SLA rules

This guide is for implementers configuring service level agreements for grievance response and resolution times.

Mental model

SLA rules define your service promises:

Component	What it does	Example
Response target	Maximum time before first response	"Acknowledge within 24 hours"
Resolution target	Maximum time to resolve the issue	"Resolve within 5 business days"
Escalation	What happens when targets are missed	"Escalate to supervisor after 48 hours"

SLA rule configuration

Field	What it means
Name	Rule label (e.g., "Critical - 4 Hour Response")
Description	Explanation of the rule
Sequence	Evaluation order (lower = first checked)
Condition Domain	Filter for which tickets this SLA applies to (e.g., only critical tickets)
Response Hours	Maximum hours for initial response
Resolution Hours	Maximum hours for complete resolution
Escalate After	Hours before automatic escalation
Escalate To User	Specific user to escalate to
Escalate To Team	Team to escalate to
Categories	Specific categories this rule covers (blank = all)
Teams	Specific teams this rule covers (blank = all)

SLA rules list showing response and resolution time targets.

Setting up SLA rules

Step 1: Define your service standards

Plan your SLA targets by severity:

Severity	Response Target	Resolution Target	Escalation
Critical	4 hours	24 hours	After 8 hours
High	24 hours	72 hours	After 48 hours
Medium	48 hours	120 hours (5 days)	After 96 hours
Low	72 hours	240 hours (10 days)	None

Step 2: Create SLA rules

1. Navigate to Helpdesk > Configuration > SLA Rules

2. Click Create

3. Enter the Name and set Response Hours and Resolution Hours

4. Configure the Condition Domain to filter tickets by severity

5. Set escalation targets

6. Save

Step 3: Scope rules to categories or teams

To create category-specific SLAs:

• Add categories to the rule's Categories field

• Leave blank to apply to all categories

To create team-specific SLAs:

• Add teams to the rule's Teams field

• Leave blank to apply to all teams

Note

When multiple SLA rules match a ticket, the rule with the lowest sequence number applies.

SLA patterns

Pattern 1: Severity-based SLA

Different targets for each severity level:

Rule	Condition	Response	Resolution
Critical SLA	severity = critical	4h	24h
High SLA	severity = high	24h	72h
Medium SLA	severity = medium	48h	120h
Low SLA	severity = low	72h	240h

Pattern 2: Category-based SLA

Different targets for specific complaint types:

Rule	Categories	Response	Resolution
Payment SLA	Payment Issues	24h	48h
Enrollment SLA	Enrollment	48h	120h
General SLA	(all others)	72h	240h

Pattern 3: Escalation chain

Progressive escalation as deadlines approach:

Escalation Point	After	Action
First warning	50% of response time	Notify assigned agent
Escalation	100% of response time	Escalate to team supervisor
Critical escalation	150% of response time	Escalate to program manager

Are You Stuck?

SLA not applying to tickets?

Check that the rule's Condition Domain matches the ticket's category or severity. Also verify the rule's sequence — a higher-priority rule may be matching first.

Escalation not triggering?

Ensure the Escalate After hours and Escalate To fields are set. The escalation requires a valid target (user or team).

Can I pause SLA timers?

SLA timers pause when a ticket enters a "Waiting" stage type (waiting for external information). They resume when the ticket moves to an active stage.

How do I report on SLA compliance?

Use the ticket list view and filter by SLA status (met, at risk, breached). Export data for detailed analysis.

Multiple SLA rules match - which one wins?

The rule with the lowest Sequence number. Set more specific rules to lower sequences so they take priority.

Next steps

• Grievance redress overview - GRM fundamentals

• GRM teams and tags - Configure GRM teams