[NCLUG] Request Tracker (was: NCLUG HackingSociety Meeting Minutes, 2002-03-26)

[Evelyn Mitchell]

* On 2002-03-27 20:49 Michael Dwyer <mdwyer at sixthdimension.com> wrote:
> > =======================
> > Evelyn Mitchell:
> > 
> > Attempting to install the new Double-Chocco-Latte (DCL), a time tracking
> > program.  It wasn't well documented, so she didn't get very far.  Took a
> > look at installing Request-Tracker, but it requires some things she didn't
> > have installed, again didn't get very far.
> 
> For what it is worth, I've used RT for a couple of years, now.  For a
> light-weight request tracking system, it is unbeatable.  I use it to
> track requests to IT.  "Got a problem?  Send mail to helpme at example.com"

I prefer something with better reporting, so we use DCL in house. That's
not a good choice, though, because it doesn't work with Mozilla. I have yet
to find a system that supports the sort of workflow we use, with regular
reviews and rescheduling of outstanding items. DCL is better than any of
the rest for that, but its still not perfect. It stores everything in a
database, but many of the field sizes are too small. The design isn't as
focused as I would like. For example, he added Tickets as kind of light
weight workorder, but then didn't document them, even though they were
given more prominence in the user interface.

I've looked at RT for several years, and for a lot of places its great. The
email submission of new items is very smooth, and the reporting is pretty
good. 

None of the systems I've evaluated have configurable workflow (most of them
have one built in workflow). That would be very nice to have. The process
of resolving a software bug is different than the process of doing a
software upgrade, which is different than the process of doing regular
maintenance. I'll probably have to write something myself :)


-- 
Regards,                    tummy.com, ltd 
Evelyn Mitchell             Linux Consulting since 1995
efm at tummy.com               Senior System and Network Administrators
                            http://www.tummy.com/