By
El Copeland
August 21, 2024
•
20 min read
Business
Tutorials
Choosing the Right Ticket Status Colors in HaloPSA
Have you implemented unique colors for your Ticket Statuses in HaloPSA?
Coloring these Statuses adds a great Quality of Life to your Agents working tickets. Often, it is treated as a nice-to-have or “let’s just make it look pretty,” which are fine if it works for you. However, we invite you to imagine instead with us: what if you could leverage symbolic colors that guide an Agent through your defined ticket process. What if you could implement that in a reasonable way?
So, to help lessen that decision fatigue for you since we know you’re busy customizing every other setting in HaloPSA as well, here is the framework that Rising Tide uses to approach customizing these settings to help you quickly and sensibly label your Ticket Statuses. In a future article, we’ll tackle Ticket Action color codes; however, the concepts will generally remain the same.
Laying out the Ticket Status Colors Framework
Before we jump into coloring statuses, let’s start by defining a ticket’s lifecycle according to how your Agents need to allocate their attention to those tickets, whether that is dictated by standard professionalism or ensuring SLAs are kept. For the sake of this conversation, we are going to address these ticket attention phases with the segments: Normal Attention, Elevated Attention, or Inert Attention.
Normal Attention
Ideally, your Agents receive a ticket and all things are “Go,” they have everything they need to start working, and then Close the ticket when they've successfully completed the task and can rest on their laurels (or move on to the next ticket!).
We recommend all Normal Attention tickets to be assigned “cool colors” like greens, blues, and purples. (And not cool because we think they’re rad, cool as opposed to warm colors, more information here on color theory) Statuses like New and In Progress generally belong here. We have the ticket, everything is going as planned. What a perfect, serene world. Peaceful, isn’t it?
Unfortunately, that’s not the reality in most of our businesses! What happens when tickets require extra attention or action to ensure their timely completion?
Elevated Attention
Here in Elevated Attention is where we see statuses like Escalated, Pending Approval, or Reopened: tickets that we need to be actively thinking about and revisiting, especially ones that are keeping our SLA clock running. To inspire action and increase visibility, we’re using warm, fiery colors like Orange, Red, and Yellow.
What if there is a ticket where we cannot take immediate action, or it doesn’t warrant it? That’s our last category: Inert Attention.
Inert Attention
There will be times when our tickets are active but there is literally nothing we can do but wait. The SLA clock isn’t running, so we don’t need to worry about taking action on these just yet: statuses like Waiting on Client or Waiting on Vendor. We recommend using greys to signify these statuses’ inactive character.
In general, we recommend you set up HaloPSA to do most of the status setting and remembering to move tasks in and out of statuses, especially Inert-type statuses. Specifically, when setting up these Inert Attention statuses in HaloPSA, be sure to build those Ticket Statuses, Ticket Type Settings, and your related Workflows so when a ticket enters or exits an Inert status, it automatically puts the ticket on or removes it from SLA hold. You can see examples of these settings in the screen captures below.
Some examples of this recommendation in action could be:
- Setting a Waiting on Client ticket to Attention Required when a customer replies to an email
- Setting a Waiting on Vendor ticket to Attention Required when a Supplier updates
- Setting a ticket to Scheduled upon creating an Appointment (Ticket Type Settings: Status after user appointment booking (resource booking), or Status after Agent creates appointment)
- Automatically setting Waiting on Client tickets to Closed after a certain number of hours with no reply according to SLA rules you set.
Ticket Status Colors Framework in Action
With all of these ideas in mind, we suggest as you approach customizing each ticket status, you ask:
What type of Attention do I expect of my team at this status: Normal, Elevated, or Inert?
When you have that answer, choose a color from the suggested family. Remember that color for other statuses you may have for other Ticket Types so it stays consistent regardless of what Area your Agent is operating from!
Here are some examples for what we specifically recommend to Rising Tide Customers. You will likely not need all of them, depending on your MSP’s needs:
Normal Attention
- Brand New/Assigned (Waiting on You): Green — Ticket is newly created and waiting for initial action. Green indicates readiness to start and clear action needed.
- Claimed/Work in Progress: Blue — Ticket is actively being addressed towards resolution. Blue symbolizes confidence in ongoing work and progress.
- We’d be remiss if we didn’t specifically call out that at Rising Tide we recommend that your Agents should not be "Claiming" tickets until they're ready to work on them.
- Closed: Black — The ticket has been fully resolved and all necessary actions are completed. Black signifies completion and closure of the ticket.
Elevated Attention
- Pending Approval: Yellow — Awaiting authorization or approval to proceed. Yellow is high-visibility and unique to call attention to follow up that may be necessary.
- Escalated: Orange — Moved to a higher level of support due to complexity or urgency. Orange highlights urgency and attention required.
- Customer Updated/Vendor Updated/Approver Updated: Orange— Orange is used to indicate recent release from a paused status like Waiting on Customer or Waiting on Vendor and subsequent re-instating of the current SLA timer, if applicable.
- Attention Required: Orange — Elevated attention needed following removal from an SLA hold.
- Reopened: Red — Previously closed/resolved ticket is active again due to additional issues or dissatisfaction. Red indicates a critical reactivation that needs immediate reassessment.
Inert Attention
- Waiting on Client: Grey — Progress on the ticket is paused because it requires input or action from the client. Grey suggests inactivity from the MSP’s side, waiting on external action.
- Waiting on Vendor/Waiting on Parts: Grey — Progress on the ticket is halted while waiting for action or information from an external vendor. Similar to waiting on client but specific to external vendors.
- Scheduled: Purple — Scheduled could also technically be included in the Normal category, hence the cool purple. Denotes a paused status where work is planned, but no active work is required.
- Resolved: Teal — Similar to Scheduled, Resolved straddles the Normal category as well. The issue within the ticket has been addressed, awaiting final closure or verification from the requester. Teal is a calm yet upbeat color indicating resolution but awaiting final closure.
As with most rules, there are going to be times when items cross between phases, or you may operate differently and not define a ticket status the same way we did here.
Maybe you have some color-blind technicians on staff and decide to use completely different colors completely or none at all. (If you do want to create a color-blind friendly palette, here’s a great resource.)
Maybe you want to choose different values (light or dark) within a certain family than what Halo provides.
Good! Break our rules. They're just here to help you decide what you do or don't actually want.
Our main recommendation is that you use your best judgement on what is right for your team and just be consistent which sometimes means keeping it simple. And let us know what you ended up doing, you may help someone else. Happy customizing!
As Partner and Business Consultant at Rising Tide, I help organizations align culture with efficiency, bridging the gap between strategy and the everyday systems that make it work. I’ve spent my career leading diverse, cross-functional teams and building communities where people actually want to learn and collaborate. With roots in technology, education, user experience & design, and project management, I specialize in turning complex ideas into clear, actionable plans that keep both people and projects thriving.
Outside of work, you’ll usually find me weight-training, gardening, or rewatching Doctor Who with a cat in my lap.
See some more of our most recent posts...
By the [run]Book: Episode 12
Episode 12 explores the second half of the HaloPSA 2.204 release—focusing heavily on operational enhancements that matter to MSPs. From SLA fixes to asset relationship control to better filtering and improved chat API hooks, this is a release packed with workflow refinements.
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In Episode 12 of By the [run]Book, Mendy and Connor continue their deep dive into HaloPSA release v2.204, covering the second half of this massive update. They break down critical enhancements across SLAs, custom fields, assets, chat, Google Workspace, billing, documentation, and integration workflows. This episode is ideal for MSP operators, service managers, and Halo administrators looking to understand not just what changed—but how those changes impact real-world processes.
Here's a few Key impactful updates featured in this episode:
· ATimezone option has been added to Agent details (998146)
Ensures holiday/PTO allowances calculate correctly based on each agent’s actualtimezone—preventing mid-day rollovers for distributed teams.
· Improvementsto the Google Workspace integration (987605)Updated user-matching options to now allow the use of both username and email.
· Restrictedasset relationship types (897671)
Allows admins to control which relationship types can be used between differentasset classes, preventing illogical or messy asset mappings.
· Separatepermission for impersonating users (747369)Impersonation no longer requires full admin rights, enabling safertroubleshooting and testing by leads, onboarding teams, or QA staff.
· Optionto select different email templates when sending invoices (574826)
Staff can now choose from multiple invoice email templates—helpful for voided,corrected, or specialized billing communications.
· NewSLA setting: user replies reset the response target even when on hold (920093)
Fixes unpredictable SLA behavior by ensuring user updates always reset theresponse timer, eliminating false breaches.
· Ticketlist filters now support Client, Site, and User custom fields (965190)
A major visibility upgrade that allows filtering by Client, Site, User customfields, and other options.
· Pre-paybalance type can now be set per contract (758980)
MSPs can now choose hours or currency on a per-contract basis—ideal for clientswith mixed prepay models like retainer hours and project funds.
Watch Now: By the [run]Book: Episode 12
For easier tracking, check out haloreleases.remmy.dev to filter and search HaloPSA updates by ID, version, and keyword.
Full Feature review:
A Timezone option has been added to Agent details which initially will only be used to ensure that the Holiday allowance calculations are correct | v2.204 #998146 | 2:04
Ensures holiday allowance calculations respect each agent’s timezone.
Various Embeddable Chat Widget API improvements | v2.204 #993194 | 7:42
Adds more customization and event capabilities to Halo’s external chat widget.
Various improvements to SAF management | v2.204 #987889 | 9:23
Enhances the Service Architecture Framework.
Improvements to the Google Workspace integration | v2.204 #987605 | 13:02
Adjusts Google user matching behavior.
Added a ticket setting to show the department a team belongs to when assigning/re-assigning | v2.204 #983485 | 15:29
Displays department context during ticket assignment.
The FAQ list now shows in the portal URL when navigating through the Knowledge Base | v2.204 #983353 | 16:02
Improves navigation clarity when browsing FAQs.
Slack notifications can now be triggered by CRM Note updates, Site updates and specific Agent Actions | v2.204 #982479 | 16:27
Expands Slack integration coverage.
Added Agent Team Mappings to Microsoft Entra ID | v2.204 #979667 | 16:36
Allows syncing team membership from Entra ID.
The change management fields ‘Impact’ and ‘Risk’ can now be used in Risk Score calculations | v2.204 #975163 | 19:31
Improves accuracy of Change Management scoring.
Added a general Ticket setting that when enabled, the Can Edit Advanced Ticket Details permission is required to bulk change Ticket Priority | v2.204 #971319 | 21:58
Adds protection against mass-priority edits.
Charge Rates/Types can now be ordered by a sequence number set on the Charge Rate/Type setup | v2.204 #969791 | 22:33
Enables custom sorting of charge rates.
Minor report Chart filtering UX improvements | v2.204 #969514 | 23:20
Improves visual continuity when filtering dashboard charts.
You can now use Client, Site and User Custom Fields as criteria for Ticket List filters | v2.204 #965190 | 24:58
Significantly expands filter capabilities.
Added option to send an Email to a specified Agent when a Runbook fails | v2.204 #957580 | 27:45
New notification option for automation failures.
Added a notification trigger for when a User uploads a document to a specific folder | v2.204 #955651 | 27:53
Useful for client-upload workflows.
Added Access Control to Folders when using Document Management | v2.204 #955650 | 28:09
Brings permissioning to folder-level document storage.
‘Top Level’ field now available when creating an Account/Prospect from the new Opportunity screen | v2.204 #923428 | 30:08
Allows proper top-level assignment for accounts/prospects.
Customer & Site level custom fields now have the option to be displayed under the customer record when logging a ticket | v2.204 #920539 | 32:06
Surfaces client metadata during ticket creation.
Added a global SLA setting to allow user updates to reset the response target regardless of whether the ticket is on hold | v2.204 #920093 | 34:13
Fixes a major SLA limitation.
Added the ability to restrict the allowed relationship types when relating assets | v2.204 #897671 | 39:30
Prevents invalid asset relationship mappings.
You can now import Service Level Agreements (SLAs) & Priorities using an XLS spreadsheet | v2.204 #841750 | 40:34
Enables bulk-import of SLA structures.
Added asset and service business and technical owners as notification recipients | v2.204 #801201 | 41:42
Provides more targeted asset/service notifications.
Improvements to the Jira Software integration | v2.204 #796046 | 43:04
Enhances mapping, syncing, and mention handling.
Unapproved holidays now show with a dotted border | v2.204 #795392 | 44:59
Better visibility in calendars.
You can now save emails from Mail Campaigns as email templates | v2.204 #762793 | 45:06
Allows reuse of campaign email layouts.
Pre-pay balance type can now be set per contract | v2.204 #758980 | 46:33
Adds contract-specific prepay logic.
You can now view the amount of hours invoiced so far on the billing tab of a ticket | v2.204 #749755 | 48:13
Adds visibility into billed time totals.
Added a separate permission for impersonating users | v2.204 #747369 | 48:37
Impersonation no longer requires full admin.
Added option to select different email templates when sending out invoices | v2.204 #574826 | 49:02
Choose among different invoice email templates.
Creating a Purchase Order from a Sales Order line will now set the Sales Order line Supplier field and updating the Purchase Order line price will update the Sales Order line cost | v2.204 #417125 | 50:38
Fixes cost/supplier syncing between SO → PO.
Chapter-by-Chapter Discussion Questions for The Go-Giver by Bob Burg: Chapter Eleven - Gus
In this chapter of The Go-Giver, we re-meet Gus, not as the useless coworker, but the one with a powerful secret. This discussion dives into authenticity, neurodivergent masking, and how “customer service voice” can be either healthy adaptability or self-erasure. Ideal for MSP and remote teams rethinking how connection really works.
Read post
About this Series
This discussion guide is part of Rising Tide’s Fall 2025 book club, where we’re reading The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann.
If you’re just joining us, here are a few pages you’ll likely benefit from:
- Chapter One – The Go-Getter for an introduction on how to use these Discussion Questions
- Book Clubs, Conversations, and Curiosity for why we started a book club for a technical team here
Chapter Summary
In Chapter 11, Joe learns more about “Gus,” who he is, and why he does what he does!
Discussion Questions
Use these open-ended prompts to guide reflection and conversation. Remember, there are no right answers!
- Well, did you guess it? Did you know Gus’ role was before this chapter?
- How did your perception of Gus change when you realized he was the connector Pindar kept referencing?
- In your own life, who are the “Guses”—the quiet connectors who don’t lead with their résumé but who hold networks together?
- Does being masked or guarded in some contexts undermine your authenticity overall, or is it reasonable self-protection?
Rising Tide Input for your Consideration
- Authenticity in Context. Our group debated whether authenticity must be consistent across all areas of life. Neurodivergent masking and professional role-switching complicate the idea that “the way you do one thing is how you do everything.” Exploration angle: how do context, safety, and identity shape authentic behavior?
- Balancing Professionalism and Emotional Reality. The group also discussed how we find ourselves able to flip from personal conflict within a team or close relationship to “customer service voice”. Do you consider that skill that adaptability or self-erasure? What do you consider to be the difference between healthy role-shifting and burnout-inducing masking?
- The Hidden Connector. Gus embodies quiet influence and value created through long-term generosity, consistency, and relationships rather than status or self-promotion. What makes certain people “super-connectors,” and how does that play out in technical or remote-first industries like MSPs?
About Rising Tide and our Book Club
Rising Tide helps MSPs and service-focused teams build better systems: the kind that align people with purpose.
Every Friday at 9:30 AM ET, we host Rising Tide Fridays as an open conversation for MSP owners, consultants, and service professionals who want to grow both professionally, technically, and emotionally. In Fall/Winter 2025, we’re walking through The Go-Giver, chapter by chapter.
If that sounds like your kind of crowd, reach out to partners@risingtidegroup.net for the Teams link.
Bring your coffee and curiosity…no prep required.
Chapter-by-Chapter Discussion Questions for The Go-Giver by Bob Burg: Chapter Ten - The Law of Authenticity
What if the real value you bring to your work, clients, and relationships isn’t your pitch, your process, or your polish—but you? This post walks through The Go-Giver’s Law of Authenticity, major blows to self-esteem, and why relationships aren’t 50/50. Learn how to add value simply by showing up as your honest, imperfect self.
Read post
About this Series
This discussion guide is part of Rising Tide’s Fall 2025 book club, where we’re reading The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann.
If you’re just joining us, here are a few pages you’ll likely benefit from:
- Chapter One – The Go-Getter for an introduction on how to use these Discussion Questions
- Book Clubs, Conversations, and Curiosity for why we started a book club for a technical team here
Chapter Summary
In Chapter 10, Joe learns the Fourth Law of Stratospheric Success — “The Law of Authenticity” — from a now-successful saleswoman who found this truth when she was at her lowest.
Discussion Questions
Use these open-ended prompts to guide reflection and conversation. Remember, there are no right answers!
- “These lessons don’t apply only to business…the true bottom line is whether it improves your life’s balance sheet.” What are things that improve your own balance sheet of life? Family? Hobbies? Travel?
- Have you ever had a major blow to your self-esteem like Debra’s husband leaving her? Have you ever looked at is as a gift? What if you did?
- “Add value. I had nothing to add but myself”. Have you ever considered that you, as you are, brings value to a relationship? Yes, your perspective, your experiences, but more than that, your presence is valuable in a relationship!!
- What do you consider to be people skills? To be a person?
Rising Tide Input for your Consideration
- How does privilege (financial cushion, partner support, social safety nets) affect whether we’re able to call adversity a “gift”? As leaders or teammates, what responsibility do we have to build safety nets for our people (policies, culture, financial practices) so they don’t fall off a cliff when life hits?
- John & Julie Gottman – Fighting Right & Repair. The Gottmans’ work shows that what predicts relationship health is not whether you fight, but whether you repair effectively afterward, mirroring what we discussed about client relationships and authenticity.
- Julie and John Gottman: Relationship advice from 50+ years of marriage | TED Talk
- “Happily ever after simply means that both partners are known, valued, accepted for who they are and who they are becoming.” - John M. Gottman
- Julie and John Gottman: Relationship advice from 50+ years of marriage | TED Talk
- Brené Brown – “Marriage is Never 50/50” - Short clip where Brown explains why healthy relationships aren’t equal splits but ebb and flow based on capacity, reinforcing the idea that we bring our best available self, not a fixed quota.sometimes they're 30-70...and sometimes they're 30-30...you should only be expected to bring your best. Because we are rarely able to be 100% consistently!
- The Framemaking Sale - by Brent Adamson and Karl Schmidt; so often relationships aren’t just about US or what we perceive we need to be, but rather how we can make the other person feel confident and comfortable in their own decisions.
About Rising Tide and our Book Club
Rising Tide helps MSPs and service-focused teams build better systems: the kind that align people with purpose.
Every Friday at 9:30 AM ET, we host Rising Tide Fridays as an open conversation for MSP owners, consultants, and service professionals who want to grow both professionally, technically, and emotionally. In Fall/Winter 2025, we’re walking through The Go-Giver, chapter by chapter.
If that sounds like your kind of crowd, reach out to partners@risingtidegroup.net for the Teams link.
Bring your coffee and curiosity…no prep required.