1. Support Management
  2. Setting Up Case Management
  3. Setting Case Escalation Rules and Assignments

Setting Case Escalation Rules and Assignments

Set up escalation rules and assignments to ensure that high priority cases are routed to the correct person at the right time.

With escalation rules, you set criteria to search cases. You then create escalation assignments to group these rules. When a case matches the criteria you set, it is automatically assigned to the person or group you have selected for the escalation assignment.

Wolfe Electronics sells a warranty plan that guarantees the customers' cases will be resolved within 24 hours. They set up an escalation rule that uses their custom warranty field on customer records. They create an additional rule that includes all cases that have been open greater than or equal to 12 hours.

Note:

Case escalations are processed by NetSuite in five minute intervals. Any case escalation rules based on shorter time periods may not be processed when expected.

Case Escalation Rules

To set up case escalation rules, an administrator must enable the Automated Case Escalation feature. Go to Setup > Company > Setup Tasks > Enable Features. On the CRM subtab, check the Automated Case Escalation box and then click Save.

To create a case escalation rule:

  1. Go to Setup > Support > Escalation Rules > New..

  2. Choose the field on the case record or the customer's record you want to base your rule on.

    With escalation rules, you can base escalation on the following amounts of time:

    • Since the case was created

    • Since it was last modified by the customer

    • Since it was last modified by someone in your account

  3. Create a name for your escalation rule. You will choose this name when you group rules into assignments.

  4. If needed, you can enter a brief description of this rule.

  5. In the Criteria field, select terms for your search.

    You may also need to make selections in the field(s) below based on the case record field you are using for this rule.

  6. Depending on the case record field you are basing the rule on, you may be able to set subcriteria for this rule:

    1. Select Match All Conditions to have a case meet all the subcriteria you set to be escalated based on this rule.

      Select Match Any Conditions to have a case meet any one of the subcriteria you set to be escalated based on this rule.

    2. In the Sub-Criteria column, select terms for your criteria.

    3. In the next column, enter or select criteria, and click Add.

  7. Click Save to save your rule.

For example, you have a group of customers who have purchased a warranty plan. If they submit a case, it will be resolved within 24 hours. You can set up an escalation rule that includes every customer in this group. Then create a rule for duration since case creation of greater than equal to 12 hours. You then create a case escalation assignment that includes both rules and assign it to a support team devoted to resolving high priority cases.

Note:

To exclude cases from escalation based on rules, you must create rules to include only open cases and cases created after today.

Case Escalation Assignments

Case escalation assignments use rules to determine how cases are escalated and who they are escalated to.

Before you set up an escalation assignment, you should create escalation rules. For more information, see Case Escalation Rules.

Wolfe Electronics creates a case escalation assignment. It includes a rule for customers who have purchased a warranty. It also includes a rule for cases that have been open for greater than or equal to 12 hours. They then assign it to a support team devoted to resolving high priority cases.

To set up a case escalation assignment:

  1. Go to Setup > Support > Manage Escalation Assignments > New.

  2. On the Escalation Assignment page, enter a name for this assignment.

  3. Enter a description for this assignment.

  4. Select Match All Rules if you want cases to match the criteria in all rules you select to be escalated by this assignment.

    Select Match Any Rule if you want cases to match any of the criteria in the rules you select to be escalated by this assignment.

  5. On the Configure Rule Definitions subtab, select a rule, and click Add.

  6. Continue adding rules if needed, and click Add after each rule.

    Note:

    To exclude cases from escalation based on rules, you must create rules to include only open cases and cases created after today.

  7. On the Escalation Assignment subtab, select the person or group cases that fall into the rules for this assignment should be escalated to.

  8. Click Add.

  9. Continue adding individuals or groups if needed, and click Add after each.

    Cases are distributed evenly to all the individuals and groups listed.

  10. Click Save.

After you set up escalation assignments, you can prioritize them. Priorities determine which assignment a case should be classified in if it matches rules for more than one assignment.

You can change the priorities on the Manage Escalation Assignments page by clicking the handlebars next to an assignment and dragging it up or down. The first assignment in the list in the list is the first assignment a case is sifted through. To view the rules for an assignment or make changes to an assignment, click its name in the Territory column.

Related Topics

General Notices