Known Error Record

The details of each Known Error are recorded in a Known Error Record stored in the Known Error Database (KEDB). Known errors exist because the fix is temporary. The known error database consists of records where a permanent solution does not exist, but a workaround does. For a known error record, if a permanent solution was to be implemented, then the record can be expunged or archived for evidence. Known error records with an implemented permanent solution must not be a part of the KEDB in principle.

A Known Error record contains:

• status (e.g. “Archived” or “Recorded Problem” when Known Error is created, but root cause and workaround are not known yet)
• error description – content of this field is used for searching through Known Errors (e.g. by Service Desk staff or users) while searching for incident/problem resolution (e.g. “Printer does not print after sending a document to the printer. However, when printing a status page locally on the printer, everything works fine.”)
• root cause – entered by Incident/Problem Management staff (e.g. “Since printer does not accept documents to be printed from user computers, but prints out status report – a faulty network card is the cause of the problem.”)
• workaround – e.g. “Closest printer to the user should be set as default printer or user should be instructed which device to use until new printer is provided.”