Update the Requests File
This screen is used to add or update support requests. The screen is like a fill in the blank style form.
When you are adding a new request, an ID will be generated automatically and the current date and time will be used to fill in the Request Date and Request Time fields. If adding a request from the Update User screen, the user information will already be filled in for you. If this screen is called from the main Browse Requests screen, when you select a user name from the drop down list, relevant information about the user will be pulled in from the user table. If you are adding a request for a user that has not been created, you can just type the user's full name in the list box and the Update User form will be popped up to let you add the user information "on the fly".
If the request is computer specific, you may want to select the Serial Number of the PC from the drop down list.
Next, select the Request Type and Category from the drop down list boxes (or enter new values if the type and category lookup tables have not already been set up.
You may now enter the details of the request in the large box provided for that purpose. (NOTE: if you are using the web interface you may only be updating records, the adding of requests would be done by the end user via the web pages.)
The Status will default to New - you can use the drop list to change this value, and the priority will by default be Normal. These two drop lists are looked up from the Status and Priority tables.
The Taken By, Assigned To and Completed By fields are all populated from the Technicians Table. You may use these fields however you like.
If desired you can use the pop up calendar to enter an optional due date, and can also record a time due.
The Action field is where you record the action taken or planned to satisfy the request. After you complete a request you can enter the date and time completed. A Y or N can be entered in the Complete field. This field is just provided for those that wanted a quick field to search on when creating queries. Others may just use the Status field to indicate whether a request is Complete - or not.
The final three fields on this screen are all optional, but provided in case you wanted to use them. These are for recording a Cost associated with the request, a non-calculated Time Required field, and an Order Number field for those who want to use a number or identifier other than auto generated ID field.
The buttons on the bottom of this field are important. The button with a diskette is to Save the Record, but leave the form open. The OK button saves the record, and closes the form, while the Cancel button closes the form without saving the changes. The Email It buttons is used by those who have setup their SMTP settings and want to send an email which includes the Request as the Subject and the Action Taken or Planned as the body of an email sent to the requestor. If you update a requests, but click the Email It button before clicking the diskette button the email will not include your updated Action field. If you have set up the SMTP settings correctly, and click the Email It button, there will be a slight delay while the message is emailed - then the browse screen will close.