Mitel SX 200 DIGITAL Pabx General Descriptions Manual

							2. FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION 
OVERVIEW 
2.1 This section describes the basic operation of the Automated Atten- 
dant feature, and the hardware and software components that make up the 
feature package. Included are an overview of the feature and descriptions of 
Auto-Attendant groups, handling of illegal calls, default destinations, DTMF 
receiver requirements, and resource allocation. 
2.2 As shown in Figure 2-l , the 5X-200 DIGITAL PABX Automated Atten- 
dant feature directs incoming calls to a recorded announcement device - 
(RAD). The RAD message instructs callers that by dialing overthe message 
they can access a directory number on the system. Callers choosing not to dial 
during the message are routed to a default answering point, such as an atten- 
dant, when the message is finished. 
Incoming call A 
RAD Message c Default Answering 
Point 
OR 
)- Dial a Number 
Figure 2-l Automated Attendant Call Handling 
AUTO-ATTENDANT GROUPS 
2.3 The Automated Attendant feature introduces an additional hunt 
group type called an Auto-Attendant group. This group is similar to the re- 
cording groups used in the ACD TELEMARKETER feature. The Automated At- 
tendant feature is accessed by either rerouting or dialing into an Auto-Atten- 
dant group. The Auto-Attendant group can only contain stations, and has 
the main features of any hunt group such as: 
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l hunt group number, 
l access code, and 
l circular or terminal hunting. 
Auto-Attendant Groups also have several options programmable through 
customer data entry (CDE) including: 
0 name, 
l message length, 
l default destination, 
l prefix digits, 
l dialing enabled, and 
0 wait for resources time. 
2.4 The Auto-Attendant group access code can be dialed by any device. This 
access code can be programmed as a destination in the following forms: 
0 19 (call rerouting), 
l 14 (non dial-in trunk), 
l 17 (hunt group overflow), 
l 41 (path interflow) 
The Auto-Attendant group access code can also be used as a call forwarding 
point. The group cannot be used as a normal recording group for UCD, ACD, 
and Automatic Wakeup. 
BASIC OPERATION 
2.5 When an internal or external caller reaches an Auto-Attendant 
group, the system hunts for an available RAD, connects the caller to the RAD 
and connects a DTMF receiver to retrieve digits dialed by the caller. If the call- 
er dials a number, the caller is routed to that number. If the caller does not 
dial a number, the caller is routed to a default answering point assigned dur- 
ing customer data entry (CDE). The following subsections describe basic call 
handling for calls to the automated atte.ndant. 
Digit Handling 2.6 The system assigns one DTMF receiver to each caller while the caller is 
listening to the recording. The recording is terminated as soon as the first 
digit is received from the caller. After dialing a valid number, the caller is 
routed to that number. 
Conflict Dialing 2.7 When the caller dials, conflict dialing is in effect and the normal 
15-second inter-digit timeout applies. The recording is terminated when the 
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							Functional Description 
conflict timer starts. The user listens to silence while the conflict timer is run- 
ning. For additional information on conflict dialing and inter-digit timeout, 
refer to Conflict Dialing in the Features and Services Practice, 9109-094-105. 
Valid destinations 2.8 The valid destinations available to a caller depend upon what the. 
originating device (trunk or telephone) is allowed to dial during normal oper- 
ation. All the usual PBX dialing features apply, such as: 
0 DID/TIE rerouting on no answer, 
0 DID and DND interactions, 
l Device/tenant interconnection restrictions, and 
l Class of Service (COS) options for system speedcall. 
Dialing capability ends as soon as the recording ends. Once a destination is 
attempted, the automated feature ends and regular call features such as cam- 
pon are available. 
CO Trunk Dialing 2.9 The Automated Attendant feature allows CO trunks to access several 
features that are normally inaccessible. A CO trunk can dial: 
l account code 
l abbreviated dial numbers 
0 stations 
0 sets 
l hunt groups (including data hunt groups) 
0 consoles 
. LDNs 
l night bells 
l modem pools 
0 ACD paths 
0 ACD positions 
Automated Attendant also affects ARS toll control in that a CO trunk can 
only access ARS through a system speedcall number. 
PREFIX DIGITS . 
2.10 Each Automated Attendant group can be programmed in CDE with a 
string of prefix digits. The prefix can contain from 0 to 4 digits, and is inserted 
in front of the digits dialed by the caller. This allows the caller to dial a single 
digit and be routed to devices that have normal multi-digit extension num- 
bers. The prefix is only inserted if the caller dials at least one digit. 
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Typical 
Applications 2.11 The prefix can be used to: 
l provide single digit menus, 
l reduce digit dialing, 
l restrict dialing to numbers that start with the prefix, and 
l provide entry into other features that require digits (such as ARS and fea- 
ture access codes). 
Prefix Processing 2.12 Processing of prefix digits starts only after the first digit is dialed. If 
the prefix itself is a valid access code, the caller will be considered to have 
dialed the access code, and the system ignores the first digit dialed by the call- 
er. 
2.13 If the prefix contains a feature access code, control of the call is given 
to the feature after the digits are processed. If the feature returns dial tone to 
the caller, and there are still digits to be processed, the remaining digits are 
ignored because the feature clears the digits from the receiver. 
If, for example, the system is programmed with * as the account code access 
code and 123 as a valid account code, setting the prefix to * 123 causes the sys- 
tem to process the prefix as a complete account code and ignore the first digit 
dialed by the caller. In this case the system returns dial tone after the process- 
ing is complete. 
This situation can be avoided by ensuring the prefix does not include enough 
digits to run a feature to completion. Again assuming * is the account code 
access code, using a prefix of * prevents dropping of any digits. The first digit 
dialed by the caller is the start of the account code. 
ILLEGAL NUMBER HANDLING 
2.14 If the dialed number is illegal, the system checks for Illegal Number 
Routing. If the tenant group of the first member of the Automated Attendant 
group has Illegal Number Routing programmed, the system redirects the call- 
er to the routing point, which could be another group. If there is no Illegal 
Number Routing programmed the caller is given reorder tone and put into 
suspended state. 
Examples of illegal number conditions include: 
l device interconnection, 
0 tenant interconnection, 
. 
l not valid for caller type, and 
l feature restricted. 
Using the tenant of the first member of the auto attendant group ensures 
that the routing is based on the group called, thus ensuring that illegal num- 
ber routing can be set up for each group. 
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							Functional Description 
VACANT NUMBER ROUTING 
2.15 Handling of callers dialing a vacant number, such as an unassigned 
access code, is similar to the Illegal Number Handling described above. In the 
case of a vacant number, Vacant Number Routing is checked rather than Ille- 
gal Number Routing. 
FRONT END RECORDING 
2.16 Front end recordings present a message to the caller as soon as the 
call enters the system. For each recording group, dialing can be disabled dur- 
ing the recording. This provides a simple front-end recording without assign- 
ing a DTMF receiver. Digits dialed by the caller are ignored, and the prefix 
digits have no affect. Calls are routed to the default destination as normal. 
DEFAULT DESTINATION 
2.17 When a recording ends, callers who have not dialed at least one digit 
during the recording are routed to the default destination. Failing to pro- 
gram a default destination means that, when the recording ends, the caller is 
given reorder tone and placed in a suspended state. 
Default Answering 2.18 The following are valid default points for the Automated Attendant 
Points . 
feature: 
0 console, 
l LDN, 
l night bell, 
0 station, 
l SUPERSET telephone, 
0 logical line, 
l ACD path, 
l hunt group, 
l ACD positions (agent, supervisor and senior supervisor), and system abbre- 
viated dial. 
Routing to Default 2.19 When the caller is routed to the default destination, the system han- 
Destination dies the call as a call reroute. Device and tenant interconnection are bypassed, 
DND is ignored and the caller automatically camps on to the destination if it is 
busy. 
RAD OPERATION 
2.20 RAD operation is similar to the RADs in the ACD Telemarketer applica- 
tions package. The Automated Attendant feature uses the Auto-Attendant 
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group as an enhanced recording group so the basic recording group features 
apply. Refer to practice 9109-094-620-NA, SX-200 DIGITAL ACD TEEMAR- 
KETER Applications Package, for information about RADs and recording 
groups. 
The length of the recorded message, either programmed in CDE or in the RAD 
itself, should be greater than the actual message. This creates a silent period 
at the end of the recording, resulting in a delay between the end of the mes- 
sage and the rerouting to the default destination. This gives the caller time to 
think about the message and start dialing. Complex instructions in the mes- 
sage may require a longer delay at the end of the message. 
RESOURCE ALLOCATION 
2.21 Each call entering the Automated Attendant feature uses two primary 
resources: a RAD and a DTMF receiver. Usage differs between the two re- 
sources as explained below. 
In the case of RADs, every time a RAD becomes free an unlimited amount of 
that resource becomes available because of the unlimited number of listen- 
only conferees that can be serviced by that one RAD. 
When a receiver becomes free, however, only one piece of that resource be- 
comes available because only one caller can use the receiver at a time. Receiv- 
er availability thus becomes the primary resource limitation for the Auto- 
mated Attendant feature. 
DTMF Receiver 
Requirements 2.22 In addition to the number of receivers needed for normal PBX opera- 
tion, the number of extra receivers needed for the Auto-Attendant feature is 
approximately: 
Average number of calls per hour 
Maximum # of messages given per hour 
where: 
maximum # of messages given per hour = 3600 / message length (including 
setup and clear down time) in seconds (for groups with one RAD) 
A limited number of messages can be played in one hour. Therefore, to ser- 
vice all callers, each message must play to a number of callers. This is an esti- 
mate for a single group. Additional groups require additional receivers. 
As an example for a single group, assume 100 callers per hour are accessing 
the group and the message length is 20 seconds. This means 180 messages can 
be played per hour, and 100/180 or at least one receiver is needed to service 
all of the callers in that hour. 
Receiver Allocation 2.23 The user can place limits on the number of receivers available to the 
Control Automated Attendant feature (across all Auto-Attendant groups). Without 
this limit, the Automated Attendant feature can potentially use up all receiv- 
ers in the system and thus block dialing for extended periods. 
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The limit is specified by programming System Option 59, “Receivers reserved 
for Non-Auto-Attendant use”. The Auto-Attendant feature uses as many 
receivers as possible but will always leave at least this number of receivers 
available for the rest of the system. 
2.24 Receivers going out of service (diagnostics, etc.) have no effect on this 
number. Reducing the number of available receivers impacts the Automated 
Attendant feature first. 
When the limit is specified the system does not check to ensure that the num- 
ber of receivers present in the system is greater than the number of receivers 
programmed as a limit. If the system contains fewer receivers than the limit, 
the Automated Attendant feature is unable to access any receivers. The sys- 
tem handles this as a I) no receivers available” condition. 
Setting the number of receivers to more than the number in the system results 
in all calls that are directed at automated attendant groups ending up at the 
default destination. 
Busy recordings 2.25 If a call arrives at the Automated Attendant when all recordings are 
busy or unavailable, the caller is camped-on to the group to wait for a record- 
ing. The wait time is programmable through CDE. Unless all of the RADs fail, 
the caller wait time should be no longer than the RAD cycle time. Normal 
campon audio is returned to callers thus altering the handling for TIE, DISA 
and internal calls which would normally get busy tone. 
When a recording becomes free, the system rings the RAD. When the RAD 
answers, the system sets up a listen only conference for all callers camped on 
to the Automated Attendant group. The callers are retrieved using the nor- 
mal camp on priority scheme. Callers will be retrieved until either there are no 
more waiting callers or all available DTMF receivers in the system have been 
allocated. (DTMF receiver allocation is subject to the receiver usage limits for 
the Automated Attendant feature in the system.) Once all receivers are used 
up the remaining waiting callers continue to wait for resources to become 
free. 
Busy receivers 2.26 If no receivers are available when a RAD becomes free the system 
camps on the caller to the Automated Attendant group to wait until a receiv- 
er becomes available. The wait time is programmable through CDE. 
Note: internal callers dialing the group (including dial-in trunks and CO 
trunks coming from other groups) do not keep their receivers after 
dialing an Automated Attendant group. These callers are allocated 
another receiver based upon the receiver allocation system option. 
Busy RAD or 
Receiver Timeout 2.27 The wait for resources timer on the group controls how long a caller is 
allowed to wait for a RAD or receiver to become available. When the wait 
timeout occurs, the caller immediately calls the default destination without 
listening to a recording. If the caller is ringing a RAD when the timer expires, 
the timeout is ignored. Skipping a recording due to a waiting timeout is 
pegged in Traffic Measurement. If no default destination is specified, the call- 
er is given reorder tone and eventually put into suspended state. 
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							3. OPERATION 
3.1 The Automated Attendant feature requires no special operating in- 
structions as calls are r-outed to the Automated Attendant by the system. This 
section describes the displays appearing on the sets of internal callers after 
dialing the Automated Attendant, and when receiving a call directed from 
the Automated Attendant. This section also describes the interaction be- 
tween the Automated Attendant feature and other PABX features. 
CALLER DISPLAYS 
3.2 Displays for the SUPERSET4, SlJPERSET4DN, and the attendant con- 
sole follow the normal ringback, busy and talking state displays when calling 
a hunt group. When the group is called and the resources for the call are 
available (there is a DTMF receiver if needed and a RAD is free), the display 
appears as: 
“XXXXX RINGING” 
where: 
XXXXX is the extension number of the RAD. 
When the recording starts the display changes to show the identity of the in- 
dividual recording: 
“YYYYY” 
where: 
YYYYY is the extension number of the recording being listened to. 
When there is no receiver or RAD available, the display indicates the 
following: 
“CAMPING ON XXXXX” 
or 
“WAITING FOR XXXXX” 
where: 
XXXXX is the extension number of the group 
CALLED PARTY DISPLAYS 
3.3 The display of a party called from a group is the normal call processing 
display for the given caller and called party. No special indication is given that 
the call came from a group. 
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TRANSFERS 
3.4 Callers are unable to transfer the other party to a group. If a transfer is 
attempted during any stage of the feature, the caller will terminate the fea- 
ture and be recalled by the held party. For the console, a RELEASE is disal- 
lowed; for SUPERSE~telephones, the RELEASE prompt does not appear. 
Calls can be transferred indirectly to groups by calling an extension that has 
Call Forwarding No Answer to a group and releasing the held caller to the 
forwarded extension before the call forward no answer timeout. 
INTERACTION WITH OTHER FEATURES 
3.5 The Automated Attendant feature can affect the operation of certain 
features in the system. The following subsections outline the interaction. Fea- 
tures are arranged in alphabetic order. 
ACD 3.6 The Automatic Attendant feature has no special call handling fea- 
tures built in for compatibility with ACD. A caller using the Automatic Atten- 
dant feature to access ACD hears the Automated Attendant recording, dials 
an ACD path and hears ringback tone before the ACD recordings are started. 
The Automatic Attendant feature, however, does close off and print the cur- 
rent SMDR buffer before entering ACD. This preserves the Automatic Atten- 
dant feature information in the SMDR record and prevents a conflict between 
ACD and Automated Attendant information in the dialed digits field. 
ACD callers using the Automated Attendant feature after an agent answers 
are handled as normal. In addition, the Automated Attendant feature does 
not add any digits into the dialed digit buffer, thus preserving the ACD infor- 
mation. 
Account codes 3..7 Previous software releases for the SX-200 DIGITAL prevented CO 
trunks from accessing account codes. Beginning with the current software 
release, CO trunks can dial the account code access code. No checks are made 
to see if the access is from the Automated Attendant feature. 
DID trunks, however, are blocked from accessing the account code feature, 
even through Automated Attendant. 
Verified account codes can provide ARS access security. With Auto-Attendant 
groups, this feature can be used by assigning prefix digits that are the ac- 
count code access code. The user then dials the verified account code to 
change dialing privileges. Since CO trunks can access account codes, the Di- 
rect to ARS feature is available to CO trunks after the CO trunk user dials an 
account code. 
The prefix for a group can be programmed as the account code access code, 
and may contain the leading account code digits. The user then dials the re- 
maining account code digits. 
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