Extension Callout (Tickets)

SECURITY  Security level with Admin permission to configure Other Extensions & Tools. Refer to Admin security settings.

NAVIGATION   > Admin > Extensions & Integrations > Other Extensions & Tools > Extension Callout (Tickets)

Extension callouts provide data for automatic (round trip) ticket closure for third party Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) application integrations. They store authentication and format information provided by the remote monitoring application service provider. The Autotask Web Services API uses that information to send data directly to the remote monitoring application.

Extension callouts are triggered by service desk workflow rules. The workflow rules are triggered by specific ticket-related events, for example, a ticket closure or update. When a qualifying event occurs, the remote monitoring software receives the data it needs to close or update tickets in its system without pulling the information from Autotask or requiring a customized Autotask solution.

You add and manage extension callouts from the Extension Callout (for Tickets) page.

For details on list menu options, refer to Managing lists and tables.

Workflow rules automatically perform certain actions when specific events happen and conditions are met. One of the actions a Service Desk workflow rule can perform is to trigger an extension callout.

The association of workflow rules with extension callouts allows you to trigger extension callouts when needed, and only when needed. You can create one or more workflow rules to associate with an extension callout to trigger the callout whenever different events occur. Refer to Then Execute Extension Callout:.

IMPORTANT  When Autotask moved control of extension callouts to workflow rules, to ensure continuity of existing functionality, basic ticket event workflow rules were automatically created and associated with any existing extension callouts in your Autotask instance. Users can, of course, edit those workflow rules if desired.
New extension callouts must be associated with a workflow rule. Refer to Step 2: Add a workflow rule to trigger the extension callout.

You can use Autotask ticket User-Defined Fields (UDFs) to filter which tickets will trigger the extension callout response. When the extension callout specifies a Service Desk UDF, the callout is triggered only for tickets that have a value in that UDF. There is no limit on the number of extension callouts you can create, so you can set up separate extension callouts for different UDFs and for multiple remote monitoring applications.

The notification feature allows you to automatically notify one or more of your resources whenever a ticket triggers the callout response. You can also choose to notify resources only if there is an Extension Callout failure.

NOTE  If the workflow rule only triggers the extension callout response, no note is added to the ticket.

Data sent Description
id TicketID: can use to identify the ticket when making a subsequent Web service call back to Autotask.
number TicketNumber: can be used in the Autotask UI to locate the ticket.
status TicketStatus: the current status of the ticket.
created_datetime TicketCreatedDateTime: the date and time the ticket was created. Time is reported in Eastern time.
last_activity_datetime TicketLastActivityDateTime: Time is reported in Eastern time.
domain The client's Autotask login domain
udf TicketUDFValue (Note that extension callouts work only with UDFs where Data Type = String).

For samples of possible data formats, refer to Data format samples.

Before you can use an extension callout to enable round trip ticket closure, the RMM integration service provider's API must be set up to use the data provided by Autotask. You must ensure that:

  • The integration uses the Autotask Web Services API for automatic ticket creation in Autotask.
  • The integration's API can use the data string provided by Autotask to complete the ticket closure.
  • The integration service provider can provide the authentication and format information needed to complete the Extension Callout.

If your integration service provider has questions concerning the technical requirements, contact Kaseya Helpdesk.

When adding a new extension callout, you must complete 2 steps. First add the extension callout. Next, add or edit a workflow rule to trigger the extension callout.

When editing an existing extension callout, one or more workflow rules should already be associated with the callout. If not, you will need to complete Step 2.

  1. To open the page, use the path(s) in the Security and navigation section above.
  2. Click New Extension Callout, or click a callout or right-click and select Edit Extension Callout.
  3. Populate or edit the following fields:
Field Description
General Tab
Name (Required) Required. Enter a name for the extension callout. This name will appear in the Extension Callout page list.
Active Selected (Active) by default. Clear the check box if you want the extension callout to be inactive. Inactive callouts appear in the list but are not available for use.
URL (required) Required. The URL used to access the remote monitoring service API, as provided by the remote monitoring service provider .
Username The username used to authenticate to the remote monitoring service API as provided by the service provider.
Password The password used to authenticate to the remote monitoring service API as provided by the service provider. The password is masked and encrypted, and not visible to the API user when inspecting the Extension Callout on edit and when creating a new Extension Callout.
Ticket User-Defined Field When you select a User-Defined Field, the extension call will be triggered only for tickets that contain data in the selected UDF.

NOTE   The menu contains only UDFs with string type data. Numeric type UDFs do not appear. For additional information on UDFs, refer to Managing user-defined fields.
HTTP Transport Method The transport method required by the remote monitoring service API, as provided by the integration service provider. Note that the selection made here will impact the three fields below. Refer to the table to the right for a description of the valid combinations available for the two HTTP transport method options, GET and POST.

The following table describes the interaction between the HTTP Transport Method, Data Format, Method Name, and SOAP Action fields.

HTTP Transport Method Data Format Method Name SOAP Action
GET Name Value Pair Disabled Disabled
POST Name Value Pair Disabled Disabled
POST XML-RPC Enabled Disabled
POST SOAP Enabled Enabled
Data Format The data format required by the remote monitoring service API, as provided by the integration service provider. Refer to the table to the right for a description of the interaction with the HTTP transport method, method name, and SOAP action fields.
Method Name The name of the method that will be called on the Remote Monitoring Service server, as provided by the integration service provider. Refer to the table to the right for a description of the interaction with the HTTP transport method, method name, and SOAP action fields.
SOAP Action Data for the HTTP Request Header that must be sent when the data format is SOAP, as provided by the integration service provider. This field is enabled only when the data format is SOAP.
Do not generate e-mail notification unless a failure is detected.

Select this check box to send email notification only if the extension callout fails.

IMPORTANT  Make sure to select a recipient on the Notification tab.
Workflow Rules The Extension Callout will only execute when an associated workflow rule fires.
Workflow Rule Name

NOTE  An extension callout must be associated with a Workflow Rule that has been set up to trigger the extension callout.

This tab is automatically populated with the name of one or more workflow rules that have been configured to trigger the callout.
For new extension callouts, you must create or edit a workflow rule and set the rule to trigger this callout.
Refer to Step 2: Add a workflow rule to trigger the extension callout.
Active Indicates whether the workflow rule is active. Inactive workflow rules do not fire.
Notification Tab
Notification Click one or more check boxes to select Autotask resources to receive notification when the Extension Callout is triggered. If the resource has multiple email options, select the preferred options.

NOTE   If you selected the "Do not generate emails unless..." check box on the General tab, resources receive notification only if the extension callout fails.

  1. Click Save & Close.
  2. If you need to set up a workflow rule trigger, go to Step 2.

You can edit an existing workflow rule to trigger the extension callout, or create a new rule. If you are unfamiliar with Autotask workflow rules, you can get your extension callouts up and running with a very simple workflow rule. The basic rule will trigger the extension callout for the ticket related events specified in the table below.

You can return if you like at a later time to edit the rule and refine the conditions that trigger the extension callout. Refer to Adding, editing, and copying workflow rules.

  1. Navigate to > Admin > Automation > Workflow Rules > Workflow Rules > Workflow Rules.
  2. On the Service Desk tab, click New.
  3. Set up the new workflow rule as described below.
Field Description
General
Workflow Rule Name Enter a descriptive name.
Active Check Box Note that the Active check box is selected, and the workflow rule will go into effect as soon as you save it.
Description Enter a description that indicates what the rule accomplishes.
Documentation URL If you have a document with text or diagrams that explain how this workflow rule works in your company's process, enter a link to it here.
Events
Events
 Select the first four check boxes: Created by Anyone, Edited by Anyone, Note Added by Anyone, Time Added by Anyone.
Conditions
No conditions are needed for this workflow rule. Do not select anything.
Time Sensitive
Time Sensitive settings should not be applied to this workflow rule. Do not select anything.
Updates
No updates are needed for this workflow rule. Do not select anything.
Actions
Then Execute Extension Callout:

Select the newly created Extension Callout from the list.
Add Ticket to Primary Resource’s Work List This check box does not apply to Extension Callouts. Leave it cleared.
Actions: Create To-Do(s)
No To-Dos are needed for this workflow rule. Do not select anything.
Actions: Create Ticket Note

Actions: Create Ticket Note

Optionally, select this to add a note to the ticket.

Publish To

Select who can view the note. Refer to Publish To - Notes.

Append to Resolution

Select this option to have the content of the note appended to the text in the Resolution field of the ticket.

Title

Enter a title for the note.

Description

Enter the text of the note.
  1. Click Save and Close.
  2. Return to the Extension Callout and check that the workflow rule appears on the Workflow Rules tab. The workflow rule must be active to trigger the extension callout.

NOTE  If you selected a UDF when you set up the Extension Callout, the Callout will only be triggered by tickets that have a value in the selected UDF.

The following samples are examples of different data format types that might be used by Remote Monitoring Service integrations that are using Extension Callouts.

Name Value

id=8176&number=T20211120.0001&status=New&created_datetime=2021-11-20T10:43:34.9030000-05:00&last_activity_datetime=2022-03-25T11:23:58.6100000-04:00&domain=DEV3.COM&udf=MY_UDF_VALUE

Soap

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<soap:Envelope xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:soap="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/">

<soap:Body>

<#METHODNAME xmlns="NAMESPACE">

<id>8176</id>

<number>T20211120.0001</number>

<status>New</status>

<created_datetime>2021-11-20T10:43:34.9030000-05:00</created_datetime>

<last_activity_datetime>2022-03-25T11:23:58.6100000-04:00</last_activity_datetime>

<domain>DEV.COM</domain>

<udf>MY_UDF_VALUE</udf>

</#METHODNAME>

</soap:Body>

</soap:Envelope>

 

Where NAMESPACE = #SOAPACTION.Replace(#METHODNAME, '')

 

ie. #SOAPACTION = "http://tempuri.org/MyWebMethod"

#METHODNAME = MyWebMethod

NAMESPACE = "http://tempuri.org"

XMLRPC

The Extension Callout Get or Post requests can return success and error codes. The success response value is 200; error response values are 4xx and 5xx.

On error, Autotask will retry every 60 seconds for up to 10 tries. This time frame allows the call to be received if a service is temporarily unavailable or a brief internet outage occurs.

IMPORTANT  Make sure to select a recipient on the Notification tab.