Searching for tickets or solutions

You can search for tickets that are related to the current ticket. You can also search for a solution that might resolve the ticket.

Perform these steps to search for tickets or solutions that are related to the current ticket:

1. With the incident, service request, or problem open, click one of the following buttons in the top menu bar to specify the type of search you want to perform; after you make your selection, a search dialog opens:

   Option	Description
   	Search for tickets
   	Search for solutions and search knowledge bases

2. Open the tab that corresponds to the search that you want to perform. For example, to search for incidents, open the Search Incidents tab. If you are searching for solutions, open the Search Existing Solutions tab.
3. In the Enter search terms (optional) field, type a search string that defines what you are looking for. You can use a variety of logical operators. See "Search string syntax" for more information.
4. Specify optional filters in the Optional Filters section. You can specify more than one filter when performing a search. The filters differ depending on the ticket type for which you are searching. For example, when you search incidents, filters include classification, asset, and configuration item (CI); you can also indicate that you want to only find global incidents or open incidents.

   You can click beside an optional filter field to copy record data from the ticket or solution into the field.

   Each search type has its own set of optional filters. The search engine restricts your search to tickets that match the specified filters.

5. Click to run the search engine. The engine inserts all of the records that match your search criteria in the Search Results table.

   The search results automatically filter out the current ticket record, as well as any ticket or solution that is already related in some way to the current ticket.

   Columns in the Search Results table provide pertinent information about each of the matching tickets or solutions. If one or more attachments match your search criteria, the attachments are listed in the In Attachment column. Files with extensions .xml, .htm, .html, .doc, or .txt are searchable.

   If you are using the DB2 Database, you can upgrade to the DB2 Database version 9.7.5 or later with the Text Search feature enabled to give you better performance and search results. For details, see the upgrade documentation.

6. To further examine a matching ticket or solution record, expand the record. A Details section is displayed below the Search Results table. The record number is shown, along with additional fields that contain detailed information about the record.
7. If you have performed a ticket search, you can expand a ticket in the Search Results table and click Relate Ticket to relate the matching ticket to the currently open ticket. The row containing the matching ticket is cleared from the Search Results table, and you can expand and related additional matches to the open ticket. All of the related tickets are now listed in the Related Records tab of the open ticket.
8. If you have performed a solution search, you can expand a solution in the Search Results table and click Apply Solution to apply this solution to the currently open ticket. The solution ID number, symptom, cause, and resolution are referenced in the open ticket.
9. To launch to a ticket or solution record in the Search Results table, click beside the record number, and select Go To [Application] to go to the application you have searched. The application opens to the record that you want to see.