Ticket Triage Matrix
Stop arguing about priority in the queue. Define it once in a matrix that everyone can reference.
Who it's for
Helpdesk leads, on-call engineers, customer-facing teams.
How to use this template
- 1Print as a one-pager and post in the team area.
- 2Use the worked examples to train new agents.
- 3Revisit quarterly — priority drift is real.
Licence
Free to use commercially. Adapt freely for your organisation — attribution to Nightingale Software is appreciated but not required.
BirdCall
Skip the spreadsheet — get the software.
BirdCall
Helpdesk & case management
This template is a great starting point. The BirdCall product turns it into a live system — with reminders, audit trail and the rest of the workflow built in. Free Starter tier, no credit card required.
Keep going
Related resources
Template · Markdown
Helpdesk SLA Template
An SLA template for small and medium UK helpdesks. Covers first-response, resolution and escalation targets by ticket type.
Template · CSV
First-Call Resolution Tracker
A spreadsheet for tracking first-call resolution (FCR) rates by category, agent and channel — the single most important helpdesk KPI.
Guide · 11 min
Designing helpdesk SLAs your team can actually hit
How to design helpdesk SLAs that drive the right behaviour without burning out the team, with realistic targets by ticket type.
Guide · 10 min
Case management vs ticketing — pick the right model
When to use simple ticketing and when to step up to case management, with examples from regulated industries.
Guide · 11 min
Helpdesk staffing — the formulas that actually predict load
Erlang-C, AHT and ticket-driven staffing formulas explained for small-team helpdesks, with worked examples.