Well-Formed Tickets Policy

Purpose of this policy

This policy defines what constitutes a “well-formed ticket” in TeamDynamix, outlines the importance of complete and actionable ticket submissions, and sets expectations for ticket resolution timeliness and impact on Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

Why It Matters

• Efficient Resolution: Clear tickets allow support teams to act faster without needing additional details.

• Accurate Prioritization: Helps triage issues appropriately based on impact and urgency.

• Fewer Delays: Minimizes back-and-forth communications.

• Improved SLAs: Helps us meet service level targets consistently

What is a Well-Formed Ticket?

A well-formed ticket includes all the information needed for the support team to begin troubleshooting or fulfilling the request without needing to seek clarification. Incomplete or unclear tickets can delay response and resolution times and may impact SLA commitments.

Required Elements of a Well-Formed Ticket

1. A Clear Title - Provide a concise, meaningful description of this request.

2. Detailed Description - Provide all necessary information to process this request.

   • Explain in detail the issue or outcome you are expecting.

   • Include the steps you took to reach the page or issue in question so we can recreate the issue or find the page in question.

   • Make sure your ticket has clearly actionable instructions, and is not bereft of a question or expected outcome.

   • When did it occur (date/time)?

   • Who is affected (users, departments)?

   • Any specific error messages or screenshots.

3. Impact & Urgency

   • Define how many users are affected and how critical the issue is.

4. Attachments (if applicable)

   • Include logs, screenshots, documents, or sample data if it will help illustrate the issue.

   • Screenshots of website issues should clearly show the address bar.

   • Please ensure any screenshots you provide show the full page or include enough information to identify where the screenshot was taken and how you got there. Screenshots of isolated text or error messages without visible navigation, headers, or URLs make it difficult for us to understand the issue and provide effective support.

Handling Incomplete or Poorly Formed Tickets

When a ticket is submitted without sufficient information, we will add a comment requesting the missing details and place the ticket in an "Awaiting Response" status while we wait for clarification. If we do not receive a response within 5 business days, the ticket may be closed due to insufficient information. Please note that SLA timelines are paused while we wait for the necessary input from the submitter.

Common Outcomes of Poorly Formed Tickets

• Delayed Resolution – Time is spent gathering missing details instead of resolving the issue, significantly increasing turnaround time.

• Ticket May Be Closed Without Resolution – If required information is not provided within a reasonable timeframe, the ticket may be closed as unresolvable.

• Misunderstood Scope or Priority – Without clear impact or urgency, a ticket may be triaged incorrectly or deprioritized.

• Unnecessary Escalations – Vague or unclear tickets often involve more team members than necessary, increasing confusion and workload.

• More Investigation Required – Staff must spend time reproducing the issue, locating systems or pages, and guessing context—slowing progress.

• Reduced Service Quality – Lack of clarity can lead to back-and-forth communication and greater risk of miscommunication or incomplete solutions.

• Misrouted Requests – If it's unclear what system or service is involved, the ticket may be routed to the wrong team, further delaying resolution.

Tips for Submitters

Submitting well-formed tickets helps our team resolve issues faster and more accurately. This article outlines what makes a ticket “well-formed,” provides examples of good vs. poor submissions, and explains how incomplete tickets are handled - including delays, potential closure, and impact on service quality. Clear, complete information is essential for timely and effective support.

Final Notes

Submitting a well-formed ticket helps everyone: it ensures your issue is addressed promptly and reduces workload on both sides. Please refer to this policy before submitting new requests to ensure smoother handling.