How to configure and use FocalScope's Ticket Categories

1. In the [Main menu], select [Screen > Administration]
2. Click the [Administration] tab
3. Navigate to the [Workflow Configuration > Categories] folder
4. Set the global Category setting [show categories in the [Subject] column] (highlighted in red). Ticking this flag will show the first two categories assigned to a ticket in the ticket's subject line
5. Optionally, set the global Ticket Category setting [disable ad-hoc categories] (highlighted in red). Ticking this flag will force agents to select preexisting Ticket Categories and values as opposed to defining their own and possibly breaking convention
6. In the right-hand pane, right click and select [New Top Category]

1. Under the [General Properties] section, the [Belongs to] field needs only be assigned if this were a subcategory. Because this will be a top category, we can leave this field blank. The [Name] can be anything that best describes the category
2. Set the [Dynamic (ad-hoc) values] option as per one of these options:
   1. Select [follow global flag] to use the global setting for ad-hoc values as configured in the section 'Creating ticket categories' (above), point 5 
   2. Select [dynamic values (skip prompt)] if the following conditions prevail:
      • If the Ticket Category will have such a large number of unique values that it essentially becomes a custom field
      • If the dynamic nature of the values to be used makes it impractical to continuously prompt the agent with existing values during data input
      • Warning: Due to the amount of ad-hoc values that can result when the dynamic option is used, it is the administrator's responsibility to understand that not all the saved values may display in the UI when the dynamic option is no longer used
   3. Select [prohibit] to completely disable ad-hoc values for the selected category
   4. Select [allow (with prompt)] to allow ad-hoc values for the selected category
3. Under the [Values for the category] we can set the tagging values for messages. Optionally, you could use subcategories and their values if another sub-level is required 
   1. To add new values, click the green [+] 
   2. To temporarily disable a value so that agent's cannot assign it to tickets, click the green [O] button (highlighted in red). Please note: Disabled categories & values can still be used if agents type the exact name of the category & value they wish to use (requires ad-hoc categories to be enabled)
   3. To delete an entry, click the black [X]. Please note: Values that have already been assigned to tickets cannot be deleted (this behavior is by design)
4. Click [Ok] to save the new Ticket Category

If your would like to create a subcategory, you can add it now by right clicking your newly created top category and selecting [New subcategory].

To categorize a ticket in FocalScope, do the following:

1. Right click the subject line of the ticket you wish to assign a category to
2. In the menu that appears, select [Categories]

1. To assign a dynamic or on the spot category, type it directly in the fields (highlighted in blue). This feature can be disabled by switching on the [disable ad-hoc categories] flag mentioned above
2. To assign predefined Ticket Categories, click the dropdown buttons (highlighted in red) and select the desired Ticket Category from the dropdown list
3. Click the green [+] to add another Ticket Category. Click the red [X] to delete a Ticket Category
4. Click [OK] to finish categorizing the ticket

Tickets that have been categorized will have the following visual distinctions over uncategorized tickets:

• A new icon will appear to show that the ticket has been assigned a Ticket Category
• The first two categories will be displayed in the subject line of categorized tickets (if the [show categories in the [subject] column] flag has been ticked)

Please note, to see additional Ticket Categories that have been assigned to a ticket, hover your cursor over the category section of the subject line; a yellow box will appear showing all the Ticket Categories assigned to the particular ticket.

To force agents to assign a Ticket Category to tickets as they close them, do the following:

1. Right click the folder where you want to enforce ticket categorization upon ticket closure and select [Properties]
2. Under the [General] tab of the Folder Properties window, go down to the section [Messaging configuration parameters]
3. Tick the [A category must be defined when closing a ticket] flag
4. Click [Ok] to save the changes made to the selected folder

Agents will now be required to assign a Ticket Category to every ticket they close in this ticketbox.

• How to restrict and preload Ticket Categories for a folder
• How to configure and use FocalScope's Live Chat Categories