---
title: About Identifying a Problem
slug: neurons-for-itsm/admin-user-help/enu/latest/about-identifying-a-problem
createdAt: 2026-07-14T19:16:30.857Z
---

The Problem Manager routinely browses through incidents to determine the potential for problems. For example, the Problem Manager may identify a problem if there is a pronounced spike in the number of incidents logged against the same service or against the same category within a short period of time.

You can identify a problem in two ways:

- [Identifying a Problem Using the Dashboard](docId:5B-vFZjfHxfrXzbbHvKgD)
- [Identifying a Problem Using a Saved Search](docId:5B-vFZjfHxfrXzbbHvKgD)

### Identifying a Problem Using the Dashboard

This process refers to the default Problem Manager dashboard. Your administrator might have configured this dashboard differently.

Follow these steps to identify a problem using the **Problem** dashboard:

1. Log in to the application as a Problem Manager.
2. Open the **Problem** dashboard.
3. Open an incident that is a problem.
4. From the **Action Menu**, choose **System **>** Add Problem**.
5. Enter information into the problem record. See [Working with Problems](docId\:sEt5UM_9O_nW5uNSJvTF-).
6. Click **Save**.

### Identifying a Problem Using a Saved Search

This process refers to the default Problem Manager dashboard. Your administrator might have configured this dashboard differently.

Follow these steps to identify a problem using a saved search:

1. Log in to the application as a Problem Manager.
2. Open the **Incident** workspace.
3. From the **Saved Searches** menu, choose **Active Incidents this Year**.
4. Open the related incident record.
5. From the Action Menu, choose **System **>** Add Problem**.
6. Enter information into the problem record. See [Working with Problems](docId\:sEt5UM_9O_nW5uNSJvTF-).
7. Click **Save**.

## Investigating a Problem

As a Problem Manager, you should routinely check for newly-logged problems and investigate them. If you determine that the logged problem is not actually a problem, you can set its status to canceled. Only Problem Managers can set the status of a problem to canceled.

Perform these steps for problems that are in the logged state:

1. Log in to the application as a Problem Manager.
2. Open the problem to investigate.
3. Set the status to investigation.
4. Provide the details of the diagnostic activities. Under the **Activity History** tab, click **New **>** New Notes**.
5. Enter detailed investigating information, then click **Save**. See [About Activity History](docId\:dOLnQxPLSR_CCl3-udX4k) for more information on this feature.
6. Add information to the problem as needed. See [Working with Problems](docId\:sEt5UM_9O_nW5uNSJvTF-).
7. Identify individuals from the Problem Review Board to help in the investigation or to help oversee the problem process. See [Working with the Problem Review Board](docId\:ntz-00NX8_qD-3HbItIxm).
8. Click **Save**.

:::Paragraph{indent="1"}
The system notifies the problem owner of the status change. If you added an ad-hoc reviewer from the **Problem Review Board** tab, the system notifies the reviewer.
:::