How to add a Category to SCSM Business Service Components

I recently faced the challenge to add custom Category Classes to System Center Service Manager Business Service Components.

I will skip the introduction on how to build custom classes with Visual Studio, cause Marcel did an awesome Job already here: http://marcelzehner.ch/2015/04/13/scsm-quickvids-for-scsm-20122012r2-authoring-video-4-create-a-custom-form-step-1/

I want to show how to create this classes, cause I think someone can also need this.

Preparation

As Marcel showed us in his Videos, we need the related Management Pack as a reference in our Visual Studio Solution.

But what Management Pack?

That’s easy, take a look at the actual Categories.

So take a look for the “Microsoft.SystemCenter.ServiceDesigner.Library.mp” in your Service Manager installation folder and copy it to your Solution Directory.

Add it as a Reference and lets go.

I also exported this from Service Manager an did some research at the XML File, to understand this Class.

Lets go

So open your Visual Studio, create a new SCSM Management Pack, add a new Class Item.

Also add the “Microsoft.SystemCenter.ServiceDesigner.Library.mp” as a Reference to the Solution

The Code should look like this

1: This are our 2 Classes which should be the Category “Printer” and “Phone”

2: That’s very important, we need to reference our imported MP “Microsoft.SystemCenter.ServiceDesigner.Library.mp”

3: Here you can configure the displayed Names and Descriptions

Build your Solution, Import the MP into Service Manager.

The Result will look like this

Michael Seidl aka Techguy