2.7 Solving problems using Items

If any type of problem occurs in a device used by the system, it is necessary in order to solve the problem to distribute information about the problem to pre-designated individuals within the organization who are responsible for receiving and solving problems.

Normally, problem information is conveyed in a document or by email, but this makes it difficult to keep track of the processing progress. By using Items, an overview of the problem can be easily determined and the processing status can be tracked.

Items are selected and created from the New Item window. In the New Item window, the Items that can be used are displayed by tab according to category.

Asset Console provides a Problem Report Form as a sample Item. Using this sample Item, the figure below is an overview of the actions required to handle an asset problem. The steps involve requesting help from concerned personnel, discovering the problem, implementing a solution, and completing the task.

Figure 2‒10: Overview of handling an asset problem using a sample Item

Define the job flow.

When a problem occurs, define the types of information, the path over which that information will be routed, and whether to perform troubleshooting. If you use the sample Item provided without any change, you can skip this step.

Use the Item Definition window to define a workflow that uses an Item. For details about how to define an Item, see 12.1 Overview of Item definition.
Use the Official Authority window to assign authorities to the users who will handle the Item.

In the Problem Report Form Item, problem receivers and problem solvers have been defined as official authorities (authorities required to process the Item).

Because all necessary authorities are already defined in the sample Item, simply assign the authorities to users who have sufficient permissions to perform the processing involved. For details about how to define users with authorities, see 12.2 Defining authority for processing the Item (Official Authority).
Exhibit the Problem Report Form Item.

Because the status of the sample Item is registered as Creating, the status must be changed to Exhibit. For details about how to exhibit Items, see 12.7.2 Setting an Item to Exhibit or Not exhibit.

Note

In the New Item window, Items are displayed in tabs on the basis of the Item category. Initially, the Template tab is provided. Depending on the type or the contents of the work, change the name of this tab or add new tabs. For details about how to add or change Item categories, see 16.8.1 Adding codes.

To display the Item in the Item category that was added, change the Item category before you exhibit the Item. For details about how to change Item categories, see 12.3.2 Placing workers and processing.
Create a Problem Report Form and request a problem resolution.

From the New Item window, create a Problem Report Form Item and submit an application. The sent Item is placed in the next worker's inbox.

The person responsible for receiving the problem opens the Problem Report Form in the inbox, checks the overview of the application, and requests a solution from the person responsible for solving the problem.

For details about how to create Items and how to process received Items, see 15. Executing Asset Management Jobs That Use Items.
Confirm the overview of the problem resolution.

After having solved the problem, the problem solver records the fact that the problem has been solved in the Problem Report Form, and then sends the form back to the applicant. To complete the Item, the applicant confirms that the problem has been solved.

Changing the contents of an Item definition

The sample Item provided by Asset Console is a model case of an asset management job. Change the settings, based on this sample, depending on the details of the actual asset management job.

For details about how to confirm and change the contents of an Item definition, see 12.1 Overview of Item definition.

The following figure shows the Item definition elements required during consideration of jobs that use Items.

Figure 2‒11: Item definition elements

Item route

This defines the workers who are responsible, from the applicant and the problem reception desk until the Item is completed. The department and the personnel who execute the series of work, and the contents of that work, until completion of an Item are known as the node.

For details about how to define the route, see 12.3 Defining the route (Flow Designer).
Worker role

The management node problem reception desk and problem resolution desk are defined so that Items are sent to workers with authority to execute the processing. The authority required to process Items is called official authority. For details about how to define official authority, see 12.2 Defining authority for processing the Item (Official Authority).
Window components processed by each worker

Each worker defines the items to be specified and the buttons for execution in the windows. Such worker-processed windows are called Item window.

For details about how to define the Item window, see 12.4 Defining the Item window (Form Designer).
Processing that accompanies Item execution

This defines the processing to be executed once the solution has been implemented, when the overview of the problem and the overview of the solution are registered and the Item is sent to the next worker. Such processing that accompanies execution is called an activity.

For details about how to define this processing, see 12.5 Defining each node's task (Activity Designer).
Setting whether to send email and processing time limits

You can set options for an Item, such as whether the worker is to be notified by email when the Item arrives at the next worker, or to specify a processing time limit. These send-time options for Items are called Item options.

For details about how to define Item options, see 12.6 Setting the Item options (Flow Designer).

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