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Using Standard Solutions

When filling in the Call Card, the Standard Solution icon might light up. This means that a standard solution is available for the categorization you have selected. You can also assign keywords to (sub)categories, that will automatically assign the correct (sub)category to a call. This in turn will activate standard solutions.

When a standard solution is available, you can easily copy the data from the standard solution to the Call Card, saving you a lot of typing for frequently recurring calls.

Creating a new standard solution

  1. On the Call Management module page, in the New widget, click the Standard Solution button.

  2. Fill in the card with the desired data. This information will be added to a call when the standard solution is used.

    Standard solutions will show up based on the category entered in a call. (Sub)categories can be filled in in calls automatically using keywords.

  3. Save the card.

remark

On the Attachments tab, you can link documents that will be copied to a call when a standard solution is used.

tip

By linking a knowledge item to the standard solution you can fill the request and action fields with the content of the knowledge item, including images, links and rich text.

tip

In the Processing block, you can indicate that the call should be closed. This way, when you create a call based on a Standard Solution, it is closed upon saving.

Linking a Knowledge Item

By linking a knowledge item to a standard solution you can:

  • Add images, links and rich text to the standard solution, and therefore to the resulting calls.

  • Publish the standard solution in the Self-Service Portal.

  • Apply the standard solution via the Suggestions widget in calls.

To link a Knowledge Item to a Standard Solution:

Note

Make sure you have edit permissions for both standard solutions and knowledge items.

  1. In the Knowledge Base Explorer, create or locate a knowledge item with the answer you want to provide. Do so via Create > Knowledge Item on a Call card to base it on an existing call, or via New > Knowledge Management > Knowledge Item via the menu. You can add images, links to other sources, and rich text to make your answer as clear as possible.

  2. On the Availability tab, specify where and for who the knowledge item is (temporarily) visible.

  3. Save the knowledge item.

From this point, you have two options:

  1. In the knowledge item, go to the Links tab and click Link Standard Solution.

  2. Select a standard solution and click Link.

  3. Save the knowledge item.

  1. Alternatively, on the Standard Solution card, click Link knowledge item.

  2. Save the standard solution.

The knowledge item is now linked to the standard solution. The Request and Action fields of the standard solution are replaced by the Description and Content fields of the knowledge item.

remark

When you unlink the knowledge item the original content of the standard solution is shown again.

warning

If you have indicated that a knowledge item is visible only for certain branches, this is ignored when the item is linked to a standard solution. When an operator is allowed to see a standard solution, they can see the linked knowledge item as well, regardless of the branch.

Using a standard solution in a Call card

You can apply a standard solution to a Call card as follows:

  1. Fill in a category and subcategory in the call.

  2. If there are matching standard solutions, the Standard Solution standard solution icon. icon will light up.

  3. Click on the icon. You can also go to More > Standard Solution standard solution icon..

    A pop-up will now appear displaying the standard solutions that have the same category and subcategory as the call. In the Request and Action fields, you can view the descriptions that can be copied to the corresponding fields in the Call card.

  4. Select the standard solution that you would like to use in the Call card.

  5. Click OK.

All data from the standard solution has now been copied to the Call card. You can modify these details if you want. A few things worth noting:

  • The Information tab of the Call card indicates that a standard solution has been used for this call.

  • Any linked documents have also been copied to the call.

  • In the Standard Solution, you can indicate that the call should be closed. This way, when you create a call based on a Standard Solution, it is closed upon saving.

tip

Standard solutions that are linked to a knowledge item will also show up in the Suggestions widget, as part of the selected knowledge item. When you apply the knowledge item in the call, the linked standard solution will be applied as well.

Triggering standard solutions with keywords

You can have the category filled in automatically in a call by assigning keywords to a category. When the caller uses a keyword in the request field of a call, the category will automatically be applied to the call. Once the category has been filled in, a standard solution can be activated and applied to the call. In this way, you can have a standard solution activated indirectly by keywords you assign to a (sub)category.

For information on adding keywords to (sub)categories, please see Categorizing calls automatically with keywords in the Managing TOPdesk manual.

Using a Standard Solution via the Quick Launch Bar

You can quickly create a call based on a Standard Solution by adding a shortcut to the Quick Launch Bar in TOPdesk. When you open the standard solution from the Quick Launch Bar, you can quickly create a call with the data from the Standard Solution already filled in.

Adding a Standard Solution to the Quick Launch Bar:

  1. Open the overview of Standard Solutions from the module page of Call Management.

  2. Select the standard solution for which a shortcut is desired.

  3. Move the mouse to the bottom right in the screen, to the right of ‘1 of # Selected’ bar. When the mouse is in the right place in the far right corner, a pi symbol (π) will appear.

  4. Right-click on the π-symbol and copy the direct URL (Link Location) of the Standard Solution card.

  5. In the Quick Launch Bar, click Edit penand add the copied URL as a shortcut.

The Standard Solution can now be opened directly from the Quick Launch Bar, after which you can create a call from it.

To create a call based on a Standard Solution from the Quick Launch Bar:

  1. In the Quick Launch Bar, click on the icon of the standard solution. If you have several standard solutions saved here, you can expand the quick launch bar to see the names.

  2. In the standard solution, go to Create and choose First Line Call or Second Line Call.

    A call is created with the data from the standard solution already filled in.

  3. Enter the caller data and save the call card.

tip

In the Standard Solution, you can indicate that the call should be closed. This way, when you create a call based on a Standard Solution, it is closed upon saving.

Accessing the Standard Solutions overview

You can open the Standard Solutions overview in the following ways:

  • Opening the overview of Standard Solutions from the module page of Call Management

  • Linking the overview directly via this URL: <your_topdesk_url>/tas/secure/standardsolutions?action=showlist&archived=2&status=1

    Alternatively, to also have the TOPdesk menu on the left, use this URL: <your_topdesk_url>/tas/secure/contained/standardsolutions?action=showlist&archived=2&status=1

    Tip

    To show the Standard Solutions overview on your home page, you can use the link in a web widget.

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