What is ITSM?
ITSM (IT Service Management) is simply the way an IT department organizes its work to keep everything in order and deliver support efficiently. In practice, ITSM defines how requests reach the right people, how they are resolved, and how IT assets are managed within the organization. It’s not a theory - it’s the daily reality of every company where IT supports users. Systems like Codenica ITSM + ITAM help implement ITSM principles automatically: registering tickets, assigning tasks, tracking statuses, and keeping communication structured. This ensures transparency and helps users feel their issues are handled professionally.
What is ITAM?
ITAM (IT Asset Management) means managing all IT assets of a company - computers, software, licenses, phones, printers, and other equipment. The goal is to know what you own, where it is, who uses it, and what it costs to maintain. Codenica ITSM + ITAM automates this process - every computer, license, and software record includes its full description and history. With the free Codenica PC Audit Scanner, you can perform IT audits across the entire company without leaving your desk. It makes asset management easy, eliminating the need for spreadsheets or manual hardware tracking.
Help Desk vs. Service Desk - what’s the difference?
Many people use these terms interchangeably, but they’re not the same. A Help Desk focuses on quick, reactive support - password resets, printer issues, or network problems. A Service Desk covers a broader scope, managing not just incidents but also changes, service requests, and recurring problems. In short, the help desk puts out fires, while the service desk prevents them. In Codenica ITSM + ITAM, both functions are combined - tickets are handled in real time, and the collected data helps improve IT processes across the organization.
What is a Ticketing System?
A ticketing system organizes all user requests - every issue, question, or task becomes a structured ticket that can be tracked from start to finish. Nothing gets lost in emails, and users always know the current status of their request. In Codenica ITSM + ITAM, tickets can be created automatically from incoming emails or directly through the client portal. This approach removes communication chaos and ensures clear, traceable interaction between users and IT teams.
Ticket structure and functional groups
Each ticket in the system is divided into functional groups that organize work and make the process of resolving requests transparent and consistent. All ticket-related information is stored in one place, making it easy to manage and monitor.
- Basic - includes the most important data such as status, priority, category, requester, assigned agent, watchers, and ticket location.
- Conversations - stores all correspondence with the requester. Each reply here is automatically sent by email, and any email response from the requester is imported into this section.
- Assets - links the ticket with specific IT assets (computers, devices, software) and documents such as invoices, warranties, or contracts.
- Relations - shows connections to other elements like related tickets, changes, problems, or releases (within the Service Desk processes).
- Notes - allows adding private or public notes related to the ticket. Private notes are visible only to agents, while public ones can be seen by the requester.
- Tasks - used to break down work into smaller tasks, assign them to specific people, and track progress.
- Requests - defines what items or services need to be purchased or ordered to fulfill the ticket (e.g., hardware, software licenses).
- Approvals - creates approval cards for requests, allowing designated users to confirm purchases or actions, ensuring financial and operational control.
- Work Hours - records the time spent on each stage or task within the ticket.
- Activity Log - automatically tracks all actions and updates related to the ticket, creating a complete change history.
What is a Client Portal?
The Client Portal is a space where employees or external clients can log in to report issues, track their tickets, and view related assets or documents. Everything runs in a web browser - no installation needed. It serves as a communication hub where users can add comments, upload files, and check who is handling their request. In Codenica ITSM + ITAM, the client portal is integrated with the knowledge base and chat, so many issues can be resolved by users themselves - before contacting IT support.
The Client Portal (screenshot example with a fictional company Oriale) allows employees or external clients to log in and interact directly with the IT support team. Users can browse their tickets, create new ones, monitor progress, access the knowledge base, and communicate via chat or internal messages. The portal serves as a central collaboration space between users and IT, providing full transparency and efficiency in support operations.
What is a Knowledge Base?
A Knowledge Base is a structured collection of articles, guides, and procedures that help solve common IT issues. It allows users to find answers on their own before submitting a ticket. For IT teams, it’s a major time-saver - instead of explaining the same thing repeatedly, they can share a link to a specific article. In Codenica ITSM + ITAM, the knowledge base can be internal (for employees) or public (for clients). Over time, it becomes a valuable documentation center and a shared knowledge source for the entire organization.
The Knowledge Base in Codenica is a structured area where your company can store articles, guides, and procedures related to IT operations. It’s available both for employees and clients, helping them solve common problems independently. A well-organized knowledge base shortens response times, reduces IT workload, and ensures consistent service standards across the organization.
What is ITIL?
ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is a set of proven best practices describing how to organize IT service management effectively. It’s not a specific system, but a globally recognized framework developed from the experience of thousands of organizations. ITIL covers processes like incident, change, and release management - ensuring service quality and consistency. In Codenica ITSM + ITAM, many ITIL-based principles are built in: ticket handling, changes, problems, and releases follow ITIL logic automatically, allowing even small companies to operate using professional IT standards.