Integrate Helpdesk with Outlook

Here's a way to integrate Helpdesk scheduled tasks with workers' Outlook calenders - so that these tasks appear in calenders as events.

1. Download and install the GeniusConnect database integration tool, by Genius@Work B.V. Although shareware, you will prefer the full version, which is not expensive. This software adds a toolbar to Outlook and will enable you to extract (or send) data from (or to) a database, which you can maintain in Outlook.
2. Then create a view in the Altiris_incidents database, along the lines of one created with the following SQL code....
   

   USE [Altiris_Incidents]
   GO
   /****** Object:  View [dbo].[Scheduled_incidents_for_outlook]    Script Date: 07/16/2006 16:59:59 ******/
   SET ANSI_NULLS ON
   GO
   SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
   GO
   
   Create View [dbo].[Scheduled_incidents_for_outlook]
   
   As
   
   Select 
   
   'Incident Number: ' + cast(workitem_number as varchar)+ ' - '+ workitem_title + ' - ' + assigned_to_worker_name as subject, 
   managed_object_location as Location, 
   'http://incit-altsvr1/aexhd/worker/default.aspx?cmd=viewItem&id='+ cast(workitem_number as varchar)+ ' ('+ workitem_status_lookup_value + ')' as Body,
   Contact_name as contacts,
   workitem_start_on as 'Start Time',
   workitem_due_on as 'Finish Time',
   workitem_created_on as 'Created Time'
   
   from workitem_current_view 
   
   where workitem_is_scheduled = 1 
   -- and workitem_status_lookup_ordinal<>6
   
   

3. Set up Genius@work at each calender to read this view, putting the subject as the event subject, contact as the contact name, start and finish times as start and finish times, the body as body text (which gives a link back to the incident), location as location etc.... Also set it up to automatically read this data on a regular schedule.

This automatically maintains a list of all the scheduled events in calenders...including reminders etc., and works a treat. Of course, you can manipulate this to meet your particular requirements.

Hope this is useful.
Steve