1. What is covered by maintenance?

We include one year's free software support*, via telephone and e-mail, in the package price. Maintenance after the first year is optional and would cost no more than 20% of your package price. Renewal of Maintenance will entitle you to a further year's support and an upgrade to the latest version of the software.

*A minimum software purchase applies to this offer; for details please contact support. A reduced support period of 3 months will be offered instead if this is not reached.

Once again, thank you for the swift answer. I am always surprised by the quickness of the return mail, and the quality of the answer is always perfect. Congratulations!
Kurt Van Praet - Helpdesk Supervisor & Contact Center Manager, Vedior Interim, Belgium

Can I just take this opportunity to commend yourself and the whole House-on-the-Hill team for your excellent customer service. Many thanks.
Sharon Hughes - Driver & Vehicle Testing Agency, Department of Environment Northern Ireland

2. Which databases can be used with SupportDesk?

MS Access, MS SQL Server, Oracle, Pervasive, MSDE, and MySql

3. What e-mail functionality does SupportDesk have?

E-mail functionality is provided by the E-mail optional module. This interface provides MAPI-compliant e-mail integration for your helpdesk. Calls can be automatically logged from incoming e-mails and customers can be kept informed with automatic outbound e-mails. For more information click here.

4. Can I remove the demonstration data from my evaluation copy of SupportDesk?

If you want to start again with a fresh database, you can simply delete the demo database suppdesk.mdb, and create a new one through ODBC Data Sources (located in Windows Control Panel).

5. Can I customise the software for my company's requirements?

Yes. You can remove fields from dialogues which are surplus to your requirements. You can rename fields, you can add extra fields, you can make fields mandatory, or mandatory on closure. You can customise e-mail and mail merge templates to bring them in line with your corporate image.

6. How much does the software cost?

Please click here to be forwarded to our Pricing Form

7. Is the software web-enabled?

Yes, the WebServer optional module allows remote access via a browser. Click here for more infomation on the WebServer

8. What is required in terms of implementation/training days?

House-on-the-Hill Software offers a range of optional and complementary services to enhance your SupportDesk experience. Consultancy, Training and Implementation are all optional services and are available at an additional cost. Please note that we provide detailed documentation for the installation and configuration of your SupportDesk system, and we are available to assist via telephone or e-mail. If you would like training on the software, assistance with implementation, or perhaps some consultancy to help configure your SupportDesk system - please contact info@houseonthehill.com

9. Does the software come complete with reports?

Yes. SupportDesk is shipped with over 130 pre-defined reports. Most are created using the industry-standard Crystal Reports. We ship Crystal runtime with the software, so you do not need to purchase a copy of Crystal to be able to run the reports. You only need to purchase Crystal Reports if you wish to amend an existing report or create your own Reports to add to the Report Library. Click here for more information on SupportDesk's reporting functionality.

10. How can I evaluate the software?

You can download a fully-functional copy of SupportDesk from each of our product areas. This evaluation will last for 30 days from installation. We would like you to be 100% confident that SupportDesk is right for your purposes before purchase. Please get in touch if you would like to extend your evaluation.

11. Can I import and export data?

Yes, SupportDesk has both importing and exporting functionality. Data can be exported from the Database menu, choose Export CSV File. You are then presented with a choice of record types to export, or you may select All. Records are exported in CSV (Comma Separate Value) format, to a flat text file. Similarly, data can be imported into SupportDesk in a similar file format. Thus allowing you to swiftly populate the SupportDesk database with data held elsewhere. Each record type must be prefixed and the list of required prefixes can be found in the online Help or in your manual.

12. Can I allocate my Users different levels of functionality?

You can allocate each individual User a certain level of access to the call data, which we refer to as a User Privilege in SupportDesk. For example, a User with Supervisor privilege has complete access and is able to update, amend, and delete all records. A User with Analyst privilege is only able to log Calls and amend Calls they created. These privileges can be fine-tuned to a degree using the Configuration panel in the User Details. The privileges are outlined in the User menu of the manual and online Help.

Click to see screenshot of User dialogue

13. Error message: 'Evaluation period expired' or '...Licence File is out of date'

This message usually indicates that your one month trial period has expired. Although rare, it can also mean that your SupportDesk key file and software are 'out of sync'. In other words, the keyfile is for one version of SupportDesk, and the software you are trying to run is a different version. In both cases, please contact support@houseonthehill.com for a replacement key file.

14. Error message: 'Invalid Configuration Parameter alias SupportDesk[0]'

This error message indicates that there is something adrift with the SupportDesk Alias in BDE Administrator and connection to the database has failed.

You need to check a couple of settings:
To begin with, open BDE Administrator (BDEadmin.exe)
On Databases tab, locate and highlight the "SupportDesk" Alias.
On the right hand Definition Panel, make a note of the name of the ODBC DSN entry (probably "suppdesk").
Now open the ODBC Data Sources (Control Panel) and look for the name of this DSN on both the User and System tabs.
* If it is there, open this DSN and make sure that it is pointing to the correct Access database (suppdesk.mdb????). (For Customers, compare the settings with a User who can successfully log in.)

* If there is no Suppdesk entry at all, click the Add... button.
Select "Microsoft Access Driver (*.mdb)" and click Finish.
On the next dialogue, carefully type in the Data Source Name (this is whatever you made a note of, from BDE Administrator, probably "suppdesk").
Click on the "Select" [database] button.
Locate and select the SupportDesk Access database - (probably suppdesk.mdb). Click OK buttons until you are out of ODBC. Then return to BDE Administrator:
On the databases tab, locate "SupportDesk" alias again.
Double-click the Alias name "SupportDesk". If connection is made, right hand definition panel turns bold.
If you are still getting an error message, highlight the  SupportDesk alias, in the right hand Definition Panel, and locate the ODBC DSN line. Click in pulldown and find Suppdesk entry you have just created in ODBC.
Now test the connection again by double-clicking the Alias name, to see if the Definition Panel turns bold.
Once connection is made, you should be able to log in...

Please contact support@houseonthehill.com if you have any questions.

15. Outlook message: 'A program is trying to send e-mail on your behalf, do you want to allow this?'

This is a message from Outlook, requesting your permission to allow a program to send e-mail automatically. It is the result of the Outlook E-mail Security Update which provides additional levels of protection against malicious e-mail messages. The update changes the way that attachments are handled by Outlook, and the way that Outlook can be controlled programmatically by SupportDesk. You will need to adjust your Outlook settings to rectify this. We advise you contact your IT Administrator or Microsoft software vendor for details, however, the following link may be of use: Click here

16. The call dialogue looks jumbled

The dialogues and text in SupportDesk will appear jumbled up and in the wrong order if you have Large Fonts set up on your PC. In order to change this, you need to go to Control Panel, select Display, and then click on the Settings tab. Click the Advanced button. Where it says Font Size, select Small Fonts. Click Apply and OK; your PC may restart itself.

17. Can I set up Groups of users?

If you want to set up a group of users to which you can assign a queue of calls, you can do so by creating a Group User and assigning the individual Users to be members of the Group. You then have the facility to assign a particular call to an individual User, or to a group of Users. A Group has no log-in and password. Groups are used in conjunction with Resource Allocation records, so that other Users can be made members of the Group. Assigning a Call to the Group includes the Call in lists for the Group members, until the Call is allocated to a particular Group member.

18. How can I upgrade from Paradox to Access?

You will need to contact support@houseonthehill.com for information on moving to a MS Access database.

19. I am unable to see attachments

Call attachments sit in a sub-directory called Attach, on your Server - under the directory identified by your 'Start In' on your SupportDesk icon properties. If you are running the software centrally from a server, make sure that your User's 'Start In' is pointing to the main SupportDesk directory on the server. You can check your 'Start In' directory by right-mouse clicking your SupportDesk icon and selecting 'Properties'. Compare your User's Start In with a User who can see attachments. You need to ensure that all Users are looking at the same database on the same server, and can see the same sub-directories.

If the software is installed locally on each client, then locate the Suppdesk.ini file on each workstation (located in Windows or Winnt directory). In the [Database] section, change Directory= to state the server directory where the database resides. Attachments should then sit under this directory for all Users.

20. How do I delete/archive Calls - and what is the difference?

When you delete records, you remove the data from SupportDesk for good. When you archive a record the data is simply hidden from everyday use of the software, but the record can be accessed and restored if necessary. When you archive Calls, they are actually moved to a separate database table, freeing up space in your 'live' Calls table. Again, you have the option to re-open and make further edits if desired. If you delete a Call, User, or Customer, you will be unable to return that information, unless you have a back-up. If you archive a User, perhaps because they have left the company, this will free up a login, but the User will still be recognised by SupportDesk and referenced on old Calls.

You cannot delete a Call until it has been archived. Once a Call has been closed (and all Activities completed), the Call can be archived by selecting Archive Closed Call from the Database menu. If you want to bulk-archive Calls, select Archive All Closed Calls in View. The Call will be moved to the Archive folder, where it can be viewed. From here, you could choose to Retore Closed Call from the Database menu. To delete the Archived Call from SupportDesk, highlight it, and select Delete from the Call menu.

Daily backups of your SupportDesk should be a standart part of your operation. House-on-the-Hill do not offer technical advice on this but can point to some websites that may be useful.
For MS SQL - http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa196685(SQL.80).aspx

For Access - the database can be backed up as an entire file along with the supportdesk directory.

For MYSQL - http://www.devshed.com/c/a/MySQL/Backing-up-and-restoring-your-MySQL-Database/

For Oracle - http://www.orafaq.com/faqdbabr.htm