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(2024.2) Creating an Escalation

Owned by David Engblom
Apr 16, 2024
4 min read



Build an Escalation

To build an Escalation that will use a Notification:

  1. Go to Admin > Escalations/Notifications > Escalations.

  2. Click the Add button to open the Escalation builder form:

    Add New Escalation form example
    Add New Escalation form example

  3. In the Escalation form, fill in the Required fields:

  4. Escalation Name: Give the Escalation a meaningful name.

  5. "Workflow Assigned & Manager Follow-up".

  6. Start Event: Select a System, User-Defined, or SNMP Event that will begin the Escalation.

  7. Must match the Event for the Notification we'll use: "ServiceDesk Item Workflow Assigned".

  8. Add an Abort Event:

  9. From the Abort Events list, check "'"

  10. Sequences: On the Sequences tab, add at least 1 Sequence:

  11. Click the Add button on the grid's toolbar

  12. Fill in required fields:

  13. Sequence #: Any positive integer used to set the order of Sequence execution.

  14. Type: The type of action taken by the Sequence. (described here)

  15. Time To Wait: A time duration (e.g "1h 20m", "1h", "20m", "1", "1.5") that determines how long the Sequence waits to be executed on its turn.

  16. Depending on the Type you select, other Required and optional fields will appear.

  17. Click the Save New button.

  18. Continue adding Sequences by making changes in the form and clicking the smaller Save New button, or close the form.

  19. Close the form.



Build an Escalation with a Sequence Event

  1. On the Escalations screen, click the Add button to open the Escalation builder form:

  2. Fill in the required fields in the header area:

    1. Escalation Name: "Abort Escalations on SD Void"

    2. Start Event: "ServiceDesk Item Status Changed"

  3. Add a Sequence by clicking the Add button on the Sequence tab's grid.

    1. Set Sequence # of "100"

    2. Select Esc. Sequence Event as the Type

    3. Set a Time To Wait of "5m"

    4. Give the Event a unique name (all Sequence Events must have unique names from each other, regardless whether they appear on different Escalations)

      • "SD Item Voided"

    • NOTE: You may combine Sequence Events with other Sequence items, but keep in mind when using the Sequence Event to abort a different Escalation, timing of execution is a factor.

  4. Save the Sequence & close the Sequence form.

  5. Leave the Escalation form open for the next section.

Adding Criteria to the Escalation

Criteria narrow the conditions that allow an Escalation to begin its Sequence of actions by examining pieces of data from the triggering Event.

Sequence Events are most effective when coupled with Criteria, so you can narrow down the conditions that will generate the custom Event.

  1. Click the Criteria tab & click the Add button on the grid.

    • Description: "ServiceDesk Status VOID"

    • Data: select "SD_STATUS"

    • Comparison: select "Equal"

    • Sd Status Value (appears when you choose the Data option): select "Void".

    • Save the Criteria & close the Criteria form.

  2. Save the Escalation & close the Escalation form.

Using the Escalation Sequence Event

As An Abort Event

When the "Abort Escalations on SD Void" Escalation is started by a Service Desk status change of Void, the custom event will be generated. When that is triggered, it will find any running instances of "Worker Assigned Workflow Message" and mark them to abort.

  1. Re-open the "Worker Assigned Workflow Message" Escalation (double-click or single-click and click the Edit Selected button).

  2. Click the Abort Events list and scroll to the bottom. You'll see the custom "SD Item Voided" Event. Check it.

  3. Save the Escalation & close the form.

As A Notification Event

When the "Abort Escalations on SD Void" Escalation is started by a Service Desk status change of Void, it will send out this Notification. If you've also used the Sequence Event to abort other Escalations, both actions will occur.

You can send Notifications using the Sequence Events, but to do so you'll have to create a new Notification or make a copy of an existing one, because an existing Notification's Event designation can't be changed.

  1. Go to Admin > Escalations/Notifications > Notifications.

  2. Click the Add button or

    1. Double-click an existing to edit.

    2. Click theOptionsmenu, then "Copy to New Form".

  3. Open the Event list and find your Sequence Event at the bottom.

  4. Select it, complete the rest of the Notification, and click the Save New button.

With Custom Events

Escalations can be used with Custom Events, as well as the predefined System Events. For information on creating your own Events, see the article on Custom Events in this wiki.

Build an Escalation for interacting with a REST API

Using Escalations, your Organization can set up an interaction with an external REST API Endpoint.

  1. Create a Service Host for the REST API your Organization wants to communicate with.


  2. Create an Escalation to trigger the REST API. (This Example is using a QuickTick to communicate with the external REST API)

  3. Add a Sequence to the Escalation.


  4. Set the Escalation to Active and save.

  5. Create a Custom Event to handle the response data.

  6. Create an Escalation that will trigger from the event Escalations -> Response Received from Escalation REST API.

  7. Add a Sequence to the Escalation to refer the response data to a Custom Event.


  8. Set the Escalation to Active and save it.

Once this is complete, whenever the Escalation triggered within PCR-360 occurs, data will be sent to the External REST API Endpoint, and it's response will be handled by a second Escalation. This creates a new communication point between PCR-360 and an external service your Organization desires to add.