Ticket Customization
Configure the workflow statuses, categories, and default SLA targets used across your ticketing system. This page is in the Admin section and is available to the Owner and Admin roles.
Overview
Ticket Customization lets you:
- Create, rename, recolor, and delete ticket statuses, and flag which status is the default and which statuses count as closed.
- Create, rename, recolor, and delete ticket categories used to classify tickets.
- Set organization-wide default SLA targets (first response and resolution times) for each priority level.
- Configure business hours so SLA timers count only during your working hours.
Navigate to Ticket Customization
Go to Admin → Ticket Customization (/admin/ticket-customization). The page is organized into three sections, stacked top to bottom: Ticket Statuses, Ticket Categories, and Default SLA Settings.
The first time the page loads, Ascent seeds a set of default statuses and categories for your organization automatically.
Ticket Statuses
Statuses define the workflow stages a ticket moves through. Each status row shows a color swatch, the status name, the number of tickets currently using it, and any flags (System, Default, Closed).
Default statuses
When no statuses exist yet, Ascent creates these system statuses:
| Status | Default | Closed |
|---|---|---|
| New | Yes | No |
| Open | No | No |
| In Progress | No | No |
| Waiting | No | No |
| Resolved | No | Yes |
| Closed | No | Yes |
System statuses cannot be renamed or deleted, but you can still change their color and toggle their flags.
Status fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | The status label (required, up to 50 characters). |
| Color | A hex color used for the swatch; pick from the color input or type a value like #3B82F6. |
| Default Status | When on, new tickets are assigned this status automatically. |
| Closed Status | When on, tickets with this status are treated as resolved. |
Add a status
- In the Ticket Statuses card, click Add Status.
- Enter a Name and choose a Color.
- Optionally turn on Default Status and/or Closed Status.
- Click Create.
Edit a status
- Click the ⋯ (more) menu on the status row and choose Edit.
- Update the color or flags. For system statuses the Name field is locked.
- Click Update.
Delete a status
From the status row's ⋯ menu, choose Delete. The Delete action is disabled for Default and System statuses, and you cannot delete a status that still has tickets assigned to it — reassign those tickets first.
Ticket Categories
Categories classify tickets by the type of issue. Each row shows a color swatch, the category name, the number of tickets using it, and whether it is a System or Custom category.
Default categories
When no categories exist yet, Ascent creates these system categories: General, Network, Hardware, Software, Email, and Security.
System categories cannot be renamed or deleted, but you can change their color.
Category fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | The category label (required, up to 50 characters). |
| Color | A hex color used for the swatch; pick from the color input or type a value like #6B7280. |
Add, edit, and delete categories
- Click Add Category to create a new one, entering a Name and Color, then click Create.
- Use the row's ⋯ menu to Edit (color, and name for custom categories) or Delete a category.
- The Delete action is disabled for system categories, and a category that still has tickets assigned to it cannot be deleted — reassign those tickets first.
Default SLA Settings
The Default SLA Settings section defines organization-wide first-response and resolution targets. These defaults apply to tickets that do not have contract-specific SLA terms; contracts with their own SLA terms override these defaults for their tickets.
Viewing and saving SLA settings requires the organization update permission (the Owner or Admin role). Without it, the section shows an "Admin access required" message instead of the settings.
Response & resolution times by priority
There are four fixed priority levels — Critical, High, Medium, and Low. For each one you set two values:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| First Response | Target time to send the first response to the ticket. |
| Resolution | Target time to resolve the ticket. |
Each value has a number field and a unit selector: Minutes, Hours, or Days. Each priority card also shows a live "Current" summary of the configured response and resolution times.
The starting defaults are:
| Priority | First Response | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | 30 minutes | 4 hours |
| High | 1 hour | 8 hours |
| Medium | 4 hours | 24 hours |
| Low | 8 hours | 48 hours |
Business hours
Use the Business Hours controls to make SLA timers count only during your working hours:
- Toggle Enable Business Hours on. When it is off, SLAs run 24/7.
- Set a Start Time and End Time.
- Select your Business Days using the day buttons (Mon–Sun). The defaults are Monday through Friday, 09:00 to 17:00.
When business hours are enabled, SLA timers pause outside the configured window.
Save your changes
Click Save Changes at the top of the Default SLA Settings card to apply the priority targets and business hours.
Tips
- Mark closed statuses correctly. Toggling Closed Status on the right statuses keeps reporting and SLA stop-the-clock behavior accurate.
- Keep one default status. Only the status flagged as Default is applied to new tickets.
- Reassign before deleting. Statuses and categories in use by tickets cannot be deleted; move those tickets to another status or category first.
- Use business hours for accurate SLAs. If your team does not work around the clock, enable business hours so SLA timers reflect your actual coverage.