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Internal users or problem reports can create support messages directly from a transaction. In this way, users or problem reporters can contact the responsible service desk easily and quickly in this way. The internal company service desk can be built from multiple support units.

If there is an internal solution database, support staff can enter symptoms when processing a problem, and search it for solutions. Support staff can also search for SAP Notes in the SAP Service Marketplace. If the support staff member does not find a problem solution, he or she can forward the support message to subsequent support units, or to SAP Support, and monitor the progress of processing in the Service Desk.

Prerequisites

  • The Service Desk is configured using the configuration guide for the SAP Solution Manager.

  • You have set-up the criteria by which an incoming support message is assigned to a support unit, such as priority, category, region of creator, in the Service Desk customizing. By default, the system assigns the support message to the support unit for its SAP component. For more information, see SAP Note 616946.

  • You have the necessary authorizations to work as a member of support staff in the Service Desk. For more information, see the SAP Solution Manager Security Guide in the SAP Service Marketplace, under   http://service.sap.com/instguides   SAP Components   SAP Solution Manager <current release>  .

Process

  1. Users or customers can create a support message in the following ways:

    • In an SAP system with SAP GUI, from a transaction menu, with   Help   Create Support Message  

    • In SAP Solution Manager, in the Incident Management work center under Common Tasks by choosing New Message.

  2. The system gets the system data for the support message, automatically.

  3. The support message is displayed in the Service Desk.

  4. The system automatically assigns the support message to the appropriate support level, for example, by SAP component, priority, or support message category.

  5. The system automatically determines the associated business partners, for example, customer, key user or support team.

  6. The system creates a service process in the SAP Solution Manager.

  7. If you have customized accordingly, the system checks whether the installation and requester already have contracts. Such a contract can, for example, contain a Service Level Agreement (SLA), in which the customer has been guaranteed certain levels of service, for example maximum response times.

    If there is a contract, the support employee responsible chooses the relevant contract item, for example, Support, Consulting or Development.

  8. A member of the support unit responsible enters him or herself as the support employee in the support message.

  9. The support employee searches for a solution to the problem described by the problem reporter. If a customer solution database is installed, the support employee can use it when searching for the solution.

  10. If the support staff member does not find a solution in the customer solution database, he searches in the SAP Service Marketplace for SAP Notes.

    If the support employee finds a suitable SAP note, he or she assigns it to the support message. You can import and test SAP notes with code corrections, directly into the development or test system, using the SAP Note Assistant. After testing, the changes are transported to the quality assurance and production systems. You can discard unwanted changes using the SAP Note Assistant.

  11. If the support employee does not find a solution on SAP Service Marketplace, he or she will create an internal memo, with the measures taken to find a solution, in the support message, and forward it to subsequent support units, if required.

  12. If the next support unit cannot solve the problem either, the support employee adds an Info for SAP to the support message, and forwards it, with any attachments, to SAP Support (SAP Support Portal).

  13. SAP Support processes the message and sends it back to the support employee, with a proposed solution or a further question, and an updated status.

    You can monitor the status of the support message in your Service Desk.

  14. The support employee tests and evaluates the proposed solution.

  15. The support employee confirms the solution, and calls the Positive Call Closure questionnaire.

  16. The support employee forwards the solution to the problem reporter.

  17. The problem reporter tests and confirms the solutions, or responds to the solution if the problem is not yet completely solved.

  18. If there is an internal solution database, the support employee formats the solution to make it available to other support staff.