Escalation rules are defined for cases, case tasks, or global solutions for a specific support organization. An escalation rule is valid for certain conditions which are determined by the change of status of the work item or any other modification made to the work item. One condition will start the escalation rule and another will end it. Note: Use the character "&" as an substitution marker for a parameter reference when adding a condition parameter to an escalation rule. For example: Enter "&OWNER" as value instead of an user name to get a generic reference to the parameter OWNER. Please note that this is not applicable for date and time parameters.
Escalation rules and notifications can only be defined for the predefined logical units - case, case task, and global solution. Before creating an escalation rule, a template rule has to be created as basic data.
Table below shows valid values for the parameter Event.
| Parameter | Logical Unit | Values |
| Event | ||
| CcCase CcCaseTask |
Accept Dispatch Cancel Close ReOpen Complete Reject Steal (same as Take Ownership) |
|
| CcCaseSolution | Accept Dispatch Cancel Close ReOpen Complete Reject Steal (same as Take Ownership) Approve Decline |
Notifications are sent according to the escalation rules that have been defined. Notifications may also be used to inform responsible people according to agreed service level agreement times, like maximum response time for cases or pre-defined due dates for case tasks. Notifications enable you to inform responsible personnel about a status change in a case, case task, or global solution. Time functions, receiver functions and calendar functions determine when the notification is sent, to whom it is sent to and the execution time.
The following functions are created by default when installing Escalation Handler:
| Type | Function | Logical Unit | Description |
| Time Functions | Case Focus Date | CcCase | The focus date of the case. |
| First Reaction Time | CcCase | The first reaction time of the case. The first reaction time is found in the Case/Support Info tab. | |
| Response Interval | CcCase | The response interval of the case. Response interval is found in the Case/Support Info tab | |
| Response Time | CcCase | The response time of the case. Response time is found in the Case/Support Info tab. The response time for the corresponding severity (1-4) registered on the case is used. | |
| Due Date | CcCaseTask | The due date of the case task. | |
| Receiver Function | Accepting Organization Manager | CcCase CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
The manager of the organization the case/case task/global solution is dispatched to. The manager is defined in the Support Organization Basic Data/Support Organization tab. |
| Accepting Organization User | CcCase CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
The organization user in the organization the case/case task/global solution is dispatched to The organization user is defined in the Support Organization Basic Data/Support Organization tab. | |
| All Contacts | CcCase CcCaseTask |
All the contacts defined on the case/case task. Defined in the Case/Contacts tab. | |
| Approver | CcCaseSolution | The approver of the global solution | |
| Approver Supervisor | CcCaseSolution | The supervisor of the approver of the global solution.The supervisor for an assignee user is defined in the Support Organization Basic Data/Assignee tab. | |
| Approver Work Group Manager | CcCaseSolution | The manager of the work group to which the approver of the global solution belongs to. The work group manager is defined in the Support Organization Basic Data/Work Group tab. | |
| Assignee | CcCase CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
The assignee that the case/case task/global solution has been dispatched to | |
| Assignee Supervisor | CcCase CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
The supervisor of the assignee that the case/case task/global solution has been dispatched to. The supervisor for an assignee user is defined in the Support Organization Basic Data/Assignee tab. | |
| Assignee Work Group Manager | CcCase CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
The manager of the work group to which the assignee (i.e. the person that the case/case task/global solution has been dispatched to) belongs to. (The work group manager is defined in the Support Organization Basic Data/Work Group tab.) | |
| Calling User | CcCase CcCaseTask |
The user selected as caller on the case. The caller is the the person defined as the caller in the Case/Contacts tab. | |
| Case Owner | CcCaseTask | The owner of the case for which the case task is created for. | |
| Case Owners | CcCaseSolution | All the owners of the cases associated to the global solution, | |
| Created By | CcCase CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
The creator of the case/case task/global solution. | |
| Organization Manager | CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
The manager of the organization to which the case task/global solution belongs to. The manager is defined in the Support Organization Basic Data/Support Organization tab. | |
| Owner | CcCase CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
The owner of the case/case task/global solution. | |
| Owner Supervisor | CcCase CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
The supervisor of the owner of the case/case task/global solution. The supervisor for an assignee user is defined in the Support Organization Basic Data/Assignee tab. | |
| Owner Work Group Manager | CcCase CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
The work group manager of the owner of the case/case task/global solution. (The work group manager is defined in the Support Organization Basic Data/Work Group tab) | |
| Owner of Associated Cases | CcCase | Owner of cases associated to this case. | |
| Owning Organization Manager | CcCase | The manager of the organization that owns the case. The manager is defined in the Support Organization Basic Data/Support Organization tab. | |
| Owning Organization User | CcCase CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
User of the organization that owns the case/case task/global solution. The organization user is defined in the Support Organization Basic Data/Support Organization tab. | |
| Queue Manager | CcCase CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
The manager of the queue to which the case/case task/global solution belongs to. The manager of the queue is defined in the Support Organization Basic Data/Queue tab. | |
| Queue Members | CcCase CcCaseSolution CcCaseTask |
The members in the queue to which the case/case task/global solution is dispatched. Assignees are connected as members to a queue in the Assignee Detailwindow which can be opened from the Call Center/Basic Data/Support Organization Basic Data/Assignee tab. | |
| Solution Owner | CcCase | The members in the queue to which the case/case task/global solution belongs to. Assignees are connected as members to a queue in the Assignee Detail window which can be opened from the Call Center/Basic Data/Support Organization Basic Data/Assignee tab. | |
| Calendar Functions | Working Calendar | CcCase CcCaseTask |
Used for notifications on escalation rules
based on call center cases or case tasks. The Working Calendar function
makes sure the calculated time to send the notification is based upon:
1. Firstly, the calendar defined on the support key used for the case. |
| Owning Org. Calendar | CcCaseSolution | Used for notifications on escalation rules based on call center global solutions. The Owning Org. Calendar function makes sure the calculated time to send the notification is based upon the calendar of the support organization owning the global solution. |
A notification can be sent by e-mail and/or a SMS. Within the notification window you can define, for example, receivers, whether the notification should be an e-mail and/or SMS, subject, and the message of the notification which is to be sent when a particular escalation is activated.
Dispatches are used to automatically dispatch cases, case tasks and global solutions to certain support queues, according to the escalation rule under which it has been defined.