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SolarWinds Service Desk Reviews

About SolarWinds Service Desk

SolarWinds Service Desk provides fully integrated asset management and service management for IT teams to resolve issues quickly

Learn more about SolarWinds Service Desk

Pros:

This is very easy to use and all of the information is very efficient to find.

Cons:

The Chat response from an agent on Solarwinds takes time to respond. If there's an outage the email delivery is slightly delayed for the announcement.

SolarWinds Service Desk ratings

Average score

Ease of Use
4.6
Customer Service Software
4.6
Features
4.4
Value for Money
4.5

Likelihood to recommend

8.7/10

SolarWinds Service Desk has an overall rating of 4.6 out 5 stars based on 572 user reviews on Capterra.

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Shayla
Shayla
Human Resources Specialist in US
Verified LinkedIn User
Internet, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

The tool is fantastic for managing incidents

5.0 2 years ago

Comments: For IT issue management, change management, and software purchase approvals, we utilize SWSD. Users may see where their requests stand in the IT department's queue, and the department as a whole can stay organized.

Pros:

This incident management software is a tried-and-true classic, with a user interface that's friendly to both IT pros and regular folks. It serves our purposes without overwhelming us with extra features we won't need.

Cons:

More views, like a tiled one, might be helpful for examining incidents or shifts. At this time, just a bulleted list is accessible. More dashboard widgets would be welcome, too.

Sarah
Sarah
System Administrator in US
Verified LinkedIn User
Information Technology & Services, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

An excellent tool for service management

4.0 3 years ago

Comments: For the most part, Solarwinds Service Desk is utilized for automating incident generation through integration and reducing the amount of human work required. Custom dashboards make it possible to see the weekly, monthly, and yearly trends in various types of tickets, such as incidents, requests, changes, and issues, and to perform analysis.

Pros:

It offers a wide range of functions, such as incident tools and an employee support site. In addition, the user interface is simple and clear. To reassign requests, learn about what happened, and access the information you need is simple. I no longer have to worry about maintaining the backend systems. Instead of getting bogged down in making sure all systems are up-to-date, we can concentrate on our business and providing excellent customer support.

Cons:

When a ticket is being updated, the user is not informed that the ticket is in the process of being updated. Moreover, the fact that the search engine does not provide slack binding should be stressed more strongly. During the dynamic page refresh, the page becomes unresponsive.

Santiago
Deployment Tech in US
Education Management, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

A review of solarwinds

3.0 2 years ago

Comments: It was my first help desk product and has been one of my favorites sense. Besides controller restrictions and how that can impeded closing a ticket, it worked great and, at its core, was a strong helpdesk product that removed the overbearing micromanagement you might see in other options.

Pros:

There is no nonsense involved with this software. A lot of time feels like its lost in options that offer too much customization. You are able to distinctly view what your responsibilities are to your department and work from there.

Cons:

Its too simple. It makes for a cluttered looking interface, unfortunately. While this is no major problem, any lack of self-discipline can lead to a very messy ticket queue.

Krishna
Krishna
Human Resources Generalist in US
Verified LinkedIn User
Hospital & Health Care, 5,001–10,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

It is simple to implement, administer, and update

5.0 3 years ago

Comments: In my opinion, web-based program solutions are the way of the future, and SolarWinds is right there with them. I truly mean it when I say I'd want to switch to SolarWinds because of the ease with which everything can be done from a web browser.

Pros:

I like that we can measure time, open rates, add project and task users, and connect files to our projects and tasks. This is a must-have for me in my current position. It's a great way to stay on top of tasks. All task updates are sent to you in real time. Support and asset management use cases are at the bleeding edge of this technology here. An good solution that meets the majority of ITSM criteria is available.

Cons:

The task arrangement for submitting new tickets might be a little complicated at times. Most users won't be able to see or realize how much backend setup is required, thus someone has to do it or teach them.

Hossam
Hossam
Network Infrastructure & Operations Manager in Saudi Arabia
Verified LinkedIn User
Retail, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Hossam's SolarWinds Service Desk Review

5.0 3 years ago

Comments: My overall experience with SolarWinds is very positive, although we have switched to another system due to budget issues, yet i still prefer it.

Pros:

SolarWinds Service Desk is easy to use & what i like most about it is its dashboard customization feature, as i can be able to monitor my team's ticket status all day long, without having to look into the tickets of other teams, and being SolarWinds, it gives me the ability to view it in appealing charts, and reporting & notification is well maintained.

Cons:

The least i like about it is its cost in relative to other ticketing systems in the market.

Brett
Brett
System Engineer in US
Verified LinkedIn User
Retail, 501–1,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Great Cloud Service with Many Features, Expensive for the Full Version

4.0 5 years ago

Comments: Incident, problem, and change management are all extremely easy to set up and begin using due to the cloud-hosted nature of the product. As it is fully web-based, low-level training is not required for techs or users.

Pros:

Easy to deploy as it is a cloud-based system. Initial setup requires low effort and detail. Branding is easy to apply, functionality is easy to test out of the gate.

Cons:

Information on asset discovery, connections, and scanners feels lacking. Connecting to SCCM via the database has very little information, and after a month of attempts, it is not functional. Support has been a bit slow on response when inquiring regarding this issue, even after purchase.

Samir
System and network administrator in France
Building Materials, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Good tool for management

5.0 last year

Pros:

I like the simplicity to use Solarwinds all day

Cons:

A lot of tools to i dont know how its working

Heidi
Support Specialist in US
Government Administration, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: Free Trial
Reviewer Source

Free Trial for 60 Days

4.0 last year

Pros:

The platform was visually appealing and the setup seemed rather easy to become accustomed to.

Cons:

We were unable to come to a monetary agreement and went with another ITSM.

Shawn
IT Manager in Trinidad & Tobago
Package/Freight Delivery, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

Great Solution

5.0 last year

Pros:

Easy to use and configure. automated inventory system and great help desk ticketing service

Cons:

limited integration options and support can be quicker.

Jacquelyn
interior design specialist in US
Building Materials, 501–1,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

It's like I have a personal IT Team standing by...

5.0 2 years ago

Comments: It has been very encouraging. Working with such a great team definitely takes the stress out of worry about what ifs.

Pros:

The communication and the care everyone takes in their work. They communicate with me and work together to ensure that all of my issues are resolved and that there is nothing else that they can do to help.

Cons:

Nothing so far. I have had nothing but positive experiences with everyone I have worked with at Solar Winds.

Samuel
Software in US
Telecommunications, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

SolarWinds: A Service Desk Great Experience

5.0 2 years ago

Pros:

A seamless reservoir of information with intuitive workflow and setup capabilities that greatly simplifies service desk management.

Cons:

Lapses in chat response time and limited features for software management and SLA warning functions can pose challenges.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Computer Software, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

SolarWinds service

5.0 2 years ago

Pros:

Flexible creation of self-service forms.

Cons:

User interface need some enhancements to make it.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Financial Services Software, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

Improve services with SolarWinds Service Desk

4.0 2 years ago

Comments: Overall experience is good, reliable and fast, will be suggesting to other users also.

Pros:

I most liked about this software is service automation and real time update feature which is great.

Cons:

Least like about this software is the proper guide is required to understand it's all service desk features, all other are good.

Ronald
Ronald
Software Assurance in US
Civil Engineering, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Great platform for asset management and trouble ticket

5.0 8 years ago

Comments: The pricing is based upon the number of users in our network that will be accessing the system, and the number of "Managers" running the system. The salesman were very helpful in providing a great offer on the cost and have kept that pricing concept since we started. As you are starting out with basically a "Blank Page" it can seem a little overwhelming at first setting everything up to get that final functional asset management and help desk system you envision. However, there are plenty of examples and their help & support is very responsive. To me, this "Blank Page" is one of the positive aspects of the system. Basically, with some limitations, if I can imagine it, I can build it with what they have provided. This is true if you keep in mind what the original system was designed for in the first place. (The point here is simply: you would be surprised what kind of things people have asked the system to do... way beyond the scope of its design...) It easily integrates with Active Directory (AD based on Windows 2003 is no longer supported as of this writing) and has a robust permissions setup, allowing you to allow and deny users any number of "Roles" that are pre-configured or that you create as needed. The easy deployment of the agent combined with the cloud based setup allows the system to work well with users and machines working both in the corporate network, as well as outside of it in satellite offices. The "Trouble Ticketing" interface can be customized and is easy to understand and navigate. Background elements include the ability to track tickets, warn administrators of tickets that have received no response, cluster common tickets to users and machines for trend and trouble tracking, and provides what I call "Live Response", where you can see who is looking at a specific ticket or item and see their notations instantly. Probably the most impressive portion of the system is that part that most users will never see: The asset management system. Once the agent has been installed and is communicating, the amount of information provided is overwhelming at first, and yet still organized and categorized. There is even a built in tool allowing the system to know when a computers warranty is up. My reason for not giving 5 stars across the board: The system sometimes has issues tracking software as the "Suite" it is licensed under. This is not necessarily and issue with this system as it is in how it is sold.

Pros:

Flexibility The "Sand Box" approach. Support. Cost effective

Cons:

Printers are auto-populated, not based upon where the printer is installed from and shared from, but by every single shared instance of that printer. As a result, a single printer in an office of 200 users all sharing the same printer will show an inventory of 201 printers. Software suites, like Autodesk "Building Design Suite Premium" are sold and licensed as a single unit, even though it is a collection of some 2 dozen programs and plugins. Samanage does not have the ability automatically, to track and manage this; it shows them as a bunch of separate programs. There is a way to cheat the system and make this work, but it is a manual step that requires a bit of work to setup and manage. It's getting better, but the agents do not always refresh as quickly as I would like.

Jonathan
Undergraduate Associate in US
Information Technology & Services, 5,001–10,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Easy to learn and use

4.0 2 years ago

Comments: Overall, Solarwinds has been a very easy to learn and use system, with a friendly user interface. It is a great starting point for users that do not have experience with information management systems.

Pros:

The processes that are most used by my team are very easy to perform. Ticket creation is assisted by a very user friendly UI, and ticket management after tickets are created allow for tickets to reflect evolving issues.

Cons:

Proper ticket management and the ability to provide a resolution at the time of creating the ticket without closing it are just a few quality of life improvements that I can see missing as a low-tier help desk member.

Tim
Systems Administrator in US
Education Management, 501–1,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Cost per year better than most

3.0 4 years ago

Comments: Running this for 5 and a half years now at roughly 30k tickets per year currently. It's been largely stable, but of course a few bumps along the road. The biggest complaint I get is that there's no mobile app, or a limited use one at best. That said, the web UI on mobile is mostly friendly.

Pros:

The pricing tier after the initial purchase is fair. Client UI is actually really great, unless you're a Client Admin on v.12.7.2. Reporting works, so long as you're ok with slightly off numbers.

Cons:

Reporting doesn't report accurately compared to a custom query, which is odd. A two week report has one total, but running the weeks individually returns a different total, which is really weird. Unable to route tickets to a Tech Group based on Request Type, it's stuck to one group. This makes ticket flow a little difficult to work with.

Jada
Systems Analyst in US
Construction software, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

A Great product with even greater potential

5.0 4 years ago

Comments: Overall, we have had a generally positive experience with Service Desk, we would just like to see them mature out more of their features

Pros:

A few of the things that I like most about Service Desk is the ease of learning to use it. I was able to go from one ticket management system to this one in a single day of training and have had almost no issues in terms of knowledge gaps. Their customer support is top tier and their change management workflow is one of the best I've seen.

Cons:

Reporting. By that I mean the lack of reports and reporting tools. It would be nice to be able to build out our own or create our own reports. A BI tool in this application would really put it over the top.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Music, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Great all in one solution

5.0 2 years ago

Comments: A good choice for all IT teams to start out with

Pros:

The reporting and service catalog saved us a lot of time when doing our monthly reviews. Integrations with different systems such as google and zapier was seemless as well

Cons:

Not as customizable and unable to get what we want exactly. Have to do quite a number of work arounds instead.

Olusegun
Olusegun
IT Engineer in Nigeria
Verified LinkedIn User
Internet, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Solarwinds Service Desk

5.0 3 years ago

Pros:

Solarwinds Service Desk is an easy to use application platform to track service request. Its interface and dashboard are quite impressive. The SLA feature is very cool.

Cons:

Team collaboration on the platform should be improved. The license is quite expensive

Matthew
Matthew
Director of Information Technology in US
Verified LinkedIn User
Marketing & Advertising, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Samange - Cloud based Support Desk

5.0 6 years ago

Comments: Great software, have used this at two different firms now. Simple and easy with great reliability and reporting.

Pros:

Samange is very quick to setup, customization's are easy and don't require programmers. The software has many editable fields that allow for quick reporting, SLA tracking, and user satisfaction.

Cons:

The only limitation to Samange that I have seen is if you are working to resolve an item it is a one to one relationship. I would like to see the outbound emails tagged so that if a 3rd party is engaged and reply's via email it is auto captured in the system. Many to one responses are lacking.

Greg
Greg
Systems Administrator in US
Verified LinkedIn User
Education Management, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

This makes project management a snap

5.0 7 years ago

Pros:

The software is robust and full features, everything from helpdesk to asset management. Also the integrations are great, having it easily connected to our zendesk instance allowing the ability to connect issues from zendesk to assets in samanage. This also makes tracking asset warranty simple.

Cons:

When we purchased samanage it seemed to be focused on the asset management. Now they've geared to push more towards the helpdesk software built into to it. Not being able to disable to and remove the options.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Construction software, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Samanage provides a highly visible system for user support and asset management in one platform.

4.0 6 years ago

Pros:

I felt that SaaS was the way to go with an incident management system, and I've not been disappointed. We experienced just a few brief outages in the years when I was the administrator. There has been decent integration support for the features I've been using. I appreciate that the nomenclature follows closely with the ITIL definitions (Full disclosure: I am no ITIL expert, but from what I can tell, the effort was made to align with ITIL processes) I liked the feedback system with users. We were able to achieve a customer feedback score right at 98% positive in FY 2017.... most important thought was that it was measured and that the 2% who were unsatisfied could leave feedback as to why.

Cons:

Tasks integation with the other front-line features was basically non-existent. There were a few suggestions that I provided on how to improve the software... in each case we got rapid feedback on the suggestions... but when the feedback is 'we aren't doing that.' it is about as useful as never hearing anything back.

Ryan
District Technician in US
Used the Software for: Not provided
Reviewer Source

Support is non-existent and clunky. Interface good, but needs work.

3.0 9 years ago

Comments: Samanage's software is the 5th HelpDesk software package I have used in my professional career of 20 years. It has some nice features, including the automated inventory for Windows workstations, and the ability to setup custom SLA's. But that is where the positive end. Things I don't care for are outdated "help" articles in their support portal, written by their own staff, that are inaccurate, and wasted over two days of my time trying to implement something that I discovered didn't work, then when I flag their support, I get a brief apology. Support is terrible, if they cannot write and police their own articles for accuracy. I don't appreciate organizations that cause more work for organizations using their product. The system does not allow for UNC paths to be set as links in the system. This prevents our organization from sending "clickable" link to help staff add printers, map drives, etc. Only hyperlinks that go to the web are able to be made clickable. Searches are another headache. While it is nice that it searches across everything to yield results, you have no method to filter the results returned to a date range or the ability to sort the results by a certain field. We also had to take their supplied agent (for automated inventory), and build our own MSI package for deployment. Unsure why they are not able to do this themselves, but it is frustrating. No native iOS app is available, for the technicians to use, and using the HTML 5.0 interface is clunky and not very useful on iOS devices. The software has a lot of potential, but still needs a lot of work.

SolarWinds Response

9 years ago

Hi Ryan - We're always looking for feedback and suggestions to help us stay agile and keep up to date with our customers. Our community is a great way to engage and find help, however we realize that as the software continues to change, some of the solutions within the community can get outdated. We're always working to update as we go! As your customer success manager, I'd like to apologize if the experience with our support team was challenging. Our goal is always to surpass your expectations. Our search and filtering functionality has seen some enhancements over the last months and once we connect, I'm happy to take you through some of the enhanced dynamic reporting functionality that comes with the updates. I will reach out to set up some time for us to speak. - Britt, 919-648-0785

Don
Sr. Director of IT in US
Restaurants, 501–1,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

CHG Review

5.0 3 years ago

Comments: Overall experience was great! Definitely like better than service now and also works well with solarwinds network monitoring.

Pros:

Ticket management is easy to use Asset management works well Ticket assignment function works well Helpdesk monitoring is a great tool

Cons:

A little cumbersome to set up, but once completed works great! Had some difficulty adding custom fields.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Oil & Energy, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

Modern, Practical, Suitable, Low TCO

5.0 6 years ago

Comments: Our organization has downsized significantly in the past 3 years. Our former ITSM solution was costly to license and maintain. Without an in-house specialist, the help of a third party implementer was required to make significant changes or implement new modules. It was beginning to feel like overkill for us so it made sense to switch to something we can maintain ourselves and where cost is more in line with the size of our organization. We had to switch ITSM tools on very short notice. Thanks to a positive reference from a peer organization, we decided to evaluate Samanage before looking at anything else. The sales team was very helpful and quick to respond to all of our questions. Our trial environment was up and running in less than a day, and production ready with Incident Management.

Pros:

Samanage was easy to evaluate and we were able to configure Incident Management and migrate our Knowledgebase in just under a day with next to no assistance from the Samanage team. We are pleased that we can now utilize our implementation hours to learn the more advanced automation features of Samanage.

Cons:

The mobile app is nice but seems limited. There is a real opportunity here to expand its capabilites and flexibility.