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Help Desk tickets follow a structured workflow from submission to resolution. The workflow varies based on ticket type, ensuring appropriate handling for each scenario.

Status overview

All ticket statuses

StatusDescriptionWho Sets It
NewJust submitted, needs acceptanceSystem (on creation)
AcceptedPM accepted, ready for planningPM/CSM/Manager
ScheduledAssigned with dates and estimatePM/Manager
In ProgressTeam member working on itAssignee
Awaiting ReviewWork complete, needs verificationAssignee
ResolvedVerified and closedPM/Manager
Not all tickets go through all statuses. Questions skip work-related statuses.

Workflow by ticket type

Support and Escalation workflow

Full workflow for work-requiring tickets:
1

New

Ticket submitted, awaiting PM attention
2

Accepted

PM acknowledges, ready to schedule
3

Scheduled

Assigned to team member with dates
4

In Progress

Team member actively working
5

Awaiting Review

Work done, PM verifying
6

Resolved

Confirmed fixed, client notified

Question workflow

Simplified workflow for information requests:
1

New

Question submitted
2

Accepted

PM or CSM acknowledged
3

Resolved

Answer provided to client
Why simplified?
  • No work to schedule
  • Answer provided directly
  • Faster resolution
  • Less overhead

Status transitions

Automatic transitions

Some status changes happen automatically:
  • New (set on creation)
  • Scheduled (when dates assigned)

Manual transitions

Require user action:
  • New → Accepted (PM accepts)
  • Accepted → Scheduled (PM schedules)
  • Scheduled → In Progress (team member starts)
  • In Progress → Awaiting Review (team member completes)
  • Awaiting Review → Resolved (PM approves)

Status change permissions

Who can change status:
  • PM/Manager - Any status change
  • Assignee - Can start work (Scheduled → In Progress)
  • Assignee - Can submit for review (In Progress → Awaiting Review)
  • CSM - Can accept tickets
Only PMs and Managers can mark tickets as Resolved. This ensures quality control.

New status

When tickets are new

Created but not yet acted on:
  • Waiting for PM attention
  • Priority assessment needed
  • No assignment yet
  • No timeline established

Who sees new tickets

Notified immediately:
  • CSM for that client
  • Managers
  • On-call PM (if configured)

Typical time in New

By priority:
  • P1: Should be accepted within minutes
  • P2: Same day acceptance
  • P3: Accept within 1 day
  • P4: Accept within 2-3 days
P1 tickets should not sit in “New” status. Accept and start work immediately.

Accepted status

What Accepted means

PM has acknowledged:
  • Reviewed ticket details
  • Assessed priority
  • Ready to be worked on
  • Waiting for scheduling

PM actions when accepting

1

Review details

Read description, attachments, priority
2

Assess scope

Determine if quick fix or needs quote
3

Accept

Click Accept button
4

Next step

Schedule immediately or queue for planning

When to stay in Accepted

Tickets may remain accepted if:
  • Waiting for team member availability
  • Gathering more information
  • Coordinating with client
  • Planning capacity

Scheduled status

What Scheduled means

Ready to work:
  • Assigned to team member
  • Start and end dates set
  • Estimate provided
  • Appears in team member’s schedule

Required for scheduling

Must have:
  • Assignee selected
  • Start date set
  • End date set
  • Estimate (hours)

Scheduling considerations

Team capacity:
  • Check team member’s schedule
  • Ensure realistic timeline
  • Consider other commitments
Priority alignment:
  • P1/P2 should be scheduled ASAP
  • P3/P4 can wait for capacity
Dependencies:
  • Any blockers?
  • Need client access?
  • Dependent on other work?
Schedule P1 and P2 tickets immediately, even if it means rescheduling other work.

In Progress status

Starting work

Team member indicates work has begun:
  • Click “Start” or update status
  • System records start timestamp
  • Visible to PM and client
  • Time can be logged

What happens during work

Team member:
  • Investigates issue
  • Implements fix
  • Tests solution
  • Documents changes
  • Logs time spent

Staying updated

While in progress:
  • Add comments with updates
  • Adjust estimate if needed
  • Flag blockers immediately
  • Communicate delays

Awaiting Review status

Submitting for review

When work is complete:
1

Finish work

Fix implemented and tested
2

Submit

Change status to Awaiting Review
3

PM notified

PM receives notification
4

PM reviews

PM verifies the fix works

What PM reviews

PM checks:
  • Issue is actually resolved
  • No side effects introduced
  • Solution is appropriate
  • Client will be satisfied

Review outcomes

If satisfactory:
  • PM marks Resolved
  • Client notified
  • Ticket closed
If needs work:
  • PM adds comment with feedback
  • Status returns to In Progress
  • Team member addresses issues
  • Re-submits when ready

Resolved status

Final status

Ticket is complete:
  • Issue fixed and verified
  • Client notified
  • Resolution summary provided
  • No further action needed

Resolution summary

PM provides:
  • What was fixed
  • How it was resolved
  • Any relevant details
  • Next steps if applicable

Post-resolution

After resolution:
  • Can still add comments
  • Time entries preserved
  • Activity log available
  • Archived for reference
Resolved tickets remain accessible for historical reference and reporting.

Status change best practices

Accept promptly

Don’t leave tickets in New status

Realistic scheduling

Set achievable dates based on capacity

Start when scheduled

Begin work on scheduled start date

Update regularly

Keep status current as work progresses

Test before submit

Verify fix works before Awaiting Review

Quality review

PMs should test thoroughly before Resolved

Common workflow scenarios

Scenario 1: Quick fix

1

P3 support ticket

Minor bug reported
2

PM accepts same day

Reviews and accepts
3

Scheduled for tomorrow

Assigned to developer with 2-hour estimate
4

Developer starts

Begins work next day
5

Fixed in 1.5 hours

Implements and tests fix
6

Submits for review

Moves to Awaiting Review
7

PM verifies

Tests and confirms fix
8

Resolved

Client notified, ticket closed

Scenario 2: Complex issue

1

P2 support ticket

Feature not working, unclear cause
2

PM accepts

High priority, accepts immediately
3

Scheduled urgently

Developer assigned for same afternoon
4

Investigation

Developer spends time debugging
5

In Progress extended

Takes longer than estimate
6

Developer updates

Comments on progress and challenges
7

Fix implemented

Eventually resolved, submits for review
8

PM tests

Verifies across multiple scenarios
9

Resolved

Confirmed working, client updated

Scenario 3: Question answered

1

Question submitted

Client asks how to do something
2

CSM accepts

CSM can answer this
3

Answer provided

CSM adds detailed answer in comments
4

Resolved immediately

Marked resolved with answer in summary

Troubleshooting

Check your permissions. Some status changes are restricted to PMs and Managers.
Some transitions are automatic (e.g., scheduling sets status to Scheduled). Check activity log to see who/what changed it.
May be waiting for action from specific person. Check who it’s assigned to or what the next step is.
You can jump statuses if appropriate (e.g., Accepted → In Progress → Resolved for urgent fixes). System allows any valid transition.
PMs can reopen tickets if needed. Add comment explaining why and what status it should return to.

Next steps