Converting the incident to a Known Error creates a record in the Known Error Database (KEDB) and allows the documented workaround to be associated with it. This enables the workaround to be easily found and applied by other agents for future, related incidents, promoting faster resolution and consistency.

While priority is a key factor, relying on a single field can lead to false positives or missed critical issues. A business rule that evaluates a combination of objective criteria (high priority, critical service/CIs, widespread user impact, significant financial or reputational risk) provides a more accurate and automated method for triggering Major Incident procedures, ensuring they are reserved for truly significant events.

When conditional visibility is configured (via a Client Script or UI Policy), the master ‘Visible’ checkbox on the variable form must be checked. The actual hiding/showing is then controlled by the script/policy logic. If the logic is flawed (e.g., incorrect condition, referencing the wrong field), the variable will remain hidden even when the intended conditions are met. The other options would cause the field to be hidden unconditionally.

Known Error records should be closed once the permanent fix is in place, but they should not be deleted. They serve as valuable historical data for trend analysis and auditing. Marking the associated workaround knowledge article as obsolete ensures that support staff are directed to the new, permanent solution instead of the temporary workaround, while preserving the historical record of the issue.

The fulfillment workflow (or flow) defines the process lifecycle. Notification activities (like ‘Send Email’) should be embedded within this workflow at the specific points where you want communication to occur, such as after an assignment to a new group. This provides precise, process-driven control over notifications, as opposed to a general field-change trigger which might fire under unintended circumstances.

The ‘Reopened’ field is a boolean field that is automatically set to ‘true’ when a resolved incident is reopened by a user. A low number of ‘true’ values correlates strongly with a high first-contact resolution rate, as it indicates the user did not need to come back because the initial fix was insufficient. While reassignments and journal entries can suggest complexity, the ‘Reopened’ field is the most direct system-generated indicator of resolution effectiveness.

The sc_task table is the standard, flexible table for modeling the individual units of work (tasks) required to fulfill a request item (sc_req_item). It is designed for internal coordination and task tracking between teams. The change_task table is specific to the Change Management process, and procurement_task is for procurement-related activities. Using sc_task keeps the process within the standard Request Fulfillment framework.

A scheduled report allows you to define the exact filters (e.g., configuration item = ‘Critical App’, state timeline includes ‘Awaiting Vendor’), format, and distribution list. It can be configured to run automatically on a weekly schedule and email the results directly to the stakeholder. This is efficient, repeatable, and requires no ongoing action from the manager, meeting the requirement for a tailored, recurring deliverable.

This is a key distinction. A ‘Pause’ timer temporarily halts the SLA clock (e.g., during nights/weekends, or while awaiting user response). When resumed, the timer continues from where it left off. A ‘Stop’ timer completely halts and resets the SLA duration for that specific timer (e.g., when a major incident invalidates the current SLA target and a new one is established). The ability to resume is a consequence of the exclusion vs. reset logic.

Converting the incident to a Known Error creates a record in the Known Error Database (KEDB) and allows the documented workaround to be associated with it. This enables the workaround to be easily found and applied by other agents for future, related incidents, promoting faster resolution and consistency.0