Table Of Contents

Call Management Overview

Overview of Call Management Concepts

Call Handlers

Directory Handlers

Interview Handlers

Call Routing Tables

How Call Routing Rules Work

Restriction Tables

How Restriction Tables Work

Schedules and Holidays

Default Cisco Unity Connection Automated Attendant Behavior

Call Management Overview

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Cisco Unity Connection provides a number of different call management elements that you can combine to customize how your system handles calls and collects input from callers.

See the following sections:

•Overview of Call Management Concepts

•Call Handlers

•Directory Handlers

•Interview Handlers

•Call Routing Tables

•Restriction Tables

•Schedules and Holidays

•Default Cisco Unity Connection Automated Attendant Behavior

After reading about call management concepts, see the "Creating a Call Management Plan" chapter for instructions on developing a plan.

Overview of Call Management Concepts

Cisco Unity Connection provides the following tools for managing incoming and outgoing calls:

Call Handlers	Answer calls and can take messages; provide menus of options (for example, "For customer service press 1, for sales press 2..."); route calls to users and to other call handlers; and play audiotext (prerecorded information).
Directory Handlers	Provide directory assistance by playing an audio list that users and outside callers use to reach users and to leave messages.
Interview Handlers	Collect information from callers by playing a series of questions and then recording the answers.
Call Routing Tables	Allow you to define how calls are initially routed, based on criteria such as the phone number of the caller and the schedule. When you have set up call handlers, interview handlers, and the directory handler, as well as extensions for users, you can route calls to the applicable person or handler by modifying the call routing tables.
Restriction Tables	Control outgoing calls by allowing you to specify the numbers that Connection can dial for transferring calls and for notifying users of messages.
Schedules and Holidays	Define business/nonbusiness and holiday hours for the organization, for the purpose of controlling which set of call routing rules, greetings, or transfer options is currently active.

All of these elements can be used as building blocks; you can use or customize the default objects in Cisco Unity Connection, or add new objects and combine them to create the caller experience.

Call Handlers

Call handlers answer calls, greet callers with recorded prompts, provide callers with information and options, route calls, and take messages. They are a basic component of Cisco Unity Connection. Your plan for call handlers can be simple, using only the predefined call handlers, or you can create an unlimited number of new call handlers. You may want to use call handlers in the following ways:

•As an automated attendant—A call handler can be used in place of a human operator to answer and direct calls by playing greetings and responding to touchtones. The automated attendant can provide a menu of options (for example, "For Sales, press 1; for Service, press 2; for our business hours, press 3.").

•To offer prerecorded audiotext—A call handler can be used to provide information that customers request frequently (for example, "Our normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.").

•As a message recipient—A call handler can be used to take messages for the organization (for example, "All of our customer service representatives are busy. Please state your name, phone number, and account number, and we will return your call as soon as possible.").

•To transfer calls—A call handler can be used to route callers to a user (for example, after hours, you could transfer calls that come to a technical support call handler directly to the cell phone of the person who is on call), or to another call handler.

To learn how to create and customize call handlers, see the "Managing Call Handlers" chapter.

Directory Handlers

Directory handlers provide directory assistance that callers can use to reach Cisco Unity Connection users with voice mailboxes. When a caller searches for a user name or part of a name, a directory handler looks up the extension and routes the call to the appropriate user.

There are two types of directory handlers:

Phone

Callers enter search information by using touchtone keys on the phone keypad. For this type of directory handler, you can specify how it searches for names, what it does when it finds one or more matches, and what it does when it detects no caller input. Note that for this type of directory handler, users cannot be accessed by using directory handlers unless they have recorded names.

Voice

For Cisco Unity Connection systems with the voice recognition option only. For this type of directory handler, callers speak the first name and last name of the Connection user that they want to reach. In addition to searching by first and last name, the voice directory handler includes alternate names in searches. Connection users who are listed in the directory are available to outside callers as names that can be reached. System contacts are only available to Connection users who are logged on to Connection, and personal contacts are only available to the Connection users who defined them. Note that for this type of directory handler, users cannot be accessed by using directory handlers unless they have a first name, last name, or alternate name specified for them on the User Basics page.

To learn how to create and customize directory handlers, see the "Managing Directory Handlers" chapter.

Interview Handlers

Interview handlers collect information from callers by playing a series of questions that you have recorded, and then recording the answers offered by callers. For example, you might use an interview handler to take sales orders or to gather information for a product support line.

When a call is routed to an interview handler, the interview handler plays the first recorded question, then plays a beep, then records the answer. Cisco Unity Connection stops recording either when the response reaches the maximum recording time that you have specified, or when the caller stops speaking. Connection then plays the second question, and so on. When all the answers have been recorded, they are forwarded as a single voice message, with beeps separating the answers, to the recipient that you designate.

To learn how to create and customize interview handlers, see the "Managing Interview Handlers" chapter.

Call Routing Tables

Call routing tables are used to route incoming calls to the operator or to specific users, call handlers, directory handlers, or interview handlers. In addition, call routing tables are used to route users to the user logon conversation.

Cisco Unity Connection has two call routing tables—one for direct calls and one for forwarded calls—that handle calls from users and from outside callers. Each table contains predefined routing rules, and you can create additional rules to route calls as needed. Set up your directory handlers, call handlers, and interview handlers first, and then modify or create call routing rules for each table as needed to route incoming calls correctly.

Direct Rules

Direct rules handle calls from users and outside callers that are dialed directly to Connection. The predefined direct routing rules are: •Attempt Sign-In—Calls from users are routed to the user logon conversation. •Opening Greeting—Calls from outside callers are routed to the Opening Greeting.

Forwarded Rules

Forwarded rules handle calls that are forwarded to Connection from either a user extension or from an extension that is not associated with a user account (such as a conference room). The predefined forwarded routing rules are: •Attempt Forward—All calls forwarded from a user extension are routed to the user greeting. •Opening Greeting—Calls forwarded from an extension that is not associated with a user account are routed to the Opening Greeting.

You can add new rules, and change the order of the rules in the respective routing tables. You can change the order of the Attempt Sign-In and Attempt Forward rules relative to additional rules that you add in the respective routing tables, but the Opening Greeting rule is always the last entry for both tables. You cannot modify or delete the predefined rules.

Review the following "How Call Routing Rules Work" section to learn more about routing rules. When you are ready to create and customize them, see the "Managing Call Routing Tables" chapter.

How Call Routing Rules Work

Call routing tables consist of a series of rules that let you route incoming calls based on the information that Cisco Unity Connection may have about a call, such as the calling phone number (ANI or caller ID), the trunk or port on which the call comes in, the dialed phone number (DNIS), the forwarding station, and the schedule.

When Connection receives a call, it first determines if it is a direct or forwarded call based on the information contained in the serial or DTMF packet sent by the phone system, and then applies the applicable call routing table. If the call information matches all of the settings for the first rule, the call is routed as specified in the rule. If any call information does not match the settings specified in the first rule, the call information is then compared to the settings of the second rule, and so on, until a rule is found that matches all the characteristics of the call.

The integration between the phone system and Connection determines the information that is provided about a call (for example, call type, port, trunk, calling number, and dialed number). The schedule is determined by the date and time that the call is received.

To set up routing rules correctly, you need to know what information your integration provides. See the Call Information section in the Cisco Unity Connection integration guide for your phone system for this information (Connection integration guides are available at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6509/products_installation_and_configuration_guides_list.html).

The following examples show how call routing tables are used in Connection to route calls.

Example 1

In Table 4-1, calls that meet the criteria specified in the Operator rule settings—any direct external call received while the Weekdays schedule is active—are transferred to the operator. Calls that do not meet this criteria are routed as specified by one of the other call routing rules in the table. In this case, any direct external calls received on the weekends will be routed to the Opening Greeting, according to the Opening Greeting call routing rule.

Table 4-1 Direct Calls Call Routing Table 

Rule	Status	Call Type	Dialed Number	Calling Number	Trunk	Port	Schedule	Send Call To
Operator	Active	External calls	Any	Any	Any	Any	Weekdays	Attempt transfer for operator
Attempt Sign-in	Active	Both	Any	Any	Any	Any	Always	Attempt Sign-in
Opening Greeting	Active	Both	Any	Any	Any	Any	Always	Attempt transfer for Opening Greeting

Example 2

In Table 4-2, calls forwarded from specific extensions—1234 and 5678—are routed according to the Product Info and Customer Service rules, respectively. Calls that do not match the extension (or forwarding station) in either of the first two rules are routed according to the two remaining rules.

Table 4-2 Forwarded Calls Call Routing Table 

Rule	Status	Call Type	Dialed Number	Calling Number	Forwarding Station	Schedule	Send Call To
Customer Service	Active	Both	Any	Any	5678	Always	Attempt transfer for Customer Service
Product Info	Active	Both	Any	Any	1234	Always	Send to greeting for Product Info
Attempt Forward	Active	Both	Any	Any	Any	Always	Attempt Forward
Opening Greeting	Active	Both	Any	Any	Any	Always	Attempt transfer for Opening Greeting

Restriction Tables

Restriction tables allow you to control which phone numbers users and administrators can use for:

•Transferring calls—including both the numbers users can enter for transferring their calls, and the numbers that outside callers can enter when using Caller system transfers. (For more information on Caller system transfers, see the "System Transfers" section on page 13-12.)

•Recording and playback by phone from Cisco Unity Connection applications, when the phone is the designated recording and playback device in the Media Master.

•Sending message notifications.

For example, you can specify that users have calls transferred only to internal extensions. Restriction tables are applied regardless of how a user or administrator accesses Connection. They do not affect the phone numbers that users can dial when they are not logged on to Connection.

Each class of service specifies for its members a restriction table for call transfers, one for message notification, and one for fax deliveries. (Note that fax-related features are not available in this release of Connection). The restriction table can be the same for all three, or different for each.

Review the following "How Restriction Tables Work" section to learn more about restriction tables. When you are ready to create and customize them, see the "Managing Restriction Tables" chapter.

How Restriction Tables Work

When a user uses the Cisco Unity Assistant or the Cisco Unity Connection conversation to attempt to change a phone number that will be used for call transfer or message notification, or when users use Caller system transfers to transfer to a number that they specify, Connection applies the applicable restriction table to verify that the phone number entered is allowed. The same thing happens when an administrator uses Cisco Unity Connection Administration to attempt to change a phone number that will be used for message notification or call transfer. In each case, the restriction table used is the one associated with the user or administrator who is changing the number.

For example, if a user uses the Cisco Unity Assistant to enter a phone number to set up a message notification device, Connection applies the restriction table that is associated with class of service of that user, and displays an error message if the phone number is not allowed. But when an administrator changes a message notification number for a user by using Cisco Unity Connection Administration, Connection applies the restriction table associated with the administrator class of service, not the class of service of the user. Therefore, an administrator can, when necessary, override the limitations of the class of service of a particular user.

Each row of a restriction table is made up of a dial string. Each dial string consists of a call pattern and a setting that specifies whether numbers matching the call pattern are permitted for use. The restriction table is applied when a user or an administrator attempts to change a number that is controlled by a restriction table, not when Connection tries to complete a transfer or delivery. To protect Connection from toll fraud and unauthorized use when users use Caller system transfers, users must log on to Connection, enter the number that they want to transfer to, and Connection performs the transfer only when the Default System Transfer restriction table permits it.

When a restriction table is applied to a number (such as a pager number for a message notification), Connection compares the number with the call pattern of the first dial string in the restriction table. If the number does not match the call pattern, Connection then compares the number with the call pattern in the second dial string, and so on, until it finds a match. When Connection finds a match, it either permits or restricts the use of the number as specified in the dial string.

Restriction tables are commonly used to permit or restrict the use of the following:

•Specific numbers, such as an extension.

•Numbers that are greater than or less than a specific length.

•Numbers that contain a specific digit or pattern of digits, such as an external access code followed by a long-distance access code.

For example, the restriction table in Table 4-3 restricts most long distance phone numbers, but permits extensions starting with "91." In this case, if a user enters "9123" as a transfer number, Connection first compares the number to the call pattern in Dial String 0, which restricts all numbers that begin with "91" and are followed by at least seven digits. Because the number entered does not match the call pattern, Connection then compares the number to Dial String 1, which restricts all numbers that begin with "9011" and are followed by at least seven digits. Finally, Connection compares the number to the last dial string, which contains the wildcard character that matches all numbers of any length. Because the Allow This String field is set to Yes for this dial string, Connection permits this number to be used.

Table 4-3 Example 1 

Dial String	Call Pattern	Allow This String
0	91???????*	No
1	9011???????*	No
2	*	Yes

The restriction table in Table 4-4 restricts long distance phone numbers and numbers with fewer than four digits. In this example, "9" is the external access code for the phone system, and "1" is the long-distance access code. Dial String 0 restricts any number beginning with "91," while numbers fewer than four digits in length are restricted by Dial String 2. Thus, the only numbers permitted by this restriction table have at least four digits, and are not long distance phone numbers.

Table 4-4 Example 2 

Dial String	Call Pattern	Allow This String
0	91*	No
1	????*	Yes
2	*	No

Schedules and Holidays

Schedules (and associated sets of holidays) are one of the variables that Cisco Unity Connection uses to manage calls: call handler transfer options can be varied based on a schedule and schedules can be applied to routing rules to change call routing patterns for different time periods. Schedules also affect when some user and call handler greetings play.

Connection offers two predefined schedules: All Hours, and Weekdays, both of which can be modified. (By default, the Weekdays schedule is configured to observe standard hours from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and to observe the predefined Holidays holiday schedule, which does not contain any dates or times.)

For each schedule that you create or modify, you can identify multiple ranges of hours and days that make up the standard and closed hours, and associate a holiday schedule that defines specific holiday dates and times:

Standard hours	The hours and days that make up the normal business hours, when the organization is open. Standard hours can include multiple time ranges and different time ranges on different days. (For example, standard hours for an organization might be Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., to accommodate a lunch break, and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) Standard transfer options are in effect during the days and time ranges you add to the standard schedule; standard user and call handler greetings play during standard hours.
Closed hours	The hours and days not identified as standard hours are considered nonbusiness hours, when the organization is closed. Closed transfer options operate at all times not specified by the standard schedule—including holidays; closed user and call handler greetings play according to the closed schedule.
Holidays	When a Holiday setting is in effect, Connection plays holiday greetings (if enabled) and observes off hours transfer rules. You can set up several years of holidays at a time. Because many holidays occur on different dates each year, confirm that the holiday schedule remains accurate annually. Closed transfer options operate at all times not specified by the standard schedule—including holidays; holiday greetings for users and call handlers also play during this time period.

To modify predefined schedules or to create your own, see the "Managing Schedules and Holidays" chapter.

Default Cisco Unity Connection Automated Attendant Behavior

The following example uses the default Connection automated attendant configuration to illustrate a call flow through various call management elements. It illustrates some of the "out of box" behavior you can expect if you have not changed the call management configuration after installing Connection.

An Outside Caller Calls Cisco Unity Connection During Business Hours

A caller who does not have a Connection voice mailbox dials the main Connection phone number at 9:00 a.m. on a Monday morning.

1. Information from the phone system indicates that the call is a direct call from an outside caller. Connection checks the call routing rules for a rule that matches the call. The Direct routing rules table contains two entries: Attempt Sign In and Opening Greeting. For the Attempt Sign-In rule, Connection attempts to match the caller phone number with the extension or alternate extension of a Connection user. When this fails, Connection tries the next routing rule, the Opening Greeting rule.

2. The Opening Greeting call routing rule matches any incoming call at any time of day. It is configured to attempt to transfer the call to the Opening Greeting call handler.

3. Connection checks the transfer option settings for the Opening Greeting call handler. Because the call came in during the Weekdays active schedule, the standard transfer options apply. These specify to send the call to the greeting for this call handler. (Note that if the Opening Greeting call routing rule had been configured to send the call to the greeting for the Opening Greeting call handler rather than attempting to transfer to it, this step would be skipped).

4. Because the call came in during the Weekdays active schedule from a phone number that did not match an internal Connection user, Connection plays the standard greeting for the call handler: "Hello: Cisco Unity Connection Messaging System. From a touchtone phone you may dial an extension at any time. For a directory of extensions, press 4. Otherwise, please hold for an operator."

5. While the greeting plays, as the greeting indicates, the caller can enter digits to reach a user extension. The caller input settings on the Opening Greeting call handler also define several one-key dialing actions that can be taken—for example, when the caller presses key 4, Connection is configured to send the call to the System Directory Handler if no other keys are pressed within the time configured to wait for additional digits.

6. If no digits are entered, Connection proceeds with the after greeting action for the Standard greeting on this call handler, which is configured to attempt to transfer the call to the Operator call handler.

7. The Operator call handler is also configured for the Weekdays active schedule, and once again, Connection checks the standard transfer options for the call handler, which specify to transfer to the call handler greeting. The greeting plays: "Sorry, the operator is not available."

8. The after greeting action for this greeting directs Connection to take a message. The message settings for this call handler specify that the Operator user will receive the message, and that after the caller leaves the message, Connection should hang up.