Information Technology Services:

Request for Support (RFS)

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA PROCEDURE

DIVISION: Administration and Finance

DEPARTMENT: Information Technology Services

SUBJECT: Request for Support (RFS)

OBJECTIVE & PURPOSE:

To define procedures for requesting support from Information Technology Services.

AUTHORITY:

Approved by the Information Resource Planning and Advisory Council, November 2, 1990.

POLICY:

Prior to providing services such as (but not limited to) applications program design and maintenance, systems programming, software support, hardware support, network support, research analysis, etc., a duly authorized Request For Support (selection "RS" from the online Local Applications Main Menu) must be submitted to Information Technology Services for approval and assignment. Individuals authorized to approve Requests For Support ("RFS") are maintained in the User Authorization System (selection "UA" from the online Local Applications Main Menu).

PROCEDURE:

The RFS is an online system, or electronic form, that is comprised of several "screens," two of which are most pertinent. The Request Entry screen (selection 20 from the RFS Submenu) is completed by the requesting department, while the Information Technology Services Functions screen (selection 21 from the RFS Submenu) is reserved for Information Technology Services use.

When a new RFS is created, the system assigns a unique ID number to the request. If the person creating the RFS can also authorize such requests, the RFS is automatically forwarded to Information Technology Services as soon as it is added, provided the user has entered a 'Y' next to the "Authorized:" prompt. If the creator of the RFS is not authorized to approve it, that person should forward the request to someone else in the department who is authorized, the latter of whom must enter a 'Y' next to the "Authorized:" prompt and then update the RFS. It is only after the RFS has been approved by the department that the request is forwarded to Information Technology Services. At this point, the "Status" of the request is marked as "Pending."

After the request has been duly authorized and forwarded to Information Technology Services, it is reviewed by the Associate Director or Director who, with input from appropriate staff members as needed, determines the action to be taken, namely: (a) assign, (b) review, (c) refer to Financial Records Committee, or (d) refer to Student Records Committee. If the RFS has been assigned for completion or for review, the RFS is forwarded to the assigned individual(s) for review or completion. If assigned for completion, the "Status" of the request is changed to "Active."

Requests are assigned for review when more information is required to evaluate the request properly; the purpose of the review is to determine the scope of the project and develop a rough estimate of the nature and amount of resources required to complete the request, or, in some cases, to explore possible alternatives. If the review determines that the request is resource-intensive, further action on the request does not occur until the results of the review have been discussed with the Director and/or the Associate Director. One of these individuals will then determine the next action to be taken.

A request is referred to the Financial Records Committee or the Student Records Committee if it is deemed to impact a significant number of users. The appropriate Committee must then decide whether or not the request is appropriate or desirable and, if so, what its priority should be. The request is not acted upon by Information Technology Services until the appropriate Committee has approved it.

When an RFS has been completed or otherwise finalized (i.e., canceled or denied), the person to whom the request was assigned changes the "Status" of the RFS to the appropriate final code. If not "Completed," the assignee must include "Reasons" for canceling or denying the request. At this point, an electronic note is sent to the requestor indicating that the request has been finalized, along with any "Reasons" and "Comments" associated with that request. Similarly, if the RFS is placed in a "Suspended" state, the assignee must supply "Reasons" for this action; however, the requestor is not sent an electronic note for this or any other non-final status.

Appropriate notes regarding the programs, procedures, and jobs that were changed or added should be made by the assignee on the RFS record, using the "Comments" section and/or the "Notes" function.

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