P R E S E N T E D B Y
How we do it!: Managing Client Assets
Using Autotask Configuration Management
Slides will be posted here: http://blog.byteharmony.com
Brian Kerhin
CEO
Byte Harmony, Inc. [email protected]
About your Presenter
Brian Kerhin
CEO
Byte Harmony, Inc. [email protected]
Byte Harmony - IT business owner / operator for > 10 years Network Administrator for Wendorff Bros. Co., Inc.
(MFG, 500 employees, $80 Million Gross) Iowa State University (Computer Engineering)
Computer Networking Software Development Autotask User Groups
Documentation using CI
CI Basics and Automating CI Basics
Autotask Integrations and CI
More accurate automated billing using CI
SLA Automation using CI
Reporting on CI – The end we want to work toward
* Questions at the end of the presentation: Keep notes
Where to find information
Autotask > Help > Online Documentation Autotask > Community > Home
Peers Vocabulary Used Installed Product Asset Configuration Item Config Item CI
Documentation: Why keep it in Autotask
Instantly available to all employees during service desk workflow
Ticket History Automatically Created
RMM information can be on AT ticket history
Extendable via Configuration Item Type and UDF fields
Security on UDF fields
Configuration Item Basic Elements
Product
Defined in Admin
Used on AT Quotes and CI
Organization: Product Categories > Products
MFG > Product
Product Type > Product (BH)
Configuration Item Basic Elements
Product
Defined in Admin
Used on AT Quotes and CI
Organization Product Categories then Products
MFG > Product
Product Type > Product (BH)
Product Layout: Generic / Specific / Hybrid (BH – Auto Select)
Configuration Item Basic Elements
One Product to One CI Type
TEMP
Configuration Item Basic Elements
One Product to One CI Type
Configuration Item Type – UDF Fields on CI
Customize what information is stored in a CI
Defined in Admin
Configuration Item Basic Elements
Configuration Item Type – UDF Fields on CI
One Product to One CI Type
Customize what information is stored in a CI
Defined in Admin
Create UDF while defining CI Type
Integrations: (Specific) best kept separate.
Continuum Device ID LT Device ID
LT IP Address (note this is different than IP address above!)
Configuration Item Basic Elements
Generic Text Fields – Most used, most confused
Fields:
Serial Number
Reference Number Reference Title
Warning! No requirement to use any of them for anything
Keep it consistent (see sample sheet)
Easier to find things
Configuration Item Basic Elements
Contract / Service
Can affect the quantity on a contract, AT will prompt if over
the current billed quantity.
SLA Automation
Best Practice:
Only accounting department updates Contract / Service (Multiple cooks in the kitchen)
Documentation is made on a ticket if a Contract / Service is changed
Configuration Item Basics: CI Automation
Ticket creation workflow with CI
Add CI
Use Speed Code
Done
Autotask Integrations: Why use CI and Integrations?
RMM can auto create tickets with CI attached
RMM can auto close tickets with CI attached
System history in AT CI is more accurate
Autotask Integrations: Create CI when using Integrations
Method 1 – Create CI first
Create Ticket for Sales Opportunity Create CI once Opportunity is Closed Install Machine and add to RMM Update AT with RMM ID
RMM can change almost anything via integration – LT Example!
Method 2 – Allow integration to create CI, then update
Work ticket with no CI attached Have integration create CI
Billing: Why use CI with Billing
Adding a CI to a ticket will automatically select the contract associated
with that CI.
No need to remember which services are provided for different clients.
Automate the following product delivery types all on the same client:
HaaS / SaaS (Recurring Service Contract) T&M
Fixed fee (Recurring Service Contract) Budget (Block Hours Contract)
Billing: Subscription Billing
Any text you want on the invoice
For Month to Month contracts
use 1/1/2030
Always use 0 for subscription cost
and use Ticket Costs for product
Acquisition !Will create a separate invoice!
