Table Of Contents

Call Handler Settings

Overview: Call Handler Settings

Predefined Call Handlers

Call Handler Profile Settings

Call Handler Transfer Settings

Call Handler Greetings Settings

Call Handler Caller Input Settings

Call Handler Messages Settings

Call Handler Settings

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Overview: Call Handler Settings

Call handlers answer calls, greet callers with recorded prompts and provide them with information and options, route calls, and take messages. They are a basic component of Cisco Unity. Your plan for call handlers can be simple, using only the predefined Cisco Unity 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 subscriber (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.

See the "Creating a Call Management Plan" section for information about using call handlers and other call management tools to manage incoming calls.

Predefined Call Handlers

Cisco Unity comes with the following predefined call handlers, which you can modify but not delete. Note that you will at least want to modify the greetings for these call handlers.

Opening Greeting	Acts as an automated attendant, playing the greeting that callers first hear when they call your organization, and performing the actions you specify. The Default Call Handler Call Routing rule transfers all incoming calls to the Opening Greeting call handler. By default, the Opening Greeting call handler allows callers to dial the appropriate extension to reach the Sign-in conversation, or the Operator call handler. Messages left in the Opening Greeting call handler are sent to the Example Administrator. See the Call Management > Call Handlers > Opening Greeting pages for details on additional settings.
Operator	Calls are routed to this call handler when callers press "0" or do not press any key as requested in the Cisco Unity conversation. You can set up the Operator call handler so that callers can leave a message or be transferred to a live operator. By default, the Operator call handler allows callers to dial the appropriate extension to reach the Sign-in conversation, or the Opening Greeting call handler. Messages left in the Operator call handler are sent to the Unaddressed Messages distribution list. See the Call Management > Call Handlers > Operator pages for details on additional settings.
Good-Bye	Plays a brief good-bye message and then hangs up if there is no caller input. By default, the Good-Bye call handler allows callers to dial the appropriate extension to reach the Sign-in conversation, or the Operator call handler. If you change the After Greeting action from Hang Up to Take Message, then messages left in the Good-Bye call handler are sent to the Example Administrator. See the Call Management > Call Handlers > Good-Bye pages for details on additional settings.

To create a new call handler

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Step 1 Go to any Call Management > Call Handlers page.

Step 2 Click the Add icon.

Step 3 In the Add a Call Handler dialog box, enter information as appropriate in the Name field.

Step 4 Select New Handler or Based on Existing Handler. If you select Based on Existing Handler, select the appropriate call handler in the Based On field.

Step 5 Click the Add button.

Step 6 Enter settings for your new call handler, and then click the Save icon.

Note that if you based your new call handler on an existing one in Step 4, you reuse all of the settings, including recorded greetings. For this reason, make sure to rerecord the greetings.

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You can modify individual call handler pages by using the following procedure, or you can use the Bulk Edit utility to make changes to multiple call handlers at once. For information on using the Bulk Edit utility, see the Readme provided in the BulkEdit.cab file in the Bulk Edit directory (the default location is C:\CommServer\Utilities).

To modify a call handler

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Step 1 Go to any Call Management > Call Handlers page.

Step 2 Click the Find icon.

Step 3 Double-click the call handler that you want to modify.

Step 4 Change settings as appropriate, and then click the Save icon.

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Refer to the following sections in this chapter for more information:

•Call Handler Profile Settings—This section provides information about the settings on the Profile page.

•Call Handler Transfer Settings—This section provides information about the settings on the Call Transfer page.

•Call Handler Greetings Settings—This section provides information about the settings on the Greetings page.

•Call Handler Caller Input Settings—This section provides information about the settings on the Caller Input page.

•Call Handler Messages Settings—This section provides information about the settings on the Messages page.

Call Handler Profile Settings

The profile settings specify who owns the call handler, which schedule controls transfer settings and greetings, and the extension of the call handler.

Use the following table to learn more about profile settings.

Table 17-1 Call Management > Call Handlers > Profile Page 

Field	Considerations
Name	This displays the name of the call handler. To change the name of the call handler, enter a new name here, and then click the Save icon.
Created	Display only. This setting show the date and time that the call handler was created.
Owner	To change the owner, select an Owner Type and click Change. The owner can be any subscriber or public distribution list that has the authority to request changes to this call handler. Note that the owner is not necessarily the message recipient.
Owner Type	Click Subscriber to assign ownership to a single subscriber. Click Public Distribution List to assign ownership to all subscribers on a public distribution list.
Recorded Voice	This is the recorded name of the call handler. To record a call handler name, use the Media Master control bar. (Note that the Media Master is not available across a firewall.) Use the Options menu in the Media Master control bar to set recording and playback devices, if applicable, and to use other sound files.
Active Schedule	Select the schedule to determine the times that standard and closed transfer rules and greetings are in effect for the call handler. To view details of the selected schedule, click the View link. Note that when you click the link, you leave this page and move to the System > Schedules page.
Extension	Enter the extension, if any, that callers dial to reach the call handler. Assign an extension only if you plan to allow callers to dial the number. Enter numerals only, according to the extension numbering plan used in your organization. When the call handler is reached only from one-key caller input, do not enter an extension here. Note that this extension is not the same as the extension to which calls are transferred. The extension to which calls are transferred is set on the Call Management > Call Handlers > Call Transfer page.
Language	Select the language in which Cisco Unity plays the handler system prompts. If you choose Inherited, Cisco Unity determines the language to use for system prompts on a per-call basis, depending on the handler or routing rule that processed the call. If the language is set to Inherited for every rule and handler that processes a call, then the system prompts are played in the default phone language. The default phone language and the list of languages shown here are set on the System > Configuration > Phone Languages page.
Switch (for dual-switch integrations only)	Select the phone system that the call handler uses. If this setting is incorrect, Cisco Unity will not be able to transfer calls to or from the call handler.

Call Handler Transfer Settings

Call transfer settings specify whether unidentified callers are transferred to a phone or to the greetings of a subscriber or handler. These settings also specify how Cisco Unity handles a transfer: Cisco Unity can either release the call to the phone system, or it can supervise the transfer.

When Cisco Unity is set to supervise transfers, it can provide additional call control with call holding and call screening:

•With call holding, when the phone is busy, Cisco Unity can ask callers to hold. Cisco Unity plays hold music, and approximately every 30 seconds, tells callers on hold how many callers are ahead of them and allows them to continue holding, leave a message, or try another extension. There is no limit to the number of callers that can be holding.

If call holding is not selected, callers are sent to whichever subscriber or handler greeting is enabled—either the busy, standard, closed, or alternate greeting.

•With call screening, Cisco Unity can ask for the name of the caller before connecting to a subscriber. The subscriber can then hear who is calling and, when a phone is shared by more than one subscriber, who the call is for. The subscriber can then accept or refuse the call.

Each call handler can have three transfer rules which you can customize: one for standard hours and one for closed hours of the active schedule, and an alternate transfer rule that, when enabled, overrides the standard and closed transfer rules and is in effect at all times.

Use the following table to learn more about transfer settings.

Table 17-2 Call Management > Call Handlers > Call Transfer Page 

Field	Considerations
Transfer Rule Applies To	The settings on the rest of the page apply to the transfer rule selected here: either standard, closed, or alternate. The schedule that is used to determine the times that standard and closed transfer rules and greetings are in effect is set on the Profile page for the call handler. When enabled, the alternate transfer rule overrides the standard and closed transfer rules and is in effect at all times.
Status	Select one of the following settings: •Enabled—The transfer rule is active and Cisco Unity directs callers as defined by the settings within this rule. •Disabled—The transfer rule is inactive and Cisco Unity ignores all settings within this rule. When Transfer Rule Applies To is set to Standard, this setting is automatically set to Enabled, and it cannot be changed.
Transfer Incoming Calls	Select one of the following settings: •No (Send Directly)—Cisco Unity transfers the call to the call handler greeting. •Yes, Ring the Recipient—Cisco Unity transfers calls to the extension assigned to the message recipient. Cisco Unity displays the name and extension in the adjacent box. The message recipient is set on the Messages page of the call handler. •Yes, Ring Subscriber—Cisco Unity transfers calls to the number entered in the adjacent box. The number can be an extension or any phone number. Use digits 0 through 9, *, and #. You can also enter , (comma) to insert a one-second pause.
Transfer Type	Select how Cisco Unity transfers calls. Use this setting with caution and only if you understand its implications on the phone and voice messaging systems. •Release to Switch—Cisco Unity puts the caller on hold, dials the extension, and releases the call to the phone system. When the line is busy or is not answered, the phone system—not Cisco Unity—forwards the call to the subscriber or handler greeting. This transfer type allows Cisco Unity to process incoming calls more quickly. Use Release to Switch only when call forwarding is enabled on the phone system. •Supervise Transfer—Cisco Unity acts as a receptionist, handling the transfer. If the line is busy or the call is not answered, Cisco Unity—not the phone system—forwards the call to the subscriber or handler greeting. You can use supervised transfer whether or not the phone system forwards calls. The Transfer Type option is unavailable when Transfer Incoming Calls is set to the No (Send Directly) option.
Rings to Wait For	Select the number of times the extension rings before Cisco Unity plays the subscriber or handler greeting. Set this value to at least 3 to give subscribers a chance to answer. Avoid setting to more than 4, especially if the call may be transferred to another extension, where the caller might have to wait for another four rings. This value should be at least two rings fewer than the phone system setting for forwarding calls. This option is unavailable when Release to Switch is selected and when Transfer Incoming Calls is set to the No (Send Directly) option.
If the Call Is Busy	Select the action that Cisco Unity performs for unidentified callers when the subscriber phone is busy. You may want to use holding options sparingly, because having calls on hold can tie up ports. •Always Hold—Cisco Unity plays a prompt indicating that the extension is busy. The caller is put on hold. •No Holding—Cisco Unity prompts the caller to leave a message and allows the caller to dial another extension. •Ask Caller—Cisco Unity gives the caller the options of holding, leaving a message, or dialing another extension. These options are unavailable when Release to Switch is selected and when Transfer Incoming Calls is set to the No (Send Directly) option.
Announce	Check this box to have Cisco Unity say "transferring call" when the subscriber answers the phone, to indicate that the call is from an unidentified caller. This option is unavailable when Release to Switch is selected and when Transfer Incoming Calls is set to the No (Send Directly) option.
Introduce (Call for Name)	Check this box to have Cisco Unity say "call for <recorded name of the call handler>" when the message recipient answers the phone. This setting applies only to calls from unidentified callers. Use this setting if the subscriber who is the message recipient takes calls for more than one dialed extension. The introduction alerts the subscriber who answers that the call is for the call handler. This option is unavailable when Release to Switch is checked and when Transfer Incoming Calls is set to No (Send Directly).
Confirm (Call Can Be Accepted or Refused)	Check this box to have Cisco Unity prompt the subscriber to accept or refuse a call from an unidentified caller. If the call is accepted, it is transferred to the subscriber phone. If the call is refused, Cisco Unity plays the appropriate subscriber greeting. You use this setting with the Ask Caller's Name setting to allow the subscriber to screen calls. This option is unavailable when Release to Switch is selected and when Transfer Incoming Calls is set to the No (Send Directly) option.
Ask Caller's Name	Check this box to have Cisco Unity prompt unidentified callers to say their names. When the phone is answered, the subscriber hears "Call from..." before Cisco Unity transfers the call. You use this setting with the Confirm setting to allow the subscriber to screen calls. This option is unavailable when Release to Switch is selected and when Transfer Incoming Calls is set to the No (Send Directly) option.

Call Handler Greetings Settings

Each subscriber and call handler can have up to five greetings. The greeting settings specify which greetings are enabled and the actions that Cisco Unity takes during and after each greeting. Enabling a greeting makes it available for Cisco Unity to use in appropriate situations.

The greeting that plays when a caller reaches a subscriber or call handler depends on:

•The active schedule.

•The greeting source.

•Whether the call is internal.

•Whether the called extension is busy.

Cisco Unity greetings for subscribers and call handlers are:

Standard	Plays at all times unless overridden by another greeting.
Closed	Plays during the closed (nonbusiness) hours defined for the active schedule. When in effect, the closed greeting overrides the standard greeting, and thus limits the standard greeting to the open hours defined for the active schedule.
Internal	Plays to internal callers only. It can provide information that only coworkers need to know. (For example, "I will be in the lab all afternoon.") An internal greeting overrides the standard and closed greetings. Not all phone system integrations provide the support necessary for an internal greeting. Note that the internal greeting must be enabled and recorded from the Cisco Unity Administrator or the ActiveAssistant; subscribers cannot access it over the phone.
Busy	Plays when the extension is busy. (For example, "All of our operators are with other customers.") A busy greeting overrides the standard, closed, and internal greetings. Not all phone system integrations provide the support necessary for a busy greeting. Note that the busy greeting must be enabled and recorded from the Cisco Unity Administrator or the ActiveAssistant; subscribers cannot access it over the phone.
Alternate	Can be used for a variety of special situations, such as vacations or a holiday. (For example, "I will be out of the office until....") An alternate greeting overrides all other greetings.

Use the following table to learn more about greeting settings.

Table 17-3 Call Management > Call Handlers > Greetings Page 

Field	Considerations
Greeting	Select the greeting that you want to specify settings for. This setting does not reflect which of the greetings is active.
Status	Indicate whether the selected greeting is enabled. When a greeting is enabled, Cisco Unity plays it in the appropriate situation. Recording a greeting does not automatically enable it; it must be enabled here.
Source	Indicate the source for the greeting selected in the Greeting field: •System—Select to use the prerecorded system default greeting. •Recording—Select to use a personal recording for the subscriber (or call handler). To record and play recordings here, use the Media Master control bar. (Note that the Media Master is not available across a firewall.) Use the Options menu in the Media Master control bar to set recording and playback devices, if applicable, and to use other sound files. •Blank—Select to have no recording. When the greeting source is left blank, Cisco Unity immediately performs the after-greeting action.
Allow Caller Input	Check this box to enable settings specified on the Caller Input page. These settings contain actions assigned to caller key presses during the greeting. (For example, "To speak to my assistant, press 3.") Click the Caller Input link to view the Caller Input page. Note that when you click the link, you leave the Greetings page.
After Greeting	Indicate the action that Cisco Unity performs after the greeting plays: •Take Message—Cisco Unity records a message from the caller. Click the Take Message link to view the Messages page. •Say Good-Bye—Cisco Unity plays a brief good-bye, and the call is disconnected. Click the Say Good-Bye link to view the Good-Bye call handler. •Send Caller To—Cisco Unity sends the call to the destination that you select: –Call Handler—Sends the call to the call handler that you select. –Directory Handler—Sends the call to directory assistance. –Hang Up—Disconnects the call. Use carefully; unexpected hang-ups can appear rude to callers. –Interview Handler—Sends the call to the interview handler that you select. –Sign-In—Sends the call to the subscriber logon conversation. –Subscriber—Sends the call to the subscriber that you select.
Reprompt the User After this Many Seconds of Silence	Check this box and enter a value in the field on the right to indicate the number of seconds of silence to allow. When Cisco Unity receives no input from a caller within this number of seconds, Cisco Unity prompts the caller again.
Number of Times to Reprompt	Indicate the number of times to reprompt a caller. After the number of times indicated here, Cisco Unity performs the after-greeting action.

Call Handler Caller Input Settings

Caller input settings define actions that Cisco Unity takes in response to touchtone keys pressed by callers. For Cisco Unity to recognize caller input, the Allow Caller Input check box must be checked on the Greetings page.

When recording the greeting for the call handler, remember to mention the choices for caller input in the call handler greeting. (For example, "For Sales, press 1; for Service, press 2; to speak to an operator, press 0.")

Use the following table to learn more about caller input settings.

Table 17-4 Call Management > Call Handlers > Caller Input Page 

Field	Considerations
Allow Callers to Dial an Extension During Greeting	Check this box to allow callers to enter an extension while the greeting plays. Use in conjunction with the Lock This Key check box to allow callers to enter some extensions but not others. This option is unavailable if the Allow Caller Input check box is unchecked on the Greetings page.
Milliseconds to Wait for Additional Digits	Indicate the amount of time Cisco Unity waits for additional input after callers press a single key that is not locked. If there is no input within this time, Cisco Unity performs the action assigned to the single key. A value of 1500 (one and one-half seconds) is recommended. This option is unavailable if the Allow Callers to Dial check box is unchecked.
Lock This Key to the Action	Check this box to have Cisco Unity ignore additional input after callers press the key; Cisco Unity performs the action assigned to the key. To create efficient caller input menus, lock all keys except those that begin extensions on your system. You also can lock a key to block calls to extensions that begin with that key. To lock the actions for all keys, uncheck the Allow Callers to Dial check box.
Action	Indicate the action that Cisco Unity performs after a caller presses the corresponding key. For Cisco Unity to recognize caller input, the Allow Caller Input check box must be checked on the Greetings page. •Ignore Key—No action taken. Cisco Unity plays the entire greeting, then performs the after-greeting action. •Skip Greeting—Cisco Unity skips the greeting and performs the after-greeting action. Skip Greeting is assigned to # by default to provide callers a standard way to skip greetings. •Take Message—Cisco Unity records a message from the caller. The greeting should indicate that a message will be recorded. Click the Take Message link to view the associated Messages page. •Say Good-Bye—Cisco Unity plays a brief good-bye, and the call is disconnected. Click the Say Good-Bye link to view the Good-Bye call handler. •Send Caller To—Cisco Unity sends the call to the destination that you select: –Call Handler—Sends the call to the call handler that you select. –Directory Handler—Sends the call to directory assistance. –Hang Up—Disconnects the call. Use carefully; unexpected hang-ups can appear rude to callers. –Interview Handler—Sends the call to the interview handler that you select. –Sign-In—Sends the call to the subscriber logon conversation. –Subscriber—Sends the call to the subscriber that you select.

Call Handler Messages Settings

The messages settings specify who receives the messages for a call handler, the maximum recording length for messages from unidentified callers, what callers can do when leaving messages, and what happens to calls after messages are left.

Use the following table to learn more about message settings.

Table 17-5 Call Management > Call Handlers > Messages Page 

Field	Considerations
Message Recipient	Select the subscriber or public distribution list that receives messages left for this call handler. Select a recipient type from the list, then click Select. When you select a public distribution list, each member of the list receives the call handler messages.
Maximum Message Length in Seconds	Set the recording length allowed for messages left by unidentified callers. Recipients may want to limit the length of messages from unidentified callers. Some departments, such as Customer Service, may want to permit much longer messages.
After Message Action	Indicate the action that Cisco Unity performs after an unidentified caller leaves a message: •Say Good-Bye—Cisco Unity plays a brief good-bye, and the call is disconnected. Click the Say Good-Bye link to view the Good-Bye call handler. •Send Caller To—Cisco Unity sends the call to the destination that you select: –Call Handler—Sends the call to the call handler that you select. –Directory Handler—Sends the call to directory assistance. –Hang Up—Disconnects the call. Use carefully; unexpected hang-ups can appear rude to callers. –Interview Handler—Sends the call to the interview handler that you select. –Sign-In—Sends the call to the subscriber logon conversation. –Subscriber—Sends the call to the subscriber that you select.
Callers Can Edit Messages	Check this box to allow callers to be prompted to listen to, add to, rerecord, or delete their messages. Balance giving callers the additional control of editing messages with having voice messaging ports tied up for the additional time.
Mark Messages as Urgent	Indicate the action that Cisco Unity will allow: •Always—All messages left by unidentified callers are marked urgent. This may be useful for Sales or Technical Support call handlers. •Never—Messages left by unidentified calls are never marked urgent. •Ask Caller for Their Preference—Cisco Unity asks unidentified callers whether to mark their messages urgent. Note that Cisco Unity plays new urgent messages before other messages.