Getting Started

Cisco WebAttendant provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for controlling a Cisco IP Phone to perform attendant console functions. You can use Cisco WebAttendant to handle calls for an entire company or for a department within a company. It can also be used by an individual to manage calls coming into a single Cisco IP Phone.

Using Cisco WebAttendant, you can:

•Answer, place, manage, or direct calls

•Configure and use speed dial buttons

•Look up directory numbers, manage or route calls, and view line status for users and resources contained in the Cisco CallManager database at your site

Cisco WebAttendant works in conjunction with a Cisco IP Phone. The number of lines configured by your system administrator for your Cisco IP Phone determines the number of available Smart Lines (SLs) on Cisco WebAttendant (up to eight lines). For Cisco WebAttendant to work properly, your Cisco IP Phone must have buttons assigned for Hold and Transfer. If you intend to use a headset, an Answer/Release button must also be assigned.

Figure 1-1 shows an overview of the Cisco WebAttendant user interface:

Figure 1-1 The Cisco WebAttendant Interface

Cisco WebAttendant Interface

The interface is comprised of several areas. Each area is described in detail in the following sections.

Display Area

The display area is located in the upper left corner of the Cisco WebAttendant. By looking at the display area, you can see:

•The call action in progress (for example, 1001 for 2001)

•The state of the Telephony Call Dispatcher server (either SRV or No SRV)

•Whether you are logged in or not

•Whether you are online or offline

The numbers you dial appear in the upper right corner of the display area.

Action Buttons

The action buttons are located in the upper middle of the Cisco WebAttendant: Use the action buttons to log in or out, go online or offline, view settings, and handle calls. Refer to the "Handling Calls" section for information about using action buttons.

Speed Dial Area

The speed dial area, located on the upper right area of Cisco WebAttendant, allows you to program speed dial numbers, place calls using the speed dials, and monitor phone status for speed dial lines. There are two columns of speed dial buttons that provide up to 26 different speed dial numbers.

The speed dials have two areas:

•A button area that displays the line status and up to six digits of the speed dial number. The line status icons indicate the following states:

–Blue line—The phone is available.

–Red line—The phone status is unknown.

–Blue phone icon—The phone is busy.

•A longer display area that allows you to enter a description of the speed dial number

Refer to the "Using Speed Dials" section for information about setting up and using speed dial buttons.

Smart Line Area

The Smart Line (SL) area, located beneath the display on the left side of the Cisco WebAttendant, displays from one to eight SLs, depending on the number of lines configured by your system administrator for the Cisco IP Phone you are using with Cisco WebAttendant.

Three SL states are reflected by action and color in the SL button area:

•Solid light blue SL—The line is active.

•Flashing yellow SL—A call is ringing on the line.

•Flashing red SL—The line has a call on hold.

Status

The status display, located on the lower left area of the Cisco WebAttendant, shows the status of the phone line for each entry in the directory. The icons in the status area indicate the following states (these are identical to the line status icons displayed for the speed dial buttons):

•Blue line—The phone is available.

•Red line—The phone status is unknown.

•Blue phone icon—The phone is busy.

Directory

The directory, located at the bottom of the Cisco WebAttendant, displays line number, line status, and user information from the Cisco CallManager user directory database. You can click a column header to sort the column in ascending order, or search the directory by typing a letter or number in the title bar of the column you want to search. You can double-click on directory numbers or drag directory numbers onto the buttons in the Smart Line (SL) area to place calls. Refer to the "Using the Directory" section for more information about looking up directory numbers and placing calls.

Before You Begin

After your system administrator installs and configures Cisco WebAttendant and associates it with a Cisco IP Phone (through the Cisco WebAttendant Settings dialog box), you can set up your working environment.

Follow these steps to set up your environment:

Step 1 Make sure that the Internet Explorer Version 4.0 or greater web browser is installed on your system with ActiveX is enabled. See your system administrator for more information.

Note Cisco WebAttendant will not work in conjunction with Netscape Navigator.

Step 2 Attach a headset to your Cisco IP Phone, if available.

Tips We recommend using a headset with Cisco WebAttendant if you expect to handle a large call volume or you expect to perform other duties while using Cisco WebAttendant. The headset allows you to use Cisco WebAttendant without picking up the handset of the associated Cisco IP Phone. To use a headset, the phone must have an Answer/Release button.

Step 3 You are now ready to begin using Cisco WebAttendant. Refer to the "Starting Cisco WebAttendant" section for instructions.

Starting Cisco WebAttendant

Use the following procedure to start Cisco WebAttendant.

Step 1 Start Cisco WebAttendant in either of the following ways:

•Select Start > Programs > Cisco WebAttendant > Cisco WebAttendant.

•If Internet Explorer is not your default web browser, open Internet Explorer and type the following URL into the Location (URL) field:

C:\install_path\WebAttendant\bin\WebAttendant.htm

where install_path is the path to the Cisco WebAttendant installation.

For example, if Cisco WebAttendant was installed in the default location, you would enter the following into the Location (URL) field:

C:\Program Files\Cisco\WebAttendant\bin\WebAttendant.htm

Once you have entered the appropriate URL, the Cisco WebAttendant web page appears in the Internet Explorer browser, and displays the message "Please wait for the Cisco WebAttendant to load."

Step 2 Click Yes if an Internet Explorer dialog appears with this message: "Some software (ActiveX controls) on this page might be unsafe. It is recommended that you do not run it. Do you want to run it?"

The Cisco WebAttendant client is launched in a new window.

You are now ready to log in and go online.

Logging In and Going Online

Perform the following steps to log in and go online to handle calls:

Step 1 Click the Login button in Cisco WebAttendant.

Cisco WebAttendant checks the information provided by the system administrator in the Settings dialog box and accesses the user directory information for your company.

Logging in enables you to use Cisco WebAttendant to answer, place, and direct calls, view line status, use the directory, and configure and use speed dial buttons.

Your Cisco WebAttendant user ID and password should already be set up for you. Contact your system administrator if you can not log in.

Step 2 Click the Go Online button in Cisco WebAttendant.

When you go online, the Telephony Call Dispatcher is notified that you are available to answer calls directed to you at the pilot number set up by your system administrator.

Going Offline and Logging Out

When you are not using Cisco WebAttendant, go offline to notify the Telephony Call Dispatcher that you are unavailable for handling calls. At the end of the day, go offline, log out, and close Cisco WebAttendant.

•To go offline and log out, click Go Offline, then click Logout.

•If you need to stop handling calls for a short period, click Go Offline. When you want to resume handling calls, click Go Online.

•To exit Cisco WebAttendant completely and close the application window, click the Close button on the title bar.

The Go Online/Go Offline and the Login/Logout buttons are context-sensitive. If you are online, the Go Offline button is displayed. If you are offline, the Go Online button is displayed. When you are logged in, the Logout button is displayed, and so on.

Viewing Settings

The Settings dialog box allows your system administrator to set certain values that enable communication between the Cisco CallManager server, the associated Cisco IP Phone, and the Cisco WebAttendant client application. Detailed information about the Settings dialog box is provided in the Cisco CallManager Administration Guide.

Caution The WebAttendant User ID and WebAttendant Password are the only settings that you might need to modify. Do not change any of the other values specified in the Settings dialog box unless instructed to by your system administrator. Doing so may cause Cisco WebAttendant to stop working.

To view Cisco WebAttendant settings, click Settings.

The WebAttendant User ID and WebAttendant Password fields are assigned by your system administrator and should already be set up for you. To change passwords, notify your system administrator.