WEB HELP DESK ®
GETTING STARTED GUIDE
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Install Web Help Desk (Windows)………..………... 3
Set Up Technician & Client Accounts……… 6
Configuring Ticket Settings……….……… 9
Configuring IT Asset Settings…………..………... 13
Useful Links……… 15
Use this Getting Started Guide to jump-start your Web Help Desk installation and initial configuration.
This will walk you through some initial steps in installation, ticket configuration, asset discovery and asset management
settings. Read the admin guide for detailed instructions.
INSTALL WEB HELP DESK (WINDOWS)
1. Have You Completed the Download?
If not, then clickhereto download now.
2. System Requirements Install Web Help Desk
(Windows)
Set Up Technician &
Client Accounts
Configuring Ticket Settings
Configuring IT Asset Settings
Software/Hardware Requirements
Operating System Server: Windows Server® 2003, 2008, 2008 R2, 2012, 2012 R2
Workstation: Evaluation version of Web Help Desk is supported on Windows® XP, Windows Vista®, Windows 7, 8, 8.1
Database Web Help Desk uses an embedded PostgreSQL® database as its standard database.
Web Help Desk also supports the following external databases:
• MySQL® 5.6 and 5.74
• Microsoft SQL Server® 2008, 2012 and 2014
• PostgreSQL 9.2, 9.3.2 and 9.4
CPU Dual Core, 2.0 GHz or faster
Memory 3 GB (Add 1 GB for every 10 additional technicians)
Hard Drive 20 GB
4 3. Installation Wizard
Web Help Desk offers an easy-to-use installation wizard to help you install the software in a few simple steps.
4. Getting Started Wizard for Quick Configuration
Use the simple, browser-based step-by-step wizard to configure database, email account, admin account, etc.
i. Select your database
• Use the embedded PostgreSQL database.
• Or, configure an external SQL database (MySQL, SQL Server, or PostgreSQL). Enter credentials of custom database.
ii. Configure email account to convert incoming emails to tickets
• Web Help Desk can automatically create incoming emails into help desk tickets. You need to configure a dedicated email account for this.
• Add Incoming Server (IMAP, POP, Exchange 2010/2013) and Outgoing Server (SMTP Server) credentials
Database Email Account Admin Account Request Types iii. Create a Web Help Desk administrator account. This is the account you will use to login for the first time. You can create more
accounts later within the product settings.
iv. Create Request Types (such as Hardware, Network, HR, IT, etc.) for end-user ticket creation forms.
6
SET UP TECHNICIAN & CLIENT ACCOUNTS
1. Login to Web Help Desk
i. Double-click and open Web Help Desk icon from the Desktop or Start Programs Menu.
ii. Use the username and password you created for the admin account to login to Web Help Desk.
Install Web Help Desk (Windows)
Set Up Technician &
Client Accounts
Configuring Ticket Settings
Configuring IT Asset Settings
From the list of icons displayed at the top in Web Help Desk, click on the button called “Setup”. Now, click on “Techs” and select i. My Account for editing the main admin account credentials.
ii. Tech for adding new technician accounts and provide access permissions.
iii. Tech Groups to create a group of technicians for different Request Types. Creating Tech Groups is helpful to handle ticket auto- routing and notification workflows.
iv. Tech Permissions to define permission levels that can be assigned to technicians.
2. Configure Technician Accounts
i. Editing My Account Admin Credentials iii. Adding Tech Groups
8 In the Setup menu, click on “Clients” and select
i. Options to define access permission for clients.
ii. Client Custom Fields to add custom fields to store and display client information in the “Clients” menu (in the main navigation bar at the top).
iii. AD/LDAP Connection to discover and import client AD/LDAP information from Microsoft® Exchange® or LDAP server. AD/LDAP Connections can perform bulk data imports of AD and LDAP directories that speeds up the client setup process and greatly reduces manual input errors.
3. Configure Client Accounts
i. Defining Client Permissions iii. Setting Up AD/LDAP Connection to Add Client Accounts
CONFIGURING TICKET SETTINGS
1. Configure Ticket Settings
In the Setup menu, we’ll look at configuring the settings for both Tech and Client interfaces.
In the side menu, click on Tickets and select
i. Options to configure ticket contents, generation method, and ticket access permissions.
ii. Request Types to define the types of tickets your help desk services support. Request types can be defined as parent and child types. An example is a request to have a password reset. The parent type could be IT Request and the child type could be Password Reset.
iii. Status Types to create ticket status types such as Open, Approved, On Hold, Closed, Resolved, etc.
iv. Priority Types & Alerts to create ticket priority levels such as Urgent, High, Medium, Low, etc., and configuring how technicians should be alerted and when for these priority types.
v. Ticket Custom Fields to add custom fields to tickets in the “Tickets” menu (in the main navigation bar at the top).
Install Web Help Desk (Windows)
Set Up Technician &
Client Accounts
Configuring Ticket Settings
Configuring IT Asset Settings
i. Defining Ticket Options & Permissions ii, iii, iv. Configuring Request Types, Status Types and Priority Types
10 Tasks: Web Help Desk helps you automate repetitive ticket management activities with a feature called Tasks. For example, when there is a New Employee Hire, you can program Web Help Desk to create a parent ticket and a set of child tickets eliminating the need for technicians to manually create these for every new hire.
i. Go to Setup Tickets Tasks ii. Create New Task (parent ticket)
iii. Add Task Elements (child tickets) to Task
You can either run the Task manually to create tickets, or program a schedule for the task to run based on time interval or specific criteria.
2. Ticketing Automation with “Tasks” & “Action Rules”
Action Rules: Web Help Desk lets you automate ticket routing and escalation with help of a feature called Action Rules. By creating an Action Rule, you can create a customized process and define when, what, who, and how issues are approved, tracked, assigned, and handled. For example, when there is a ticket from the CEO, it has to be bumped up to the highest priority and assigned to a particular technician or tech group.
i. Go to Setup Processes Action Rules
ii. Create New Action Rule by adding Action Rule Info, Criteria and Actions
12 Use the intuitive, Web-based dashboards in Web Help Desk for high-level ticket status management and reporting.
i. Go to Tickets Dashboard ii. Click on Add Widget
iii. Now, select the type of widget you want to create and what metrics you want displayed on the dashboard. Some examples include Tickets by Status, Alert Level, Alert Condition, Priority, Location, Technician, etc.
3. Set Up Ticketing Dashboard
Ticketing Dashboard in Web Help Desk
CONFIGURING IT ASSET SETTINGS
1. Discover Assets in Your Network
Web Help Desk lets you automatically discover Windows® computer assets in your network with the help of built-in WMI discovery engine.
A Discovery job scans a selected IP address range and discovers endpoints that accepts at least one of the saved credentials. You can set up a discovery and auto-sync schedule to periodically discover new endpoints and update details of already discovered endpoints.
i. Go to Setup Assets Discovery Connection, and click New.
ii. In the Connection Basics window, type the Connection Name.
iii. Select WHD Discovery Engine (WMI) in the drop-down menu called Discovery Tool.
iv. Now, in the IP Ranges field, add the IP range
v. In the Credentials field, enter the credentials to use when you attempt to authenticate against discovered assets Install Web Help Desk
(Windows)
Set Up Technician &
Client Accounts
Configuring Ticket Settings
Configuring IT Asset Settings
Use the Discovery Schedule and Auto-Sync options to set up periodic auto-discovery and to sync asset properties with Web Help Desk according to your customized schedule.
14 Web Help Desk lets you easily configure IT asset management setting from its Web-based interface.
Under Setup, go to Assets menu on the left-rail and select
i. Options to set up asset import settings and permissions
ii. Types to defining asset type, status, warranty, and lease information iii. Asset Custom Fields to extend the types properties associated with assets iv. Manufacturers & Models to add manufacturer’s details
v. Vendors to add vendor’s contact information 2. Configure Asset Settings
Configuring Asset Settings in Web Help Desk
INSTALLATION RESOURCES ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
USEFUL LINKS
Web Help Desk: Resources
Check out videos, white papers, and product guides about Web Help Desk
Web Help Desk: Knowledge Base
Browse knowledge base for tips & tricks and learning resources on using Web Help Desk
Web Help Desk: Online Community
Browse thwack, SolarWinds online user community, for tips and tricks on using Web Help Desk.
Web Help Desk: Quick Start & Eval Guide Read this manual for instructions on how to install Web Help Desk
Web Help Desk: Admin Guide
Read this manual for detailed instructions on installing, configuring and using Web Help Desk
Web Help Desk: Release Notes
Provides information on latest updates and new features of Web Help Desk
