Usage guide: Automated three strikes

Empower your service desk to manage unresponsive tickets more efficiently by triggering a workflow that automates reminders and ticket resolution through employee engagement.

The Automated three strikes workflow enables IT teams to:

• Reduce open ticket backlogs by automating follow-ups and closure

• Minimize time wasted on tickets awaiting end-user input

• Ensure clear communication and transparency during ticket resolution

• Maintain consistent SLAs by applying a repeatable closure policy

Library pack uses

Use the library pack content for the following purposes.

Automating ticket closure with reminders

The Automated three strikes workflow follows the ITSM “three-strike” rule. It reminds employees to act on their open tickets and closes them automatically if no action is taken.

Using the Repeat feature in Nexthink Flow, the workflow cycles through a series of checks and user prompts until one of the following outcomes is reached:

• The user updates the ticket (ending the workflow)

• The user ignores or postpones the prompt three times (triggering automatic ticket closure)

• The user is unavailable for three cycles (also triggering closure)

This helps ensure unresolved tickets don’t remain open indefinitely.

Engaging users before auto-closing tickets

Each loop in the Automated three strikes workflow includes a campaign that displays two messages:

1. A prompt asking the user to update their ticket

2. If accepted, a follow-up displaying the ticket number and a URL for quick access

If the user selects Not now, the workflow pauses and retries after three hours (default). After three failed attempts, whether from non-response or postponement, the ticket is automatically closed with a note citing the three-strike rule.

Identifying available users before prompting

To avoid notifying inactive users, the workflow first checks the Days since last seen property. If a user hasn’t been seen in the last 24 hours, the prompt is skipped for that loop cycle.

This check ensures only available employees receive reminders, avoiding irrelevant campaign prompts.

Use cases

In addition to the relevant use cases covered below, you may uncover other troubleshooting scenarios specific to your environment.

Reducing ITSM ticket backlog by auto-resolving stalled tickets

You can automate the process of closing tickets that are no longer progressing due to a lack of user input.

1. Deploy the Automated three strikes workflow via Nexthink Flow

2. Configure the loop using the Repeat feature with a 3-hour interval

3. Ensure the first action checks the Days since last seen property

4. If the user is available, send a campaign with two messages:

   • Ask whether the user can update the ticket

   

   • If accepted, display the ticket details and mark as resolved

1. If the user chooses Not now, the workflow retries

2. After three missed or declined prompts, close the ticket and log the reason

This use case improves SLA compliance and helps your IT team focus on actionable tickets.

RELATED TOPICS

• Workflow: Automated three strikes

• Configuration guide: Automated three strikes

• Manage Workflows

• Manage Campaigns