Document Everything

Service Desk Documentation and Procedures Manual

Do you document the operations at your servcie desk? Is there a “standard operating procedures” manual that new and existing employees can refer to?

Here’s some idea of things to document:

Service Desk Basics

  • Telephone manner
  • Email ettiquete
  • Service Level Agreement documents
  • Soft-skills

HelpMaster Basics

  • How to classify the priority of a job
  • What different job status codes mean
  • How to resolve a job
  • Using Templates

HelpMaster Configuration

  • HelpMaster server name
  • HelpMaster SQL Server instance name
  • HelpMaster web portal address
  • HelpMaster web API address
  • Working folder location
  • HelpMaster downloads and install files
  • Working folder locations
  • Scripts and other snippets of configuration (workflow XML etc.)
  • Importing XML / documentation
  • Upgrade information
  • Password and security information
  • Reports and custom reports folders, development ideas etc.
  • Add-in configuration documentation and files
  • Custom dictionaries for HelpMaster
  • Templates for Knowledge base, Email Templates, etc.
  • Themes and custom themes

IT Security

  • Running scripts
  • Password management
  • Remote desktop sessions
  • Identity management

It’s important to keep this documentation up-to-date and regularly reviewed. Use it as part of the new employee on-boarding experience. Have them comment on how useful it is, and use this feedback to improve it.

Make this documentation accessible to the intended audience.