ITIL4F Four Dimensions of IT Service Management Practice Question
A user requests a new laptop for a new employee. According to ITIL 4, what type of record should be raised?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse a 'service request' with a 'change request' because provisioning a new laptop involves a change to the asset inventory, but ITIL 4 explicitly categorizes standard, low-risk, pre-approved requests as service requests, not changes.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Service request
A service request is a formal request from a user for something to be provided – for example, for information, advice, or a standard change. In ITIL 4, provisioning a new laptop for a new employee is a pre-defined, low-risk, standard request that follows an approved procedure, making it a service request rather than a change or incident.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Change request
Why it's wrong here
A change request authorises modifications to existing configuration items, so it cannot initiate procurement of a new laptop. It is tempting because provisioning hardware alters the IT estate, yet standard service requests cover predefined, low-risk user needs such as equipment for a new starter, which is the correct record here.
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Incident record
Why it's wrong here
An incident record captures unplanned interruptions or degradations to a live service, so a planned hardware request for a new starter falls outside its scope. It is tempting because incidents also route through the service desk, and incident management would be correct when an existing laptop fails and disrupts a user's work.
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Service request
Why this is correct
A new laptop for a new employee is a pre-approved, low-risk standard request fulfilled through normal channels, which ITIL 4 classifies as a service request. It is not an incident, since nothing has failed or degraded.
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Problem record
Why it's wrong here
A problem record addresses the root cause of one or more incidents, not a routine service request. Raising one here misclassifies a standard request, bypassing the request fulfilment workflow. Problem management would be correct where recurring incidents share an unidentified underlying cause requiring investigation.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This ITIL4F practice question is part of Courseiva's free PeopleCert certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the ITIL4F exam.