Introduction
The helpdesk system is for recording and monitoring requests for repairs or other works.
It also includes a weekly planner and reminder system. It is built using compiled mivascript and
can therefore be run on either a PC or a web server which have the Miva Virtual Machine installed.
This is available free from Miva
Corporation. See the Installation section for more
information.
When installed on a web server with the login process activated, access can be given to
managers at different sites and to contractors via the Internet. There are different levels of
access so that administrators can retain control of the settings. Site managers and contractors can
have access only to the records relevant to them. Alternatively it can be used by one person on
their PC with the login process disabled. In either case it is accessed using a browser such as
Internet Explorer making it easy to use.
The system is highly flexible allowing changes to be made either by an administrator such
as adding users, contractors and changing the lookup lists. In addition if other changes are
required, for example adding other access levels or additional fields in the entry forms, please
contact us.
Getting Started
When repairs or other works are required a New Report is
entered with details of where it is, the item that needs attention, the nature of the problem and
who reported it. There are options to phone/fax/email the report to the selected contractor. When
works are completed or if there are interim comments the contractor can update the report if they
have access to the system.
To monitor what jobs are completed or outstanding there is a search facility. The system has been designed to track all comments
added to reports with details of the user and date/time so that it is possible to review actions
taken at a later date.
In addition the helpdesk includes a week planner system.
This is a reminder/diary function including weekly/monthly recurring and ongoing items. This is to
help users to organise their week and for other users to be able to see what action has been
taken.
If you need further information please contact Wotnot Web Works Ltd.
Installation
The system is built using compiled mivascript and therefore the Miva Virtual Machine (VM)
must be installed first. This is a free product from
Miva Corporation.
If you want to run the helpdesk system on a server you will either need to use a host that
provides the VM or it can be installed yourself. We have installed the VM on our server so please
contact us if you would like us to host the helpdesk for you. For
installation on a PC you will need to install the Miva Mia VM which is available free from
Miva.
Useful links to Miva Information
Installing Miva Mia (VM) on a PC
1.Obtain the (free) Miva Mia (VM) from
www.miva.com
2. Install by running the file downloaded (for example mia400.exe) and following
the instructions.
3. After installation run "Miva Mia (Virtual Machine)" in the Programs / Miva Mia
folder of your Start Menu and the status screen should open looking something like this below.
There will also be a 
in the system tray
then the VM is running which you can double click to re-display this screen if minimised.
- The Port should be 80 unless you have another web server running on your PC in which
case you will need to change this to something else, usually 8000.
- The two directories are where the web pages and database files will be located. You can
change these to different directories if you wish but make a note of the location of the first one
as you will need this later.
- Ensure "Use Cookies" is ticked and we recommend you un-tick "Display this screen..." so
it will run minimised. The other settings can be left as the default.
4. For regular use, once installed, it is recommended that you copy the "Miva Mia
(Virtual Machine)" short-cut to your Start-up folder so that it always starts with Windows. In the
VM Status Window you can un-tick the option to "Display this Screen on Start-up" so that it runs
minimised.
Installing Helpdesk
1. Unzip helpdisk.zip into the Directory where "Miva Mia will look for www
documents". To identify the directory when running Miva Mia (VM) open the Status Window as shown
above and the path is shown in the first of the two Directory boxes.
NB. When unzipping ensure that "Use Folder Names" is selected so that the
helpdesk folder (and sub-folders) are created.
2. Open your Browser and enter the URL for the helpdesk system.
- If using Miva Mia (VM) on a PC using the default port 80 enter
http://127.0.0.1/helpdesk/helpdesk.html
- If you have set Miva Mia (VM) to use a different port you will need to specify the
port in the URL. For example where the port is 8000 enter
http://127.0.0.1:8000/helpdesk/helpdesk.html
- If you are using a server installation enter the URL for example
http://helpdesksystem.co.uk/helpdesk/helpdesk.html
3. The first time the helpdesk is accessed the setup page will be displayed. Enter
the details required and click SAVE. This will create a "helpdesk" sub-directory in the Miva data
path and create the database files.
For more information on the setup options click here
4. Before adding any reports an administrator will need to add some units and
contractors.
Helpdesk Login
If the system has been setup with just one "admin" user, then no login is required.
However if multiple user access is required the login process can be activated and you will see
this.
Simply enter your username and password and click the LOGIN button. If the details
are correct standard users and administrators will then see the Enter
New Report page but contractors will go to the Search Reports
page.
If the helpdesk is installed on a server you are recommended to add an additional layer of
security by adding a server password to the entire helpdesk directory.
Change Password
If the login process is activated users can change their password on this page.
Enter your username, the old password and the new one (twice) then click CHANGE.
Note that a password must be longer than 5 characters
On this page you can also change the default starting page after logging in.
Logout
If the login process is activated, logout can occur in one of three ways.
1. Click the LOGOUT link on the menu. It is recommended that you do this if
you leave your PC unattended so that no-one can access the system.
2. After 20 minutes of inactivity (this is the default time but can be changed by
an administrator) the system will log you out automatically and display the login page.
3. When you close the helpdesk browser window a small window will popup briefly to
log you out if you have forgotten to click the logout link.
NB. Popup windows such as these helpdesk help pages and "send reports" will automatically
close when the timeout expires.
Enter New Report
This page is for entering a new report.
Stage 1
1. Select the Property first
2. The Unit list will change to those entered for that property so you can select
the relevant unit.
3. If the unit has "Auto fill fields" enabled (see
here) these details will be automatically entered but can be edited if you wish.
4. Enter the Reported By, email, phone and fax details as required.
5. If there are Inventory Items setup for this property (see here) they will be in the selector. If the item has a location
this will be automatically filled in on selection.
6. If the report is not relating to an Inventory item use the Location box to state
where the problem is.
7. Enter the details about the report in the box.
8. Use the drop-down selectors for the Classification. NB. If you want additional
Classification options these can be added by an Administrator.
9. If this report is a follow up to an existing one you can link the jobs to each
other by entering the previous reference. If it is a planner item set the selector to P or if a
work report set it to J.
10. Ensure you have completed all the compulsory items (marked with a
#) then click the SAVE button to store the details as a new
report.
Stage 2
1. You will now see what has been recorded in the top half of the page. The
username, reference & time/date have been generated and the unit contact name has been
completed automatically from the database. You can continue immediately with the process or if you
wish you can return to this point at any time by locating this report from the Search Reports
page.
2. You can enter details of quotes received, the contractors and the type of work
and any other notes. These are all optional and you can enter and change these as many times as you
want before activating the job. Click the SAVE button to save the changes.
3. To activate the job select the contractor you wish to appoint, the quote number
from the list above (optional), the method you wish to send the instruction to the contractor by
and the priority. Click the SAVE button when these fields have been entered to activate the
job.
NB. Additional contractors and priority options can be added to the selectors by an
administrator. The "send by" options are dependant on what details have been setup by the
administrator for the contractor you select.
4. If email was selected the report has now been sent to the contractor. If Fax was
selected you will need to print the form and fax it. If phone was selected you should now call the
contractor. In ALL cases an email is sent to the person who reported the incident and the Property
contact email address so that they can see it has been actioned.
This is an example of an email sent.
Work request sent to contractor by email
Job Details
-----------
User Name: Administrator
Reference: J-96
Logged: 18:35 on 9/8/2003
Property: Marina Park
Unit: Unit 1
Contact(s): Sarah Bond
Item: Computer
Location: First Floor
Report by: Sarah Bond
Phone: 01234 56789
Fax: 01234 98765
Email: sarah@helpdesksystem.co.uk
Class'on: Electrical
Priority: 4 hours
Contractor: Sparks and Co.
Contact: Mr Sparks
Sent: 18:36 on 9/8/2003
Details:
Monitor not working
Notes: |
5. You can also print a purchase order or just print the page details using the
links at the top of the page. These open popup windows with just the form so that it will print
without the menus and background colours. Close the popup when printed.
Search Reports
1. Either just leave the default settings to view all "not approved" reports or
select the status, contractor, classification, property and unit (or regions if they are setup),
user and dates to view matching reports. To save having to type them, dates can be entered by
clicking the calendars (for the from and to dates respectively). Then click VIEW.
NB. If you know the report reference number there is also an option on this page to enter
it and go straight to it. Restricted access users can only their own reports and have limited
options as a result.
2. A list of reports matching the search criteria are show grouped by Status. Click
NEXT to view more and BACK for the previous page where appropriate.
3. Click the reference number to see a report and update it if required. In
addition to the section that it displayed after the report is first entered an additional section
is now displayed as follows.
4. You can change the details as follows:
- Status: Change as required to reflect the current status of the job.
Contractors can only select up to the status of "Job Completed". When the Status level is changed
an email is sent automatically to the person who reported the matter to keep them informed (unless
you un-tick the notification box).
- Contractor due: Useful for noting when they say they will attend. An entry in
the weekly planner for a particular user can be made by selecting the "Remind User" option
underneath.
- Work done by: Name of person who did the work. This is normally entered by the
contractor when conforming that the job is completed.
- Started/Completed: To specify when the contractor arrived on site and how long
the job took to complete. The dates can be selected by clicking the respective calendar.
- Comments: Previous comments are shown and can't be changed but you can enter
new comments at any time and the username of the person is automatically added to identify who
entered them.
5. When the invoice arrives a manager can set the status level to "Job Invoiced"
and then the job can't be changed again except by an Administrator. At the same time as selecting
this status level the following details can be entered.
- Costs for: Cost categories.
- Cost Total: The cost of the work.
6. At any time you can print the page by clicking the link at the top and if you
are a manager there is also a link to print a Purchase Order. These will open a popup window with
just the form so that they will print without the menus and background colours. Close the popups
when printed.
7. There is also an View All Reports link which displays a simple list of
reports in reverse numerical order with links to display the full details.
There are Next, Back and Start links to navigate the list. Or you can jump down to a
particular report number by entering it in the box and clicking Go.
View Properties and Units
First a list of the properties is displayed which can be sorted differently by clicking
the column headings.
Click the View link to see the details as below. This
includes the charge codes selected for this property.
Or click the Units link to see a list of units for the
property.
Click the View link to see the Unit details.
There is also a link to a lease diary display. This lists the leases in the order of the
next event due, either the rent review date or expiry date whichever is earlier. Expired leases are
not displayed.
View Contractors
First a list of the contractors is displayed.
Click the View link to see the details as below.
View Inventory
First a list of the units is displayed which can be sorted differently by clicking the
column headings.
Click the View link to see the details as below.
Export Reports
This page is for extracting reports from the database
There are two options. Either "All reports" or "Monthly Summary". To run the former just
click the link in the "New Export" section and for the latter specify the month/year then click
RUN
The report will be added to the list of reports in the "Saved Exports" section. To display
a report click the link which opens the report viewer with options to view the report on screen or
save it in dbf, csv or tab formats which can be downloaded an opened in Excel or other
programs.
To delete a saved report simply click the box(es) and click the Delete Selected
button.
If other report layouts or formats are required these can be built according to your
specification. Please contact us
Archive Reports
This feature can be used to clean old reports out of the live database into an archive
file. This procedure will archive all reports which...
- were initiated over 2 months ago that are completed and invoiced or cancelled.
- which were initiated over 6 months ago.
It is recommended that you export all reports and save the file on your PC before running
the archive procedure. It will only take a few seconds to complete but it is recommended that no
other users attempt any actions while this process is running.
Registered Users
The page starts by displaying a list of all users. It shows whether they are logged in or
out.
To amend a user
- Click the user code in the list. The details are displayed.
- Edit as required. If you don't want to change the password leave it blank. Only select
a Contractor if the level is set to Contractor.
- Click CHANGE to save changes.
To add a new user
- Click the Add new user link. A blank form is displayed.
- Enter details as required and click ADD to save.
User levels
- Administrator - Access to all functions and sites.
- General Manager - Access to all sites and all pages except Administrator
functions.
- Site Manager - For limited access by site managers to a particular property.
- Contractor - Limited pages and can only view reports where they have been
instructed.
- View Only - Limited pages and can only view reports for the unit specified.
- Suspended - No access
When creating a user with restricted access you must specify the Contractor or Unit Name
which the user relates to as this effects the reports that they have access to.
Reminders
For General managers and administrators you can set which units you want to include in the
daily reminder emails sent by the automaton in addition to their own diary planner items. Site
managers are automatically set to their unit.
Other actions
- To logout a user click the Logout now link in the details
display.
- To see when a user has logged in or out click List Logins
in the details display.
- To see a list of logins for all users click the List all
Logins link at the bottom
- To see what changes have been made by a user click Changes
History in the details display.
NB. Users can't be deleted and their names can't be changed because they may have been
used for a report but administrators can stop them accessing the system by changing the level to
"Suspended".
Edit Contractors
To amend a contractor
- Click Edit against the contractor in the list. The details are displayed.
- Amend as necessary and click AMEND.
To add a new contractor
- Click Add new contractor. A blank form is displayed.
- Complete the form and click ADD.
NB. Contractors can't be deleted as they may have been used when entering a report but if
Active is set to "No" the contractor will not be displayed in the selection list.
Edit Properties and Units
First a list of the properties is displayed which can be sorted differently by clicking
the column headings.
Click the Edit link to edit the property details.
If (and only if) you have setup Regions in the Lookups
there will be a selector to choose which region this property belongs to. This can be useful if you
want to do a search by region instead of individual properties.
Click the Charge Codes link to display a list of all the charge codes (setup in
Lookups) and select the ones which you wish to use for this
property.
Click the Units link on the property list or the
Unit List link on the edit page to access the list of units for the
property.
Click the Edit link to amend an existing unit or click
Add new unit to add a new one.
Edit then click SAVE when done.
The "New Report Auto fill field" Yes/No selectors enable you to specify if you want the
Contact and/or email details to be filled in automatically on on the "New Report" page.
There is a second page for storing lease details which is accessed by the link on the page
above.
Edit then click SAVE when done.
Edit Inventory
Click Edit to amend an existing item or click
Add new item to add a new one.
Click SAVE when done.
Edit Lookups
These details are used to generate selection boxes on various pages such as entering or
searching reports and unit regions so that you can tailor the system to suit your situation.
Select the lookup table you want to edit. The list of items is displayed.
To add a new entry click the Add new entry link.
To amend an entry click the Amend link. The "Detail" can't be
changed as this may have been used for reports. You can however make the item inactive to stop it
appearing in the lookup list.
The "Order" controls the order of display in the selection lists. This is not compulsory
and does not have to be unique for each record.
Pack Database
It is unlikely to occur but should you experience any database error messages these may be
resolved by re-indexing the database indexes. If any errors are shown when running this procedure
please contact us.
Week Planner
1. If you are a "unit" level user you will have access only to your planner
records. But if you are a "general" level manager or "administrator" the first stage is to select
which user you want to view, or click the "Select Me" link.
2. The default view is the current week as shown below. This lists the items due
for action in the week on the relevant days and whether they are a single item (S) or monthly (M)
or weekly (W) recurring. Click the Reference number to view/edit the item.
Weekly and Monthly recurring entries are automatically added to the current week the
first time it is viewed. In future weeks they are shown but are not yet active. The buttons at the
bottom allow you to navigate to future/past weeks or return to the current week. There is a link at
the top to flip between viewing "completed" and "not completed" items.
3. This shows all the details including who entered the job and when etc. The
target date can be changed to a date equal or later than the current date. When the item is
completed select "Yes" and enter the action taken and other details as required. This automatically
fixes the date to the current date.
If you want to start a follow up job where a contractor will be instructed click the link
near the top. This will open the new reports page with the reference pre-filled. If the job is
entered the link on the planner will change to be a link to that report job.
4. If this item is a recurring one there will be a link from this page to edit or
delete future occurrences.
5. At the top of the week view there is a link to add a new item. The image below
shows that this can be used to either enter a single item or a weekly/monthly recurring one.
6. See the Email Automaton page for how to add an
item by email.
Ongoing Items
This is for recording reminders that do not have a particular deadline or target date but
need to be done periodically. They are not shown in the weekly diary or when searching planner
entries. First a list is displayed as below.
To set an item done today simply click the Done button and the date will be set to
today's. The list will be re-displayed with that item now at the bottom. Alternatively to record
more information or set a different date click the reference number to display the edit page.
Search Planner
1. If you are a "unit" level user you will have access only to your planner
records. But if you are a "general" level manager or "administrator" the first stage is to select
which user you want to view, or click the "Select Me" link.
2. The search page includes three alternatives. Either to search planner event
entries, jump to a specific event or search the recurring entries. The first and last of these have
various options for restricting the search.
3. This shows the search results for single entries. The recurring item search has
a similar view. The option to find a specific event will display the view/edit page as shown
above.
Email Automaton
The helpdesk includes a script file (crontab.mvc) which you can setup to run automatically
at specific intervals (we recommend 15 minutes).
To make this work you need to setup a scheduled job on the server. For example on a Linux
server this is setup with a cron job like this example below (all on one line). uuuu and pppp are
the server username and password if setup for the directory that the helpdesk is located in.
/usr/bin/wget
--http-user=uuuu
--http-passwd=pppp -q -O
/dev/null
http://www.helpdesksystem.co.uk/crontab.mvc
The automaton carries out two functions.
1. It reads emails from a pop3 server (if specified in the setup page) and if a
particular code block is found in the email it will add an item to the weekly planner. The format
for the block of text is as below.
| <start> |
| &from=lucyp |
| &user=jamesf |
| &details=Repair Lock |
| &date=18/08/2003 |
| <end> |
|
 |
| Specifies the start of the code block |
| User name of the user adding the item |
| User name that the item should be added to |
| Details for the item |
| Date for action (leave blank for today) |
| Specifies the end of the code block |
|
You could for example send an email to a unit manager asking them to do something and
include this block of code anywhere in the email then cc the email to the helpdesk automaton
address.
Notes
| a) |
|
An email is sent to the manager who has had the item added so that they are advised
of the new entry.
# Helpdesk single item has been added:
Ref: P-1012
User: Richard Healey
Details: Broken window on first floor
Target: 21/08/2003
Entered: Administrator
|
|
| b) |
|
Checks are made to minimise the chances of someone being able to add an item without
authority to do so. |
| c) |
|
If there is an error an email is sent to the person who initiated with error codes as
shown below. |
Error Codes
| 1 |
|
Email subject doesn't contain required words |
| 2 |
|
One of the required entries was missing |
| 3 |
|
Unknown "from" user |
| 4 |
|
The "from" user's email address is incorrect |
| 5 |
|
Unknown "to" user |
| 6 |
|
Not authorised to make entries for that user |
| 7 |
|
Invalid date format |
2. The automaton also sends an email to every user once a day. This includes any
planner diary items for the day or outstanding for the user and any helpdesk reports for the
properties setup for that user.
# Helpdesk planner items outstanding or due today:
Today
-----
P-1010 Call locksmith re front door
Outstanding
-----------
P-1009 Check accounts
P-1006 Watering
P-1003 Fix broken door on first floor
P-1000 Watering
-------------------------------------------------------
# Outstanding helpdesk reports for Poole Tower:
Report Activated
----------------
J-1015 Leaking tap
J-1014 Not steaming
Job Cancelled
-------------
J-1007 Broken Window
|
Setup Options
This page is for general settings as explained below.
Company Details: For the printouts and Purchase Order.
Headers/Footers: For email and Purchase Order.
Email Configuration: The smtp mail server details provided by your ISP or your
server domain for sending emails and the main administrators default email address. Unless both of
these are entered the system will not be able to send emails.
Email collection by automaton The details used by the automaton script to read
emails from a particular mailbox.
General Settings: Timezone number + or - GMT (leave as 0 for UK) and number of
reports to display per page on the Search page.
Contact Wotnot
If you need help please contact Wotnot Web Works Ltd.
