From ticket chaos to a clear structure: How IT managers can act now

For IT managers in medium-sized companies, ticket systems are often a daily companion—and a constant challenge at the same time. Outdated tickets block resources, distort reporting, and weaken IT processes. Learn how to systematically clean up your ticket system, optimize its structure, and regain it as a valuable control tool.

Monday morning, shortly before the IT review: The IT management of a medium-sized company takes a look at the ticket system – over 1,200 open tickets. Some are days old, others several months. The query from management is not long in coming: “Is anything actually being done about this?”

This is a scenario that many IT managers may be familiar with. However, the sheer number of open tickets is only a limited measure of the quality of IT work. This is because there are usually complex reasons behind it.

What really influences ticket numbers?

Whether a team processes 50, 500, or 5,000 tickets per month depends heavily on the context. The complexity of the system landscape, the number of users, the stability of the infrastructure, and the release frequency are all decisive factors. Seasonal effects such as vacation periods or the turn of the year are also reflected in the statistics.

A mature IT system with many interfaces generates more effort than a clearly structured cloud solution. And those who regularly roll out changes inevitably generate more tickets—just as too little change leads to more technical debt in the long term.

Why not every ticket is worth the same

A high ticket count can quickly seem threatening—but it says little about the actual workload. What matters is what lies behind the numbers: Are they simple requests such as password resets or in-depth problem tickets? Routine tasks can often be automated, while complexity usually requires individual solutions.

A team with 300 standard tasks can work more efficiently than a team with 20 complex problems. Differentiated reporting helps to identify these correlations and manage them in a targeted manner. So it’s not the number that matters, but the effort, relevance, and degree of automation.

Are there any guidelines?

Of course, despite all the variability, certain empirical values can be derived—however, these should always be considered carefully and in the context of your individual system landscape.

Learning from patterns – instead of just counting

It’s not the quantity that matters, but the significance behind it. Which ticket types dominate? How many requests could be automated? Where do problems recur regularly—and why?

Recurring tickets often point to structural weaknesses – for example, in architecture, processes, or user guidance. Recognizing these patterns allows you to take targeted countermeasures and relieve the burden on support. This transforms the ticket system from a data graveyard into a strategic early warning system.

5 steps to clean up and prevent ticket backlogs

1. Create transparency: Start with a structured inventory: Which tickets are open? How old are they? Which categories are accumulating? Clear reporting is the basis of any optimization.
2. Targeted cleanup of legacy issues: Not every ticket needs to be checked manually. Older cases can often be archived or closed automatically. Queries to the creators with a set time frame help with the evaluation.
3. Utilize automation potential: Many routine requests can be handled via self-service portals, workflows, or bots. This reduces the burden on IT and improves response times for more complex cases.
4. Address causes structurally: Recurring errors indicate systemic problems. Invest in root cause analysis, training, and targeted improvements in processes or system design.
5. Establish governance: A functioning ticket system needs clear rules: Who is responsible for what? Which SLAs apply? What are the requirements for ticket quality? Regular reviews ensure consistent quality.

Less is not always better – better structures are

A full ticket system is not a sign of weakness, but a signal to take action. Those who manage to gain insights from tickets lay the foundation for better processes, more resilient architectures, and more efficient support.

With our many years of experience, we support companies in doing just that: with a strategic vision, technical depth, and tried-and-tested approaches, we help you use tickets as a management tool—and create real clarity out of complexity.

Get to know us—or get started with our free Whitepaper on IT Architecture (in German).

Source header image: Adobe Stock – Gorodenkoff