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.