Your ticket is with the supplier. What happens next?

Passing a ticket to a supplier is only the start. You also want the correct customer and device details to travel with it, the supplier to receive usable information and your service desk to know what happens next. Otherwise, the connection exists but the manual work remains.

From forwarding to collaboration

With HD2HD or another supplier interface, start with the working agreements. What information is required? Which party owns each field? Which status comes back? With Service Automation Suite, we bring these agreements together in a configured exchange between your service desk and its suppliers.

One service environment can work with several suppliers. A service provider can also receive tickets from several customer environments. Each relationship has its own data boundaries and actions. The parties do not all need to use the same system or follow an identical workflow.

Get the data right first

A TOPdesk field does not automatically match a supplier field. Categories may differ, a customer reference may be missing or a device may be registered differently. Together, we agree which source is authoritative and how to translate and validate the information.

• Customer and device: agree how to identify the correct organisation, location and machine, for example using an agreed customer reference or serial number.
• Description and priority: map the description, category and urgency to what the supplier needs.
• Data boundaries: share only the agreed information. Internal notes and attachments should not automatically become external messages.

Bring the response back

In the configured exchange, we link the original ticket to the other party’s reference. Agreed updates, statuses and replies can then return to the correct ticket. Where the interface supports it, this includes the external ticket number and a link to the corresponding record.

Repeated messages need attention too. Resending a request should not unintentionally create a second ticket. A status change must not trigger an endless exchange of updates. We therefore agree how to recognise existing tickets, which changes to pass on and how to handle repeated messages.

Make exceptions visible

An unknown device or a missing required field needs a clear next action. We configure the checks, error reporting and responsibility for exceptions. A technically accepted request is not the same as a ticket that has been resolved.

We start with one defined route. Together, we test creation, updates, responses and the important exceptions. Once that works, we extend the approach to other suppliers or customer environments. You retain visibility of the agreements and the work that still needs attention.

For example: TOPdesk and Canon through HD2HD

Looking to exchange tickets with Canon? We first review the HD2HD interface, message specification and access agreements applicable to your service. These determine which fields, references and responses can be configured. This is not a claim of an already validated, standard Canon connector: the specific connection needs to be confirmed with the parties involved.

The principle also applies to other suppliers and service management tools: less retyping, less chasing for status and clear ownership of the next action. Service Automation Suite supports the configuration of that collaboration; available interface functions and agreed responsibilities determine the exchange.

In practice: Steltix

Steltix uses Service Automation Suite for collaboration between service environments. Its customer story describes the move from separate ticket connections to a reusable configuration with field mapping, status exchange and central error analysis. Everyone continues working in their own environment. This is a relevant example of service collaboration, not evidence of a Canon/HD2HD connection.

Read how Steltix organises service collaboration · Explore more customer stories

Explore the Canon integration example

Make your supplier workflow work

Show us an example ticket and the available interface documentation, without sharing passwords or real personal information. Together, we can define a suitable first step.

Discuss your supplier connection · Integrate from TOPdesk · Collaborate with Collaboration Composer

Further reading

TOPdesk itself provides action sequences for communication with other applications and a TOPdesk-to-TOPdesk Link. Service Automation Suite can help when data mapping, several parties and follow-up need to be configured together. See TOPdesk’s explanation of action sequences and the TOPdesk-to-TOPdesk Link.