UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s IT Help Portal is the central hub for tech support across the University. Whether a student, faculty member or staff, users can quickly get answers, track requests and stay informed about service updates. Here are five key features to know about.
1: Get Help
For technology assistance, use the "Get Help" section (in orange, on the right-hand side of the page), which offers a quick and easy way to report issues, request services or get urgent help. On this page are various ways to reach out for help, including submitting a ticket through a form or starting a live chat with IT support.
Tip: It is recommended to use the form for detailed technical issues, and the chat for quick questions or troubleshooting.
2: My Tickets
The "My Tickets" section of the IT Help Portal allows users to easily track the status of any IT tickets they've made. View both active tickets and closed ones, which allows users to monitor progress and reference past issues when needed.
Tip: Keep the ticket number handy for following up; it helps support staff resolve individual requests more quickly.
3: Service Status and Alerts
The "Service Status" page provides real-time updates on important Penn State services such as Canvas, Wi-Fi, Zoom, Microsoft and LionPATH. It’s a quick way to confirm whether an issue is system-wide or related to an individual's device.
Tip: Subscribe to IT Alerts to receive notifications about scheduled maintenance or outages that affect the specific services. To do this, users should select the + icon next to the service they want to follow.
4: Knowledge Base
The "Knowledge Base" provides step-by-step guides and tutorials to help users resolve common IT issues without submitting a ticket. Topics include connecting to Wi-Fi, installing and using software and more. To access these articles, select "Knowledge Articles" and use the search bar to search across all of the Knowledge Bases available.
Tip: It is recommended to search the Knowledge Base first for any technology-related questions; users may be able to resolve their issue immediately without submitting a ticket.
5: Forms
For specific needs such as software installation or access to a service, the "Forms" section offers structured request forms to ensure a request is routed to the correct team. Select "Forms" at the top of the page then use the search bar to find the needed form.
Tip: In addition to using the search bar, try "Browse by Categories" to explore available forms and locate the one that best fits the request.