Table of Content
- Basic example
- Business hours explanation example
- Direct resolve example
- Postpone action explanation example
- Auto-answering rules example
- Advanced example with business hours
To explain our SLA feature functionality and SLA times calculations we've prepared for you detailed explanations of the most common scenarios. The most important fact to understand regarding SLA is that its behavior is set up from the customer's perspective, not the support team's point of view.
Basic example
SLA level times:
- First answer - 12 hours
- Next answer - 6 hours
- First resolve - 24 hours
| Cheatsheet | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | SLA time | Start date | Due date | Closed date | SLA status time |
| Ticket created 1.1. at 07:00 | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 19:00 | - | 12 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 07:00 | - | 24 hours remaining | |
| Ticket answered 1.1. at 11:00 | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 19:00 | 1.1. 11:00 | 8 hours remaining |
| First resolve (paused) | 1.1. 07:00 | TBE* | - | - | |
| Ticket reopened 1.1. at 17:00 | Next answer | 1.1. 17:00 | 1.1. 23:00 | - | 6 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 13:00 | - | 20 hours remaining | |
| Ticket answered 2.1. at 01:00 | Next answer | 1.1. 17:00 | 1.1. 23:00 | 2.1. 01:00 | 2 hours overdue |
| First resolve (paused) | 1.1. 07:00 | TBE* | - | - | |
| Ticket resolved 2.1. at 01:05 | First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 13:00 | 2.1. 01:00 | 12 hours remaining |
* To be elongated
A new ticket is created 1.1. at 7:00. At this point its First answer SLA due date is set to 1.1. 19:00 and First resolve SLA due date to 2.1. 7:00.
After responding to the ticket 4 hours later at 11:00, the First answer SLA record will be fulfilled, closed, and will show up in the SLA log with the due date 1.1. 19:00 and closed date 1.1. 11:00. Its SLA status time will be 8 hours remaining (12 hours given for the First answer SLA time minus the 4 hours the ticket was in the New status).
The First resolve SLA time is paused at the moment of answering the ticket.
When the customer replies to the ticket 6 hours later at 17:00, the Next answer SLA time starts counting and its due date is set to 1.1. 23:00. The First resolve SLA time resumes and its due date is elongated by the time the ticket was answered (6 hours). The new due date for the First resolve SLA will then be 2.1. 13:00, and the remaining time for the First resolve SLA will be 20 hours.
Upon responding to the ticket 8 hours later at 1:00 and resolving it 5 minutes later, the Next answer SLA record will be closed and appear in the SLA log with the due date 1.1. 23:00 and closed date 2.1. 01:00. Its SLA status time will be 2 hours overdue (6 hours given for the Next answer minus the 8 hours the ticket was in the Open status).
The First resolve SLA record will be also closed and show up in the SLA log with the due date 2.1. 13:00 and closed date 2.1. 1:00. Its SLA status time will have 12 hours remaining.
The 6 hours and 5 minutes that the ticket was in Answered status are not counted towards the First resolve SLA status time, as this SLA time is paused when the ticket is not New or Open (or postponed from these statuses). The First resolve SLA time closed date is set to 1:00 despite the ticket being resolved at 1:05, because the ticket was answered at 1:00, which paused the First resolve SLA time, which was not resumed anymore until the ticket was resolved.
Business hours explanation example
SLA level times:
- First answer - 12 hours
- Next answer - 6 hours
- First resolve - 24 hours
SLA level defined business hours: Monday - Friday 7:00 - 18:00
| Cheatsheet | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | SLA time | Start date | Due date | Closed date | SLA status time |
| Ticket created 1.1. at 07:00 | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 08:00 | - | 25 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 3.1. 09:00 | - | 2 days remaining | |
A new ticket is created on Monday 1.1. at 7:00. At this point its First answer SLA due date is set to Tuesday 2.1. 8:00. This is because there are only 11 work hours in the day on Monday, so the remaining 1 hour of the 12-hour timeframe is forwarded to the next day for when business hours start counting again at 7:00. The SLA status remaining time for the First answer will be 25 hours, as the ticket gets overdue in real 25 hours.
The SLA timers do not display business hours and are not paused outside of the defined business hours, but the times are rather extended for the period outside of your business hours and display the real time that remains to fulfill the SLA time.
Similarly, the First resolve SLA due date will be set to Wednesday 3.1. 9:00 as the 24-hour timeframe is divided into 11 hours for Monday, 11 hours for Tuesday, and the remaining 2 hours for Wednesday. The SLA status remaining time for the First resolve will be 2 days (50 hours).
If a new ticket would be created on Thursday 4.1. at 5:00, the First answer SLA due date would be set to Friday 5.1. 8:00 with 27 hours remaining, as there are only 11 work hours available for Thursday, and the remaining 1 hour is carried over to Friday. The First resolve SLA due date would be set to Monday 8.1. 9:00 with 4 days remaining (100 hours). This is again because there are 11 business hours available for Thursday, 11 hours for Friday, and the remaining 2 hours are forwarded to Monday as the weekend days are not considered working days in the assigned SLA level.
| Cheatsheet | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | SLA time | Start date | Due date | Closed date | SLA status time |
| Ticket created 4.1. at 05:00 | First answer | 4.1. 05:00 | 5.1. 08:00 | - | 27 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 4.1. 05:00 | 8.1. 09:00 | - | 4 days remaining | |
Direct resolve example
SLA level times:
- First answer - 12 hours
- First resolve - 24 hours
| Cheatsheet | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | SLA time | Start date | Due date | Closed date | SLA status time |
| Ticket created 1.1. at 07:00 | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 19:00 | - | 12 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 07:00 | - | 24 hours remaining | |
| Ticket resolved 1.1. at 09:00 | First answer (unfullfilled) | - | - | - | - |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 09:00 | 22 hours remaining | |
A new ticket is created 1.1. at 7:00. At this point its First answer SLA due date is set to 1.1. 19:00 and First resolve SLA due date to 2.1. 7:00. After resolving the ticket 2 hours later at 9:00, the First answer SLA time will be unfulfilled, because the ticket was not answered while it was New and therefore its record won't show up in the SLA log. The First resolve SLA record will be closed and appear in the SLA log with the due date 2.1. 7:00 and closed date 1.1. 9:00, its SLA status time will be 22 hours remaining.
Postpone action explanation example
SLA level times:
- First answer - 12 hours
- Next answer - 6 hours
- First resolve - 24 hours
| Cheatsheet | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | SLA time | Start date | Due date | Closed date | SLA status time |
| Ticket created 1.1. at 07:00 | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 19:00 | - | 12 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 07:00 | - | 24 hours remaining | |
| Ticket postponed 1.1. at 09:00 for 4 hours | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 19:00 | - | 10 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 07:00 | - | 22 hours remaining | |
| Ticket reopened 1.1. at 13:00 | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 19:00 | - | 6 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 07:00 | - | 18 hours remaining | |
A new ticket is created 1.1. at 7:00. At this point its First answer SLA due date is set to 1.1. 19:00 and First resolve SLA due date to 2.1. 7:00. After postponing the ticket 2 hours later at 9:00 for 4 hours, the SLA times are not affected, as the ticket was postponed from the New status. When the ticket gets reopened at 13:00 the First answer SLA due date would still be set to 1.1. 19:00 with 6 hours remaining, and the First resolve SLA due date remains set to 2.1. 7:00 with 18 hours remaining.
The postpone action does not pause running SLA times.
Similarly, a new ticket is created 1.1. at 7:00. At this point its First answer SLA due date is set to 1.1. 19:00 and First resolve SLA due date to 2.1. 7:00. After answering the ticket 2 hours later at 9:00, the First answer SLA record will be closed and appear in the SLA log, and the First resolve SLA time pauses. Postponing the Answered ticket 5 minutes later for 4 hours again wouldn't affect the SLA times.
When the postponed time passes and the tickets reopens at 13:05, the First resolve SLA time resumes and its due date will be elongated by the time the ticket spent in Answered and Postponed status (4 hours and 5 minutes) to 2.1. 11:05 with 22 hours remaining. The Next answer SLA time starts running as well, with the due date of this SLA time set to 1.1. 19:05 and 6 hours remaining.
| Cheatsheet | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | SLA time | Start date | Due date | Closed date | SLA status time |
| Ticket created 1.1. at 07:00 | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 19:00 | - | 12 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 07:00 | - | 24 hours remaining | |
| Ticket answered 1.1. at 09:00 | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 19:00 | 1.1. 09:00 | 10 hours remaining |
| First resolve (paused) | 1.1. 07:00 | TBE* | - | - | |
| Ticket postponed 1.1. at 09:05 for 4 hours | First resolve (paused) | 1.1. 07:00 | TBE* | - | - |
| Ticket reopened 1.1. at 13:05 | Next answer | 1.1. 13:05 | 1.1. 19:05 | - | 6 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 11:05 | - | 22 hours remaining | |
* To be elongated
Auto-answering rules example
SLA level times:
- First answer - 12 hours
- Next answer - 6 hours
- First resolve - 24 hours
| Cheatsheet | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | SLA time | Start date | Due date | Closed date | SLA status time |
| Ticket created 1.1. at 07:00 | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 19:00 | - | 12 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 07:00 | - | 24 hours remaining | |
| Ticket answered by rule 1.1. at 07:00:02 | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 19:00 | - | 11 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 07:00 | - | 23 hours remaining | |
A new ticket is created 1.1. at 7:00. At this point its First answer SLA due date is set to 1.1. 19:00 and First resolve SLA due date to 2.1. 7:00. There is an auto-responder rule set up triggered when a new ticket is created from email with just a single action to send an answer to all ticket participants with the option to keep the ticket's state activated.
When the rule sends the automatic reply, the status of the ticket remains New thanks to the "Keep ticket state" option being active. The SLA times of the ticket are not affected and remain unchanged, the First answer SLA due date is still set to 1.1. 19:00 and First resolve SLA due date to 2.1. 7:00. A new First answer SLA record won't appear in the SLA log despite an answer was sent by the system, as the status of the ticket did not change from New.
The old and new status of a ticket matter in the SLA feature behavior.
Similarly, a new ticket is created 1.1. at 7:00. At this point its First answer SLA due date is set to 1.1. 19:00 and First resolve SLA due date to 2.1. 7:00. There is an auto-responder rule set up triggered when a new ticket is created from email with two actions - 1st action to send an answer to all ticket participants with the option to keep the ticket's state inactive, and 2nd action to reopen the ticket.
When the rule sends the automatic reply, the status of the ticket changes to Answered as the "Keep ticket state" option is inactive, and then changes right away again to Open due to the 2nd rule's action to reopen the ticket. The SLA times of the ticket are affected.
The First answer SLA record is closed and appears in the SLA log with the due date 1.1. 19:00 and closed date e.g. 1.1. 07:00:02 (with the extra few seconds it took the system to execute the rule), its SLA status time will be 11 hours remaining (11 hours and 59 minutes).
The First resolve SLA due date remains set to 2.1. 7:00 if the ticket was answered and reopened at the very same moment. The Next answer SLA time starts counting once the ticket is reopened and its due date is set to e.g. 1.1. 13:00:02.
| Cheatsheet | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | SLA time | Start date | Due date | Closed date | SLA status time |
| Ticket created 1.1. at 07:00 | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 19:00 | - | 12 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 07:00 | - | 24 hours remaining | |
| Ticket answered by rule 1.1. at 07:00:02 | First answer | 1.1. 07:00 | 1.1. 19:00 | 1.1. 07:00:02 | 11 hours remaining |
| First resolve (paused) | 1.1. 07:00 | TBE* | - | - | |
| Ticket reopened by rule 1.1. at 07:00:02 | Next answer | 1.1. 07:00:02 | 1.1. 13:00:02 | - | 6 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 1.1. 07:00 | 2.1. 07:00 | - | 23 hours remaining | |
* To be elongated
Advanced example with business hours
SLA level times:
- First assign - 4 hours
- First answer - 12 hours
- Next answer - 6 hours
- First resolve - 24 hours
SLA level defined business hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 - 18:00
| Cheatsheet | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | SLA time | Start date | Due date | Closed date | SLA status time |
| Ticket created 3.1. at 05:00 | First answer | 3.1. 05:00 | 4.1. 10:00 | - | 29 hours remaining |
| First assign | 3.1. 05:00 | 3.1. 12:00 | - | 7 hours remaining | |
| First resolve | 3.1. 05:00 | 5.1. 12:00 | - | 2 days remaining | |
| Ticket answered by rule 3.1. at 05:00:03 | First answer | 3.1. 05:00 | 4.1. 10:00 | - | 28 hours remaining |
| First assign | 3.1. 05:00 | 3.1. 12:00 | - | 6 hours remaining | |
| First resolve | 3.1. 05:00 | 5.1. 12:00 | - | 2 days remaining | |
| Ticket assigned by rule 3.1. at 08:10 | First answer | 3.1. 05:00 | 4.1. 10:00 | - | 25 hours |
| First assign | 3.1. 05:00 | 3.1. 12:00 | 3.1. 08:10 | 3 hours remaining | |
| First resolve | 3.1. 05:00 | 5.1. 12:00 | - | 2 days remaining | |
| Ticket answered 3.1. at 10:00 | First answer | 3.1. 05:00 | 4.1 10:00 | 3.1. 10:00 | 24 hours |
| First resolve (paused) | 3.1. 05:00 | TBE* | - | - | |
| Ticker reopened 3.1. at 15:00 | Next answer | 3.1. 15:00 | 4.1. 11:00 | - | 20 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 3.1. 05:00 | 5.1. 17:00 | - | 2 days remaining | |
| Ticket postponed 3.1. at 15:15 for 1 hour | Next answer | 3.1. 15:00 | 4.1. 11:00 | - | 19 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 3.1. 05:00 | 5.1. 17:00 | - | 2 days remaining | |
| Ticket reopened 3.1. at 16:15 | Next answer | 3.1. 15:00 | 4.1. 11:00 | - | 18 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 3.1. 05:00 | 5.1. 17:00 | - | 2 days remaining | |
| Ticket answered 3.1. at 16:30 | Next answer | 3.1. 15:00 | 4.1 11:00 | 3.1. 16:30 | 18 hours remaining |
| First resolve (paused) | 3.1. 05:00 | TBE* | - | - | |
| Ticket reopened 3.1. at 20:00 | Next answer | 3.1. 20:00 | 4.1. 14:00 | - | 18 hours remaining |
| First resolve | 3.1. 05:00 | 8.1. 8:30 | - | 4 days remaining | |
| Ticket answered 4.1. 09:00 | Next answer | 3.1. 20:00 | 4.1. 14:00 | 4.1. 09:00 | 5 hours remaining |
| First resolve (paused) | 3.1. 05:00 | TBE* | - | - | |
| Ticket resolved 11.1. 09:00 | First resolve | 3.1. 05:00 | 8.1. 8:30 | 4.1. 09:00 | 3 days remaining |
* To be elongated
A new ticket is created on Wednesday 3.1. at 5:00. At this point, its First answer SLA due date is set to Thursday 4.1. 10:00, as there are only 10 working hours available for Wednesday that count from 8:00 to 18:00, and the remaining 2 hours of the given 12 hours are carried over the next day for when business hours start counting again at 8:00. The SLA status remaining time for the First answer will be 29 hours, as the ticket gets overdue in 29 real hours.
The First resolve SLA due date will be set to Friday 5.1. 12:00 as the given 24 hours are divided into 10 hours for Wednesday, 10 hours for Thursday, and the remaining 4 hours for Friday. The First resolve SLA status remaining time will be 2 days (55 hours).
The First assign SLA due date will be set to Wednesday 3.1. 12:00 despite the ticket is created at 5:00, as the business hours start at 8:00. The First assign SLA status remaining time will be 7 hours.
There is an auto-responder rule set up triggered when a new ticket is created from email with an action to send an answer to all ticket participants with the option to keep the ticket's state activated. When the rule sends the automatic reply, the status of the ticket remains New thanks to the "Keep ticket state" option being active. The SLA times of the ticket are not affected and remain unchanged, and a new First answer SLA record won't appear in the SLA log despite an answer was sent by the system, as the status of the ticket did not change from New.
There is also a rule set up triggered when an agent opens a ticket to assign it to the action initiator. An agent opens the ticket on Wednesday at 08:10. The First assign SLA record is closed and appears in the SLA log with the due date 3.1. 12:00 and closed date 3.1. 08:10, its SLA status time will be 3 hours remaining (3 hours and 50 minutes).
The agent answers the ticket on Wednesday 3.1. at 10:00 the First answer SLA record is closed and appears in the SLA log with the due date 4.1. 10:00, closed date 3.1. 10:00, and SLA status remaining time 24 hours. The First resolve SLA time pauses at the moment of answering.
When the customer replies to the ticket on the same day at 15:00, the Next answer SLA time starts counting and its due date will be set to Thursday 4.1. 11:00 with 20 hours remaining, as the 6 business hours set for Next answer SLA are distributed as 3 hours to Wednesday and 3 hours to Thursday. The First resolve SLA time resumes and its due date is elongated by the time the ticket spend answered (5 hours). The new due date for the First resolve SLA will be 5.1. 17:00, and the remaining time for the First resolve SLA will be 2 days (50 hours).
The agent checks the ticket at 15:15 and reassesses that he needs help from another colleague who starts working at 16:00, so the agent postpones the ticket for an hour. As the ticket was postponed from Open status, the Next answer and First resolve SLA times are not affected.
The agent checks the ticket with his colleague again at 16:20 and replies to it 10 minutes later. The Next answer SLA record is closed and appears in the SLA log with the due date 4.1. 11:00, closed date 3.1. 16:30, and SLA status remaining time 18 hours. The First resolve SLA time pauses again at the moment of answering.
The customer replies back on the same day at 20:00, informing the agent that the issue is solved. A new Next answer SLA time starts counting and its due date will be set to Thursday 4.1. 14:00 with 18 hours remaining, as it is past business hours and therefore the 6 business hours to answer it are counted from the next day 08:00. The First resolve SLA time resumes and its due date is elongated by the time the ticket spent answered during business hours (1 hour & 30 minutes). The new due date for the First resolve SLA will be 8.1. 8:30, with 4 days remaining time (108 hours and 30 minutes).
The First resolve SLA status extends from 2 days to 4 days because in reality only 3,5 business hours counted towards this SLA time (2 business hours from 08:00 to 10:00 that the ticket spent in New status and 1,5 business hours from 15:00 to 16:30 the ticket spent in Open and Postponed status). There are still 20,5 business hours left for the First resolve SLA time, distributed as 10 hours to Thursday 4.1., 10 hours to Friday 5.1., and 30 minutes to Monday 8.1.
The agent replies back to the customer, informing him that if he has no further questions, his ticket will be resolved in 7 days. The agent sends the answer on Thursday 4.1. 09:00. The Next answer SLA record is closed and appears in the SLA log with the due date 4.1. 14:00, closed date 4.1. 09:00, and SLA status remaining time 5 hours. The First resolve SLA time pauses again at the moment of answering.
The customer does not reply back anymore. An automatic time rule resolves the ticket 11.1. at 09:00. The First resolve SLA record is closed and appears in the SLA log with the due date 8.1. 08:30, closed date 4.1. 09:00, and SLA status remaining time 3 days (3 days 23 hours 30 minutes in fact). Despite the ticket has been resolved on 11.1., the First resolve SLA closed date is 4.1. 09:00 as that's the time when this SLA time was paused because the ticket was answered and was not resumed since then.