SLA targets explained

An SLA target is a clock. It starts when something happens on the ticket, can pause, and stops when the target is met.

The five metrics

• First reply: Starts when the ticket is created. Stops at the first public reply from an agent.
• Next reply: Starts when the customer replies. Stops at the next public agent reply. It runs again after every customer reply, so a ticket can have several cycles (#1, #2 and so on).
• Periodic update: Measures the time between public agent replies while the ticket is unsolved.
• Requester wait: Measures how long the ticket is unsolved, but pauses while it is Pending, because then you are waiting for the customer.
• Resolution (agent work time): Measures how long the ticket is unsolved, but pauses while it is Pending or On-hold.

When clocks pause

• Pending pauses Requester wait and Resolution.
• On-hold pauses Resolution.
• With business hours, every clock pauses outside the schedule’s opening hours and on holidays.

Statuses of a target

Status	Means
Running	The clock is on.
Paused	The clock stopped for now.
Achieved	The target was met in time.
Breached	The time ran out. The clock keeps counting so you see by how much.
Cancelled	The target no longer applies, for example the policy changed.

When the policy changes

ChaosDesk checks the policies again when the ticket is updated. If its priority or group changes, it can get another policy or other targets. Achieved and breached results stay in the ticket’s SLA history.

Related

• SLA policies
• Business hours and holidays
• Track SLA performance