---
schema_version: "1"
id: 00ec420e3542c84bcfacc8a2154839d4791de041ebb84997f3a9315c1412a6e7
title: Manage Problems for IT Services
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/it_srvcs_prb_mgmt_create_manage_prbs.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_prb_mgmt_create_manage_prbs.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: a886517809bb828f8b392ac57d4ec07b255dfc6b492ee6408adbaf73dab02eb6
description: Track and manage problems efficiently to minimize disruptions, identify root causes, and drive long-term solutions. By creating and updating problems, your team maintains service quality and improves operational performance. You can create change requests directly from a problem, associate it with other records, and even accept risk for problems that can’t be resolved.
products:
  - Service Cloud
  - Agentforce IT Service
release: "264"
---
# Manage Problems for IT Services

Track and manage problems efficiently to minimize disruptions, identify root causes, and drive long-term solutions. By creating and updating problems, your team maintains service quality and improves operational performance. You can create change requests directly from a problem, associate it with other records, and even accept risk for problems that can’t be resolved.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: Lightning Experience</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, and <strong>Unlimited</strong> Editions with Agentforce IT Service.</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d120601e74">User Permissions Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d120601e74 ">To accept the risk for problems:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d120601e74 ">IT Service Problem Risk Accepter</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d120601e74 ">To reopen a problem:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d120601e74 ">IT Service Problem Reopener</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d120601e74 ">To associate Problem to an Incident:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d120601e74 ">IT Service Incident Problem Associator</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d120601e74 ">To associate Problem to a Change Request:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d120601e74 ">IT Service Problem Change Associator</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d120601e74 ">To associate Problem to a Release:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d120601e74 ">IT Service Problem Release Associator</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d120601e74 ">To resolve an association:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d120601e74 ">IT Service Problem Association Resolver</td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

## Create Problems

IT service reps can create and manage problems to initiate a formal investigation into recurring issues. By logging problems, reps make sure that the root cause of an issue is addressed, which helps to maintain service quality and improve operational performance.

1. From the App Launcher, find and select **Problems** and then click **New**.
    
    Service reps can also create problems from incident record.
    
    Enter **Subject**, **Status**, **Urgency**, and **Impact**. It’s also recommended to fill out **Reported By**. These are the mandatory fields. You can fill out the rest of the fields after you’ve created the problem.
2. Save your changes.

You can also add or modify details during the problem lifecyle.

## Create Change Requests for Problem

Create change requests after identifying the root cause of a problem to ensure long-term resolution of the problems. Linking change efforts to problems ensures that fixes are implemented efficiently and service improvements are traceable and controlled.

1. On the Details tab of Problem record, click **Create Change Request**.
    
    Enter **Subject**, **Impact**, **Urgency**, **Priority**, and **Risk Level**. It’s also recommended to fill out **Type**. You can fill out the rest of the fields after the change request is created.
2. Click **Create**.

## Accept Risk for Problems

Use the Accept Risk action to formally acknowledge and close a problem that poses a known business risk. Problem Managers can select this option when a resolution isn’t feasible but the risk is understood and accepted by the business. This ensures transparency, proper documentation, and progress in issue tracking.

1. From Problem Record Details page, click **Accept Risk**.
2. Enter the Resolution Summary providing a justification as to why this problem can be closed with risk.
3. Save your changes.

## Reopen Problems

Reopen a Problem record to continue investigation or resolution after it was previously closed. This allows teams to take further action when new information becomes available or if the issue reoccurs. Reopening ensures visibility and accountability throughout the problem lifecycle.

1. From the resolved Problem Record page, click **Re-Open**.
2. Add a business justification for reopening the problem.
3. Save your changes.

## Associate Problems to Other Issues

Use associations to link related problems and other records. Associations help identify root causes and recurring issues. Problem associations can be of two type: Caused By (when another ticket caused the issue) and Similar (when there’s a known relationship). These associations improve visibility and streamline problem management.

1. To associate a Problem to another record:
    1. On the Details tab of a Problem record click **Associate** or go to the **Associations** tab and click **Add**.
    2. Select the **Record Type** and **Relationship Type**.
    3. Select all the records that you would like to associate to the current record. You can associate a single record or multiple records in the same interaction.
    4. Save your changes.
2. To remove an existing association:
    1. From a Problem record, go to the Associations tab, click **Remove**.
    2. Select the Record Type and select the records you want to remove, and then click **Remove**.
        
        Removing Associations doesn’t lead to deletion of related records.
3. You can use the Associations feature to bulk close records manually:
    1. From a Problem record, go to the Associations tab, select the **Record Type**.
    2. Select the records that you want to resolve, and then click **Resolve**.

## Associate Affected and Impacted CIs with Problems

Add configuration items to a problem so you can see which items are directly involved and which depend on them.

To associate configuration items with a problem, follow the steps in [Associate Affected and Impacted CIs with IT Service Records](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.it_srvcs_cmdb_affctd_impctd_ci.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Track how configuration items (CIs) relate to IT service records like incidents, problems, and change requests. Use affected and impacted CI references to improve context, speed up resolution, and reduce service disruption.").

## Associate Cases with Problems

Associate cases with a problem to give fulfillers more context while they investigate the root cause.

Your admin must add the **Cases** related list to the problem page layout. For the steps to add a related list, see [Customize Related Lists](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.customizing_related_lists.htm&type=5&language=en_US).

1. Open a problem record, and then click the **Related** tab.
2. In the **Cases** related list, click **Add**.
3. Search for a case by name or number, select the case, and then click **Save**.
4. To remove an association, select the case, click **Remove**, and then confirm the removal.
    
    Only the association is removed. The case record isn't deleted.

## Resolve Problems

Fix the root cause of the problem, and close it to prevent recurrence and maintain reliable operations. Add a note that if a permanent solution isn't available you can document the workaround in a knowledge article and in the workaround field before closing it.

1. From the Problem Record Details page, fill out the Problem Analysis and Resolution Information.
2. Save your changes and change the status to **Closed**.