ConnectWise PSA™​ add Initial Descriptions to Alert Notifications

This guide will walk you through the process of obtaining the initial description from ConnectWise PSA™ to include in your alert notifications. The goal is to retrieve the initial description and incorporate it into the notification. ConnectWise's API does not automatically provide the initial description, so we need to manually retrieve it for more detailed incident information. Our solution involves executing a GET call for the initial description whenever an alert is created, and then using a workflow to send that initial description.

Create a Custom Field to Store Initial Descriptions

1. Go to Configuration and navigate to Administration.

2. Click on Standard Alert under Custom Alert Fields.

3. Click on Add.

4. Name the field "Initial Description" or "CWM Description".

5. Set the data type to long string.

6. Select a group if you have one for your CWM custom fields.

7. Click Submit to save.

Configure Outbound Integration

1. Go to Configuration and select Integrations.

2. Scroll down to Outbound Integrations.

3. Create a new outbound by clicking Add Outbound or edit the generic service desk template:

   • Name it "ConnectWise Manage Manual Methods" or "CWM API".

   • Set the Security Type to none.

   • Click Submit to save.

Create an API Call to Retrieve the Initial Description

1. Click on Add Method.

2. Name the Method: "Get Initial Description".

3. Set the Request Method to: "GET".

4. Input the URI:

   • https://<your-subdomain>.connectwisedev.com/v4_6_release/apis/3.0/service/tickets/<<MessageThread.SourceIdentifier>>/notes

5. Select the Checkbox: "Update Alert Fields".

6. Request Data: No request data is needed.

7. Response Data: Copy and paste the following into the response data field:

   • [{"text":"<<Attribute.Initial Description>>"}]

   • Ensure you input the exact name of the custom field you created (found in the list of options on the right). You can drag and drop it into the response data.

8. Add Headers:

   • ClientId: Format: "ClientId" (C and I are uppercase, the rest are lowercase with no spaces). The key will be provided by support.

   • Authorization: Use the CW API member public & private key to generate the base 64 key.

     • Format: companyid+publickey:privatekey

     • Use Base64 Encode to generate this value.

     • Input the string to the header value including "Basic". Example: Basic <encoded key>

9. Save the Method.

Clone the Escalation Policy for ConnectWise Integration

1. Navigate to Configuration and then Escalation Policies.

2. Open the relevant escalation policy you are currently using for the inbound ConnectWise integration (retrieving the ticket).

3. Clone the Escalation Policy by clicking on Clone in the top right corner.

4. Add a Name for the cloned escalation policy and click Submit.

Important Note: Cloning the escalation policy ensures clarity and separation, preventing potential issues with workflow loops by avoiding the use of the same escalation that triggers the workflow within the workflow.

Create a Workflow to Send the Initial Description

1. Navigate to Configuration and then Workflows.

2. Add a New Workflow:

   • Click on Add Workflow.

   • Name the workflow “Send alert with initial description”.

   • Set the Type to Alert and the Alert Type to Standard Alert.

   • Click Submit.

3. Define Matching Criteria:

   • Click on Add to the right of Match All.

   • From the dropdown, select the custom field we created.

   • Set the condition to "is changed".

   • Click the green checkmark to save.

4. Add an Action:

   • Click Add Action and select Send Message for the action.

   • Select the cloned escalation policy from the Escalation Policy dropdown.

   • Select the on-call group from the Groups dropdown.

   • Customize the Message:

     • In the message text area, drag and drop the custom field created for the initial description.

     • Customize the message as desired.

5. Save and Enable the Workflow:

   • Click on Update in the top right corner and enable the workflow.

   • Click the green check mark to save.

Create a Workflow to Trigger Get Initial Description Method

1. Navigate to Configuration and then Workflows.

2. Add a New Workflow:

   • Click on Add Workflow.

   • Name the workflow “Get Initial Description”.

   • Set the Type to Alert and the Alert Type to Standard Alert.

   • Check the box next to Scheduled and leave Recurrence empty.

   • Click Submit.

3. Define Matching Criteria:

   • Click on Add to the right of Match All.

     • From the dropdown, select AlertStatus

     • Set the condition to "is" and the value to “Open”

     • Click the green checkmark to save.

   • Click on Add to the right of Match All.

     • From the dropdown, select TimeFromBegining(Minutes)

     • Set the condition to "is" and the value to “1”

     • Click the green checkmark to save.

4. Add an Action:

   • Click Add Action and select Outbound Service Notification for the action.

   • Select the API call/method we created to get the initial description from the Web Method dropdown.

   • Click Submit to save

5. Save and Enable the Workflow:

   • Click on Update in the top right corner and enable the workflow.

   • Click the green check mark to save.

Configure the Escalation Policy to Use Workflows

1. Navigate to Configuration and select Escalation Policies.

2. Open the original escalation policy (not the cloned one).

3. Expand the Automation tab.

4. Add Workflows:

   1. Click the Add Workflow button and select the “Send Alert With Initial Description” workflow, then save.

   2. Click the Add Workflow button again and select the “Get Initial Description” workflow, then save.

Explanation: This setup ensures that when an alert is created, it first retrieves the initial description and then uses the workflow to send the alert using the cloned escalation policy.

Note: If you want to notify only through specific methods like Teams and push notifications, ensure that the cloned escalation policy includes these methods.

By following these steps, you will successfully integrate initial descriptions from ConnectWise PSA™ into your alert notifications.