the specification discloses a system and related method for automating entry and approval of service requests in a help - desk software environment . more particularly , services are selected by a requester from a series of predefined service category items in an online shopping cart format . when selected , each service item requiring approval initiates an electronic message to the one or more persons responsible for approving or denying the service request . the service requests are approved or denied by way of a web - based interface , and if approved , the service requests are then created as cases in the help - desk software .