This knowledge base exists so you don't have to wait for a technician for the common stuff. But over-trusting it for issues that need diagnosis can waste your morning. Here's the rule of thumb:
Self-serve from the KB when
- The article exists and describes your symptom exactly
- You can complete the steps without admin rights you don't have
- The fix is reversible if it doesn't work
- You're comfortable trying it
A "How to clear your Outlook cache" article is self-serve territory. Following the steps and seeing the fix work is faster than waiting for a tech.
Raise a ticket when
- The article tells you to do something risky (modify registry, reinstall a driver, edit BIOS)
- You've followed the steps and the problem persists
- The article almost matches but you're not sure
- You don't have the permission level the steps require
- It's a P1 — emergency, no time for self-help
A useful pattern
Try the KB article first, then ticket with the result. Something like:
"I followed [Clear Outlook cache](/kb/clear-outlook-cache). The cache cleared but Outlook still hangs on send. Logs attached."
That kind of ticket gets to resolution faster than either pure self-help (which didn't work) or a fresh ticket with no context (the tech has to ask what you've tried).
When the KB is wrong or outdated
The KB is maintained by the helpdesk team. If you spot:
- A broken link
- Steps that don't match the current Microsoft / Apple / vendor UI
- An article that contradicts itself
- A solution that worked in a different version
…tell us. Use the Was this helpful? button at the bottom of the article and add a comment. Articles flagged as unhelpful are reviewed weekly.
Submitting your own article
For client admins who notice the same question keeps coming from their team — propose a KB article. Email [email protected] with a draft (even rough). We'll polish, publish, and credit your team.
This is the single best way to reduce repeat tickets in your organization.