Service Levels

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Introduction

The use of Service Levels on a Service Level Agreement allows you to define one or more levels of support that will be available for the Service Level Agreement. Naming conventions will commonly follow titles such as Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Each Service Level allows you to define targets that are applied to requests that are used by Service staff to achieve time based goals.

Configuration

Under the Configuration Tab you have the option to add one or more Service Levels.

New Service Level

A Service Level for this Service Level Agreement can be created using the + New Service Level button.

Name

This is the name that describes the Service Level. Commonly, naming such as Gold, Silver, and Bronze are used. This name will be used when adding Service Level rules so it is helpful to have the name provide some meaning to describe the Service Level to make it easy for selection.

Description

Provide a description to allow other users that have access to the Service to have an understanding of the use of the Service Level.

Targets

Once a Service Level has been created, you can then define targets that will be applied to a request and set as visible targets to be reached on each Request. The time-based targets will use the Working Time Calendar set against the Service Level Agreement. The available targets are optional; however, you must create both targets when setting up SLA timers.

Response Target

The Response Target is commonly used for setting a target time for when a request is first looked at and assessed. Response Targets work best with with requests that have been raised through self service or raised automatically using the Email Routing Rules.

Resolution Target

The Resolution Target is used to set a point in time that a resolution needs to be put in place.

Target Time

Each Target requires a time frame specified in Days, Hours, and Minutes. It is essential to know that the allocated time frames are calculated using the Working Time Calendar set on the Service Level Agreement. For example, selecting 1 Dequals to 24 hours, and if the Working Time Calendar specifies 8-hour work days, 1 Day will equate to 3 working days.

Timers for both the Response and Resolution Targets are started and stopped by adding Request Timer Nodes to the BPM Workflow that is associated with the Request. For more information please see the information on Request Timers

Example Service Level Target Calculation

The service level targets you add to Hornbill relate to the working hours specified in the working time calendar against the SLA. This means that some calculation is required to ensure your target represents the correct number of calendar days you advertise to your customers.

If you advertise a target as five calendar days, you must determine what this equates to in days, hours, and minutes to the hours defined in your Working time calendar.

1) Begin by multiplying your target (in calendar days) by the working hours set in your working time calendar (your working day), i.e. 5 x 9.5. Now divide the result of that by 24 (i.e. (47.5)/24,) which gives your Hornbill target in days (i.e. = 1.98 days).
2) You place "1" in the field representing "days".
3) It's then a case of working out what .98 of a day is in hours – which, for this example, would be 24 x 0.98 = 23.52 hours.
4) You place "23" in the field representing "hours".
5) Finally, you need to get the minutes from our answer of 23.52. Therefore, 0.52 of an hour is 31.2 minutes (i.e. 60 x 0.52 = 31.2 minutes).
6) You place "31" in the field representing "minutes".

Therefore the target of 5 calendar days based on a 9.5-hour working day equates to 1 day, 23 hours, and 31 minutes.

Escalation Events

Each of the targets can have configured Escalation Events which are automated events that take place as the target nears or after a target has passed. These can include notifications, re-assignments, and changes in priority. Read more...

Manage Rules

You may have a requirement for more than one Service Level and associated Service Level Targets to be available. When more than one Service Level has been defined within your Service Level Agreement, the Manage Rules tab will become enabled. This will allow you to configure your rules for when each of the available Service Levels should be invoked when a request is raised against the associated Service Level Agreement.

Adding Rules

Click on the New Rule button

Name - The Name of the Rule
Service Level - The Service level which you would like to be invoked should the conditions of this rule be met
All - Configure one or multiple conditions which All must match in order for the rule to be met and the defined Service Level to be invoked.
Any - Configure one or multiple conditions where Any of the the conditions can match, in addition too any All must match conditions in order for the rule to be met and the defined Service Level to be invoked.

Configuring Rule Conditions

Click on the Add Condition button
Choose one of the available Condition parameters
Choose if the Condition for the parameter is looking for a match on Is or Is not
Add one or more values against the Condition parameter

Repeat the above for any additional Conditions you wish to set against the Rule, and click on Create when finished configuring the conditions for the Rule.

Managing the Order Rules are Evaluated

It is possible to define multiple rules per Service Level Agreement. When a request is raised using the Service Level Agreement the system logic will start by evaluating the first rule in the list looking for a match, if no match is found with the first rule, it will evaluate the remaining rules in list order until the first rules match is found.

Reorder the rules in the list by using the up and down arrows which will be visible once more than one Rule has been configured against the Service Level Agreement.
If no rules are matched, then No Service Level will be used or invoked on the request

Editing and Deleting Rules

Click on the Rule in the list you wish to edit or delete.
Add, Amend or Remove Conditions of the Rule and Click Save to apply the edit
Click Delete to Delete the Rule from the Service Level Agreement