So, you are in the middle of a modeling session, and something you are doing triggers a question in your mind. What are the resources to get answers to those questions, and what resource is best to use for which situation?
Probably the easiest way to seek an answer is to hit the “F1” key to activate erwin Data Modeler’s context-sensitive “Help” system. erwin will automatically search for help about the functionality you are using without your having to determine the best search terms. Beginning with erwin r9.6, the Help system is online and dynamic (if you are not online, Help defaults to the content packaged and installed with the product), receiving regular updates.
If the context-sensitive Help does not give you the answer you need, the next step is to go to “Help/Help Topics” in the Help system, and either do a search, or look through the indexes for the functionality you are exercising. The benefits to the Help system build into the product is that it is quick and available 24/7.
If the Help system does not answer your question, the next step is to go to the erwin Technical Support Web Page. This one-stop-shopping page offers a variety of immediate tips and a variety of options tailored to the complexity and urgency of your question.
The top left resource is our Knowledge Base Search. Our engineers regularly publish new Technical Documents on tips, techniques, and problems as we encounter questions from customers. This regularly evolving source of knowledge is also available 24/7 and is quick and easy to use. To make your search as productive as possible, especially when using multiple terms, click on the Search Tips link (below the search box) and/or click on the Most Viewed/Recent Articles for popular and the latest breaking knowledge. When you run your search, we also provide tips on how to expand your search beyond our Knowledge Base by using a popular search engine.
If the Knowledge Base search does not supply the answer to your question, or if your question is relatively esoteric, you can also try asking your colleagues in the erwin Community, which resides next to the Knowledge Base search box. While this won’t provide an immediate response, it will enable you to access the knowledge of a large cross-section of fellow erwin users. This is especially helpful when looking for feedback on how others have accomplished a specific task.
If the above search options fail, then please contact us. The quickest way to do this is to click on the “Support Chat” button directly below the Knowledge Base search box. A erwin Technical Support Engineer generally responds within 30 seconds. You can ask your question immediately with no case-opening formalities. If the question is complex and requires talking, screen sharing, files to be transmitted, tracking, etc., the engineer will open a case for you and then call you back to proceed.
If you initially know your question is complex, the best step may be to open a case via the “Open a Support Ticket” option in the bottom right, next to the Chat area. This allows you to express your question in your own words, provides a record of the complex details, and provides functionality for screen sharing, transmission of files, and a tracking process that is monitored by management. It also enables the content to be shared with other engineers, in case the original engineer needs to engage senior resources or send the matter to our Sustaining Engineering Developers.
Each of the above contact techniques offers different speeds of response, ease of contact, and communications methods. Our mission is to provide the best possible answer in the most professional manner in the shortest possible time to help you meet your data modeling and data governance needs. Being aware of all these options may help you decide which will be most productive, depending on your question’s complexity and urgency.
Lastly, if you want to escalate your matter at any time, there is a “Contact A Manager” button on the same Support page, which sends an email directly to the Support Manager and Principal erwin Engineers.
We look forward to hearing from you!