Support

BIDS Support Policy

This BIDS Product Support Policy Fact Sheet shows you how to report defects, how to ask questions about BIDS and how to suggest enhancements that will help your application.

Reporting a defect

A defect is a fault in the BIDS software.  If you have determined that there is a fault in the software you should log the defect with the Performa Support Team.  The Support Priority and Service Level Matrix at the end of this document provide guidelines on how to judge the priority of a defect, how to log it and what type of response you should expect.

When a defect is detected, follow these simple steps:

1.      Ensure that the defect incident has been processed through your normal problem resolution process.

2.      Report the defect:

a.      Priority 1 defect incidents call 1300 708 463 in Australia to speak directly with a member of the Performa Support Team.

b.      All defect incidents must be logged in Performa’s ServiceDesk On-line.

3.      Liaise with your support representative to resolve the issue.

Asking a question about using BIDS

If you wish to ask a question about how to perform a specific task ServiceDesk On-line provides the mechanism for you to do this:

Please do not use the dedicated support number to ask these type of questions as this number is reserved for raising high-priority incidents only.

ServiceDesk On-line

Using ServiceDesk On-line

Our on-line incident management application, ServiceDesk On-line, allows users to log or track a support issue, or report a defect. Log into ServiceDesk On-line at

http://servicedesk.performasolutions.com.au.

ServiceDesk On-line is the official primary medium to log and track issues.  You must use this facility for all calls that aren’t of an extremely urgent or critical nature - call us if an issue is very urgent (issues that fall under priority 1 or 2 conditions).

ServiceDesk On-line has been created to capture each issue as it occurs.  All opened incidents move through a number of steps and the process is fully tracked and documented within the incident.

When entering information ensure you:

1.      Include any screen dumps and other attachments to the issue, including:

a.      Error Logs

b.      Error pop-up messages

2.      Describe the steps you took to get to the point of failure, using the correct item labelling, tab and button labels and the task path in your description so that the service staff can accurately reproduce the error in their test environment.

3.      You must ALSO contact us by phone for Priority 1 and Priority 2 defects

4.      Re-visit the service manager on a regular basis to check on incident progress.

Service calls are assigned a priority by you and you are responsible for closing the issue.  You can review the status of the issue at any time – its status will be updated accordingly as the Support Team process the issue.  The content of issues raised in ServiceDesk On-line remains confidential and is only visible to you and to the Support Team.

Suggesting an enhancement

The Performa Support Team welcomes your suggestions and comments on BIDS.

Enhancement requests can be raised in ServiceDesk On-line – select Enhancement from the Category list.  You may also be invited to participate in discussions to help us choose the most useful new features for BIDS.

Software Upgrades

It is Performa’s intention that a major BIDS upgrade with significant new features will occur at least every 2 years.  Performa will provide either an automated migration tool or detailed instructions for migrating existing applications to a new major release.  The customer is responsible for all migration.

It is the customer’s responsibility to conduct acceptance testing to ensure that any release of the software (whether a major upgrade or a service pack) meets its requirements and performs as expected with the customer’s application(s).  Any issues detected during the customer’s acceptance testing should be raised in ServiceDesk On-line.  Performa will respond in accordance with the Priority Levels as described below.

Lifecycle – Support of each software release.

The lifecycle for each major release or version of the software is divided into three phases:

Phase I – Current Release

Phase I starts on the date the software is generally released and lasts for 6 months after the next major upgrade to the software.  If this is the final release of the software this phase finishes 18 months after the release of the final release of the software.

During this phase Performa will release regular service packs that will include corrections to defects and may contain enhancements and new features.

Performa will provide Incident resolution in accordance with the Priority Levels as outlined in the Support Priority and Service Level Matrix.

Phase II – Full Support

Phase II commences at the end of Phase I and lasts for 12 months.

During this phase Performa will release regular service packs that will include corrections to defects but not enhancements or new features.

Performa will provide Incident resolution in accordance with the Priority Levels as outlined in the Support Priority and Service Level Matrix.

Phase III – Extended Support

Phase III commences at the end of Phase II and lasts for 3 years.

During this phase Performa will provide hot fix defect resolution for Priority 1 issues only.

Additional support services may be available during this phase under normal professional services arrangements; however Performa ceases development of the software during this phase and does not normally release any additional features or service packs during this phase.

The end of the extended support phase marks the software end of life.

Standard Service Levels

Inclusions

The standard* BIDS Maintenance Contract includes:

·        Access to Beacon’s online incident tracking system, ServiceDesk On-line.  All issues with BIDS are to be logged according to the instructions in the ServiceDesk On-line User guide.  The customer must provide a sample of the issue and other information as requested.

·        Subject to the Lifecycle section, investigation of incidents within the defined response times listed in the Support Priority and Service Level Matrix.

·        Subject to the Lifecycle section above, correction of defects (other than those occurring as a result of circumstances referred to under Excluded Services below) in accordance with the target response times in the Support Priority and Service Level Matrix.

·        Service packs for the software as released by Performa from time to time (service packs are provided subject to acceptance testing by the customer).

·        Any upgrade to BIDS that occurs during the period of the maintenance contract.

*Note: The standard BIDS Maintenance Contract outlines the baseline level of Support offered for BIDS. Your contract may have additional benefits.

Exclusions

Maintenance Services do not include:

·        Correction of errors or defects caused by incorrect use or operation of the software in a manner other than that expressly or by implication authorised by Performa;

·        Correction of errors or defects caused by modification, revision, variation, translation or alteration of the software not carried out by Performa;

·        Correction of errors or defects caused in whole or in part by the use of computer programs other than the software;

·        Correction of errors caused by operator error or the failure of the customer to provide suitably qualified and adequately trained operating and programming staff for the operation of the software;

·        Training of operating or programming staff;

·        Equipment maintenance;

·        Diagnosis or rectification of faults not associated with the software;

·        Corrections of errors arising directly or indirectly out of the customer’s failure to comply with the BIDS Maintenance Contract agreement;

·        Correction of errors or defects in Custom BIDS extensions.

Where the customer requests Performa to provide excluded services, Performa may provide these services for additional charges in accordance with Performa’s then standard rates for professional services.

BIDS Support Priority and Service Level Matrix