General Support

The Basics (Who, What, Where, When)

1. Your Contact Information:

   • Full name and best way to reach you (phone number, email).

   • Your location (office/building, room number, or if you are working remotely).

   • Who else is affected (just you, a team, the whole office).

2. A Clear, Concise Subject/Summary:

   • A brief, descriptive title of the problem (e.g., "Cannot log into my computer," "Printer in Room 305 is offline," "Outlook keeps crashing").

3. Detailed Description of the Issue:

   • What is happening? Describe exactly what is wrong using simple, non-technical terms. Avoid vague statements like "my computer is broken."

   • What should be happening? Describe the expected result or normal function.

   • When did it start? Provide the date and approximate time the problem first occurred.

   • How often does it happen? Is it continuous, intermittent, or only when you do a specific action?

Technical Details

4. Error Messages:

   • Include the exact text of any error messages you see. A screenshot is best.

5. Steps to Reproduce:

   • List the step-by-step actions you take that lead to the problem. This is critical for troubleshooting (e.g., "1. I open the application, 2. I click the 'Save' button, 3. The application freezes").

6. System Information (if known):

   • What device are you using (PC, Mac, laptop model, phone, printer, etc.)?

   • What operating system and version (e.g., Windows 11, macOS Ventura, Chrome)?

   • What application or software is involved, including its version number?

   • If applicable, the name of the affected workstation (often a sticker on the computer).

Impact and Troubleshooting

7. Urgency/Impact:

   • How is this issue affecting your ability to work? (e.g., "I cannot do any work," "It prevents me from completing a critical task," "It's an annoyance but I can work around it").

   • This helps the IT team prioritize your request.

8. Troubleshooting Steps Taken:

   • List anything you have already tried to fix the issue, and the result (e.g., "I rebooted the computer," "I cleared my browser cache," "I tried printing a test page but it didn't work").