Manage Change Requests

23 Jan 2025
14 Minutes to read

Manage Change Requests

Updated on 23 Jan 2025
14 Minutes to read

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Mastering Change Records: Analyst's guide for ITSM brilliance!

Create new Change Records (CRs) to add, modify, or remove Configuration Items (CIs) in an infrastructure and items associated within the infrastructure. Analysts need to create CRs to add, modify, or remove policies or procedures or to modify the Knowledge Records (KRs). An Incident, Problem, Service Request (SR) can also trigger a CR.

User Persona: Analyst

Manage Change Request

To manage a Change Request, perform the following steps:

Log in to the Apex Mobile and click Service Management from the Apex Mobile home page.
The Analyst Dashboard is displayed.

Figure: Analyst Dashboard
Navigate to the Change > Change Request > Manage Change Record.
The Manage Change Record page is displayed.

Figure: Manage CR
Click New to create a Change Record.
Enter the required details as described in the following table and click Submit.

Field	Description
Symptom	A brief information on the CR is provided.
Description	Detailed information on the CR with more explanation and clarity.
Workgroup	Lists all the Workgroups corresponding to the selected Tenant.
Analyst	Assign the CR to the appropriate Analyst.
Service Window	Select the appropriate service window for calculating SLAs. For example; 24/7.
Effort	Specify the Effort in Days, Hours, Minutes, & Seconds.
Response SLA	The field displays the deadline within which a response acknowledgment must be received for the CR. Notes: The remaining time is calculated based on the service window selected. Any violation of SLA will be highlighted. This field can be edited based on the configurations in SLA. Any changes made will be reflected in the SLA History.
Response SLA Violation remarks	The workgroup to which the CR is assigned. Select the relevant remarks from the drop-down.
Resolution SLA	The field displays the deadline within which a resolution must be received for the CR. Note: This field can be edited based on the configurations done in SLA.
Resolution SLA Violation remarks	Select the relevant remarks from the dropdown.

The configuration is explained under each tab. Please expand the sections below for more details:

General

Field	Description
Requestor	The name of the requester who raised the CR is displayed. It is retrieved from the login username.
Change Type	Search and select the Change Type from the dropdown menu: Emergency, Normal, Retrospective Change, Standard. The Change Type field is populated only after the Tenant is selected. If you select the Change Type as Standard, then a pop-up will appear displaying the Standard Change template. Click Apply to select the template to log the CR. Click Cancel to exit the process to select the Standard Template and return to the New CR page.
Category	Search and select the Category from the Category dropdown menu. The options available in the dropdown menu include Large, Medium, Minor, Small.
Tags	Search and add Tags to the CR.
Is PIR Required	The "Is PIR Required" field refers to the Post Implementation Review. When logging a new Change Record, this field indicates whether a Post Implementation Review is mandatory or optional after the completion of the change process. A Post Implementation Review is a crucial step in the change management process, as it involves assessing the success of the implemented change, identifying any issues or lessons learned, and ensuring that the intended benefits have been realized. Note The Is PIR Required field is automatically enabled when you select Category as Large and Change Type as Normal or Retrospective Change. For other Categories and Change Types, enable it as per the requirement.
Propose For Standard Change	The "Propose for Standard Change" field helps to identify whether the proposed change is a candidate for classification as a Standard Change. Standard Changes are pre-approved, routine modifications that follow established procedures and have a low level of risk. Enable this toggle switch if you want to mark this Change Record as a Standard Change.
Tenant	Select the department (tenant) from the dropdown menu for which you want to request the CR.
Change Category	Select category of the Change Record by clicking Change Category icon. This will display a list categories. Click on the Change Category for which you want to log a CR.
Trigger For Change	Type in a brief description about the scope and the reasons that triggered the CR.
Standard Template Name	The Standard Template Name field helps to identify and select a predefined template that contains a set of standardized information and settings for a specific type of CR. When Analysts log a new CR, they can choose a Standard Template to streamline the process and ensure consistency in documenting changes.
Proposal Justification	The Proposal Justification field is a critical section where you provide a clear and concise explanation for why a particular change is necessary. This justification is crucial for ensuring that all stakeholders understand the reasoning behind the proposed change and can assess its impact on the IT environment.
Prioritization
Impact	Impact defines the enormity of the situation and the extent of consequence related to the CR. The options available are Critical, High, Low, and Medium.
Urgency	This field represents the urgency-based factor for CR. Options available are: Critical, High, Low, Medium.
Priority	Priority defines the precedence in which a particular CR should be addressed. The options available are P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5.

Messages

Field	Description
User Communication	Type in the problem information that you want to share with the Requestor. Only the workgroup Analysts can update the User Communication. Also, the Analysts can use the preconfigured templates to update the User Communication.
Private Log	Type in the problem information that you want to share with other members of your Workgroup. Apart from workgroup Analysts, the Private Log can be updated by Authorizers, Approvers, and Reviewers.
Messages	Any other messages related to the CR can be added in the message section.
Notes for Self	This is self note section for individual reference.

Risk

The Risks associated with the CR need to be analyzed. Under the RISK tab, you can capture the Risk details before and after the CR is implemented. You can also capture the downtime, Service outage, and the System Impact to implement the CR.

Figure: Risk

Field	Description
Risk of Change Failure	Type in the Risk involved in case the CR fails.
Business Impact (As per User)	Type in the impact on business as per the User.
Business Impact of Change Failure	Type in the impact on business in case the CR fails.
Back-Out Plan	Type in the Back-out Plan for the CR.
Back-Out Plan Tested	Search and select the appropriate option in the drop-down list.
System Impact	Select a value for System Impact in the drop-down list.
Back-Out Plan Not Tested Reason	Specify the reason why the Back-out Plan is not tested.
Remarks	Type in any notes or comments about the CR. This field can be mandatory or optional based on the configuration set by the Administrators.
Impact Of Not Implementing Change	Type in the impact if the changes are not implemented.
Attachment	Click Upload icon to choose an appropriate file to attach as a reference material for a test plan of a CR. Note The Users can upload an attachment with the same name for the second time or multiple times. The application saves both the old and new attachments.

Requirements

You can specify resource requirements, technical requirements, and financial requirements for the CR.

Field	Description
Resource Requirements
Resource Type	Search and select the resource type required for the CR.
Select Resource	Type in the name of the resource for the CR.
Skills	Displays the skill of the selected resource.
Experience	Displays the experience of the selected resource.
From Date	Select the date from which the resource is required.
To Date	Select the date till which the resource is required.
Status	Search and select the status of the requirement.
Icon	Click the Add icon to add the requirement. The details are displayed in the following table. You can modify the requirements by clicking the Edit icon or also delete the requirement by clicking the Delete icon.
Technical Requirements
Item	Type in the name for the item
Quantity	Type in the quantity of the item.
Unit	Specify the unit for the quantity.
From Date	Select the date from which the item is required.
To Date	Select the date till which the item is required.
Status	Select the status of the requirement.
Icon	Click the Add icon to add the requirement. The details are displayed in the following table. You can modify the requirements by clicking the Edit icon or also delete the requirement by clicking the Delete icon.
Financial Requirements
Type	Type in the type of the financial requirement.
Amount	Type in the amount required.
Currency	Type in the currency type.
Required Date	Select the date when the amount is required.
Status	Select the status of the requirement.
Icon	Click the Add icon to add the requirement. The details are displayed in the following table. You can modify the requirements by clicking the Edit icon or also delete the requirement by clicking the Delete icon.

Implementation

You must fill the fields on the Implementation tab while implementing the Change Record.

Field	Description
Assigned To	Select the Analyst to whom you want to assign the CR.
Actual Start Time	Click the Calendar icon to select the actual start date and time for the CR.
Actual End Time	Click the Calendar icon to select the actual end date and time for the CR.
Planned PIR Date	Specify the Implementation Review date. You can click the Calendar icon to select a date.
Is the Change Implemented or Rolled Back?	Search and select the appropriate option in the drop-down list.
Is the Change Successful?	Select the appropriate option in the drop-down list.
CI Update Required?	The users can configure the condition to update the CI(s) even after the related CR is updated to Closed status. If the drop-down values is selected as Yes, then the user can update the CI(s) linked to the respective CR even if the CR is updated to Closed status. If the drop-down option is selected as No, the user cannot update the CI(s) linked to the respective CR. This status becomes mandatory after the CR is updated to Implemented status.
Pre-Implementation Steps	Type in the steps before the CR is implemented.
Post-Implementation Steps	Type in the steps after the CR is implemented.
Solution	Type in the solution for the CR.

Release

After a CR is tested and implemented, the release details should be updated. Under the RELEASE tab, you can add the release details of a CR, such as Release Plan, Release Attachment, Release Workgroup, Release Executive, Post Release Notes, and so on.

Field	Description
Planned Start Time	Displays the planned start date of the CR.
Planned End Time	Displays the planned end date of the CR.
Actual Start Time	Type in the actual start date of the CR.
Actual End Time	Type in the actual end time of the CR.
Release Plan	Type in the Release Plan of the CR.
Release Attachments	Select the attachments for the CR. Note The User can upload an attachment (file, image, or screenshot) with the same name for the second time or multiple times. The application saves both the old and new attachments.
Release Workgroup	Displays the Workgroup responsible for the CR. Search and select the appropriate Release Workgroup from the list.
Release Analyst	Search and select the Analyst responsible for the CR.
Post Release Notes	Type in the post release note.
Release Docs	Select the release documents for the CR.

Checklist

There may be a list of actions you need to perform before updating a Change Record. Under the CHECKLIST tab, you can verify these actions (if configured by the Administrator) and complete them before updating the Change Record. Based on what action is taken on the Task, update the Task Status and provide your remarks in the Remarks text box.

Link

The CR can be linked to other records from the same module, another module, or an application by using the Links tab. From the CR details page, users have the option to create new records or link to already-existing ones.

Link the existing Manage pages from the dropdown list provided in the Links section. This view will provide a list of all the records that have been linked to the record.

Additional Info

You can capture any additional information or detail about the CR under the ADDITIONAL INFORMATION tab of the CR. The Custom Fields configured by the Administrator are also displayed under this tab.

Timeline

Timeline displays the chronological events and timestamp of tasks and progress on the CR.

Orchestration

Repetitive tasks must be executed to resolve CR automatically or with less manual intervention. Based on the configured scripts, the action is executed automatically.

Edit Manage Change Record

To edit a CR, perform the following steps:

Log in to the Apex Mobile and click Service Management.
Navigate to the Change > Manage Change Requests.
The list page of all the logged Change Records is displayed.
Figure: My Change Requests
Click New to create a new Change Record.
The New Change Record page is displayed.
Figure: New Change Request
Edit the required details and click Save.

From the application banner has few action icons which are explained in the table below.

Change History

Change History is a detailed chronological record of all modifications made to a specific item, process, or system during its lifecycle. To view the complete record or log of all the changes made to the CR throughout its lifecycle by click Change History icon.

Figure: Change History

Click the "Change History" ribbon to expand and view the full details of changes made to the CR. It shows the date and time of each change, along with information such as Impact, Urgency, Priority, Pending Reason, Requestor, Tenant, Classification, Status, Workgroup, Service Window, and more.

You can view the Change History in either Timeline or Tabular view. To export the details, click the "Export to Excel" icon.

Communication History

A communication history is a list or documentation of all the exchanges of messages, discussions, and interactions that have taken place over a given time period between different people or entities. It offers an in-depth description of who spoke with whom, when, and what was said.

Figure: Communication History

Click Log to find the audit trail of communication.

Workflow History

View the entire history and progress of the Workflow. Workflow History refers to a log or record of actions and events that have taken place during a workflow or business process. Workflows are a popular tool for managing and streamlining intricate procedures, guaranteeing that assignments are finished quickly and methodically.

Click the highlighted icon and the following page is displayed with the workflow diagram.

Note
The green line denotes approvals done and the orange box denotes the status at which the approval is pending.

Link History

Link history usually means a list of URLs or hyperlinks that are pertinent to the CR. This can be significant in a scenario where a particular CR is linked to another record.

Figure: Link History

Note
The link history is also used to track changes in the event of conversion of records.

SLA History

The term "SLA history" describes the progression and historical development of service-level agreements. It includes the main turning points, how SLAs have changed over time, and how businesses have utilized them to monitor and guarantee the caliber of services they offer to clients.

Resolution SLA - Resolution SLA refers to a service provider's guarantee as to how quickly they will address and fix a reported issue or request.
Response SLA - Response SLA is the guarantee given by a service provider on how quickly they will react to a customer's request or issue that they have reported.

Click and view the SLA History in Timeline View or Tabular View. You can export the details to an excel by clicking on the Export to excel icon. The Rule History provides a log of any rule changes adopted during the progress of the CR. Any such changes will be reflected in the SLA value being calculated for completion of the CR.

SLA Detail History - The Detail History will have a comprehensive log of the SLA details captured to provide a birds-eye view of the status of SLA and elapsed time.
SLA Deadline History - A historical tracking of compliance with deadlines providing a history of how deadlines or timelines have been managed in the context of SLA.

Business Rule History

View the list of Business rules triggered and satisfied for the CR. It also provides a log of the business rules triggered with details.

Figure: BR History

Click on the highlighted part to reveal the business rules that were satisfied and triggered and vice versa.

Business Rules Satisfied - This provides the details of the business rules that were triggered and satisfied.
Business Rules Not satisfied - This provides details of the business rules that were triggered and not satisfied.

Search Function is available for BR history logs using Keywords

Note
Whenever an action fails during the processing of a business rule, resulting in a 'Failed' status, the Business Rule History will display the status as 'Failed' along with reason for the failure, accompanied by the error. This is crucial for facilitating the investigation of the issue.

Access History

It provides details of the access details and history of accesses in chronologically descending order.

Figure: Access History

More Options

Click (More Options) to view more options available to the Analyst. The following options are available in this section. Each section has been explained in detail below. Let us see each of the above in detail.

Reminder

Reminders are used in a CR as a proactive measure to guarantee that events are handled effectively, in accordance with SLAs, and with an emphasis on ongoing improvement.

Click the Reminder and the following page is displayed.

Figure: Reminder

Set Reminders for specific date and time and enable Notify Me to receive Notifications.

Remote Desktop

Remote desktop functionality is a valuable tool in a CR, where you make take control of the End user's system to analyze the issue. It is useful when it comes to troubleshooting and resolving IT issues.

Click Remote Desktop and the following page is displayed.

Figure: Remote Desktop

Set Remote Desktop connections for specific RDP Type and add Analyst E-mail ID to send Notifications.
Also, the Requestor E-mail ID is selected by default, and you can change the same.

Convert Change Request To

Convert Change Request To enables to transform the CR into different types of records, such as Incidents, Problems, or Service Requests, Work Order, Knowledge, or Fixed Asset. By doing so, you can efficiently manage and address specific issues associated with the converted record type.

To convert an CR, perform the following steps:

Click icon on the top-right of the top ribbon.
Click Convert Change Request To from the drop down menu.
The CR is converts to the Incident and Incident Details page is displayed.

Figure: Incident Details Page
Enter the required detail and click Save.

Import Template

The Import template in CR enables you to efficiently upload large volumes of data from external files. It helps streamline data entry, ensuring consistency and accuracy when importing information into the platform.

Figure: Import Template

Business Risk

An assessment of Business Risk in CR typically involves evaluating potential threats or challenges that could negatively impact business operations or objectives.

Figure: Business Risk

Operational Risk

An Operational Risk Assessment in CR involves identifying risks that could disrupt a company's operations related to customer relationships, or business processes.

Figure: Operational Risk

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