Configuration, Tailoring and Customization

Service Manager Configuration

Configuration Examples:

Customer defined category structure for Incident Management

Cause/Resolution codes
Notifications
Messages
Alerts
SLAs and SLOs
Customer data (contacts, locations, etc)

Configuration doesnt change the look and functionality of the

system
Sometimes tailoring using OOB utilities can take customers off the upgrade path. Be
careful
with Javascript, Doc Engine and rtecall functions particularly.
Discuss customization this usually means changes at the RAD layer. Very few SC legacy
customers have this capability. With the introduction of Javascript capabilities, most
customization occurs using this utility. Very complex functionality can be written using
Javascript with Doc Engine. Customization should be avoided if at all possible and will not be
supported by HP if it materially alters SM functionality.

Service Manager Tailoring

What is tailoring?

Tailoring is any change to the out-of-box system data. Tailoring never changes the actual
Service
Manager code or program. Service Manager allows you to change almost any record value.
The
following are examples of tailoring changes you can make by changing the underlying record
values.
l Change the look and operation of forms by changing the form definition in the format table.
l Change how fields are mapped in the back-end database by changing the value of the field
mapping in the data dictionary.
l Change the workflow of a particular change by changing the values of the underlying phase
and
task records.
l Change what records a favorite or view displays by changing the value of the underlying
query.
Tip: Since tailoring involves changing record values, you should create a back-up of your
system
data before tailoring your system. Having a backup available gives you the option to revert
to a
working system should your tailoring changes cause a system outage.

Simple Tailoring Examples:

Modification to forms
New fields on the tables
Validation rules
Menu changes
New supporting table
Link record changes (find and fill)
New change category and phases

Complex Tailoring Examples:

Wizard to collect data

Javascript calls to return a value, set a condition, change a feature
New doc engine process, state and displayoption to execute it
Tailoring will change the look and functionality of the system, but not modify application
workflows or processes.
4

Discuss customization this usually means changes at the RAD layer. Very
few SC legacy customers have this capability. With the introduction of
Javascript capabilities, most customization occurs using this utility. Very
complex functionality can be written using Javascript with Doc Engine.
Customization should be avoided if at all possible and will not be supported
by HP if it materially alters SM functionality.

Service Manager Customization

Customization runs the risk of taking the customer off the migration
or upgrade path.
Best practice Add on functionality, dont change the OOB
functionality.
Customization Examples:

Add a button to launch an external application call from a form.

Complex Javascript routines to change approvals or alerts.
Using RAD to create brand new applications (unavailable to most
customers).
Using the utilities to significantly modify the OOB workflows.
Adding inappropriate functionality to a module to support another
process (e.g. using Incident Management for Requests by tailoring
tasks).

Customization generally significantly changes the system

functionality and/or workflows.

There will always be gray areas when using Service Manager

utilities.