Automatic matching of service level agreements to records

Matching logic is used to automatically match service level agreements to records. The matching logic compares the completed fields in the service level agreements to the same fields in the record to which you are applying the service level agreement.

Matching rules

The following rules apply when service level agreements are matched to records:
  • Depending on system configuration, you might be able to apply one service level agreement or multiple service level agreements to a record:
    • If you can apply only one service level agreement to a record and there are multiple valid service level agreements for that record, the service level agreement with the highest rank is applied to calculate the contact, response, and resolution dates.
    • If you can apply multiple service level agreements to a record, the system administrator must choose whether to prioritize the service level agreements based on a numerical rank or commitment stringency. If prioritization is based on commitment stringency, the commitment types across all valid service level agreements are compared, and the most stringent commitment from each type is used to set the values on the ticket or work order.
  • If there are multiple service level agreements with the same rank that can apply to a record, the first matching service level agreement that is found is used.

Matching fields

The following fields are used to match service level agreements to records:
  • Additional Criteria field
  • Asset field
  • Asset Type field
  • Calendar field (in the applies to calendar)
  • Classification field
  • Location field
  • Organization field
  • Service field
  • Service Group field
  • Shift field (in the applies to calendar)
  • Site field
  • Vendor field
When one of the following conditions is met in these fields, a match is made:
  • When the value in the field in the service level agreement matches the value in that field in the record
  • There is a null value in the field in the service level agreement and a null value in that field in the record
  • There is a null value in the field in the service level agreement and any value in that field in the record

Matching with Boolean operators

The Boolean operators AND and OR are used to match a service level agreement to a record. The operator AND is used between all fields, with the exception of the Asset field, Location field, and Type field. These three fields are treated as one field, and the operator OR is used between these fields. A match occurs when any of the values in these three fields in a record matches the corresponding field in the service level agreement. Combinations of the three fields are not treated as a match.

Examples of matching logic

The Service Group field, Service field, and Classification field are used for matching.

For the Service Group field and Service field, service level agreements and records are matched using the following logic:
  • If the service level agreement has a value in the Service Group field, such as IT, and a null value in the Service field, then the record must have the same value in the Service Group field to be a match; the Service field can contain any value (such as PC or e-mail) or a null value.
  • If the service level agreement has a value in the Service Group field and a value in the Service field, such as e-mail, then the record must have the same values in both fields to be a match. If only one of the values is the same, the service level agreement does not apply to this record.
  • If the service level agreement has a null value in both the Service Group field and Services field, then the record can have any value in either field, including null, and be a match.


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