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Opening Tickets

Opening a support ticket creates a formal request for help or technical assistance. Tickets can be created by users through a portal, or by administrators on behalf of users who call, walk in, or need help.

This page focuses on how administrators open tickets for users.

Permission Required

To open tickets, you need the View Support Tickets permission assigned to your administrator role.

When to Open a Ticket​

Administrators typically create tickets in these situations:

Phone Support

  • User calls with a question or problem
  • You open a ticket to document the call
  • Allows tracking and follow-up

Walk-In Support

  • Student/staff visits in person
  • You create ticket during face-to-face support
  • Provides written record of verbal conversation

Proactive Issues

  • You discover a problem before user reports it
  • Create ticket to track the fix
  • Keeps support history complete

Users Without Email

  • Some users can't submit tickets themselves
  • Administrators create tickets on their behalf
  • Ensures all users have access to support

Documentation Purposes

  • Record that support was provided
  • Track metrics (tickets per day, response times)
  • Historical reference for recurring issues

How to Open a Ticket​

Access the Open Ticket Form​

From the View Tickets page:

  1. Navigate to Support Center > View Tickets
  2. Click the Open New Ticket button (top right)
  3. The ticket creation form appears

Direct access:

  • Some systems may have a direct link in the navigation

Fill Out the Ticket Form​

The form has several fields to complete:

Required Fields​

These fields must be filled out before you can create a ticket.

User (or Name + Email)​

You have two options for specifying who the ticket is for:

Option 1: Select an Existing User

  • Use the User dropdown/search field
  • Type the user's name
  • Select from the list
  • Their name and email auto-populate

Option 2: Manual Entry (for non-users or guests)

  • Leave User field empty
  • Fill in Name field manually
  • Fill in Email field manually

When to use each option:

  • ✅ Select User: Student or staff member in your system
  • ✅ Manual Entry: Parent, visitor, contractor, or anyone not in your user database
Required Information

You must provide either:

  • A selected User, OR
  • Both Name AND Email

If you select a user, you don't need to fill Name/Email (they auto-populate). If you don't select a user, both Name and Email are required.

Department *​

Which help desk department should handle this ticket.

Common departments:

  • Technology/IT - Technical issues, devices, network, passwords
  • Facilities - Building issues, maintenance requests
  • General Support - Miscellaneous questions
  • Administration - Policy questions, enrollment, etc.

Your district customizes available departments in support center settings.

Choosing the right department:

  • Determines who sees and responds to the ticket
  • Routes ticket to appropriate support staff
  • Affects email templates and automation
  • Can be changed later if routed incorrectly

Subject *​

A brief description of the issue or request.

Good subjects are:

  • Specific: "WiFi not connecting in Room 205"
  • Clear: "Password reset needed for student account"
  • Concise: Under 10 words when possible
  • Descriptive: Reader knows the issue without opening ticket

Examples of good subjects:

  • "Chromebook screen cracked, need repair"
  • "Cannot access Google Classroom, error message"
  • "Request loaner device for broken iPad"
  • "Email not receiving messages since yesterday"

Avoid vague subjects:

  • ❌ "Help"
  • ❌ "Question"
  • ❌ "Device issue"
  • ❌ "Problem"

Message *​

The detailed description of the issue, question, or request.

What to include:

  • Detailed explanation of the problem
  • What the user tried already
  • Error messages (exact text if possible)
  • When the problem started
  • Any relevant context

Good message examples:

Example 1 - Technical Issue:

Student reports their Chromebook won't connect to WiFi in Room 205.
They can see the network name but get "Cannot connect" error.
Other students in the same room can connect fine.
Tried forgetting and re-adding the network - same result.
Device serial: ABC123

Example 2 - Account Issue:

Teacher called requesting password reset for their account.
Cannot log in since Monday (3/10).
Tried "forgot password" link but not receiving reset email.
Checked spam folder - email not there.
Email address on file: teacher@school.edu

Example 3 - Support Request:

Student's device was confiscated Friday for inappropriate use.
Parent called to arrange pickup.
Device asset tag #12345 currently in office.
Parent available to pick up Tuesday 3-4pm.
Need parent signature on acceptable use policy before return.

Optional Fields​

These fields provide additional functionality but aren't required.

CC Recipients​

Additional people who should receive email copies of ticket correspondence.

Common uses:

  • CC a parent on student's ticket
  • CC an IT manager on complex technical issues
  • CC a principal on discipline-related matters
  • CC yourself for personal tracking

How it works:

  • Select multiple email addresses from the dropdown
  • All CC'd recipients get emails when replies are sent
  • CC'd people are not the primary ticket contact
  • Primary user still receives all emails

Example: Student ticket with parent CC'd:

  • Student is primary recipient
  • Parent gets copies of all correspondence
  • Both can reply (replies update the ticket)

After Opening the Ticket​

Once you click Open Ticket, the system:

  1. Creates the ticket record
  2. Generates a unique ticket ID number
  3. Sends email notification to the user (unless disabled)
  4. Redirects you to the ticket profile
  5. Ticket appears in the View Tickets list

From the ticket profile, you can:

  • Add additional replies
  • Upload attachments
  • Change status, priority, or department
  • Assign to a specific technician
  • Add internal notes (not visible to user)

Learn more about managing tickets →

Common Scenarios​

Scenario 1: Phone Call - Simple Question​

User calls with a quick question you can answer immediately:

  1. Click Open New Ticket
  2. Select the user from dropdown
  3. Department: General Support
  4. Subject: "Question about school lunch payment"
  5. Message: "User called asking how to add funds to lunch account. Explained online payment portal process. User understood and will try this evening."
  6. Click Open Ticket
  7. Immediately reply with summary and mark status "Closed"

Result: Call is documented, user has email record of instructions.

Scenario 2: Walk-In Support - Technical Issue​

Student brings broken device to office:

  1. Click Open New Ticket
  2. Select student from user dropdown
  3. Department: Technology
  4. Subject: "Chromebook screen cracked - repair needed"
  5. Message: "Student brought device to office. Screen has 4-inch crack across display. Touch still responsive. Student states dropped device this morning in hallway. Device asset tag #12345."
  6. Click Open Ticket
  7. From ticket profile, create incident for device
  8. Add reply: "Incident #567 created. Repair shop contacted. Expect 3-5 day turnaround. Will notify when ready."

Result: Support documented, incident created, user notified of timeline.

Scenario 3: Proactive Issue Documentation​

You discover a network problem affecting multiple users:

  1. Click Open New Ticket
  2. Manually enter Name: "Network Administration"
  3. Manually enter Email: your@email.com
  4. Department: Technology
  5. Subject: "Building 2 WiFi outage - 3/15/2024"
  6. Message: "Discovered WiFi access points offline in Building 2 at 10:30am. Affecting approximately 150 users. Vendor contacted, technician dispatched. Estimated resolution 2:00pm. Will update when resolved."
  7. Click Open Ticket
  8. Add updates as situation progresses

Result: Problem is documented with timeline for reference.

Scenario 4: Parent Request (Non-User)​

Parent emails requesting information about student's device:

  1. Click Open New Ticket
  2. Leave User field empty
  3. Name: "Jane Smith (Parent of John Smith)"
  4. Email: parent@email.com
  5. CC: Add student's email if appropriate
  6. Department: General Support
  7. Subject: "Parent question - student device checkout status"
  8. Message: "Parent emailed asking when student John Smith (ID #67890) will receive device. Checked records - device #ABC123 assigned and ready for pickup. Student missed pickup day Monday."
  9. Click Open Ticket
  10. Reply with pickup instructions

Result: Parent request tracked, response sent, student CC'd for awareness.

Tips for Opening Effective Tickets​

✅ Do:

  • Use clear, descriptive subjects
  • Include all relevant details in the message
  • Document phone calls and in-person support
  • Select the correct department for routing
  • Use CC field to keep others informed
  • Check that user information is correct before submitting
  • Include device asset tags, error messages, or other specific details

❌ Don't:

  • Use vague subjects ("Help needed", "Issue")
  • Skip documentation - every support interaction should be tracked
  • Forget to fill required fields (subject, message)
  • Create duplicate tickets for the same issue
  • Open tickets for yourself - use appropriate channels
  • Leave out important context that helps resolve the issue

Common Questions​

Q: Can users open tickets themselves? Yes, if your district has enabled the user portal. Users can submit tickets through a web form or email. This page focuses on administrator-created tickets.

Q: What if I select the wrong department? You can change the department later from the ticket profile Options tab.

Q: Do I have to send email notification to the user? By default yes, but some systems have a "don't send email" checkbox for special cases where you're just documenting internally.

Q: Can I attach files when opening a ticket? File attachments are typically added from the ticket profile after creation, not during initial ticket opening.

Q: What happens if I enter an invalid email address? The system will show an error. Email addresses must be valid format (user@domain.com).

Q: Can I open a ticket without specifying a user? No. You need either a selected user OR manual name + email. Tickets must have a recipient.

Q: Should I open a ticket for every phone call? Use judgment. Complex issues, things requiring follow-up, or situations needing documentation should be ticketed. Quick questions with immediate answers may not need tickets.

Q: Can I edit a ticket after creating it? You can't edit the original message, but you can add replies, notes, and change ticket options (status, department, etc.) from the ticket profile.

Next Steps​

After opening a ticket, you'll typically want to:

Opening tickets ensures all support interactions are documented, tracked, and can be followed up on!

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