Show AND Tell: Use Screen Shots to Report IT Problems

One of the best ways users can help improve any online or software system is to show a problem or error message they encounter as well as describe it. This is easy to do by capturing your screen at the point of the problem and attaching the image in an email message to the user support center (e.g., helpdesk@umbc.edu or ps-support@umbc.edu). The advantage for programmers is they can see exactly where you were in the application when the problem occurred, and often identify critical clues or information you may not even think to report.

You can use low-cost screen capturing tools like Adobe Acrobat, Snag-IT (PC) or Snapz (Mac), but here's a free and easy way to do it on your PC (Mac's use a similar process called "grab"):

Step 1

While viewing the Web page or software screen showing the problem or error message, press the [Alt] and [PrtScn] keys simultaneously. This captures the active window you're viewing. To capture your entire screen, just press [PrtScn].

Step 2

In a blank Word document select "paste" from your file menu, or hit the [Ctrl] and [v] keys simultaneously.

Step 3

This will likely fill up much of your Word document, but if you press your right mouse button, and select format or edit picture, this will open up simple picture editing commands like resize, crop, etc.

Step 4 (optional)

You can then format the picture the way you want with your "Draw" menu, perhaps highlighting a section or adding a text annotation or description.

Step 5

Save the Word document and then attach it to an email message to the user support center such as the OIT Help Desk (helpdesk@umbc.edu) or PeopleSoft Support (ps-support@umbc.edu).

Note: Don't just send the attachment by itself. Explain the background or steps leading to the error--you can even copy & paste this information into the attached Word document, too. All of this gives IT support staff the context or background of your situation, when they weren't there to actually view the problem themselves.