FAQ: SPPS Ticket Categorization
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Why does SPPS use categories for tickets?
We use categories to gain insight into the work we do through reporting. By understanding the different kinds of work we do, we can better understand how we perform specific kinds of work, and then optimize our work processes.
In other words, we can grade ourselves better using categories, much like teachers grade students learning different subjects. Just like a student, there may be things we do really well, and other things we do poorly—making sure our work is categorized properly allows us to understand where we're doing well and where we need to do better.
What are the differences between the categories in the Service Catalog and the Category menu on the Incident form?
The categories in the Service Catalog are more customer-oriented than the categories in the Incident form, and they can't be organized the same way. Here are some of the key differences:
- In the Service Catalog, there's only one level of organization: folders, which hold items. In the Incident form, there are two levels of organization: top-level categories and then sub-categories, which can then hold items.
- The Service Catalog categories are like aisle signs in a store: they're a quick reference for our clients to get to the service item they need. They don't always translate directly to the work that takes place to deliver the item, or the team that does the work. The category list in the Incident form, on the other hand, helps us direct the work to the right team, and we have built automation that expedites that work direction, including linking service items to the right teams and categorizing them properly with the Incident category list.
How many top-level ticket categories are there, and what are they?
There are ten top-level categories, and they are:
- Academic Applications
- Account/Access
- Business Applications
- Classrooms, Meeting Rooms, and Labs
- Computers, Printers, Phones and Email
- Department Services
- Folders, Files and Documents
- Reports
- Security
- Others
Why is the category tree organized this way?
Many people complained to Technology Services that the category tree in our previous service desk system didn't properly represent the offered services. SPPS worked with outside consultants and a variety of internal stakeholders to design this category tree in late 2019, and Technology Services leadership believes this version is considerably more accurate, realistic, and comprehensive.
The teams that use Freshservice use categories to classify and report on the work they do, and they do a wide variety of work. The involved teams do not do work covering every category, but the tree needs to be comprehensive to account for the possibility of expanding the number and variety of teams that use it in the future.
Why are some categories hidden?
When we have no team using Freshservice to perform work of a certain type, we can't use Freshservice to assign or track work for that category. Rather than provide our clients with the option to submit work of a type that we can't perform, we hide those categories to scope the list to what the teams using Freshservice currently provide. Essentially, we provide a menu of things we do right now; if and when that menu changes—if other teams join Freshservice—we can easily reveal additional options.