Help Desk Template Sealed Columns

Scenario

• You wish to install the MS Fab 40 Help Desk template.
• You need to change the values in, description of, or delete the Status, Priority, or KBArticle choice or lookup columns/fields.

Issue

• These columns are Sealed in the list definition. Therefore, you cannot delete or edit them.
• Note: The Priority column seems to inherit initial values from the standard Priority site collection column

Resolution

• If you haven't done much with the template, you can unseal the columns in the site definition.  You must do the following on each FEW server.  You must then recreate any ServiceRequest lists.
• Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\Web Server Extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES\HelpDeskServiceRequestsList\servicerequest
• Edit schema.xml
• Replace all instances of Sealed="TRUE" with Sealed="FALSE"

• If you have made changes, you can unseal all columns except Priority using SharePoint Manager 2007.  Priority can be hidden from forms and views or may be removed programatically.  Or alternatively, you can change the list definition as above, create a new ServiceRequest list and move the items from the old list to the new.