Streamlining Change Management with Simple Request Tracker Extension

Image of wrenches by Dmitriy Demidov on Unsplash.

Managing change in a hosting environment is a complex task that can involve adding new services, software updates, and configuration changes. Request Tracker (RT) provides all of the tools to schedule and track these changes, especially using the Change Management extension we showed recently. But this scheduling and tracking can only happen if the change management tickets are created and all of the fields are set, and this can be a challenge for a busy team.

We had exactly this case in our hosted RT environment. Customers write in to support with various requests and sometimes these require a change on their hosted RT system. We want to track those changes and it was taking extra time for our support team to create and fill out these change management requests. So we created a small extension to make this easier.

Goals for the new Extension

Before we got to work, we identified our main goals for the new extension.

1. Create a Link on Support Tickets

To make change management easy, we wanted a single link on support tickets that would take the user to a create ticket page with the Change Management queue selected.

2. Link Location

We could have created a single link, possibly in the Actions menu on the ticket. But looking at past tickets, we realized we often wanted to quote a specific transaction, usually the reply that explained the requested change. Based on that, we decided to put a link on each transaction in the ticket history which allowed us to quote the text in that reply.

3. Pre-filled Fields

When our staff clicked the link, we wanted to automatically fill out as much information as possible on the new change management ticket. This would make creating the ticket much easier, and reduce the risk of human error.

4. Ticket Linking

To make it easy to trace every change, we wanted the new change management ticket be linked to the support request that asked for the change. We also wanted the change to show up in a list of all changes for that customer.

Building the Extension

Adding a single link is a small change, made easy using callbacks and other tools RT makes available for building extensions. When we started to add more details, like all of the fields we wanted to set automatically, it got a little more involved, but not much. Luckily our team has some experience building RT extensions.

Our Updated Change Flow

Image showing a wrench icon in the RT ticket history.

Our new extension adds a wrench icon on each transaction for support tickets that fits right in with the existing reply and comment icons. We included some logic to look up information on the customer's support contract and only add the wrench if the customer uses our hosting.

The main fields on the change management ticket are automatically filled out based on our most common changes.

• The Owner is the current user.

• The Status defaults to deployed and the Change Type is Standard, since most changes are standard and done right away as we handle the request.

• The Change Completed date defaults to when the ticket is created, assuming the change has been done.

• The Customer custom role is automatically set to the customer's group, which will make the change ticket show up in the list of changes for that customer.

• The text of the reply in the support ticket is included in the content box.

• The new Change Management ticket is linked to the support request.

Screenshot of a change management ticket with fields automatically filled out.

All of these fields can be changed by the user before the ticket is created. We set the defaults based on the most common case, but it still supports other situations, like scheduling a change for a few days later.

Change Management Best Practices

Implementing this small extension helped our process in several ways:

• Efficiency: Support staff can initiate change management tickets with a single click, saving time and reducing the chance of errors.

• Consistency: The pre-filled fields ensure that all necessary information is captured consistently, following best practices.

• Transparency: The linkage between support and change management tickets provides transparency into why changes were initiated and their impact.

• Auditability: All changes are documented and can be audited for compliance and accountability purposes.

RT gives you the flexibility and freedom to customize your system to make routine tasks fast and easy for your staff. While implementing custom solutions can take some time, this is offset by the day-to-day savings once it's up and running for your users.

Ready to get started with some changes of your own? Check our documentation to start building your own extension. You might even see if you can get some help from one of the AI tools out there now available, many of which know how to write RT code.

If you’re looking for some hands-on help with extending RT to meet your specific needs and business goals, reach out to us to explore what you can achieve!

New Year's Resolution: Become Indistractable at Work with Request Tracker

Nir Eyal's new book, "Indistractable," is a beacon for everyone struggling with the daily mental tug-of-war at work. He offers actionable steps to reclaim your focus and achieve laser-sharp productivity. But let's be honest, implementing these strategies requires more than willpower alone. That's where Request Tracker comes in – a shared platform for conquering workplace distractions and keeping your boss in the loop.

Scheduled Syncing Explained

Eyal was recently on the podcast Lenny's Podcast and he explains how syncing with your boss can help you with your quest to become indistractable. Here is the part of the podcast where they talk about priority and syncing.

Scheduled syncing section of Nir Eyal’s episode on Lenny’s Podcast.

You can use your calendar and set up this weekly meeting with your boss, but what if there was a view of everything you were working on that your boss could check whenever they have time in their busy schedule? What if they could get an email update as you make progress throughout the day? What if they could go in and update the priority of a task directly, leaving you a note explaining why? Request Tracker makes all of this possible.

A Team Approach

Eyal emphasizes the importance of "externalizing your commitments." Request Tracker does exactly that. Ditch the sticky notes and mental to-do lists, and pour your tasks into the system. Categorize them, set priorities, and assign due dates. Suddenly, the overwhelming chaos transforms into a manageable shared roadmap.

And unlike individual to-do apps built just for you, RT's team-based system is built for collaboration. Give your boss an account, and you can create dashboards they can quickly view whenever they need to. Create accounts for your team and everyone can see what's happening and make updates as they complete tasks.

View Tasks Your Way

Eyal also talks about a "Timeboxing" technique. Request Tracker lets you break down large projects into smaller, time-bound tasks. You can then set a Starts and Due date and time to schedule your work at whatever level of detail you need. You'll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish in a distraction-free zone.

The simplest view of your plan for the week can be a list of the task tickets you have created, filtered by the tasks due this week, and sorted by priority. You can also get the calendar view you want using the free RTx::Calendar extension we recently talked about.

Screenshot of a calendar view of one week of task tickets in Request Tracker

Prefer to keep your tasks and reserved time in your main calendar? No problem. RT can provide an iCal compatible feed of any set of task tickets and you can subscribe to this from your main calendar. Events from RT will then show up in your main calendar where other non-RT users can see them.

Keeping Your Boss in the Loop (Without the Micromanagement)

Transparency is key to a healthy work relationship. Request Tracker's real-time updates and progress reports keep your boss informed without the constant need for check-ins. They see what you're working on, the progress you're making, and any roadblocks you're facing. No more frantic "What's on your plate?" emails or nerve-wracking status meetings.

Collaboration Without the Collision

Eyal highlights the importance of "frictionless collaboration." Request Tracker fosters seamless teamwork. Assign tasks to colleagues, share updates, and track progress together. No more chasing down teammates or deciphering cryptic email threads.

As you are getting control of your attention, you don't want to do so at the expense of your boss or coworkers. Request Tracker's notification settings keep you in sync with your team at whatever level makes sense. Add team members as watchers on individual tasks they need to see, remove them from personal task tickets, and mute individual updates that don't need an email.

And everyone on the team can delete email worry-free because Request Tracker keeps a record of all updates right on the ticket. In the future, they can always check the ticket if they missed an update. No need to create yet another email folder to track updates.

Becoming Indistractable, One Request at a Time

Nir Eyal's "Indistractable" offers a powerful framework, and Request Tracker provides the tools to translate theory into action. It's your digital assistant, your focus facilitator, and your communication machine. So, ditch the distractions, embrace the power of Request Tracker, and watch your productivity – and peace of mind – skyrocket. Remember, a focused you is an unstoppable you.

Ready to reclaim your focus and become indistractable at work? Sign up for a Request Tracker demo today and experience the difference!

RTIR 5.0.3 and 4.0.3 Now Available

Request Tracker for Incident Response (RTIR) versions 5.0.3 and 4.0.3 are now available. These new releases provide security updates, bug fixes, and some new features. As always, we recommend all users upgrade to the newest versions. Our forum contains details on all of the new releases, linked below:

• RTIR 5.0.3

• RTIR 4.0.3

When upgrading RTIR, you also need to upgrade the underlying RT version as well. New releases of RT 5.0.3 and 4.4.6 are also available and they also contain security updates.

In addition to the security fixes mentioned above, version 5.0.3 contains some new features we think RTIR users will be interested in.

RTIR Homepage is Now a Dashboard

Just like the similar update in RT 5.0.2, the home page in RTIR is now a dashboard, making it even easier to create multiple different homepage configurations and allow users to pick the one that works best for them. Existing homepages are automatically converted as part of the upgrade process. After upgrading, you can set your default using the same gearbox icon in the corner.

Support for CVEs

RTIR now has a CVE custom field by default. As with IPs, scrips now look for CVEs in incoming messages and will automatically set the CVE custom field if any CVE ids are found. When looking at incident tickets, if a CVE is set, a new CVE portlet pulls in information about that vulnerability from the NIST database. It shows selected fields right on the Incident page and links you to the full entry so you can view the full details.

CVE portlet on an Incident page in RTIR

Mandatory On Transition and Time Tracking

This release of RTIR adds compatibility with two popular extensions that are often used with RT.

RT-Extension-MandatoryOnTransition allows you to set rules, like making some fields required, on specific status transitions. This is very helpful when you want to allow people to create an incident without filling out all custom fields, but you want them to fill them out before the incident is resolved.

RT-Extension-TimeTracking adds more inputs for tracking time on specific dates and also provides a "time sheet" type page with hours across all tickets for a week.

New versions of both of these extensions have been released and they can now be used with RTIR 5.0.3.

MISP Integration

Updates in RTIR 5.0.3 also add support for an integration with the MISP threat intelligence sharing platform. We'll have more information on this extension later, but you can use it today.

Upgrade Help

Everything you need to upgrade is always included in new releases, so we encourage you to plan upgrades soon. The full release notes for all of these releases are available with details on what’s changed, and some additional information is posted on our forum. If you need a hand, Best Practical offers RT hosting, migration, upgrades, and professional services, just get in touch with us at sales@bestpractical.com.