Beta version of the new documentation.

Go back to old version
Go to cdesk.eu

Item Types

Item types consist of sets of items with the same properties and define the specifications for items of the same type. From the main menu CMDB → Item List, the left side of the window displays a tree structure consisting of Groups and Item Types. An overview of types within a group, or individual types not classified under a group, is displayed using the icon Expand All.

Figure: Groups and item types – Expand All button

Creating and Editing Item Types

To create a new item type, click the button and then select + Create Item Type in the CMDB → Item List section on the left. You can also create a new type directly in the tree structure on the left. Right-click on the desired Group or select from the menu in the group row to choose the option Create Item Type, thereby creating the type directly at the selected position in the hierarchy.

Another option is to make a copy of an existing type. To make a copy, open the details of the existing type. In the tree structure on the left, open the details either by right-clicking on the desired type or by selecting it from the menu and choosing the option Detail. Then, in the upper right corner of the menu under the Actions button, select Make a copy. This creates a new type with all predefined properties, which you can simply modify.

Meaning of fields in an item-type form

The General Information tab when creating an item type:

  • Category – assigning an item type to a category determines its use. A separate subsection is dedicated to categories.
  • Item Groups – used to specify which group the given type should be assigned to. This setting is optional. If a group has not yet been selected, the field serves as a selection option for assigning the type to an existing group. Once a group is selected, the field serves as information indicating the type’s affiliation with that group. If the type is not assigned to any group, it will be displayed directly at the first level of the hierarchy.
  • Name – the name of the item type under which it will appear in selections within the application; in a multilingual environment, it is possible to add a translation.
  • Description – optional, allows you to provide a description for the given type.
  • Slug (alias) – an alias for the item type ID. Used when selecting items of a specific item type via the API, where it is not necessary to refer to hard-to-remember IDs (e.g., when creating a basic property of the “link” type).
  • Automatic Name Generation – allows you to generate the item name (CI) automatically based on the settings:
    • Disabled – the item name (CI) will be entered and edited manually
    • Based on Custom Field – the item name (CI) will be generated automatically based on the values of custom fields, both when creating and editing the item type. Manual name changes are not possible directly, but can be made by editing the custom field from which the name is generated. At least one required custom field must be specified. When using multiple fields, the name will be created using their values in the specified order; individual field values will be separated by a separator, which can be selected—comma, hyphen, underscore, slash, and others.
    • Based on the pattern – the item name (CI) will be generated as the specified prefix followed by a four-digit number, incremented for each subsequent item created within the selected type. The name can be edited when creating or editing an item (CI). When generating the name of a new item (CI) according to the pattern, the system searches in the background for a name matching the format (specified prefix and number) with the highest number, which is then incremented by one. A subsequent change to the prefix will therefore start a new numbering sequence from 0001. Manually overwriting the item name (CI) with a number higher than 1 compared to the last created item type will cause subsequent names to be generated starting from this higher number.
  • Unique name – enabled/disabled – If a record name (CI) is used that is already taken by another record (CI) within the same record type, the user will be notified of the name conflict and will not be allowed to save the record with the duplicate name.
  • Loans – enabled/disabled – allows you to set whether an item can be borrowed and recorded in the loans module.
  • Status Tracking – disabled/optional/required – allows you to select the statuses required for the selected CI type from the CI status list. Service-type items can thus use different statuses than equipment-type items and different ones than location-type items.
  • Link to the administrative handler – disabled/optional/required – allows you to specify a Handling Group and, from it, a single CDESK user who will be responsible for handling administrative tasks related to the item type. These users can also be notified about the submitted records.
  • Link to the technical assignee – disabled/optional/required – allows you to specify a assignee group and, from it, one CDESK user who will be responsible for handling technical matters related to the item type. These users can also be notified about the submitted records. If the request template prioritizes a technical resolver as the resolver, based on the selected item, it is possible that the request will be automatically assigned to a resolver or a group of resolvers.
  • Thumbnail – enable/disable – option to assign an icon to an item type, thereby visually distinguishing the type (and its items). The icon can be customized by selecting a color and symbol. An icon set for a type is automatically applied to all items (CI) of that type, with the option to change it individually at the item level.
  • Enable archiving – enable/disable – allows items of the selected type to be archived. Archiving makes the item unavailable in selections, but it remains in the list of items (suitable, for example, for inactive services).
  • Link to Operation – disabled/optional/required – allows items of the selected type to be assigned to an operation. The field is available only if at least one item type from the category Operation exists. The Operation field will not appear until a company is assigned to the item, and the assigned Operation must belong to the company under which the item (CI) is registered.
  • Link to Location – disabled/optional/required – allows items of the selected type to be assigned to a location. The field is available only if the Link to Facility field is set to Optional or Required.
  • Item Administrator – disabled/optional/required – the item administrator has read and edit access to the item’s basic data; item permissions are not taken into account. This role can further be selected as a role for notifications (according to rules) or as the Approver role.
  • Link to owner – disabled/optional/required – used to identify the user who is the owner of a configuration item (CI) of this type. The owner has read access to the item’s basic data, while standard permissions for the items are not taken into account.
  • Link to the IT service manager – disabled/optional/required – option to specify the person responsible for the overall operation of the given IT service.
  • Link to business guarantor – disabled/optional/required – option to designate a person responsible for the business aspects of the service
  • Link to technical guarantor – disabled/optional/required – option to designate a person responsible for the technical infrastructure that supports the service.
  • Link to key user – disabled/optional/required – option to designate one or more users who represent the primary end users of the service and are key for feedback and testing.
Image: Creating a New Item Type

The general settings for item types are followed by User-defined fields, which are used to define a specific set of attributes for items of each type.

Item Type Category

Every item type belongs to one of the categories:

  • Equipment– used for recording equipment; it can be defined for various categories of equipment (for example,for IT equipment,machine tools,air conditioning…)
  • Locations– defining the item type for this category is necessary for recording customer locations, which also enables the assignment of locations to requests, fulfilments, and items.
  • Facilities– defining the item type for this category is necessary for recording customer facilities, which also enables the assignment of facilities to requests and items.
  • Services– individual items in a given category can be created automatically from contracts or manually
  • General category – is treated the same as the category Equipment, within which it is appropriate to record items that cannot be classified under other categories (for example, licenses, swimming pools)
  • People– used for recording people
  • Vehicles– used for recording vehicles
  • Cost Center – used for recording cost centers and the person responsible for that center. It is used for approving requests. It can be defined at most once.
  • Area – records of asset areas. It is used to record the person responsible for the area. It is used for approving requests. It can be defined at most once. It is particularly useful when disposing of assets. A responsible employee can be assigned to an asset area. If an item (CI) belonging to a specific asset area is selected in a request, the responsible person will receive a prompt to approve its disposal.
Go to cdesk.eu
Go to cdesk.eu