This is a 3 part series. Part 1 explained Unattended Support, Part 2 in this post will take you through the steps of setting up Unattended Support on a client computer, and Part 3 will discuss the security issues and best practices to follow when using Unattended Support.
In Part 1 of this series, I explained how you can use Unattended Support to work on your client’s computers while they are away from them. This allows you to work on customer computers without interrupting their work day.
In this part, Part 2, I’ll explain how to set up and use Unattended Support in GoToAssist Express.
To enable Unattended Support on a client computer, you must first be in a live session with your customer. This is permission-based so you customer must approve it and you will not be able to approve it for them. Once you’ve explained how Unattended Support will give you access to their computer while they are away, go to the tools menu and select “Set Up Unattended Support”.
Your client will be prompted to approve the enabiling of Unattended Support on their computer.
Once your client clicks yes, you will be able to create a nickname for your customer’s computer. Name it something easy to understand, like the client and user names.
After the nickname is created, you will be asked to authenticate, enter your normal user name and password.
Then you can create a unique access code for this machine. You will want this to be at least 6 characters long and it should include both letters and numbers for security.
You will be notified that you are successful with the following message.
You can see your Unattended Computers in one of two places:
1) While in the GoToAssist Express window, click the session button, then select “View Unattended Support Computers”.
2) from the system tray, right-click the GoToAssist Express icon and select “View Unattended Support Computer”.
You’ll see all your unattended computers in a list, with an indication of if the computer is currently in use, recently used, available and online, offline or currently in a GoToAssist Express session as shown in my example below for my laptop. (Remember, you have to be in a live session to enable Unattended Support. I set up my laptop to get these screenshots and when back in to make sure it was successful so it show my laptop as “in session”.)
Start a session with your unattended computers by clicking the “connect” button (assuming it is “online” as in the example above with Client C Work PC.)
You will be asked to enter your access code and then your unattended session will begin. Your customer will be able to tell you are working on their computer as they will see the GoToAssist Customer Menu in the bottom right corner of their screen.
Your customer can stop screen sharing by closing this window or by clicking the “stop screen sharing” button. This is one of the security measures we’ve provided in GoToAssist Express.
Your customer can also block or deny you access to their machine from their GoToAssist Express icon in the system tray, another security measure allowing your customers control over access to their computer.
Once in a session, it is like any other sesssion except there is no customer at the other end, you are driving the computer without them physically at the computer. If there is no activity in your unattended session, your session will time out after 30 minutes.
In Part 3, I will talk about the security issues your customers will be concerned about and best practices to follow with using Unattened Support. I hope you tune in.
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