Walkthrough: Play Audiotex Message Based on a System Variable and Get Caller Input Using Touch Tone Table

A System Variable returns information about the status of a call or the environment relating to the call.  A system variable can be the DNIS(Number Dialed by the caller), the line number answering the call or some other information.  See System Variables.

In this walkthrough we will send the caller to an Audiotex module based on the DNIS. The caller will hear a custom greeting and will be given the ability to select from several options.  Though each DNIS can have a custom greeting, the options provided will be the same system wide.  Options provided will allow caller to press 1 to hear the custom greeting again, 2 to leave a message for the DNIS admin or 3 to transfer.

DNIS is available only for T1 systems and returned by your T1 provider.  The number of DNIS digits returned is based on your T1 provider and set-up in your T1 configuration file.  See T1 Setup Guide.

Walkthrough Overview

In this walkthrough, you will:

1. Set-up Voice Mail Parameters to set Mailbox Length to the same number of digits as DNIS received;
2. Create Mailbox Records for each DNIS with email and phone notification;
3. Set System Parameter required for notification to values required by your phone system and phone lines;
4. Create Notification Records required by the Mailbox owner;
5. Verify Attendant Parameters;
6. Set-up Attendant Record for caller transfer option;
7. Create Audiotex Modules and Associated Scripts to handle the call flow;
8. Define entry in the IVR Application List for the new custom IVR;
9. Set Ports to start in Audiotex mode.

During this walkthrough, you will learn to do the following:

• Configure CALLMaster to answer in Audiotex mode;
• Get value of system variable and assign to local variable;
• Use the CALLBasic Return command with a local variable;
• Send caller to another Audiotex Module, Mailbox or Attendant ID based on the Audiotex Module Action;
• Get caller's input using Touch Tone Table and process selected option;
• Notify mailbox owner via email and phone when caller has left a message in mailbox;
• Transfer caller;
• Allow mailbox owner to log in during greeting;
• Enable mailbox owner to make Audiotex recordings;
• Handle caller hang up and call failure.

Prerequisites and Assumptions

• CALLMaster software installed and running with the Dialogic board installed and configured.  For more information, see Installation and Setup.
• A working knowledge of CALLMaster Manager.  Specifically how to add, delete and edit records.

• CALLMaster setup for T1 service.  T1 operational and tested.  You need to know the number of digits your T1 provider will transmit for the DNIS. For more information, see T1 Setup Guide.  For this walkthrough we will assume that the number of DNIS digits transmitted is 10.
• The DNIS enabled for your service.  We will assume that there are 3 DNIS enabled for the following numbers: 8005551111, 8005552222, 8005553333.
• Email activated and tested.  See Activating Email.

Setup the Voice Mail Parameters.

As we need to make the mailbox number the same as the DNIS returned, we need to make sure that the Mailbox Length is set to the same number of digits received as the DNIS (assumed to be 10 digits for this walkthrough).

Open the CALLMaster Manager. Click on Parameters, then select Voice Mail.  Double click on each of the parameters below to change their values.

• Mailbox Length - Change the value to 10, click OK.
• Password Length - Change to the desired maximum length.  For this walkthrough, set it to 4, click OK.

Save and close the Voice Mail Parameters window.

Create Mailbox Records

We need to create a mailbox record for each DNIS enabled.  For each record, the Mailbox # will be equal to a DNIS, the Type set to User, Allow Login During Greeting enabled.  Add any other optional information as desired. 

Note: Keep Mailbox record 0000 with the default settings as CALLMaster requires it.  You should change the password for this record to maintain security.

If the mailbox owner wishes to receive email notification of messages or faxes received in their mailbox, enter their email address in the Email field.

Open the CALLMaster Manager. Click on Manage, then select Mailboxes.  Let's add 3 records in this walkthrough as follows:

By setting all records to Allow Login During Greeting, the mailbox owner will be able to log in while the greeting is played to Set Personal Options for the mailbox.  The changes made will take effect as soon as the owner logs out.

Verify System Parameters

As we are using Notification, we need to make sure that the System Parameters - Local Dialing Prefix, Long Distance Dialing Prefix, System's Area Code and System's Phone Number have the correct values for your environment.

Open the CALLMaster Manager. Click on Parameters, then select System.  Double click on each of the parameters to change their values as needed.  Remember, CALLMaster will use this information with the Notification data input below to make notification calls. See System Parameters for details.

For this walkthrough we will assume the following values:

• Local Dialing Prefix - set to 9.
• Long Distance Dialing Prefix - set to 9,1,.
• System's Area Code - set to 914.
• System's Phone Number - set to 2735560

Create Notification Records

As we have enabled the Notification On indicator for Mailboxes 8005551111 and 8005552222, we need to create Notification records for them.

Open the CALLMaster Manager. Click on Manage, then select Notification to add the records specified below.  For each record, set the Earliest Hour to Call, Latest Hour to Call, Days to Call and the Call Attempt Schedule as desired.  See Notification for details.

Verify Attendant Parameters

To transfer calls, you must know the requirements of your phone lines or PBX.  In particular, you need to know the transfer string to initiate a transfer, and the pull back strings to drop a call in case of busy or no answer. Since the caller can enter a variable length extension ID, you need to set the Maximum Extension Length parameter.

Open the CALLMaster Manager. Click on Parameters, then select Attendant.  Confirm values for all the parameters on the list.  Double click on the parameter to change the value if required.  For this walkthrough, we will assume the values below.  Save and close the Attendant Parameters window after making any changes.

Set-up Attendant Records

As one of the options offered to the caller is to be transferred to an agent, we need to setup Attendant records.  We will create an Attendant record for each DNIS enabled.  For each record, set the Attendant ID to a DNIS, the Time Of Day to All Day, and the Type of Transfer to Transfer. 

Since the Type of Transfer is set to Transfer, the Failed Transfer Action fields do not apply.  If you set the Type of Transfer to Supervised, requiring CALLMaster to monitor call transfer status, then you must set the Failed Transfer Action fields as desired.

We will also setup an evening record for one of the Attendants to enable caller to go directly to the associated mailbox during the evening hours (between the System Parameters Evening Starts At and Morning Starts At). 

See Managing Attendant for details.

Open the CALLMaster Manager. Click on Manage, then select Attendant.  Let's add 4 records in this walkthrough as follows:

Create Audiotex Records/Modules and Associated Scripts

As all calls will be starting in Audiotex mode in this walkthrough, the Audiotex Modules will determine the call flow. 

In the Audiotex set-up, the caller will first hear the greeting/message recorded for the DNIS called.  They will then be given the option to "Press 1 to hear DNIS greeting again, 2 to leave message or 3 to Transfer".

We will need to create several Audiotex records as shown below.  The Label field provides a brief description of each module.  

Audiotex Module Description

• Module 100 is the starting module.  We will use this module to initialize variables using script InitializeVal.bas.  In particular we want to set a local variable strRetVar, to the value of the system variable $ddn.  We also want to set the system variable lctrap to an Audiotex module to send caller if they hang-up.  See sample code below.
• The CALLBasic script ReturnVar.bas is used in 3 different modules (110, 120, 130), each module performing a different function.  This is possible as the Return command in the script just returns a value based on a variable, in this case the variable strRetVar.  The Module Action determines the return action type.
• Module 1000 is a Touch Tone Table action module requiring a 1 digit input (response length set to 1). This type of module is used to offer caller options and get a corresponding touch tone input.  This module offers the caller 3 options requiring a valid touch tone input of either 1, 2 or 3.  The caller will be directed to module 110 if they enter 1, to module 120 if they enter 2 or module 130 if they enter 3.  If they enter any other touch tone key, they will be directed to module 190.  As a Touch Tone Table action module, at the end of the module recording, CALLMaster will play prompt 245 "press * to repeat", giving the caller 3 attempts to enter any touch tone key (does not have to be a valid input).  If you want to give the caller 3 attempts to press any key but do not want to play this prompt, then you can replace the associated wav file with a null recording (see Replacing Recordings).  If you do not want to give the caller 3 attempts to enter any key, use the NTR code in the Audiotex record Label field.
• Module 190 and 191 is to notify the caller that they have entered an invalid option.  The associated script, CheckTryCount.bas, gives the caller 3 attempts to enter a valid option.  If the caller has not entered a valid option after 3 attempts, processing will be forwarded to module 9920.
• Module 9920 is used to notify caller that they have reached the maximum attempts allowed for a valid input.  The script associated with this module can be used to set flags and route processing as required.
• Modules 9900 and 9910 are required to handle call failure and capture caller hang-up respectively.  Both these modules can be used to set flags and route processing as required.

• As a default, only the System Administrator can make recordings for Audiotex modules. As we want to allow the mailbox owner to make recordings for their own Audiotex module, we need to enter the Mailbox number as the first value in the Label field.
  Therefore the first value in the Label field for Audiotex modules 8005551111, 8005552222 and 8005553333 is their associated Mailbox #.

Based on the Audiotex modules shown above, we will need several scripts. 

Let's create the scripts first.  Open Notepad and create scripts following code examples below.  Remember to save them as .bas type files in the Program Files\CALLMaster\Scripts folder.

Now you can create the Audiotex modules and reference the scripts above.  Open the CALLMaster Manager, click on Manage, then select Audiotex to add the Audiotex records shown above.

Define IVR Application List

We need to define the custom IVR in the IVR Application List and set it to Audiotex Start Module 100.  Open CALLMaster Manager and select Manage | IVR Application List.  Let's add a new record as follows:

Set Ports

As a last step, we need set the port(s) to the new IVR Application entry created above.  Make sure the Audiotex Start Module field (read only) correctly points to module 100.

  As this walkthrough uses Notification, make sure at least one port is enabled for Type Outbound; all the ports should be enabled for Inbound. Set the Port Greeting File IDs to the main greeting for all calls if you have recorded one.  If you do not want a main greeting then set the Greeting File IDs to zero. Leave all other fields to the default values.

If you are working with a demo license or have only one line connected, then make sure the connected port is set as specified below.  All other ports should be set to Application 'Disabled'.

Test the custom application

Save all your work. 

Stop CALLMaster service.

Make Administrator Audiotex Recordings:

-  Set Port 1 to Application Voice Mail.

-  Start CALLMaster service.

-  Make a call using Port 1.

-  Log in as the Administrator using the Voice Mail Main Menu and make recordings for the Audiotex modules below.

Tip:
- The Administrator should record a general message for one of the DNIS Audiotex modules and note the Message ID from this module.  This Message ID should be used when creating new DNIS Audiotex Modules. e.g. make a recording for module 8005551111 and use the Message ID to update modules 8005552222 and 8005553333.
- Similarly, the Administrator should make a general greeting for a Mailbox and use the Greeting File ID as the initial recordings for new mailbox records.
The general Audiotex recording and Mailbox greeting will provide a reference for the DNIS owner to make their custom recordings. 

Reset Port 1 to Application Audiotex.  Set the Port Greeting File IDs to zeros.

Stop and Start CALLMaster service.

Make a phone call to test the application.

Make the custom Mailbox greetings and corresponding Audiotex Recordings

-  Have the Mailbox owner call the system using their DNIS;

-  Select option 2 to leave a message.  As the mailbox records are enabled to Allow Login During Greeting, the mailbox owner will be able to log in while the greeting is played to Set Personal Options for the mailbox.