I've recently subscribed to the cloud version of ManageEngine Service Desk Plus, but I'm feeling a bit lost on how to get it set up effectively. We're a small IT team, consisting of three support engineers, one admin for subscriptions, and a team lead, spread across two countries. I'd really appreciate any advice, examples, or even old implementation plans to help us use the platform effectively for our department.
3 Answers
Setting it up is quite straightforward. Start by getting email notifications, Active Directory sync, and single sign-on working. Then, create a basic service catalog with categories like HR services for joiners, movers, and leavers. You'll want to throw in a few service templates for these. It's also good to have separate categories for hardware and software requests, as well as a catch-all for miscellaneous requests as you build out your setup.
After that, work on your portal layout. Make sure it includes sections for incidents (things that aren't working) and requests (things people want), plus a knowledge base. If you can, set up a nice domain redirect to make it user-friendly.
In about a day or two, you should be up and running. Encourage your team to use the portal instead of email for submissions, as that's usually more efficient. Assign the team lead to manage and triage incoming incidents, and if you have different groups of technicians, consider how best to organize them based on local hardware needs. Later, think about asset management, especially if you have a tool like Desktop Central for auto-importing. Start small and evolve your processes from there.
Make sure to utilize the Pitstop community website. It’s a great resource for your 'How do you do this?' questions. I managed SDP on-premises for several years, and I can say it's quite easy to set up, especially if you familiarize yourself with Business Rules and Custom Triggers. Since you’re in different countries, ensure you configure your sites correctly unless you plan to manage everything through a shared queue.
Have you tried reaching out to their support? I found their in-app support to be really helpful when I used SDP. Also, be sure to check out their documentation for guidance on installation and getting started. Here’s a link to a helpful walkthrough: [Installation Guide](https://help.servicedeskplus.com/introduction/installation-and-getting-started.html).
Thanks for the tips! This gives me a clearer idea of where to start. I'll focus on the service catalog and portal layout first.