Keeping Logs
One thing that all users should do, is keep logs of any errors, or anomalies, that they encounter. These logs should be a big help the there IT support in tracking down problems.
In order for such logs to be useful, however, they need to contain details of what occurred, and specifically of any error messages that were displayed. Too many times we see log entries such as "got an error in ticket entry". An entry like this really does nothing to help track down an issue. At a minimum, it should be expanded to something like "entered item 12345 and then the quantity, and got an error". At least this pins down approximately where in the programming the error occurred.
If there are any messages displayed, they should be noted, also. In NCR CP-SQL, most times that such a message is displayed, there is a button labeled "details", which will give a more in-depth explanation of what occurred. This additional information may, or may not, be useful in the end, but should always be noted down. While it may look like so much gibberish to the user, to the support technician, it may point right to the problem, and result in a much quicker resolution.
Additionally, the time that the incident occurred needs to be noted. There are times that issues occur at regular intervals, indicating a conflict with a scheduled task. At the very least, having the specific time allows the support technician to narrow the scope when checking system logs.
The bottom line, is that the more information that can be provided, the better the chance for a quick resolution.
We recommend that such a log be kept at each workstation, and that users be strongly encouraged to gather as much information as they can.
Dave.