EduDesk Guide for IT Administrators

This comprehensive guide will help IT administrators effectively manage the EduDesk system, handle tickets, and utilize advanced features to streamline IT support operations.

Getting Started

Administrator Dashboard

After logging in with IT administrator credentials, you'll see an enhanced dashboard with additional sections:

• Ticket Queue: All open and assigned tickets

• My Assigned Tickets: Tickets specifically assigned to you

• Analytics Overview: Key metrics and performance indicators

• Knowledge Base Management: Tools to create and edit KB articles

• System Health: Status of system components and integrations

Ticket Management

Viewing and Assigning Tickets

1. Access the Ticket Queue from your dashboard

2. View tickets sorted by priority, status, or creation date

3. Click on a ticket to view details

4. Assign tickets to yourself or other IT staff members:

   • Open the ticket

   • Click "Assign Ticket"

   • Select a team member from the dropdown

   • Click "Save Assignment"

Updating Ticket Status

As you work on resolving issues, update the ticket status to keep users informed:

1. Open the ticket

2. Click "Update Status"

3. Select the appropriate status:

   • In Progress: You're actively working on it

   • Waiting for Info: You need more information from the user

   • Resolved: The issue has been fixed

   • Closed: The ticket is complete and verified

4. Add comments explaining the status change

5. Click "Update"

Working with Ticket Categories

Properly categorizing tickets helps with reporting and knowledge base organization:

1. Open a ticket

2. Review the initial category assigned by the system

3. If needed, update the category:

   • Click "Edit Details"

   • Select the appropriate category from the dropdown

   • Click "Save Changes"

Knowledge Base Management

The Knowledge Base is a valuable resource for both users and IT staff. As an administrator, you can create and manage KB articles.

Creating Knowledge Base Articles

1. Navigate to Knowledge Base Management

2. Click "Create New Article"

3. Fill in the article details:

   • Title: Clear, descriptive title

   • Category: Select the relevant category

   • Summary: Brief overview of the article

   • Content: Detailed instructions (supports Markdown formatting)

   • Tags: Keywords to improve searchability

   • Visibility: Public (all users) or Internal (IT staff only)

4. Add images or attachments if needed

5. Click "Preview" to review how the article will appear

6. Click "Publish" when ready

Managing Existing Articles

1. Go to Knowledge Base Management

2. Use the search or filter options to find articles

3. Click on an article to:

   • Edit content

   • Update information

   • Archive outdated articles

   • Check view statistics

Creating Article Categories

Organize your knowledge base with logical categories:

1. Go to Knowledge Base Management

2. Click "Manage Categories"

3. Click "Add Category"

4. Enter the category name and description

5. Set the display order

6. Click "Save"

Reporting and Analytics

EduDesk provides comprehensive reporting tools to help you track performance and identify trends.

Accessing Reports

1. Click on Reports in the main navigation

2. Select from available report types:

   • Ticket Volume

   • Resolution Time

   • SLA Compliance

   • User Satisfaction

   • Common Issues

   • Staff Performance

Customizing Reports

1. Select a report type

2. Click "Customize"

3. Set parameters:

   • Date range

   • Categories to include

   • Staff members to include

   • Grouping options (daily, weekly, monthly)

4. Click "Generate Report"

Saving Report Templates

For reports you run regularly:

1. Customize a report as needed

2. Click "Save as Template"

3. Enter a name and description

4. Click "Save"

5. Access saved templates from the Reports dashboard

Exporting Reports

1. Generate the desired report

2. Click "Export"

3. Select the format (PDF, Excel, CSV)

4. Click "Download"

User Management

As an IT administrator, you can manage user accounts and permissions.

Adding New Users

1. Go to User Management

2. Click "Add User"

3. Enter user details:

   • Email address

   • Name

   • Role (Teacher, Staff, IT Admin)

   • Department

4. Click "Create User"

5. The system will send an invitation email to the new user

Managing Existing Users

1. Go to User Management

2. Search for a user by name or email

3. Click on a user to:

   • Update contact information

   • Reset password

   • Change role or permissions

   • Deactivate account

System Configuration

Email Notifications

Configure when and how email notifications are sent:

1. Go to System Settings

2. Click "Notification Settings"

3. Enable/disable notifications for different events:

   • New ticket creation

   • Ticket status changes

   • Comments added

   • SLA warnings

4. Customize email templates for each notification type

5. Click "Save Changes"

SLA Configuration

Set up Service Level Agreements to ensure timely responses:

1. Go to System Settings

2. Click "SLA Configuration"

3. Define SLA levels based on:

   • Ticket priority

   • Category

   • Department

4. Set response and resolution time targets

5. Configure escalation rules

6. Click "Save"

Advanced Features

Bulk Actions

Process multiple tickets simultaneously:

1. In the Ticket Queue, select multiple tickets using the checkboxes

2. Click "Bulk Actions"

3. Choose an action:

   • Assign to staff member

   • Update status

   • Change category

   • Add tags

4. Complete the action details

5. Click "Apply to Selected"

Automation Rules

Create rules to automate ticket handling:

1. Go to System Settings

2. Click "Automation Rules"

3. Click "Create New Rule"

4. Define conditions (e.g., keywords in subject, specific category)

5. Set actions (e.g., assign to specific staff, add tags)

6. Enable the rule

7. Click "Save"

Integration with School Systems

EduDesk can integrate with other school systems for enhanced functionality:

1. Go to System Settings

2. Click "Integrations"

3. Configure available integrations:

   • Active Directory/LDAP

   • Google Workspace

   • Microsoft 365

   • Asset Management Systems

   • Monitoring Tools

Premium Features

If your school has the Premium subscription plan, you'll have access to these additional features:

AI-Powered Suggestions

The AI system analyzes ticket content and suggests solutions based on similar past issues:

1. Open a ticket

2. Click "Get AI Suggestions"

3. Review the suggested solutions

4. Apply relevant solutions to the ticket

5. Provide feedback on suggestion quality to improve the AI

Custom Workflows

Create specialized workflows for different types of support requests:

1. Go to System Settings

2. Click "Workflow Management"

3. Click "Create Workflow"

4. Define stages and transitions

5. Set required fields and approvals

6. Assign to specific ticket categories

7. Click "Activate Workflow"

Troubleshooting

Common System Issues

If you encounter issues with the EduDesk system:

1. Check the System Health dashboard for any reported problems

2. Clear your browser cache

3. Try accessing from a different browser or device

4. Check your network connection

5. Contact EduDesk support if problems persist

Getting Support

For administrator-level support:

1. Email [e-mail]

2. Include your school name and administrator ID

3. Describe the issue in detail

4. Attach screenshots if applicable

Best Practices

• Regular Knowledge Base Updates: Review and update KB articles quarterly

• Ticket Categorization: Ensure proper categorization for accurate reporting

• SLA Monitoring: Regularly check SLA compliance reports

• User Training: Conduct periodic training sessions for staff

• Backup Knowledge: Document system configurations and customizations

• Performance Reviews: Use analytics to identify improvement areas

By following this guide, you'll be able to effectively manage your school's IT support operations through the EduDesk system, ensuring efficient resolution of issues and maintaining high service quality.