31. Request, mailroom, purchasing and fixed asset management

Screenshots show the Turkish interface of Prozence with fictional "Örnek Teknoloji A.Ş." data; the English interface has the same layout.

This chapter describes the settings of four modules: Requests (categories, target times, handlers, canned replies), Mailroom (the mailroom, muhaberat: pickup point, reminder, carriers, default carrier, tracking addresses), Purchasing (categories, approvers, purchasing without approval) and Asset (asset assignment, zimmet: receipt confirmation, warranty reminder, archive and retention, IT request for a fault, custom fixed asset categories). In each module, you give people their tasks in the Permissions section of the same screen.

Daily work (processing requests, logging and handing over deliveries, purchase approval, fixed assets and counts) is done on screens that employees also use; see 23. Requests, 24. Parcels, mailroom and purchasing and 28. Fixed assets and asset assignment. For a general description of the roles, see 10. Administration and setup.

Who: Admin · Services manager · Requests, Mailroom, Purchasing and Asset module admins

In this chapter

• Opening the settings screens
• Request settings: categories and target times
• Defining canned replies
• Giving permissions for Requests
• Mailroom settings
• Giving permissions for the Mailroom
• Purchasing settings
• Giving permissions for Purchasing
• Asset settings and custom categories
• Giving permissions for assets
• Reports

Before you start: All four modules are off by default in the company. You turn on each one with the first check box on its own settings screen. The screens in this chapter use data from the fictional "Örnek Teknoloji A.Ş.".

Opening the settings screens

Who: Admin, services manager, module admins · Where: Admin → Modules

What it does: The settings of the four modules are in two places:

1. Click Admin in the left menu.
2. In the administration menu, click Services, Purchasing or Asset in the Modules group.
3. In Services, sub-tabs show at the top: General, Requests, Mailroom, Booking, Visitors, Meals, Shuttle, Vehicle, Permissions. Click the sub-tab you want.

On a phone: Tap Profile → the Admin strip, then select the section with the Section: … button.

Tip:

• The sub-tabs show only the sections you have permission for. The tab of a service that is off is dimmed and has the label "off"; you can still open its settings.
• The sub-tab you select is remembered for the session; you can also move between tabs with the arrow keys.

Request settings: categories and target times

Who: Requests module admin, services manager, Admin · Where: Admin → Services → Requests

What it does: You set the request subjects that employees can open, the handlers of each subject and the target resolution time.

1. Select the Requests on: employees open requests in Board → Services check box.
2. Enter the value of Keep closed requests for how many months (3–120; then deleted with photo).
3. In each category box (its heading shows the number of open requests, such as "Category 1 · 4 open requests"):
   1. Edit the Name and Description (shown in the form) fields.
   2. Enter the Target resolution time (hours; urgent ×¼, high ×½, low ×2) value.
   3. Keep the Employees can open requests in this category check box selected (if you clear it, the category does not show in the form; old requests stay).
   4. Type a name in the Add handler: type a name box and select the handler in the list. To remove one, click the × next to the name. If there is no handler, the row says who new request notifications go to (1.8.10): "none — new request notifications go to the Requests operators (…)"; if there is no operator, "none — there is no Requests operator either; notifications go to the Requests module admins (…)", and if there are none of those either, "none — there is no Requests operator either; notifications go to the Admins (…)". The people who will get the notifications are listed in the brackets.
4. For a new category, click + Add category.
5. Click Save request settings.

Result: The message "Request settings saved." shows.

Common errors:

• "This category has open requests; close them first or switch the category off." — you clicked Remove category on a category with open requests.
• "At least one category must remain." / "At most 30 categories can be defined."
• ""…" için hedef süre 1–720 saat arasında olmalı." ("the target time for "…" must be 1–720 hours")
• "Retention must be 3–120 months."
• ""…" adıyla bir kategori zaten var; adları farklı yazın." ("a category named "…" already exists; write the names differently") — differences in upper / lower case and spaces are ignored (1.1.7).

Tip: When the target time is exceeded, the person who took the request (if nobody took it, the category handlers) gets one notification. While the request is in Waiting for info status, the target time stops (see 23. Requests).

Who gets the notification (1.8.8): The notifications for a new request, a request moved to another category, the requester's new message on a request nobody has taken and an exceeded target time go to the first people found in this order: category handlers → Requests operators in the permission table → Requests module admins (only those who can handle this category) → Admins. Requests opened by workflows and asset events follow the same order. The "none — …" text in the category row shows this order with the names (1.8.10). Who can handle the request has not changed.

Asset faults (1.4.1): If the asset module is on, fault reports open a request automatically in a request category. The category is selected in the asset settings; if none is selected, the category named "BT arıza ve destek" ("IT faults and support") (or with the key bt) is used. If you turn off or delete this category, fault reports do not open requests (see Asset settings and custom categories).

Defining canned replies

Who: Requests module admin, services manager, Admin · Where: Admin → Services → Requests → Canned replies

What it does: You define once the replies that the people who process requests often write; they select them in the request window from the Insert canned reply… list.

1. In the Requests sub-tab, scroll down to the Canned replies section.
2. Click + Add canned reply.
3. In the Name (shown in the list) field, type a short name (e.g. "Password reset").
4. In the Text box, type the reply. You can use two placeholders in the text:
   • {ad} — the requester's name (e.g. "Hello {ad}," → "Hello Gamze,");
   • {no} — the request number (e.g. "write to this request ({no})" → "write to this request (T-2026-0020)").
5. Delete a reply you do not need with Remove.
6. Click Save request settings.

Common errors:

• "A canned reply needs a name (at least 2 characters) and text."
• "At most 30 canned replies can be defined."

Tip: Only the people who process requests see the canned replies; the employee who opens the request does not. Completely empty rows are skipped when you save.

Giving permissions for Requests

Who: Admin, services manager · Where: Admin → Services → Permissions → Requests (IT, admin, supplies, facilities)

What it does: You set who manages, processes and follows requests. Category handlers are also selected in the category settings.

1. In Services, click the Permissions sub-tab.
2. In the Requests (IT, admin, supplies, facilities) section, type a name in the box for each role and select the person.
3. To give a role to a whole department, use + Add department.
4. Click the Save button of the section.

Tip: The top row in the same Permissions sub-tab (Services → Module admin) is the services manager: this person manages the whole Services tab and also sees request, mailroom, booking and visitor work.

Important: Since 1.1.7, a person who has both a role (e.g. Operator) and the responsibility for a category handles only the categories they are responsible for. If they need to handle all categories, remove them from the category handler lists. The categories a person is responsible for also show on the My permissions screen (1.1.8).

Mailroom settings

Who: Mailroom module admin, services manager, Admin · Where: Admin → Services → Mailroom

What it does: Turns on the logging of incoming deliveries and the employees' outgoing shipping requests; you set the pickup point, the reminder, the retention period, the carriers and the tracking addresses.

1. Select the Mailroom on: log incoming parcels and send pickup codes check box.
2. So that employees can request shipments, select the Employees can request outgoing shipments check box.
3. In the Pickup point (shown in the notification) field, type where deliveries are collected.
4. Enter the Reminder for uncollected parcels (days; 0 = off; up to 3 times) and Keep entries for how many months (1–120) values.
5. In the Mailroom staff row, add the staff with the Add handler: type a name box.
6. Edit the Carriers (one per line) list.
7. In the Default carrier list, select the carrier that is selected first when shipping.
8. For tracking links, type one carrier on each line in the Tracking URL templates box: Company | https://…{no} (e.g. Yurtiçi Kargo | https://takip.ornek.invalid/kargo?no={no}).
9. Click Save mailroom settings.

Result: The message "Mailroom settings saved." shows.

Common errors:

• "Takip adresi satırı "Firma | https://…{no}" biçiminde olmalı: …" ("a tracking address line must be in the format …") — the line has no | to separate the carrier name from the address.
• "… için takip adresi https:// ile başlamalı ve {no} içermeli." ("the tracking address for … must start with https:// and contain {no}") — the address does not start with https:// or {no} is missing.
• "Takip adresi verilen firma listede yok: …" ("the carrier given a tracking address is not in the list") — first add the carrier to the Carriers list.
• "At least one carrier must remain."
• "Reminder must be 0–14 days (0 = off)."
• "Retention must be 1–120 months."

Important: The tracking template is matched by carrier name. If you change the carrier name in the list, also change the name in the template.

Giving permissions for the Mailroom

Who: Admin, services manager · Where: Admin → Services → Permissions → Mailroom (parcels and post)

1. In Services, click the Permissions sub-tab.
2. In the Mailroom (parcels and post) section, add people to the roles.
3. Click Save.

Tip: If the receptionist does both visitor and mailroom work, make this person an Operator in both modules; Reception and Mailroom show as separate screens in the menu (see 32. Shuttle, meal, visitor and emergency management).

Important: Because a handover without a code may be needed, assign at least one Mailroom module admin in each office; otherwise only the service manager and the Admin can hand over without a code (see 24. Parcels, mailroom and purchasing).

Purchasing settings

Who: Purchasing module admin, Admin · Where: Admin → Modules → Purchasing

What it does: Turns on purchase requests; you set the categories, the management approvers and the people who can purchase without approval.

1. Select the Purchase requests on: employees see "Purchasing" in My Area check box.
2. In the Categories list, type the name of each category and select its type (IT or Administrative). Delete a category you do not need with ×; for a new one, click + Add category.
3. In the Management approval section, type names in the Approvers box and select the approvers.
4. In the Purchasing without approval (skip approval by permission) section, add people to the People authorised to skip approval box.
5. Enter the Limit for purchasing without approval (TRY; 0 = no limit) value.
6. Click Save.

Result: The message "Purchasing settings saved." shows.

Common errors:

• "There must be at least one category."
• "Kategori türü BT ya da İdari olmalı: …" ("the category type must be BT (IT) or İdari (Administrative)")
• "The limit must be 0 or a positive TRY amount (0 = no limit)."
• "Purchasing settings are changed by the module admin or an Admin."

Important: Nobody can approve their own request. If there is only one approver, add a second approver for that person's own requests; while the approver list is filled, the module admin and Admin cannot decide either. Management approval has one stage. With the 1.2.2 update, in companies with a filled approver list, module admins and Admin can no longer approve.

Additional approval for a request above the amount threshold (1.7.0): The additional approval is turned on not on this screen but in the Purchasing template in Admin → Modules → Workflows. The template has the settings Additional approval threshold (TRY; request total) (default 50,000.00), Additional approver, Fallback approver (blank = Purchasing module admin), Treat requests with foreign-currency lines as above the threshold (default on), Request types (blank = all), Additional approval also for requests opened with the no-approval purchasing permission (default off), Assets on delivery and Asset categories (blank = all) (see 40. Workflows). While the template is on, requests above the threshold go to the Awaiting additional approval status after management approval; if the additional approver has left, the decision falls to the fallback approver, otherwise to the purchasing module admin and Admin. While the template is off, purchasing works with one stage, as before 1.7.0. For the employee and approver screens, see 24. Parcels, mailroom and purchasing.

Giving permissions for Purchasing

Who: Admin, purchasing module admin · Where: Admin → Modules → Purchasing → Permissions

What it does: You set who processes the procurement list (purchasing officer) and who only follows it.

1. Go to the Permissions section at the bottom of the Purchasing tab.
2. Add people to each role; for a whole department, use + Add department.
3. Click Save.

Important: If no purchasing officer is assigned, nobody processes the approved requests on the procurement list. Approvers are not a role; you select them in the Approvers setting above.

Asset settings and custom categories

Who: Asset module admin, Admin · Where: Admin → Modules → Asset

What it does: Turns on the asset assignment module and the Assets screen; you set receipt confirmation, the warranty reminder, the archive and retention periods, whether a fault report opens an IT request and the company's custom fixed asset categories.

1. Select the Asset module on: employees see "My assets" under My Area check box.
2. Keep the Require receipt confirmation: the assignment is final when the employee confirms (recommended) check box selected.
3. Enter the Warranty reminder (days before; 0 = off), After how many months lost / disposed records are archived and After how many months archived records are permanently deleted values.
4. In the Fault reports and IT requests section, leave the Fault reports open an IT request checkbox selected or clear it; in the Request category list, select the category in which the request is opened. The line below it shows the current effect of the setting. In the same section, also select whether a fault record is opened when Damaged or Not working is selected at return (1.5.0).
5. In the Custom categories section, for a type that is not in the built-in list, click + Add category, type a Category name and select a Group (IT equipment, Cards, keys, SIMs, Office and furniture, Vehicles and equipment, Other). Delete a category you do not need with Remove.
6. Click Save.

Employee self-reporting of assets (1.7.3): Turn the setting on while setting up the inventory for the first time; everyone reports the items they have and the asset officer approves (see 28. Fixed assets and asset assignment). When you turn it off, employees cannot make new reports; pending reports stay in the officer's tab and can be resolved. Result: The message "Asset settings saved." shows.

Common errors:

• ""…" adında bir kategori zaten var." ("a category named "…" already exists") — the same name as a built-in or another custom category.
• ""…" kategorisinde kayıtlı demirbaş var; önce onları başka kategoriye alın." ("there are fixed assets in the "…" category; first move them to another category") — you cannot delete a category that has records.
• "Kategori adı en az 2 karakter olmalı." ("the category name must be at least 2 characters") / "En çok 40 özel kategori eklenebilir." ("at most 40 custom categories can be added")
• "Warranty reminder must be 0–180 days (0 = off)." / "Saklama süresi 12–120 ay olmalı." ("retention must be 12–120 months")

The status line of the fault setting:

• "On: a fault report opens a linked request in the selected category. Closing the request does not close the incident."
• "Off: fault reports go only to the asset manager."
• "The Requests module is off: fault reports do not open a request; the incident is still recorded and sent to the asset manager."
• "Category not found or turned off: choose an active category in the Requests settings."

Important:

• If you turn off receipt confirmation, an assigned item counts as assigned immediately and no employee confirmation is collected ("Receipt confirmation is off: the item counts as assigned immediately.").
• In the 1.4.1 update, the setting for opening a request from a fault report comes on: in companies with the Requests module and an IT category, fault reports open an IT request automatically after the update. If you do not want this, clear the checkbox and save.

Giving permissions for assets

Who: Admin, asset module admin · Where: Admin → Modules → Asset → Permissions

1. Go to the Permissions section at the bottom of the Asset tab.
2. Add the asset officers (IT, administrative affairs) as Operator.
3. Click Save.

Important: The cost and fault assessment of incidents is a personal assessment; give the viewer role only to the people who must see this information.

Reports

Who: Module admins, viewers · Where: Left menu → Reports

The reports of the four modules are on separate tabs of the Reports page:

• Requests: request counts by category, assignee and department, median times for first reply and resolution, the rate resolved within target, satisfaction (see 19. Reports). The Overview dashboard in the Requests box shows the same metrics (see 23. Requests).
• Parcel: who sent how many parcels / courier shipments, shipments by category, carrier and department, lists of incoming and outgoing deliveries (see 19. Reports).
• Purchasing: tables by category, type, department, person and status, purchasing without approval (see 19. Reports).
• Asset: assignment movements, incidents, average time to close, tables by type and by fault assessment (see 19. Reports).