet to verify that you have all the custom components that you must have for that database. At the Windows PowerShell command prompt, type the following command: Test-SPContentDatabase -Name DatabaseName -WebApplication URL DatabaseName is the name of the database. URL is the URL for the web application that will host the HarePoint HelpDesk site.
To attach a content database to a web application by using Windows PowerShell, type the following
command and then press ENTER
Mount-SPContentDatabase -Name DatabaseName -DatabaseServer ServerName -WebApplication URL Where: DatabaseName is the name of the database. ServerName is server on which the database is stored. URL is the URL for the web application that will host the HarePoint HelpDesk site.
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After upgrading the databases, upgrade site collection. When you first browse your sites after the database has been upgraded, a notification bar at the top of the site indicates that their sites can be upgraded. The choices are to Start now or Remind me later. Click Start now to begin the site collection upgrade process. In case if you dont plan to upgrade the site collection immediately, you can perform this later as follows: 1. On the Site Settings page for the site collection, in the Site Collection Administration section, click Site collection upgrade. 2. On the Site Collection Upgrade page, click Upgrade this Site Collection. 3. This option starts the process of upgrading your site collection. A box opens to verify that you want to start the process. 4. Click Im ready to start the actual upgrade. 5. The upgrade starts, and the Upgrade status page for the site collection is displayed. This page automatically updates while the upgrade is in progress and displays information about the process, such as the following: 6. Errors or warnings 7. When the upgrade started 8. Where you can find the upgrade log file 9. After the upgrade is complete, the Upgrade status page is displayed in the new user interface with the message, Upgrade Completed Successfully. 10. Click Lets see the new site to go to the home page.
XI.
1.
Viewing HarePoint HelpDesk requests

Subscription to the requests
HarePoint HelpDesk allows receiving of the new requests by e-mail in PDF format. To create the Rule open the Requests List in Technician Console and click the ribbon button Subscription to the requests - Subscribe to the Requests.
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A Dialog to create new subscription rule will be opened:
1. Select recipients. This field allows you to specify the recipients (individual contacts or SharePoint Groups). 2. Set scheduler for exporting. Options in this group o settings allows you to configure the schedule. Requests can be sent daily, weekly or monthly. The dialog is dynamic and it shows you additional options based on schedule type selected before. If no new requests were created the message is not sent. You can change the schedule and adjust the settings later. 3. Specify the format. Select the layout for exporting of the request. Two layout are offered: Portrait and Landscape. Please note! The HarePoint HelpDesk e-mail should be specified in the product settings (On the page Site Settings click link Settings in section HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint is configured properly to allow the recipients to follow the links in email message. To see all created rules and to adjust the rules use the ribbon button Subscription to report -> Subscription Management.
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XII.
Viewing HarePoint HelpDesk reports

HarePoint HelpDesk solution generates more than a dozen of reports for assessing the current status of the most important measured system parameters. To view the report, perform the following steps: 1. In the Site Actions (Settings ) menu of the HarePoint HelpDesk site select Site Settings. 2. In section HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint click link Reports dashboard.
3. Use menu on the left side of the page to select a report.
At the moment, it is possible to construct the following reports: Report name Overview Description Overview reports of HarePoint HelpDesk HarePoint.Com | Viewing HarePoint HelpDesk reports 67
Trends by day Trends by priority Trends by category Trends by product Trends by responsible
Resolution by priority
Resolution by category
Resolution by product
Resolution by responsible
Response time by priority Response time by category Response time by product Response time by responsible
This report shows dynamic and intensity of creating and processing requests within the specified time frame This report shows dynamic and intensity of creating and processing requests within the specified time frame and grouped by priority This report shows dynamic and intensity of creating and processing requests within the specified time frame and grouped by category This report shows dynamic and intensity of creating and processing requests within the specified time frame and grouped by product name This report shows dynamic and intensity of creating and processing requests within the specified time frame and grouped by responsible person This report shows statistics of processed requests within the specified time frame and grouped by priority. The report contains data about the number of processed requests, average number of requests, and average request processing time, grouped by priority This report shows statistics of processed requests within the specified time frame and grouped by category. The report contains data about the number of processed requests, average number of requests, and average request processing time, grouped by category This report shows statistics of processed requests within the specified time frame and grouped by product name. The report contains data about the number of processed requests, average number of requests, and average request processing time, grouped by product name This report shows statistics of processed requests within the specified time frame and grouped by responsible person. The report contains data about the number of processed requests, average number of requests, and average request processing time, grouped by responsible person This report shows average time of response to users request, grouped by priority This report shows average time of response to users request, grouped by category This report shows average time of response to users request, grouped by product name This report shows average time of response to users request, grouped by responsible person
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1.
Subscription to the Reports
HarePoint HelpDesk allows receiving of the reports from HelpDesk web-site by email in PDF and Microsoft Excel (XLSX) formats. To create the Rule open the Reports Dashboard (Site Settings -> HarePoint HelpDesk Settings -> Reports) and click the ribbon button Subscription to the reports -> Subscribe to the Report.
A Dialog to create new subscription rule will be opened:
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1. Select the report. Select the report which should be sent to recipients by email from the list. One report can be sent by one Rule. 4. Select recipients. This field allows you to specify the recipients (individual contacts or SharePoint Groups). 5. Set scheduler for exporting. Options in this group o settings allows you to configure the schedule. Requests can be sent daily, weekly or monthly. The dialog is dynamic and it shows you additional options based on schedule type selected before. If no new requests were created the message is not sent. You can change the schedule and adjust the settings later. 6. Specify the format. Select the file type and layout for exporting of the request. Two file formats can be used: PDF and Microsoft Excel. For PDF two layouts are offered: Portrait and Landscape. 7. Configure filters. The filters settings are personal for each report. Some report doesnt allow to configure any filters. For example report Trends by day allows you to select the date range for the data displayed in the report:
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2. Define view for the report. View is configured for each report separately. Please note! The HarePoint HelpDesk e-mail should be specified in the product settings (On the page Site Settings click link Settings in section HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint is configured properly to allow the recipients to follow the links in email message. To see all created rules and to adjust the rules use the ribbon button Subscription to report -> Subscription Management.
XIII.
E-mail Support
HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint enables customer support with the help of e-mail. In fact, e-mail support provides HarePoint HelpDesk users with an additional way to create requests or to comment them. After the request is created, it goes through a standard life cycle, described in General description of the product item. E-mail handling procedure is the following: 1. E-mail messages are received with the help of a standard SharePoint method using e-mail enabled document library. Received messages are stored in the HarePoint HelpDesk site Inbox document library in EML format. 2. A new message in the Inbox library starts a special engine. The engine has the following functions: a. Message analysis. b. Sender registration as a new user of the HarePoint HelpDesk site. User registration notification: generated login and password are sent to the new user. c. Based on the analysis of the subject, the software distinguishes whether the user's message is a new request or a comment to a previously created request. Depending on the results, a new request or comment is created. At request creation, the workflow is started, which sends notifications to users and technical support specialists. If notification sender's e-mail coincides with the address of the person receiving notifications, the user can potentially respond to such a notification directly. In this case, upon receipt and processing of such a response, the subject of the message and its sender are analyzed. If there is found a structure of ##N## type during the analysis, where N is a certain number, this number is regarded as the identifier of the request. Then, the software attempts to find a request with the HarePoint.Com | E-mail Support 71
identifier above received from the sender of the message. If there is such a request, the message is regarded as a comment to the previously created request. Otherwise, a new request is created. Such a procedure for request creation has one big difference compared to request creation with the help of an on-line form. The difference lies in the fact that by default the author (Created By field) of such a request or comment will be the user who created HarePoint HelpDesk site, and the user who sent the e-mail with the request will be indicated in User field of the request or comment to the request. To specify another account to be displayed as the author, follow these steps: 1. Navigate to HarePoint HelpDesk site parameters; Select Site Settings from Site Actions (Settings ).
2. In Site Settings, click Settings in HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint 3. In User account on whose behalf requests and comments are created in E-mail handling procedure specify necessary user account. Make sure it has at least the following permissions: List Permissions - Add, Edit, View items; Site Permissions - View Pages, Browse User Information, Open.
Additional HarePoint HelpDesk parameters and some global settings of the SharePoint farm should be configured to ensure normal HarePoint HelpDesk operation. The following items describe the configuration procedure for these parameters.
1.
Incoming e-mail configuration
E-mail is received in the standard SharePoint way. Interaction mechanism of the SharePoint farm and SMTP-service should be configured globally with the help of Central Administration host. This procedure is described in detail in Configure incoming e-mail (SharePoint Server 2010) on the Microsoft website. In addition to the configuration of SharePoint global mechanisms, Inbox list should be configured to receive e-mails. Inbox list is created when establishing or updating HarePoint HelpDesk site. Follow these steps to configure it: 1. Use the link All Site Content at HarePoint HelpDesk website. 72 E-mail Support | HarePoint.Com
2. Follow the link Inbox of Document Libraries unit at All Site Content page. 3. Go to Inbox document library parameters configuration page. In order to do this use Library Settings button in the ribbon.
4. Follow the link Incoming e-mail settings at Document Library Settings page. 5. Select Yes in Allow this document library to receive e-mail? radio-button and indicate the email address to be posted as the Support Service e-mail.
6. Press OK. The e-mail indicated in the Inbox list parameters, may be also indicated in the HarePoint HelpDesk host parameters. In this case, the replies of the users to the notifications, sent by the workflow, will be treated as the comments to the requests. See Setting parameters and roles for the HarePoint HelpDesk site for information regarding HarePoint HelpDesk e-mail configuration.
2.
Configuring automatic user registration
Email processing may involve a situation where the sender is not a registered user of the HarePoint HelpDesk site. Two alternatives are available here for processing the email: Ignore the email. Automatically register the sender as a new user of the site. The process of automatic user registration is complicated by the fact that the authentication system responsible for ID validation is not an integral part of the SharePoint farm. Generally speaking, the HarePoint.Com | E-mail Support 73
authentication system may not have native support for creating new accounts. For this reason, automatic user registration functionality may be rather limited. This version of the product only supports user account creation for a SqlMembershipProvider authentication provider, which stores the list of accounts in a Microsoft SQL Server database. Future versions will implement user registration functionality for other major authentication providers such as LdapMembershipProvider and others. Although seemingly a major restriction, SQL database-limited support for automatic user registration makes it possible to process a very broad range of events. This is borne out by the following facts: 1. Using an SQL database for account storage seems quite natural since all other SharePoint farm information is stored there as well. 2. The claim-based authentication system makes it possible to set up a number of authentication scenarios for one and the same web application. This being the case, automatically registered users may be authenticated using forms, whereas other users (e.g., technical support staff) may be authenticated using Windows or any other authentication. 3. Largely, automatic user registration is needed for user support via the Internet. Internet users are normally outside the scope of HelpDesk internal infrastructure. If, on the other hand, the IT function is designed to support corporate users in-house, then the users are normally already registered on Active Directory or on any other internal authentication system, i.e. there is simply no need for account creation in this case. The mechanism of automatic user registration provides the following functionality: 1. Username generation. Where an authentication provider is used such as SqlMembershipProvider, the sender's email address is used as the username. 2. Password generation. In the current version, the password is generated using the following criteria: a. Password length 10 characters. b. The password has at least one capital letter. c. The password has at least one digit. d. The password has at least one of special characters such as @#$%. 3. The user is assigned one of the specified roles. 4. The user is assigned to one of the specified groups of the SharePoint site. The mechanism of automatic user registration is only activated when no user with the email address is found by any of the authentication providers. To configure the mechanism of automatic user registration, complete the following steps: 4. Navigate to HarePoint HelpDesk site parameters; Select Site Settings from Site Actions (Settings ).
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5. In Site Settings, click Settings in HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint:
6. In Account Creation Service, click Modify Account Creation Service Settings.
7. In Specify Access Point for your HelpDesk Customers, choose a zone whose authentication provider will be used to set up an account in the authentication system. In Specify Role to add users to and Specify SharePoint group to add users to, you can specify the role and group for HarePoint.Com | E-mail Support 75
the automatically registered users.
8. Click OK. You can disable the automatic user registration system at any time by choosing UserCreationServiceProviderDisabled for Specify Access Point for your HelpDesk Customers.
3.
Configuring notification of the automatic registration of users
At the end of the automatic registration process, the e-mail notification is sent to the new user. The special template YouRegisteredToUser is used to create the notification. The template includes user name, as well as login and password which are necessary for HarePoint HelpDesk host authentication. Registration notification template can be edited like the other notification templates included in HarePoint HelpDesk. For more details regarding the procedure of notification templates modification, see Modifying notification templates. There is one important feature that should be considered when editing YouRegisteredToUser template. This template has a different set of macros. This is due to the fact that in this case the notification is sent not in the context of the workflow, but directly during the user registration process. When editing the above mentioned template, please, use the macros as described below. In a general form, a HarePoint HelpDesk macro is a string that looks like:
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[%type: value.subvalue%] The use of braces is also allowed: {%type: value.subvalue%} When parsing a macro the register of the type parameter is ignored. The following values of parameters included in the macro are allowed: type: hhd Purely technical type of the macro. One of the following values can be specified as a value: o value: roles When subvalue is equal to technician.emailrecipients, the TO field value of the message is formed. The list of users with the Technician role is used as the source of recipients. Example: John Smith [smith@example.com]; Sergey Voronkov [voronkov@example.com]; o value: newusername Display name of new user. o value: newuseremail E-mail address of new user. o value: newuserlogin Login on new user. o value: newuserpassword Password. type: hhdprop The macro is replaced by the value of the HarePoint HelpDesk parameter. The list of parameters and their current values can be learnt using the command: > stsadm -o hhddisplayproperties -url <HarePoint HelpDesk installation web url> Example: [%hhdprop:helpdeskname%].
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XIV.
Reply Templates
Reply templates significantly increase the speed of responses and solutions in cases of typical, frequently repeated user queries. HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint offers the option of creation and further use of a large number of typical responses. Personal templates and grouping of templates by category and product are supported. Reply templates are accessible in the Standard edition. The Quick Reply menu lists reply templates and is in the top left corner of the message text editor:
The following points are included in the menu: Suggested Items Displays a list of templates filtered by category and product of the current query. Recent Items List of the most recently used templates. Personal Templates This list of templates marked Personal. This list will be different for each user with the Technician role. All By Category List of templates grouped by category. 78 Reply Templates | HarePoint.Com
All By Product List of templates grouped by product. Find Template This menu point opens a dialog box to search for a template. Add Template Create a new template.
1.
Creating and editing reply templates
Reply templates are stored in the Reply Templates list on the HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint site. Quick access to the Reply Templates list is provided through the Reply Templates menu item in the technicians dashboard:
To create a new template, choose the Add Template item in the Quick Reply menu:
HarePoint.Com | Reply Templates
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This opens the standard list element creation form:
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When creating a template, you must fill out the following fields: Template Title Name of the reply template that will be displayed in the Quick Reply menu. Template Body Text of the template. Template texts can include macros described in HarePoint HelpDesk macros. Category One or more categories to which the template belongs. Product One or more products. HarePoint.Com | Reply Templates 81
Personal Checking this box will cause the template to be displayed only to the user (Technician) who created it.
If it becomes necessary to change an existing template, it must be opened from the Reply Templates list on the HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint site. There you can select the template and modify it according to SharePoints usual method. This is also the way to delete one or more templates.
XV.
Knowledgebase
A knowledge base is an instrument which offers completed solutions to problems at the stage of forming a query. It works in this way: when a query is being created, the HarePoint HelpDesk Web Part performs interactive analysis of key words from the query topic. Depending on the results of the analysis, the user can get a list of articles from the knowledge base which may contain the answer to the query immediately after entering the topic of the query.
Tech support specialists likewise can use the knowledge base in their work. Access to the page with the list of articles is available through the Knowledgebase menu item in the technicians dashboard: 82 Knowledgebase | HarePoint.Com
The list has the options for search, grouping and sorting of articles. There are also tools for creating, deleting and editing existing articles.
XVI.
License management
Registration of HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint 2010 is performed through the acquisition of the necessary number of licenses in the form of license keys, and their subsequent entry in the license management page of your product. To open the license management page: 1. Go to the SharePoint Central Administration page. You must use farm administrator account during the authorization. HarePoint.Com | License management 83
2. Go to the Licensing page using the hyperlink located in the HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint section. HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint is licensed by purchasing the required number of user licenses. The Product is considered to be registered when the types and number of license keys entered fully satisfy the relevant points of the license agreement of HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint. Detailed information about HarePoint HelpDesk licensing can be found here: http://www.harepoint.com/Purchase/HarePointHelpDesk/Default.aspx
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1.
Entering license keys

1. Go to the SharePoint Central Administration page. You must use farm administrator account during the authorization. 2. Go to the Licensing page using the hyperlink located in the HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint section. 3. In Licensing, go to Add license keys.
To enter license keys:
Enter the license keys on the Add license keys page. To avoid the possibility of a mistake when entering the key, use the copy and paste functions in the Windows clipboard. Click OK.
HarePoint.Com | License management
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HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint Administration Guide

For SharePoint Server 2010, 2013, SharePoint Foundation 2010, 2013

Product version 15.2.0.2 January 23, 2014

( This Page Intentionally Left Blank )

HarePoint HelpDesk macros ........................................................................................................... 57

General description of the product

HarePoint.Com | General description of the product

Preparation for deployment

Preparation for deployment | HarePoint.Com

HarePoint HelpDesk for SharePoint is designed to operate in:

HarePoint.Com | Preparation for deployment

Before the installation and deployment

Preparation for deployment | HarePoint.Com

Installation and deployment

HarePoint.Com | Installation and deployment

Automatic installation and deployment using Setup.exe

Installation and deployment | HarePoint.Com

HarePoint.Com | Installation and deployment

Installation and deployment | HarePoint.Com

HarePoint.Com | Installation and deployment

Installation completed successfully at once after the status bar.

Installation and deployment | HarePoint.Com

Manual installation and deployment (for SharePoint 2010 only)

HarePoint.Com | Installation and deployment

Upgrading of the product version

Automatic upgrading using Setup.exe

Upgrading of the product version | HarePoint.Com

HarePoint.Com | Upgrading of the product version

4. Select Upgrade and click the Next button:

Upgrading of the product version | HarePoint.Com

HarePoint.Com | Upgrading of the product version

Manual upgrading (for SharePoint 2010 only)

Upgrading of the product version | HarePoint.Com

Removing the solution

HarePoint.Com | Removing the solution

Removing the solution | HarePoint.Com

3. Select Remove and click the Next button:

HarePoint.Com | Removing the solution

Manual removing (for SharePoint 2010 only)

Creating a HarePoint HelpDesk Web site

HarePoint.Com | Initial configuration

Settings access permissions

2. In section Uses and Permissions click link Site permissions.

HarePoint.Com | Initial configuration

3. On page Permissions click Permission Levels.

Generating the page of creating and viewing requests by users

Initial configuration | HarePoint.Com

HarePoint.Com | Initial configuration

Setting parameters and roles for the HarePoint HelpDesk site

Initial configuration | HarePoint.Com

Setting the time zone and defining the working time

HarePoint.Com | Initial configuration

2. In section Site Administration click link Regional settings.

Initial configuration | HarePoint.Com

HarePoint.Com | Initial configuration

3. In the Notifications Management section, click on the Configure notifications link:

4. A modal window will open where notifications can be managed:

Initial configuration | HarePoint.Com

Setting SLA rules

HarePoint.Com | Initial configuration

Initial configuration | HarePoint.Com

HarePoint.Com | Initial configuration

Possibilities for further configuration of the product