Service Request¶
Quick Summary
A general-purpose request for a predefined service or action that follows a standard fulfillment process. Service requests cover routine operational asks that don't require formal change management approval.
Service request tickets handle routine, pre-defined asks that don't require the change management process. These are standard catalog items that follow a known fulfillment workflow, where the request type, the steps to fulfill it, and the expected outcome are all well understood in advance.
The key distinction between a service request and a change request is that service requests cover work that has already been pre-approved as a standard offering. There is no need for Change Advise Board review or security impact analysis because the service has already been vetted and documented as something the organization provides on demand.
Examples¶
Service requests typically cover day-to-day operational needs:
- Requesting installation of pre-approved software
- Ordering replacement hardware or peripherals
- Requesting a new mailbox or distribution list
- Asking for a VPN configuration using the standard template
- Requesting access to a shared drive or collaboration space that has an established provisioning process
- Submitting a request for a standard report or data export
When to Use a Different Ticket Type¶
If the request involves something outside of a pre-approved standard offering, a more specific ticket type is likely appropriate:
| Scenario | Use Instead |
|---|---|
| The request involves a system change, new deployment, or configuration that hasn't been pre-approved | Change Request |
| The request is for user account access (onboarding, offboarding, modification) | User Access Request |
| The request is for compliance evidence or audit artifacts | Data Request |
| The request is a question or need for clarification rather than a fulfillment action | Information Request |
Fulfillment¶
Service requests follow a straightforward lifecycle:
- Submitted - the end user submits the request through the self-service portal or an agent creates it on their behalf
- Assigned - the request is routed to the appropriate agent or team for fulfillment
- In Progress - the agent carries out the requested action
- Completed - the request is fulfilled and the ticket is closed
Because service requests are pre-approved by nature, they skip the approval workflow that change requests and user access requests go through. This makes them faster to fulfill and simpler to manage, which is the point - routine operational work should not carry the overhead of formal change management.