AITS Service Desk - Additional Support Info

• Easy fixes to the most commonly reported problems

  • First we highly recommend trying these suggestions before contacting us. These are common fixes that solve the majority of problems that customers call us to report:

    1. Clear your browser cache and cookies. This solves a wide variety of issues the most common of which is the incorrect NetID or password error.
    2. Check the University of Illinois Status Page to see if the problem has already been reported. Widespread issues for most services will be communicated and updated here.
    3. If you need to reset your password, use your recovery options.
    4. Check your network and VPN settings. If you're on WiFi, make sure you are connected to the correct wireless network. Verify your VPN connection, if needed. 
    5. Check all physical connections to make sure they are securely connected. Often times a loose cable or connector (power, network, keyboard, mouse, speaker, monitor cable, etc.) is the cause of the problem.
    6. Restart your computer. Still a surprisingly simple and effective way to quickly get back up and running again.
    7. Look for a Help function within the program. The online Help in most programs can provide how-to explanations and solutions to common problems.
    8. Verify your computer meets the listed system requirements for the application.
    9. Consult with your local system or network administrator. If there is someone in your area who maintains your computers, consult with them for advice on whether you should contact the AITS Service Desk.
    10. Search the University of Illinois KnowledgeBase at https://answers.uillinois.edu for help with your problem. Many general and specific computing solutions are available on these sites.
• How to diagnose your problem
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    1. Are others nearby having a similar problem? If so, the problem likely is not with your computer or your account. Refer to the University of Illinois Status page to see if the issue has already been reported. If not, contact us.
    2. Has it ever worked correctly?   If so, consider the last time it worked and what has changed on your computer since then. Have any changes been made to your account or your records recently? Often times, the last thing that changed on the computer or your account is the source of the given problem.
    3. Is this is the only problem you are having?   Try a couple of other things from your computer to see if anything else is broken. Knowing whether the problem is an isolated problem or part of a series of problems helps to understand the magnitude of what needs to be fixed.
    4. Can you consistently recreate the issue, or does it occur randomly?   Random and/or intermittent problems are usually more difficult to diagnose and fix. But if a problem occurs at a specific time and you can reproduce the problem, you will be able to isolate the problem and consider the factors involved, which may lead you to a solution.
    5. Does it work from another web browser?   Try another browser such as Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox. If it works in another browser, then the problem may be related to cache or cookies or some other configuration issue specific to the browser where it doesn't work.
• Questions we may ask when you contact the AITS Service Desk
  

  We want to understand what you are trying to accomplish so we can serve you in the best way possible. We will ask you questions like these:

  1. What are you trying to get done?
  2. For identification purposes, we will ask for your UIN and NetID
  3. Which campus are you affiliated with? Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, Springfield?
  4. What is your affiliation? Are you a student, employee, vendor, etc.?
  5. If you are getting an error, what is the exact wording of the error? This is often critical to determining the solution.
  6. Can you send us a full screenshot of what you see?
  7. If you can reproduce the problem, give us a step-by-step description of how you're arriving at the issue.
  8. What kind of desktop or laptop computer or mobile device are you using?
  9. Microsoft Windows or Apple OS X?
  10. Which web browser are you using? Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari?
  11. How are you accessing the application? A bookmark, a saved link, or via another website?
  12. Phone number or email address where you would like to be reached?
• Referring customers to the AITS Service Desk
  1. If you have a customer on the phone that needs support from AITS, a "warm" transfer of the customer is preferred. Explain the problem to us on behalf of the customer and recap any troubleshooting steps taken. The best customer service experience is when the customer is gracefully handed off, as opposed to a cold or blind transfer, or worse - simply giving them our phone number to call and hanging up.
  2. When referring customers via email, you can send an email on behalf of the customer. Simply indicate the customer's name and NetID and we will make sure to communicate with both you and the customer through the ticket that we create.

Contact AITS Service Desk online through your university Help Center

Contact us via Service Catalog

Contact us via phone

See Also:

• AITS Service Desk - Contacting Us