Before You Submit an IT Support Ticket

Providing detailed information when submitting an IT Support ticket helps IT diagnose and resolve issues more quickly. A few extra details up front often eliminate the need for follow-up questions and allow troubleshooting to begin immediately.

Before submitting a ticket, please include the following information whenever possible:

What is the problem?

Briefly describe what is not working or what you need assistance with.

What were you doing?

Include the application, website, printer, file, or process you were using when the issue occurred.

Examples:

• Printing from Adobe Acrobat
• Logging into Gmail
• Connecting to the VPN
• Opening a specific file
• Accessing a website

Error messages or screenshots

If an error message is displayed, include the exact wording whenever possible.

Screenshots are extremely helpful and often allow IT to identify the problem much more quickly.

Which device is affected?

Please identify the device experiencing the issue.

Examples include:

• Desktop computer
• Laptop
• Chromebook
• Mobile phone
• Tablet
• Printer
• Scanner

What have you already tried?

Let IT know what troubleshooting steps have already been attempted.

Examples include:

• Restarted the computer
• Logged out and back in
• Closed and reopened the application
• Tried another document or file
• Tried a different web browser

How urgent is the issue?

Let IT know how the issue is affecting your work.

Examples include:

• Preventing you from working
• Affecting multiple employees
• Affecting a department
• General question or request
• Can be addressed when time permits

Best way to reach you

If additional information is needed, let IT know the best way to contact you.

Examples include:

• Email
• Phone
• Stop by my office

Example of a Good Support Request

"When I try to print from Adobe Acrobat on my desktop, the printer never receives the job. I restarted the computer and tried a different PDF with the same result. The issue started this morning around 9:00 AM. Screenshot attached."

Providing this information allows IT to begin troubleshooting immediately and often reduces the overall time required to resolve the issue.