IT Help Desk

Overview

The Technology Help Desk’s number one priority is to provide high quality customer service and technical support to all County departments and employees.


How to submit a request with the Help Desk


There are two ways to submit a request with the Help Desk

Phone: x6031 or 956-292-7010 (remote site callers)

Email - helpdesk@co.hidalgo.tx.us

When submitting a request via the help desk site, please ensure that you provide the following information:

  • Name
  • Contact number / Office number
  • Department
  • Username
  • Detailed description of the problem or request

Help Desk Support Hours


The Technology Help Desk is available during the following hours:


Monday - Friday, 8am to 5pm
 
After Hours: Requests can be submitted outside of these hours via Email. The response time for "After Hours" work orders will begin from the start of the next business day.


Help Desk Services


The Help Desk provides support in the following areas, but not limited to:

  • User accounts / password issues
  • User / email account creation
  • PC / printer / email issues
  • File shares & permissions
  • Software installation & management (Odyssey, TAAP, Microsoft, etc.)
  • Hardware requests (e.g. PCs, printers, Time Clocks, etc.)
  • Webmail issues
  • Internet & wireless access
  • Operating system and updates
  • Network services
  • ShoreTel telephone services
  • Door Access (please continue to email door access requests to doors@co.hidalgo.tx.us, a work order will automatically be created. All door access requests must be requested by a department supervisor, or by Sergeant assigned for any Court House access)

The Help Desk cannot provide support with the following:

  • We cannot repair personal (non-county) computers
  • We cannot assist with personal software
  • We do not teach how to use the software packages (Office 2003/2007/2010 Excel, PowerPoint, Acrobat).
  • We cannot install personal hardware or software to your workstation.
  • We do not backup the data on your local computer. You must do this yourself. If you need help we will be glad to show you how. We only backup what you save onto your H drive.
  • While we do accept emergency work orders for critical issues, we must follow our internal procedures when prioritizing them. In order to provide satisfactory service and be fair to everyone, we ask that you please plan ahead and remain patient as we address the work orders in the queues.

Call Priority Levels


The Help Desk will make every effort to resolve issues at the time of the call.
Technical staff will enter and determine priorities for all requests that were not resolved at the time of the call and will use the following guidelines in prioritizing requests striving to resolve issues within the target time frame. Actual resolutions may be shorter or longer depending on the volume of requests at any one time and the severity of the issue.

Below, see details of the priorities with their definitions and some examples:
Priority Definition Examples Response Time Completion Time
1

Urgent		 Widespread service is unavailable, affects more than five individuals • Network connectivity is not available

• Email services not functional		 Will call or page system admin for immediate response. Within 3 regular business hours
2

High		 Business requirements cannot be met under current operation, affects one to five individuals • Staff member’s computer is down, preventing them  from working

• Password issue (user cannot login)

• Multiple user printer is down

• Remove terminated employee		 Within 4 business work day hours Within 1 business work day
3

Medium		 Non-critical service impacted: Daily work impaired but user is still able to function, affects fewer than five individuals

 		 • Software application will not work

• Can’t check email from one computer, but can use Webmail from another computer
Within 1 working day Within 3 working days
4

Low		 No effect on productivity, unsupported software, or personal computer hardware. A service request that does not require immediate attention or which involves long range planning. • New PC / printer / software application / Phone / Door Access / user & email accounts to be created

• Office moves (assistance with disconnecting and reconnecting computer equipment)		 Within 3 working days Within 5 working days

Help Desk Support Process


1st Level Support – Initial Contact

A help desk technician will capture the problem or request via phone, email or the Help Desk system, review it and determine the best way that it should be handled. The Help Desk generates a work order for 100% of the requests for assistance (Incident) or services (Service Request).

  • If the request can be resolved immediately the help desk technician will attempt to resolve the issue by connecting remotely.
  • For computer issues, technicians may need to ask basic questions about the computer (e.g. computer name), the problem or error message, and about the specific events that preceded the problem.
  • If the help desk technician is successful in resolving the problem or request, the work order is completed and closed.
  • If the end-user needs have not been addressed, or if more assistance is required, the help desk technician will escalate the request to a 2nd level support technician.
2nd Level Support

When a request cannot be resolved immediately by help desk staff, the request is updated and escalated to second or third level support within the Help Desk. Second level support includes, but is not limited to, the following kinds of support requests:

  • In-depth troubleshooting of email or software issues.
  • The need for a technician to be on-site to troubleshoot a pc, network or telephone issue.
  • Assessing the needs of particular request (e.g. the need of installing dual monitors, or networking a new copier/printer).
  • Shared drive access and permissions.
  • Web filter requests (Internet access, opening/or blocking a website).
3rd Level Support

Issues or requests that are not solved at the second level may require special analysis, review of IT policies, standards, or support by IT Dept. management; changes to network services or other special support arrangements.

Referrals

In some cases, it may not be possible for the IT Help Desk to solve a department or user’s problem or provide a certain type of service (e.g. installation of network drops, installation of PA/sound systems). If we are unable to offer assistance directly, the Help Desk will attempt to provide the department or user with the vendor/consultant contact information.