Customers on problemsCustomers on problemsThe customer associated with a problem in the Problems (SP) application determines the classifications, attributes of classifications, assets, locations, and configuration items (CIs) that are processed with the problem. The customer also determines users who can see the problem record.
When you create customer records, you create detailed agreement and pricing information for the customer and the services that you expect to provide. By associating customers with problems, you can provide the appropriate response to the customer at the specified location, for the specified assets, and with the specified configuration items. You keep the problem actions limited to the appropriate records based on customer filtering. You associate customers with assets, locations, and CIs in the Assets (SP), Locations (SP), and Configuration Items (SP) applications.
When you associate customers with problems, you also can keep the problem records restricted to the users who have permission to access the data of a particular customer. You associate customers with users in the Security Groups (SP) application.
When you create a problem, information about the primary customer on the location, asset, or CI is copied over copied to the problem. The combination of location, asset, and customer on the problem is used to determine the best matches when a service desk agent or workflow process searches for service level agreements, price schedules and response plans.
You can create a problem for a location, asset, or configuration item, These items must be associated with an active customer in order for the customer information to be copied to the problem. The lowest level of these items on a problem determines the customer on the problem, as follows:
If the problem has a CI that is associated with a customer, then the primary customer of the CI is applied to the problem.
If the problem does not have a CI, or the CI is not associated with a customer, and the problem has an asset associated with a customer, then the primary customer of the asset is applied to the problem.
If the problem does not have a CI that is associated with a customer or an asset that is associated with a customer, but has a location that is associated with a customer, then the primary customer of the location is applied to the problem.
If the problem does not have a CI, asset, or location that is associated with a customer, then you can add a customer directly in the Customer field.
The customer on the problem also determines the classifications, and attributes of classifications, that the problem can process. All problems can use global classifications and global attributes. When you want to use customer-specific classifications or customer-specific attributes, the customer on the problem (or parent of the customer) must match the customer on the classification or attribute.
Adding, changing, or removing a customer on a problem can affect the classification and attributes of the problem when the problem is classified. The classification or one or more attributes might no longer be relevant to the new customer, and the classification might have attributes that are now relevant to the new customer. However, classifications and attributes are never automatically removed from or added to a problem when you change a customer association. You change the customer on a problem by changing the value in the customer field directly, or by changing the location, asset, or CI that determines the customer on the problem. If you do so, you should first remove any classifications from the problem, and then re-apply the appropriate classifications after the new customer is selected.
You can apply a customer agreement or price schedule to a problem if the problem has an active, customer associated with it.
If the customer on the problem is derived from an asset or location, the cost center and customer charge account from the asset or location are copied to the problem.