Complete problem description:

Is the problem reproducible?

Steps to follow to reproduce the problem:

Exact text of the error message resulting from the problem, including numbers:

What are the symptoms of the problem?

When did the problem start occurring?

For how long has the problem been occurring?

What specifically is being done when the problem occurs?

Did it ever work? If so, when and for how long?

Specifically what software or hardware has changed? What is different now from the time when it did work?

What steps has the user taken to solve the problem?

What factors have been eliminated as unrelated to the problem?

What is the severity of the problem—that is, what is the impact on the user’s, department’s, and company’s business?

Are there other applications involved?

What is the operating system? Version numbers?

What patches have been applied?

Hardware configuration:

Software configuration:

Network configuration:

Contents of important system files:

Contents of audit, event, or error log:

When did the user last back up the data?

Additional data that should be in the call history:

Is there a possible workaround to the problem to use while the problem is researched?

What known problem and its resolutions could this issue be related to?

What research tools were used?

What combinations of keywords were used in online searches? (Be very specific.)

Who was contacted for help? What is the user name, company name, department, telephone number, and fax number?

How quickly is a resolution needed by the user?

What has been tried by the support engineer to fix the problem?

Who has worked on the problem in the past?

What testing has been done? How were the tests set up? (Important: Describe these tests step by step.) What were the results? What does analysis of the results show? Who analyzed them?

What has been determined to be the actual cause of the problem? Step-by-step, how was that conclusion reached?

Are there multiple resolutions? What are the possible side effects of implemented solutions?

Has the proposed resolution been tested by the user?

What happens if no solution can be found?

What kind of planning is necessary to ensure adequate success of the solution?

What kind of training was performed by the help-desk support engineer to ensure that the problem would not be repeated?

What future training is needed for the user, department, or company?

What could have been done to prevent the problem? Was this information conveyed to the user?

If the problem is an issue that will be likely to crop up again, have the rest of the help-desk staff been alerted?

If the problem could have been prevented by regular backups that were not present, has the user, manager, department head, or company been sufficiently informed, trained, and provided with backup media?

Should the particular problem/resolution set be written up for publication in professional journals?

Did the user give permission to close the call? Document the answer.