By
El Copeland
August 21, 2024
•
20 min read
Business
Tutorials
Choosing the Right Ticket Status Colors in HaloPSA
Have you implemented unique colors for your Ticket Statuses in HaloPSA?
Coloring these Statuses adds a great Quality of Life to your Agents working tickets. Often, it is treated as a nice-to-have or “let’s just make it look pretty,” which are fine if it works for you. However, we invite you to imagine instead with us: what if you could leverage symbolic colors that guide an Agent through your defined ticket process. What if you could implement that in a reasonable way?
So, to help lessen that decision fatigue for you since we know you’re busy customizing every other setting in HaloPSA as well, here is the framework that Rising Tide uses to approach customizing these settings to help you quickly and sensibly label your Ticket Statuses. In a future article, we’ll tackle Ticket Action color codes; however, the concepts will generally remain the same.
Laying out the Ticket Status Colors Framework
Before we jump into coloring statuses, let’s start by defining a ticket’s lifecycle according to how your Agents need to allocate their attention to those tickets, whether that is dictated by standard professionalism or ensuring SLAs are kept. For the sake of this conversation, we are going to address these ticket attention phases with the segments: Normal Attention, Elevated Attention, or Inert Attention.
Normal Attention
Ideally, your Agents receive a ticket and all things are “Go,” they have everything they need to start working, and then Close the ticket when they've successfully completed the task and can rest on their laurels (or move on to the next ticket!).
We recommend all Normal Attention tickets to be assigned “cool colors” like greens, blues, and purples. (And not cool because we think they’re rad, cool as opposed to warm colors, more information here on color theory) Statuses like New and In Progress generally belong here. We have the ticket, everything is going as planned. What a perfect, serene world. Peaceful, isn’t it?
Unfortunately, that’s not the reality in most of our businesses! What happens when tickets require extra attention or action to ensure their timely completion?
Elevated Attention
Here in Elevated Attention is where we see statuses like Escalated, Pending Approval, or Reopened: tickets that we need to be actively thinking about and revisiting, especially ones that are keeping our SLA clock running. To inspire action and increase visibility, we’re using warm, fiery colors like Orange, Red, and Yellow.
What if there is a ticket where we cannot take immediate action, or it doesn’t warrant it? That’s our last category: Inert Attention.
Inert Attention
There will be times when our tickets are active but there is literally nothing we can do but wait. The SLA clock isn’t running, so we don’t need to worry about taking action on these just yet: statuses like Waiting on Client or Waiting on Vendor. We recommend using greys to signify these statuses’ inactive character.
In general, we recommend you set up HaloPSA to do most of the status setting and remembering to move tasks in and out of statuses, especially Inert-type statuses. Specifically, when setting up these Inert Attention statuses in HaloPSA, be sure to build those Ticket Statuses, Ticket Type Settings, and your related Workflows so when a ticket enters or exits an Inert status, it automatically puts the ticket on or removes it from SLA hold. You can see examples of these settings in the screen captures below.
Some examples of this recommendation in action could be:
- Setting a Waiting on Client ticket to Attention Required when a customer replies to an email
- Setting a Waiting on Vendor ticket to Attention Required when a Supplier updates
- Setting a ticket to Scheduled upon creating an Appointment (Ticket Type Settings: Status after user appointment booking (resource booking), or Status after Agent creates appointment)
- Automatically setting Waiting on Client tickets to Closed after a certain number of hours with no reply according to SLA rules you set.
Ticket Status Colors Framework in Action
With all of these ideas in mind, we suggest as you approach customizing each ticket status, you ask:
What type of Attention do I expect of my team at this status: Normal, Elevated, or Inert?
When you have that answer, choose a color from the suggested family. Remember that color for other statuses you may have for other Ticket Types so it stays consistent regardless of what Area your Agent is operating from!
Here are some examples for what we specifically recommend to Rising Tide Customers. You will likely not need all of them, depending on your MSP’s needs:
Normal Attention
- Brand New/Assigned (Waiting on You): Green — Ticket is newly created and waiting for initial action. Green indicates readiness to start and clear action needed.
- Claimed/Work in Progress: Blue — Ticket is actively being addressed towards resolution. Blue symbolizes confidence in ongoing work and progress.
- We’d be remiss if we didn’t specifically call out that at Rising Tide we recommend that your Agents should not be "Claiming" tickets until they're ready to work on them.
- Closed: Black — The ticket has been fully resolved and all necessary actions are completed. Black signifies completion and closure of the ticket.
Elevated Attention
- Pending Approval: Yellow — Awaiting authorization or approval to proceed. Yellow is high-visibility and unique to call attention to follow up that may be necessary.
- Escalated: Orange — Moved to a higher level of support due to complexity or urgency. Orange highlights urgency and attention required.
- Customer Updated/Vendor Updated/Approver Updated: Orange— Orange is used to indicate recent release from a paused status like Waiting on Customer or Waiting on Vendor and subsequent re-instating of the current SLA timer, if applicable.
- Attention Required: Orange — Elevated attention needed following removal from an SLA hold.
- Reopened: Red — Previously closed/resolved ticket is active again due to additional issues or dissatisfaction. Red indicates a critical reactivation that needs immediate reassessment.
Inert Attention
- Waiting on Client: Grey — Progress on the ticket is paused because it requires input or action from the client. Grey suggests inactivity from the MSP’s side, waiting on external action.
- Waiting on Vendor/Waiting on Parts: Grey — Progress on the ticket is halted while waiting for action or information from an external vendor. Similar to waiting on client but specific to external vendors.
- Scheduled: Purple — Scheduled could also technically be included in the Normal category, hence the cool purple. Denotes a paused status where work is planned, but no active work is required.
- Resolved: Teal — Similar to Scheduled, Resolved straddles the Normal category as well. The issue within the ticket has been addressed, awaiting final closure or verification from the requester. Teal is a calm yet upbeat color indicating resolution but awaiting final closure.
As with most rules, there are going to be times when items cross between phases, or you may operate differently and not define a ticket status the same way we did here.
Maybe you have some color-blind technicians on staff and decide to use completely different colors completely or none at all. (If you do want to create a color-blind friendly palette, here’s a great resource.)
Maybe you want to choose different values (light or dark) within a certain family than what Halo provides.
Good! Break our rules. They're just here to help you decide what you do or don't actually want.
Our main recommendation is that you use your best judgement on what is right for your team and just be consistent which sometimes means keeping it simple. And let us know what you ended up doing, you may help someone else. Happy customizing!
Throughout my career, I've had the joy of leading many diverse and multifaceted teams.
Community building, especially within the technical community, is truly at the heart of what I do. I’m dedicated to fostering inclusive spaces where professionals can connect, share insights, and grow a culture of innovation and ongoing learning together, both in-person and when the team is 100% remote. I take pride in my ability to lead with both clarity and empathy, deftly handling the complexities of technology-driven projects while always keeping the human connection at the forefront of every decision.
For companies seeking consulting and project work, I bring a deep understanding of operational efficiency and project management. I am skilled at not only identifying areas for improvement but also implementing strategic solutions that enhance productivity and outcomes. My strong background in technology, education, and people management allows me to seamlessly integrate innovative tools and processes to address specific challenges, ensuring that projects not only meet but exceed expectations, and that teams are motivated, well-coordinated, and focused on delivering and maintaining organizational goals.
Outside the office, I enjoy blueberry muffins, Doctor Who, weight-training, gardening, and spending time with my cats.
See some more of our most recent posts...
By the [run]Book: Episode 5
Episode 5 covers HaloPSA v2.192–v2.195 with updates on secure links, billable time, asset relationships, invoicing, and AI improvements for MSPs
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In Episode 5 of By the [run]Book, the crew digs into four HaloPSA releases in one session—covering versions 2.192 through 2.195. From new ways to share secure links and manage billable time to asset relationship mapping and invoice automation, this episode is packed with practical updates. If you’re an MSP looking to tighten processes, improve reporting, or explore Halo’s evolving automation and AI features, this one is worth the watch.
Watch Now: By the [run]Book: Episode 5
Report Guide Field | v2.192 #783026 | 3:19
Halo added a Report Guide field in the report designer for better context.
- Supports descriptions, instructions, or context at the top of reports
- Rich text formatting available
- Great for AI-driven reporting and analyst clarity
One-Time Secure Message Links | v2.192 #768829 | 4:55
Send secrets safely with one-time secure links.
- Links expire after a set period or views
- Currently requires portal login, but more flexibility is coming
- Helps replace tools like PW Push for sensitive info
Billable Time Recorded Field | v2.192 #763812 | 9:12
A new Billable Time Recorded column is available in ticket profiles.
- Distinguish billable vs. total time logged
- More accurate budget tracking against contracts
- Avoid confusion around no-charge vs. billable work
Runbook <<halo_url>> Variable | v2.192 #762123 | 9:59
A new runbook variable for halo_url has been added.
- Makes it easier to reference environment URLs
- Useful for runbooks with API calls and integrations
Hide Quotations by Status | v2.192 #757332 | 11:03
Control which quotes appear on tickets/opportunities.
- Hide expired or superseded quotes automatically
- Prevents clients seeing outdated pricing
- Review your quoting statuses for correct configuration
Disable SLAs | v2.192 #753297 | 14:22
A safer way to deactivate SLAs.
- Checkbox allows disabling without deleting
- Avoids breaking ticket configurations
- Recommended over deletion for historical consistency
Invoice Reference in Bills | v2.192 #718191 | 15:37
Specify invoice references when creating bills from POs.
- Adds clarity when reconciling bills against purchase orders
Closure Settings – SLA vs Normal Hours | v2.192 #699717 | 16:13
Set whether closure timers run on SLA working hours or calendar hours.
- Prevents old tickets reopening after long periods
- Best paired with portal-only reopen for true recurrences
Risk Scoring | v2.192 #514694 | 18:56
New risk scoring tool for change management.
- Calculates risk based on multiple impact factors
- Standardizes approvals and CAB discussions
Recurring Invoice Prorata Default | v2.192 #443946 | 21:13
A default configuration for prorata handling in recurring invoices.
- Options for “all” or “all except monthly”
- Saves manual work in billing setups
Asset Relationships | v2.193 #7793410 | 25:00
Expanded asset management capabilities.
- Define dependencies and relationships (installed on, upstream, etc.)
- Better for ITSM-focused MSPs and topology maps
“The Big One” Patch Button | v2.194 | 32:34
A mysterious patch button—covered lightheartedly in the episode.
Asset Custom Buttons per Type | v2.195 #829270 | 33:48
Custom buttons can now be restricted to asset type level.
- Provides more control and avoids clutter in the UI
Invoice PDFs in Unpaid Tickets | v2.195 #823241 | 33:59
Unpaid invoice tickets now include the invoice PDF automatically.
- Allows direct sending of the invoice as attachment
- Simplifies automation for collections
Pending Closure Email Recipient | v2.195 #819257 | 41:50
Choose recipients for automatic emails on pending-closure tickets.
- Flexibility in who receives closure notifications
User Permissions – Create vs Edit | v2.195 #882480 | 42:14
New permission level for user management.
- Agents can create users but not edit existing ones
- Reduces risk of social engineering attacks
Sales Orders Manual Completion | v2.195 #834419 | 44:15
Sales order lines must now be marked complete manually (optional).
- Avoids premature auto-closure when steps remain
Runbook SQL Test | v2.195 #839089 | 46:26
Runbook steps with SQL can now be tested directly.
- Major speed boost for building and debugging runbooks
AI Improvements – Context Hints | v2.195 #812354 | 48:44
AI field suggestions now appear inline as context hints.
- Reduces clutter vs. separate panels
- Can be toggled at ticket type or action level
Microsoft Entra ID Access Control | v2.195 #714899 | 53:20
Added access controls to the Entra ID integration.
- Controls who can configure/edit the integration
Custom Table SQL Import Improvements | v2.195 #739256 | 55:25
Enhanced SQL imports for custom tables.
- Larger row imports supported
- Pagination and filtering options added
Introducing Rising Tide Proactive Support
Drowning in half-used features, minor bugs, and admin tedium? Proactive Support is Rising Tide’s monthly check-in plan built for MSPs already using HaloPSA, Hudu, or Rewst—designed to help you stay in control without spinning up a full project every time.
Read post
Built for Busy MSPs: Why We Created Monthly Support
While we pride ourselves at Rising Tide on being clever, we didn’t make this up on our own.
Over the past year, multiple clients told us the same thing in different ways:
“We don’t need a full-on consulting. We just need someone to help us stay on top of the tools we already have.”
“Can you set aside time each month to tell us what’s working, what’s not, and what we should actually do next?”
“Honestly, I just want to know if anything’s falling through the cracks.”
MSPs weren’t talking about emergencies. They meant the small stuff. The not-yet-broken-but-might-be. The features that got launched but never rolled out. The bugs they forgot to follow up on. The process that made sense when they built it... but not anymore.
So we listened and built out our Monthly Support offerings for teams like yours. Support that pays attention, leveraging the best of Rising Tide to make the best of your systems. It’s not reactive. It’s not rushed. It’s not about being broken. It’s about staying in control, without wasting time figuring out where to start.
What You Get Each Month
Designed for Rising Tide clients who’ve already implemented tools like HaloPSA, Hudu, and Rewst, and just want to keep things running smoothly without spinning up a full project or workshop every quarter.
Here’s what our Monthly Support looks like in practice:
1. Systems Health Review
A short, focused check-in on the systems you want our guidance on. for:
- Are automations running like they should?
- Are there missed SLAs or ticket pileups that can be fixed with better workflows?
- Are there any underused (or over-complicated!) features?
You’ll walk away with a small, clear action plan that you can execute on your own or leverage the Rising Tide team to complete.
2. Feature Release Briefing
We read the release notes so you don’t have to. You’ll get:
- Highlights of what’s new
- Suggestions for features worth trying and what isn't
- Warnings about what’s likely to break or change
3. Vendor Liaison Support
We’ll chase the vendor on your behalf. That includes:
- Logging and tracking bug reports
- Validating bugs and escalating to dev teams directly.
- Identifying workarounds and assisting in implementation.
- Following up on feature requests or stuck tickets
- Communicating feature requests clearly (and tracking them)
4. Immediate Error Support
If something breaks in a tool we’ve implemented or documented, we’ll:
- Help triage and fix it
- Identify if it’s a vendor issue
- Tell you clearly if it needs escalation into a project
5. Virtual Admin
Hand Rising Tide the recurring and tedious-but-necessary tasks tied to administrative upkeep inside your platforms like:
- Creating/cleaning up ticket templates or categories
- Building or formatting documentation templates
- Cleaning up old or unused ticket types, custom fields, etc.
- Applying updates or light data clean-up to SOPs, templates, invoices, etc.
- Quick updates to HaloPSA workflows, permissions, roles, agents
- Simple HaloPSA report needs and changes to existing reports
- HaloPSA Integration mappings and Halo Integration errors
What Monthly Support is Not
To be clear, the Rising Tide Proactive Support Plan is not consulting. Proactive Support is only for systems we’ve implemented and reviewed. It doesn’t include:
- New tool or system implementation
- Redesigning workflows or processes
- Training or onboarding
- Deep reporting or strategic planning
If we find something that should be a project, we’ll tell you and help you decide how you would like to move forward.
Pricing
Monthly Support at Rising Tide is available in two flavors: Foundations and Catalyst.
Foundations
$900/mo
The Foundations package is for MSPs who need steady, expert support to keep their tools working well, especially when system updates can throw a wrench in those plans. It’s perfect for teams who want someone to keep an eye on things, flag issues early, and offer helpful next steps without having to ask.
Rising Tide consultants will proactively review your systems, follow up with vendors, handle small fixes, and make sure nothing slips through the cracks. It’s a lightweight, low-friction way to stay on top of your platforms and make sure they keep delivering value.
Catalyst
$3500/mo
The Catalyst package is the Foundations package expanded for MSPs who want hands-on, high-touch support with structure. You’ll get 10 hours per month, including up to four scheduled weekly calls, priority scheduling, and deeper involvement from your Rising Tide consultant. This isn’t just support when you ask for it — it’s active partnership.
We come prepared with recommendations, process improvements, and a plan to help you get the most out of your systems. Catalyst is for teams ready to make consistent progress without needing to manage the support relationship.
Let’s Be Real
The goal isn’t to keep you dependent on us. It’s to help you feel like you’re on top of your systems instead of under them.
We’ll help you spot friction before it becomes fire, surface fixes you might’ve missed, and give you the clarity to act, delegate, or table things with confidence.
Ready to add Monthly Support?
Contact Rising Tide Consulting Today.
By the [run]Book: Episode 4
By the Run Book dives into HaloPSA v2.192 — from holiday approval tweaks and smarter contract scheduling to AI suggestions, new security controls, and Robbie’s Quick Ticket app for lightning-fast ticket logging.
Read post
In Episode 4 of By the Run Book, the team digs into HaloPSA v2.192 with a mix of technical deep-dives and practical tips for MSPs. Robbie and Mendy walk through improvements in holiday approvals, contract schedule plans, and important security updates like webhook authentication. They also explore quality-of-life changes in ticket type restrictions, AI suggestions without an AI license, and new admin mode controls. To wrap up, Robbie demos his “Quick Ticket” browser extension for lightning-fast ticket creation without breaking your workflow. Whether you’re streamlining internal processes, tightening security, or speeding up ticket logging, this release has something to improve your day-to-day.
Watch Now: By the [run]Book: Episode 4
Robbie's Quick Tickets: Halo Quick Ticket - Microsoft Edge Addons
Multiple minor improvements to Holiday Approvals | v2.192 #948186 | 3:55
- Shows balance in days/hours instead of decimals
- Approval screen now displays holiday details
- Fix for approval from holiday record failing
Multiple minor changes to improve Contract Schedule Plan functionality | v2.192 #947953 | 7:01
- Easier setup for scheduled contract work
- Tracks allocated vs. remaining hours
- Still manual for recurring hour replenishment
Federated credentials update endpoint | v2.192 #937555 | 13:40
- API endpoint to update federated credentials more easily
Quotation Config: remove whitespace from signature image | v2.192 #937347 | 14:30
- Option to trim white background from customer signature images
Ready for Invoicing filter applies to other billable entities | v2.192 #937175 | 17:17
- Top-level Customer criteria now carry over to other billable entities
- Ignores other non-applicable filter criteria
Integration and webhook improvements | v2.192 #936110, #936402, #936998, #936862, #936739 | 19:34
- Various integration updates including webhook authentication
Charge Rate restrictions at Ticket Type | v2.192 #933938 | 22:17
- Restrict allowed charge rates for specific ticket types
AI Suggestions without AI integration | v2.192 #923472 | 24:48
- Use AI Suggestions feature without enabling AI integration
Admin Mode security improvement | v2.192 #909530 | 31:55
- Requires 2FA to enable Admin Mode
- Adds audit logging of activations
Load Balance limits by Team | v2.192 #898859 | 35:52
- Limit tickets assigned via load balancing per team
Forecasting Module improvements | v2.192 #883797 | 36:00
- Enhancements to AI-based forecasting for tickets, hours, and reports
Enabled for Instances option | v2.192 #882671 | 39:05
- Limit notifications, webhooks, and runbooks to specific instances
Disable editing of config-tracked entities | v2.192 #882664 | 39:32
- Prevent editing config-tracked entities directly in production
Sprints for config tracking | v2.192 #882648 | 40:26
- Group config changes into deployable sprints
Filter ticket types on New Ticket screen by group | v2.192 #858227 | 41:40
- New ticket screen can be filtered by Ticket Type Group
Show/hide more User system fields in Screen Layout Profiles | v2.192 #856243 | 47:20
- Added more User fields to show/hide controls
Add new Contacts on Opportunities | v2.192 #840296 | 47:46
- Add contacts directly from existing opportunities
Owners and Assets in article query builder | v2.192 #836009 | 48:06
- Owners and Assets now reportable in article queries
Added $-LOGGEDINAGENTSIGNATURE variable | v2.192 #831158 | 48:15
- Variable for logged-in agent’s signature
Unit prices in Product Bundles on Quotes | v2.192 #823474 | 48:53
- Show per-unit price when group quantifier enabled
Restrict creation of new article tags | v2.192 #822558 | 49:48
- Only allow selecting from existing article tags
Primary agent, secondary agent, and account manager as additional agents | v2.192 #821136 | 49:57
- Option to add these roles as additional agents when logging a ticket
Countersign Quotations | v2.192 #820956 | 53:04
- Allow countersigning of quotations before finalizing
Prefix for $ variables with data | v2.192 #793305 | 53:55
- Prefix only appears if variable contains data
Halo Quick Ticket extension demo | 55:21
- Robbie’s Edge/Chrome extension for quick ticket creation
- OAuth setup with Halo, select fields, and complete on creation