A Service Request (SR) is a tool within Oracle Support that allows customers and consultants to request fixes for issues encountered in Oracle software. Project teams on Oracle Cloud ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementations rely on the timely support of Oracle engineers to work through new issues and use cases as cloud adoption continues to expand. Skillful use of Service Requests will ensure speedy resolution to issues, minimize project risk, and contribute to the software that will drive your business forward for decades to come. Continue reading for 5 tips guaranteed to accelerate Service Request resolution.
Gather Screenshots
Screenshots help Oracle engineers recreate the issue you faced. Collecting an image of each successive step in your process has a few benefits:
- This process helps you slow yourself down, which might make the issue obvious to you and could eliminate the need to log an SR
- There could be multiple ways to navigate to the same screen or execute the same process in Oracle - the issue you faced could be specific to the series of steps you followed
- Oracle engineers frequently request screenshots, gathering this early will avoid unnecessary back-and-forth
- Your screenshots might include key or ID data that is useful for the engineer's backend research (like a 'Request ID')
Gathering screenshots is easy. Windows for example, allows you to take screen clipping by simply pressing the Windows + Shift + S. For Mac, Shift + Command + 3 achieves the same result.
Articulate the Business Impact
The business impact of your issue will help the Oracle engineer understand the importance and reasoning behind your SR. When thinking about business impact, consider the following:
- Mention if the issue impacts a test cycle, design sessions, or is critical path
- Numbers help - how many users are affected, is there a dollars/hours impact
- Explain how the issue impacts a critical business function
Additionally, by explaining the business impact, you give the Oracle engineer greater ability to find an alternate solution that achieves the desired result without encountering the reported issue.
Collect Files
Including files is another way that you can guarantee the engineer has enough information to begin resolving a problem immediately. Consider including the following:
- Any log files that are output by Oracle
- Sample data, especially if the issue impacts a data load
- Copies of any automated emails from Oracle (like those initiated by a workflow)
These files can be difficult to search for and collect after the fact. Depending on Oracle settings, sometimes the logs or reports disappear after a set number of days. One word of caution: avoid sharing sensitive data and realize that Oracle uses a global team - this could have GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) implications if you were to share the data in a manner that violates their guidelines.
Understand the Severity
Without getting too granular, these are the most important severity levels for you to be aware of:
- Severity 1 - constitutes a complete outage, particularly for production or cutover issues.
- Severity 1, 24/7 - same as above with 24-hour support is expected from both Oracle Support and the requesting organization
- Severity 2 - severe loss of service without known workarounds
A word of caution, 24/7 support should only be requested if your organization is also willing to staff it 24/7. Additionally, understand that the ticket will need to be handed off from one engineer to another between shifts.
Request a Meeting
Complex technical issues can be difficult to explain in words. For issues like this, an Oracle Web Conference (OWC) can help by virtually bringing you shoulder to shoulder to an Oracle engineer. Be sure to mention your receptivity to an online meeting.
- Preemptively share your availability to avoid a scheduling back-and-forth
- Be ready to share your screen so that the engineer can see how the issue is manifesting on your end
- Add a personal touch - give the engineer a chance to meet you and learn more about your organization
For me, Oracle Web Conference (OWC) has been one of the surprising joys of working on Oracle Cloud ERP implementations. Each meeting has brought me in touch with someone who cares deeply about Oracle products and their role in the customer's success. Best of luck to you and your organization as you continue your Oracle Cloud ERP implementation!
