ACD

ACD

ACD is an acronym for Automatic Call Distribution

ACD is an optional licensed feature that is added to the IPitomy Ring Group feature. Since Ring Groups are unlimited* (*only limited by numbering plan, 3 and 4 digits in length) you may deploy as many Ring Groups as you wish and therefore utilize as many ACD Groups as you wish when the ACD license is equipped.

ACD's roots are in the Ring Group which can be utilized to:

1. Efficiently handle traffic at one answering position
2. Distribute calls efffectively to a group of system extensions
3. Select Ring Group Ring Strategy 
4. Select a Failover Destinaiton (exit strategy)
5. Caller ID tagging - for Ring Group identity
6. Ring Group specific Music On Hold
7. Member Priority Level

ACD adds:

1. Agents (virtual members)
2. Makes the group a Queue by feature content  
3. Many additional Data Fields (features) to enhance the handling off callers that enter the Queue
4. Intelligent routing of calls to Queues based on priority (called Weight)
5. Deliver recorded messages to callers waiting in queue
6. Advanced handling of calls utilizing Queue status'
7. Queue Alerts to Q Manager
8. Text Message Alerts to Q Manager licensed extensions running Q Manager or other XMPP Chat client
9. Member + Agent Priority Level

Ring Group Parameters

Ring Group

Name

Name the group for ease of use. This name is referenced in programming and user interaction.

Group Number

This is the directory number associated to this group. It is unique and must not conflict with other PBX-system numbering.

Allow Paging

Selecting "Yes" will enable all of the Members of this group to receive page announcements (one-way, voice announced) when the code "**" is dialed as a prepend to the group number. Consider using Multicast Paging (available on all IPitomy model telephones) as a more effecient alternative to minimize network traffic.

Ring Strategy

This setting determines how Agents/Members receive incoming call traffic to this group. The following choices are available:

• Ring All - All Agents and Members will ring with each call that enters the Call Group (Queue)
• Round Robin - This is a top-down approach to ringing Agents and Members of a Call Group (Queue). Each call entering the queue will begin ringing at the same Agent/Member and progress in the same hierarchy through the list of Agents/Members until; answered, Agent Ring Time expires, or Timeout expires.
• Least Recent - Calls entering the queue will ring at that Agent/Member for whom the most time has lapsed since the previous call.
• Fewest Calls - Calls entering the queue will ring that Agent/Member which has taken fewer calls than all others.
• Random - Calls entering the queue ring at Agents/Members in random order.
• Round Robin with Memory - The same hierarchical method used in Round Robin applies with the added function returning to the sequence from the previous ringing Agent/Member.

Failover Destination

Enter into this data field the destination for callers whose time in the queue has exceeded the maximum time desired for those waiting in this queue. ("Timeout").

The possible Destinations are:

• Extensions - Any PBX Extension
• Ring groups - Any PBX Ring Group
• Page groups - Any PBX Page Group
• Menus - Any PBX Menu
• Conferences - Any PBX Conference (Conference Rooms)
• Voicemail - Any PBX Voicemail Box
• Schedules - Any PBX Schedule
• Branch Office Extensions - Any defined extension of a PBX-defined Branch Office
• Follow Me - This allows you to route a caller to a predefined Follow-Me Forward destination

When a destination is selected additional options may be available.

Timeout

This is the time (in seconds) that calls will remain in this queue before being routed to the Failover Destination

Allow Recording

Set this to "Yes" to allow calls in this queue to be recorded

Agent /Member Ring Time

This is the time (in seconds) that determines how long a call will ring at any one Member/Agent before moving to the next available Member/Agent. This settings applies to all Ring Strategies except Ring All. The settings in Retry Timer may impact this setting since the Agent/Member Ring Time cannot begin again until the Retry Timer has expired should that function occur.

AutoFill

Auto Fill allows the stacking of calls in a queue. It determines if new calls into a queue are allowed to enter the queue while the queue is currently occupied with previous callers. Multiple calls will be delivered more quickly if some members are unavailable or busy. It is recommended that you set this to Off for ring all groups.

Ring In Use

This setting determines if a Member or Agent can receive new ringing from callers entering the queue while they are busy on a previous call.

This is often set to "Yes" for the Ring All Ring Strategy.

This is often set to "No" for the Round Robin Ring Strategy.

Retry Timer

When an group memeber or agent has not answered a ringing queued call, that call is then moved to other Members/Agents in the Queue to be answered. This timer determines how long the group will wait between attempts to deliver calls. This applies to all ring strategies. Note if <= 0 default of 5 is used. It is recommended that you set this to at least 2 in ring all groups.

Members

Members (at the bottom of the page) is where you will assign Extensions of this PBX and Extensions that are Branch Office Extensions assigned in this PBX to the group. A Priority is assigned to each which indicates how it relates to the other group members for call delivery. A Priority of "0" is the highest priority while "99" is the least priority. Calls into this group will be directed to those Members with the highest priority before being directed to those of lesser priority.

Priority

A Priority is assigned to each Member which indicates how it relates to the other group members for call delivery. A Priority of "0" is the highest priority while "99" is the least priority. Calls into this group will be directed to those Members with the highest priority before being directed to those of lesser priority.

Ring/Hold Settings

Caller Hears

The caller waiting in this Group will hear either Ringing or Music On Hold (as selected in Hold Music)

Override Hold Music

Yes or No. A simple term for this feature is Sticky Music On Hold... that is, when "Yes" the music on hold selection designated for this Ring Group will stay with the call regardless of where it is directed after having been directed to this Ring Group

Hold Music

The selection of music from the uploaded Playlists that is to be used for callers that are placed on hold or those waiting to be answered as part of this Ring Group when Caller Hears is set to "Music"

Ring Tone

There are five destinct Ring Tones that can be assigned to a Ring Group used for alerting Members and Agents (ACD option) of calls ringing at their telephone as part of this Ring Group/Queue. Default can be selected if the system default ring tone is desired.

Custom Caller ID

Custom Caller ID can be assigned to the Ring Group to identify the group to the Members who receive ringing as part of the group.

Use

This setting deterimines if Custom Caller ID will be used for this Ring Group. It is set as either Name, Number or Both. You can prepend or replace then name and/or number that is received from the PSTN with the phrase input here. When prepending it is best to use short abbreviations since many telephones will not display long Caller ID strings.

Name

This is the character string that will be used to prepend or replace the PSTN CID for calls to this group. (Note: do not use special characters or spaces.)

Number

This is the numeral string that will be used to prepend or replace the PSTN CID for calls to this group. (Note: do not use special characters or spaces.)

ACD Parameters

ACD Settings

Agents

Agents are assigned is a separate screen - this link takes you to that screen. Agents have similar characteristics as those of Members - they are however virtual meaning that they are not extension specific. An Agent may log in at any PBX extension to take calls for the Queue(s) to which it is assigned. Agents are assigned:

Name

The Agent Name is convenient for reference and will appear of certain reports and in the Q Manager to identify the agent.

ID

The ID is used during login and identifies this agent specific to which ACD Queues it has been assigned.

PIN

The PIN is the password of this agent ID which allows the agent to login and logout.

Weight

Weight is a relationship setting that allows this queue to be prioritized against other queues. The Weight of a queue can be heavier than that of another queue meaning that Members/Agents who are part of multiple queues will receive ringing calls from the queue with the greatest weight. Weight is referenced by the higher number. That is, a Weight of 99 is greater than a Weight of 1.

Wrap-Up Time

Wrap Up Time is that time allowed the agent to conclude comments and regular follow-up of any queue call that is concluded. When the Member/Agent has finished the conversation and disconnected from the call, the Wrap Up Time begins. When this timer expires, this Member/Agent is considered available again for new queue callers.

Auto Pause

Auto Pause places a Member/Agent in a pause state in this queue when they ignore (do not answer) a Queue call. To become an active member of the queue again Un-Pause using the 1* feature code (Members) or 1*+Agent ID# for Agents.

Maximum # of people in queue

Defines how many callers can join the queue before it is considered full.

Announce frequency

This is a caller advisory feature. This is associated to "Announce Hold Time". This timer is set in seconds to determine the interval between the Hold-Time announcement.

Periodic Announce Frequency

This is a caller advisory feature and is associated to "Periodic Announcement" (a sound file loaded into the PBX MOH folder). This timer is set in seconds to determine the interval at which this file will start to play to callers waiting in queue. (Note: the length of the recording should be less than that of this timer. A Periodic Announce file that is longer in duration than this time, will be heard continuously.)

Announce Hold Time

This is a caller advisory feature. Announce Hold Time is associated to "Announce Frequency". Set this to yes to enable the Announce Hold Time feature.

Join Empty Queue

Controls calls entering an empty queue.

• YES = Callers can join the queue with no members or whose members are busy.
• NO = Callers can only join the queue with active, non-busy members. Completely ignores agent and member status, they can be logged out. As long as they exist in the configuration callers can join a queue.
• STRICT = Callers can join the queue as long as there are active members, be they available or busy. Callers can not join the queue if there are no members or if the members are all busy, paused, or logged off.

Leave Empty Queue

Determines how a call will be handled if while waiting in queue, the queue state becomes "empty".

• YES = Callers will leave the queue if there are no active members, or all members are busy.
• NO = Callers will not leave the queue even if there are no active members, or all members are busy. Callers do not leave when all agents are logged off.
• STRICT = Callers will leave the queue if there are no active members, but will remain in the queue if all members are busy. Callers leave the queue when all agents are logged off or paused.

Report Hold Time

This is a Member/Agent advisory feature. When set to "YES" the answering Member/Agent will be advised of the length of time this caller was in queue prior to the call being connected to the Member/Agent.

Member Delay before connect

This timer (in seconds) determines how long after logging into a queue a Member/Agent becomes available for queue calls.

Timeout Restart

This is associated to Time Out and Failover.

• YES: the ring group Timeout will reset after attempting to ring an agent/member.
• NO: the time taken to ring an Agent/Member will be subtracted from the ring group Timeout.

Service Level

This is a performance feature. Set the time (in seconds) in which calls in this queue are desired to be answered. This should be set to an obtainable goal. The statistical data resulting from this entry are displayed in CDR and Live Call Queue monitors. The results are displayed as percent (%) within target.

Exit Status: Full

Enter into this data field the destination for callers who reach this queue in the "Full" state or for whom the queue goes to the "Full" state while they were waiting.

The possible Destinations are:

• Extensions: Any PBX Extension
• Ring groups: Any PBX Ring Group
• Page groups: Any PBX Page Group
• Menus: Any PBX Menu
• Conferences: Any PBX Conference (Conference Rooms)
• Voicemail: Any PBX Voicemail Box
• Schedules: Any PBX Schedule
• Branch Office Extensions: Any defined extension of a PBX-defined Branch Office
• Follow Me: This allows you to route a caller to a predefined Follow-Me Forward destination

When a destination is selected additional options may be available

Exit Status: Join Empty

Enter into this data field the destination for callers who reach this queue in the "Empty" state.

The possible Destinations are:

• Extensions: Any PBX Extension
• Ring groups: Any PBX Ring Group
• Page groups: Any PBX Page Group
• Menus: Any PBX Menu
• Conferences: Any PBX Conference (Conference Rooms)
• Voicemail: Any PBX Voicemail Box
• Schedules: Any PBX Schedule
• Branch Office Extensions: Any defined extension of a PBX-defined Branch Office
• Follow Me: This allows you to route a caller to a predefined Follow-Me Forward destination

When a destination is selected additional options may be available

Exit Status: leave Empty

Enter into this data field the destination for callers for whom the queue goes to the "Empty" state while they were waiting.

The possible Destinations are:

• Extensions: Any PBX Extension
• Ring groups: Any PBX Ring Group
• Page groups: Any PBX Page Group
• Menus: Any PBX Menu
• Conferences: Any PBX Conference (Conference Rooms)
• Voicemail: Any PBX Voicemail Box
• Schedules: Any PBX Schedule
• Branch Office Extensions: Any defined extension of a PBX-defined Branch Office
• Follow Me: This allows you to route a caller to a predefined Follow-Me Forward destination

When a destination is selected additional options may be available

Exit Status: Join Unavailable

Enter into this data field the destination for callers who reach this queue when there are no Members/Agents in the "Available" state.

The possible Destinations are:

• Extensions: Any PBX Extension
• Ring groups: Any PBX Ring Group
• Page groups: Any PBX Page Group
• Menus: Any PBX Menu
• Conferences: Any PBX Conference (Conference Rooms)
• Voicemail: Any PBX Voicemail Box
• Schedules: Any PBX Schedule
• Branch Office Extensions: Any defined extension of a PBX-defined Branch Office
• Follow Me: This allows you to route a caller to a predefined Follow-Me Forward destination

When a destination is selected additional options may be available

Exit Status: Leave Unavailable

Enter into this data field the destination for callers waiting in queue when all of the Members/Agents of the queue go to the "Unavailable" state.

The possible Destinations are:

• Extensions: Any PBX Extension
• Ring groups: Any PBX Ring Group
• Page groups: Any PBX Page Group
• Menus: Any PBX Menu
• Conferences: Any PBX Conference (Conference Rooms)
• Voicemail: Any PBX Voicemail Box
• Schedules: Any PBX Schedule
• Branch Office Extensions: Any defined extension of a PBX-defined Branch Office
• Follow Me: This allows you to route a caller to a predefined Follow-Me Forward destination

When a destination is selected additional options may be available

Intro Announcement

This is a caller advisory feature. When a sound file has been set in this data field, that sound file will be played to callers prior to them entering this queue.

Agent Announcement

This is an Agent/Member advisory feature. When a sound file has been set in this data field, that sound file will be played to the answering Member/Agent prior to the call being connected.

Periodic Announcement

This is a caller advisory feature. When a sound file has been set in this data field, that sound file will be played to callers waiting in queue. This sound file will be repeated at the intervals set in Periodic Announce Frequency.

Exit Menu

This is a caller interactive feature. The Single-digit functions of the Menu programmed here is active while callers are waiting in queue. Callers can then be instructed via Periodic Announcements to take action by dial codes. The Destinations programmed into the associated menu are then processed.

Q Mananger Alerts

Queues can be set to trigger alerts on the Q Manager application. Alerts are tied to the specific queue settings below:

Enable Alerts

Yes or No to utilize Queue Alerts to Q Manager

Alert when Call Exceeding Service Level

Yes or No. An Alert is generated when the Service Livel set in "Service Level" is exceeded. 

Alert # of calls queued is greater than or equal to...

Set the number of calls that is considered to be the most permissible calls waiting in queue.

Alert # of Agents + Members available is less than or equal to...

Set the number of Agents + Members that is considered to be the least permissible available for this queue. (An entry of "-1" disables this alert.)

Alert # of Agents + Members online is less than or equal to... 

Set the number of Agents + Members that is considered to be the least permissible onliine for this queue. (An entry of "-1" disables this alert.)

Enable Abandoned Call Text Alert

Yes or No... use this to disable a Send Text Message list of destinations temporarily.

Send Text Message to...

Input the telephone extension number(s) where alert messages should be sent. Multiple destinations are possible... input multiples separating them with a comma. SPACES are not allowed.

Agents

Agents (at the bottom of the page) is where you will assign previously programmed Agents of this PBX to the queue. A Priority is assigned to each which indicates how it relates to the other group Agents and Members for call delivery. A Priority of "0" is the highest priority while "99" is the least priority. Calls into this queue will be directed to those Agents and Members with the highest priority before being directed to those of lesser priority.

Priority

A Priority is assigned to each Agent and Member which indicates how it relates to the other group Agents and Members for call delivery. A Priority of "0" is the highest priority while "99" is the least priority. Calls into this queue will be directed to those Agents and Members with the highest priority before being directed to those of lesser priority.