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Welcome to Octopus, Summer 2010 Edition!
This page presents the most important changes made in the latest version.
From now on, we will release 4 versions every year, 1 per season.
This release includes important new features. We strongly suggest taking the needed time to read the following notes.
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EditNew "Home" module
In this version, we are introducing a new module called "Home".
You will find in it:
- Standard Incident/SR list;
- Task list;
- "My Incidents/SRs" list replacing "My tasks" view.
Please note that you are able to choose which view to display on Octopus start-up by modifying your profile. To do this, go to
File > Modify my profile, click on the tab
Octopus Account and change the
Default view setting.
The shortcut key to access "Home" is CTRL+F2.
The future of "Home" module:'
In an upcoming version, "Home" module will offer a lot more. You will be able to choose your displayed lists, define your own by using different filtering criteria and desired dispositions. You will even be able to share your lists with your colleagues.
EditQuick search in all
The Search box in "Home" allows the user to search in all types of requests (incidents, SR, changes, problems, events). The
Advanced Search (also accessible through
Tools > Search) is now available through the icon on the right side of
Quick search in "Home".
This Quick search function allows you to find a request by its number, whichever type it is.
EditNew list "To take assignment"
The new list "To take assignment" presents incidents/SRs that are not in progress yet. This is the main tracking list to follow if you want to control the response delays.
EditWorkflow for each type of SR (tasks in SR)
This is one of the most important features delivered in a long time!Which tasks need to be completed when you receive a request for a new employee?
- Order a computer
- Prepare the computer
- Create the network account
- Create the email account
- Configure the voicemail
What if you could define in advance these tasks in the SR "Request – New employee"?
What if these tasks could give you a cost estimate, a due date, an assignment by default?
What if the task executions could follow a standard workflow where some of them would need to be completed before starting others?
What about as soon as the request is received, all of these tasks would be created automatically and right after, transferred to the corresponding groups and persons?
Well, this is what offers the new feature in the SR tasks, and much more!
To learn more about this feature, we invite you to watch this video:
Need help?
Better use of the tasks could greatly improve your efficiency regarding the service requests completion. Obviously, to benefit from the latest change, you need to analyze the treatment process of your service requests and create the tasks in the SRs types. If you cannot invest the needed time to analyze, inquire about our consulting services. One of our experts could give you some help to revise and define your service requests handling process. In only a couple of days, you could have all your workflows defined in Octopus!
What impact does this new feature have if you are not ready to use it yet?
There is no impact at all. The use of these tasks in the SRs module is completely optional. The new tab will still be there, but there are no obligations whatsoever to use it.
Why is there not tasks in the incidents as well?In this version, it is not yet possible to put tasks in an incident (it’s only possible in a Service Request). Our point of view is that the incident handling process is mostly linear; therefore putting tasks in them could complicate the process without bringing any major advantages.
We would like to know your opinion on the subject. What do you think? Please let us know on our new
forum by adding your answers and comments on the question
Adding tasks into incidents.
EditSending activies to multiple recipients
When you send an activity through email, you are now able to specify the recipients.
You can send the activity to the requester but you can also send it to a technician, to another user, to a provider or to another arbitrary email address.
= Public & emailThis button corresponds to the option previously called "Public & email".
When you click on the button, the system does two things:
- The system checks the box "Activity visible on the Self-Service Web Application
- The system adds the user and the requester as recipients.
You can follow this procedure to communicate with your providers:
If a supplier responds to an activity that you sent him, the answer will automatically be added to the incident if you activated the MailIntegration feature.
EditActivities with attached files
You can now link attached files to an activity. The attachment will be sent through email to the specified recipients, if the activity has recipients.
If the activity is marked as visible on the web, the user will be able to view the attached file via the Self Service Web Application.
EditMore convenient SLA colours
Based on your feedback, we have modified the appearance of the list for late requests.
Instead of putting the whole line in colour, only the column will be.
This makes the list easier to the eye and facilitates the reading of the information.
EditResponse SLA
Octopus now offers 2 types of SLA.
SLA on resolution: was the SLA in the previous versions of Octopus, before version 3.02. The SLA on resolution wants to help the Service Center to resolve requests in a predetermined delay.
Response SLA: The Response SLA is a new SLA option in Octopus. It was created to help the Service Center start taking requests in a predetermined delay.
When the Response SLA is turned on, Octopus signals a breached SLA using two methods:
- By a new notification named "Response SLA - breached". The system sends you a notification as soon as there’s a breached Response SLA
- The column Created on changes colours in the lists. The incidents/SRs with a red open date are ones with a breached SLA.
Feature being tested This function is currently being tested. The configuration needs to be made by our support group as there is no screen to do it yourself. We would like to know if using the Response SLAs is a feature that you are interested in. To activate the Response SLAs, please contact our technical support by visiting
www.octopus-itsm.com/selfservice/.
Depending on the popularity of this function, next versions of Octopus might offer even more features like statistics, reports, configuration screens, etc.
To discuss on the Response SLA subject, please come and visit our
forum to contribute by adding your answers and comments on the question
Why are the response SLA needed if we already have Resolution SLA? or on the question
Which features could improve the use of Response SLA?.
EditKnowledge base 1.0
Octopus now allows you to publish several documents over your self-service web portal so that your own users can browse them. These documents can be internal procedures, company policies, references, etc. You can also configure different types of access for different users.
Feature being tested This function is currently being tested. The configuration needs to be set by our support group as there is no screen to do it yourself. We would like to know if this type of document publishing is a feature that you are interested in. To activate it, please contact our technical support by visiting
www.octopus-itsm.com/selfservice/.
Depending on the popularity of this function, later versions of Octopus might offer even more features and configuration screens, etc.
EditA new way to contact the Octopus technical support
As you might already know, we use ourselves the Octopus application to manage the service requests and incidents reported by you.
To better serve you, we created a Self Service Web Application. As of now, to send us configuration change requests or technical problems about your environment, you can reach us through the web portal at
www.octopus-itsm.com/selfservice/.
For urgent matters only, please contact us through email at
urgentsupport@octopus-itsm.com.
EditNew Octopus community
We launched a
forum to allow our customers to exchange about several subjects related to Octopus, ITIL or the IT Service Management in general.
We ask you to use the
forum for any general questions you might have about using Octopus. We actively participate in the
forum and answer questions at the same speed as if you contact us through the web portal. Again, by using the
forum, you will also benefit of hints and solutions from our customers and provide an active and dynamic community of Octopus users.
We also use the
forum to manage all feature requests and suggestions. The
forum allows you as well to vote in favour of a suggestion. The features with the most votes will assuredly be considered first.
Visit the forum at
http://community.octopus-itsm.com/.
EditOther changes made in the latest version
To see a complete list of all other minor changes made, please go to the
version history page.