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AT&T Merlin II Feature Module 2 Installation Ans Getting Started Manual

Call management system
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AT&T
®
II
MERLIN
COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
Feature Module 2
Call Management System
Installation and
Getting Started Guide

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  • Page 1 AT&T ® MERLIN COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM Feature Module 2 Call Management System Installation and Getting Started Guide...
  • Page 2 Issue 1 ©1988 AT&T September, 1988 All Rights Reserved Printed in USA NOTICE The information in this document is subject to change without notice. AT&T assumes no responsibility for any errors that may appear in this document. MERLIN is a registered trademark of AT&T. MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Contents Introduction Upgrade Information What’s in This Manual Key Terms Step 1: Planning Your System Key Facts and Considerations System Considerations Supervisor’s Console and Agent Voice Terminals Line Assignments Station Assignments Line Group and Agent Split Considerations External Alerts Other Considerations Step 2: Administering Your MERLIN II System for CMS Setting Basic Operating Conditions for Your System Assigning Lines and Line Pools to Voice Terminals...
  • Page 4 Step Installing Your Software CMS Preparation Requirements Installing the MS-DOS system program Types of CMS Diskettes Installing CMS to Start Automatically Setting the Date and Time Making a Work Copy of the CMS Diskette Preparing for Upgrade Installing the CMS Software Step 5: Starting CMS and Entering Data Starting CMS Entering Data...
  • Page 5 Step 9: Managing Calls Starting Call Management Monitoring Call Management System Status Screen Split Status Screens Line Status Screen Events Log Screen Dynamic Reconfiguration Handling Calls at Night Selecting Night Service Step 10: Customizing Your CMS Setting System Options Service Level Limit Abandoned Call Threshold Alarm On/Off Flexible Message Length...

  • Page 6: Introduction

    Introduction This guide explains how to install and start the Call Management System (CMS) on the MERLIN II Communications System with Feature Module 2. By the time you finish this guide, CMS can be managing calls with a primary shift configuration and a night configuration. This guide also describes CMS options and exceptions you can use to customize CMS for your business needs.

  • Page 7: What's In This Manual

    Generating more types of reports, including cumulative reports, and doing so while CMS is running Using updated and improved help screens Viewing color screens (if you have a color monitor) Using headset adapters for hands-free operation Using external alerts to help you keep the system operating efficiently You are making a new beginning when you install CMS to work with the MERLIN II Communications System with Feature Module 2.

  • Page 8: Key Terms

    Step 4: Installing Your Software. Describes: Installing the MS-DOS® operating system Installing the CMS software Step 5: Starting CMS and Entering Data. Describes: Getting to the CMS Main Menu Entering and editing data Step 6: Identifying Your Agents and Lines. Describes entering the information from your CMS planning forms (completed in Step 1) into the system and includes: Creating an agent directory...

  • Page 9: Step 1: Planning Your System

    Step 1: Planning Your System To make the most of both the MERLIN II system and CMS and to meet your call-handling needs, it’s essential to integrate the features of both systems along with your telephone lines and agents. As a first step, get your CMS Planning Guide and complete the following planning forms.

  • Page 10: Key Facts And Considerations

    Key Facts and Considerations Key facts and considerations concerning proper CMS installation and operation are emphasized throughout this guide. For easy reference, they are listed below. This version of CMS is designed to work solely with the MERLIN II SYSTEM Communications System with Feature Module 2.

  • Page 11: Station Assignments

    All CMS lines must have the MERLIN II system ringing option feature set for No Ring (at the main attendant console). Each line of a line group assigned to an agent must be assigned to the agent’s voice terminal. CMS agent stations can be assigned any block of stations on the STATION A S S I G N M E N T S MERLIN II system from 10...

  • Page 12: Step 2: Administering Your Merlin Ii System For Cms

    Step 2: Administering Your MERLIN II System for CMS Certain MERLIN II system settings, features, and options affect CMS operation. This section describes how to administer those aspects of the MERLIN II system. Read the descriptions of the settings, features, and options described in the following pages, and make sure you have administered your MERLIN 11 system accordingly.

  • Page 13: Assigning Lines And Line Pools To Voice Terminals

    The lines and/or pools should appear on each CMS voice terminal exactly as ASSIGNING LINES AND they appear on the Voice Terminal Configuration Form you completed for it. LINE POOLS TO VOICE Follow the instructions under the appropriate heading for your system in TERMINALS Section 4 of the MERLIN II System Installation and Administration Manual.

  • Page 14: Line Assignments And The Voice Announcement Unit

    Use the following Copy procedure to copy the CMS line assignments to the second of the two intercom numbers assigned to the CMS PC. Find the second intercom number for the CMS PC on the Master Planning Form. Press [Copy] Dial the first intercom number and touch to return.

  • Page 15: Programming Status Buttons

    Each CMS agent’s voice terminal must have two status buttons: an Available PROGRAMMING STATUS button and an After-Call-Work (ACW) state button. Each of these buttons BUTTONS must have lights. Label one button “Available” and the other “ACW. ” The programming codes are: *301 for Available *302 for ACW You can use the procedure for Centralized Programming in Section 2 of the...

  • Page 16: Step 3: Installing Your Hardware

    Step 3: Installing Your Hardware This section provides instructions for installing the CMS hardware. The instructions will guide you through the following procedures: Installing the CMS expansion card Connecting the PC to the MERLIN II system Connecting the voice announcement unit to the system Unpack and install the PC’s main unit, keyboard, monitor, and printer using the instructions in the guides that came with the equipment.

  • Page 17: Installing The Cms Expansion Card

    Installing the CMS Expansion Card Use the following procedure for installing the CMS expansion card into your PC. A flat-blade screwdriver is the only tool you need. Turn the PC power switch to OFF and disconnect the PC power plug from DISCONNECT THE POWER the power source.
  • Page 18 Stand in front of the unit and place your hands the sides of the cover (Figure 2). FIGURE 2 Sliding the cover of the PC forward. 1/8” Brace the base of the unit against your hip or thigh, and firmly slide the cover toward the front of the unit.
  • Page 19 The Expansion Slots Once you removed the cover from your PC, you are ready to insert the CMS expansion card. In your PC there are seven expansion slots (Figure 4). At the front of the PC there’s a plastic guide aligned with each expansion slot. The CMS expansion card must fit into an expansion slot receptacle and its corresponding plastic guide.

  • Page 20: Before You Insert The Cms Expansion Card Into The Pc

    Before you begin to insert the CMS expansion card into the PC, you should BEFORE YOU INSERT THE CMS EXPANSION CARD note these important points: INTO THE PC A Note on the RAM Address and the IRQ Select Each card in a personal computer requires exclusive use of certain areas (addresses) in the computer’s memory.

  • Page 21: Insert The Expansion Card Into The Pc

    To insert the CMS expansion card in one of the expansion slots, follow these INSERT THE EXPANSION directions: CARD INTO THE PC Select an empty slot for the expansion card. If there are other cards inside the unit, be sure they do not interfere with the space you need for the CMS expansion card.
  • Page 22 Make sure the expansion slot is clear. Position the colored wires crossing the slot so they lie beneath the card as you install it. Holding the CMS expansion card by its top corner edges, lower the card into the expansion slot receptacle you have chosen (Figure 6). Do not try to insert the card through the back of the unit.
  • Page 23 Press down on the top edge of the card until you feel and hear the card “lock” into place.The card is locked when the frame of the card is flush with the frame of the unit. If the card tilts or wobbles when you press on either end, the card is not properly installed.

  • Page 24: Reassemble The Pc

    REASSEMBLE THE PC Check the installation guide that came with the PC again to be sure you have installed all the necessary components (such as the VDC Card). When you are satisfied that all components are properly installed, and when you have inserted the CMS expansion card, reassemble the PC by following this procedure: Face the front of the unit and lower the front of the cover so that the rear...

  • Page 25: Connecting The Pc To Your Merlin Ii Communications System

    Connecting the PC to Your MERLIN II Communications System The station jacks that have been assigned to the CMS PC should be identified on the MERLIN II system Master Planning Form next to their respective intercom numbers. These numbers must be designated as attendant positions. The PC must be connected to the MERLIN II system at two station jacks on the same circuit pack module on the control unit and these jacks must be attendant positions.

  • Page 26: Connecting The Pc To The Voice Announcement Unit

    FIGURE 9 Connecting the expansion card and the control unit. To attendant port 18 To attendant port 22 Connecting the PC to the Voice Announcement Unit To connect the two units, you need the 14-foot cord provided for the voice announcement unit in the CMS hardware package.

  • Page 27: Installing The External Alerts (Optional)

    Connecting the expansion card and the voice announcement unit. FIGURE 10 To ac outlet Installing the External Alerts (Optional) External alerts are the small incandescent lamps that are designed to be mounted on a wall in full view of the CMS supervisor and agents. Each alert is connected to a dry circuit relay which in turn is connected to a line jack on the MERLIN II system control unit, either directly or through building wiring.
  • Page 28 Figure 11shows an example diagram of an alert for CMS connected to the MERLIN II system. The diagram also shows its corresponding line assignment as represented on a MERLIN II System Display Console during MERLIN II system administration (in this example, number 20). After the lines are assigned to the CU1 and CU2 ports of the CMS PC, CMS uses the line button numbers to access the outside lines and the alert.
  • Page 29 FIGURE 11 CMS external alert connected to the MERLIN II Communication System. Alert device Dry circuit Wall mount switch adapter MERLIN II System control unit Jack 20 CO lines to be CO lines assigned to CMS Jack 10 MERLIN II Display console Administration mode 20 outside line appearances Two procedures:...

  • Page 30: Step 4: Installing Your Software

    Step 4: Installing Your Software CMS PREPARATION Before you can install the CMS software, you must be sure that CMS will be working on a hard disk dedicated exclusively to running the CMS program REQUIREMENTS and storing CMS reports. Non-CMS applications or data files should not be on the hard disk.

  • Page 31: Setting The Date And Time

    In order to set up or add to this file on your PC you need to use a text editor. Use either EDLIN, the MS-DOS line editor, or another text editor you are familiar with. The following are the commands you need in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file to start CMS automatically: cd cms c m s...

  • Page 32: Making A Work Copy Of The Cms Diskette

    Setting the Time To check or change the time on your PC, do as follows: When the c> prompt appears, type time and press (< ). The following message appears on your screen: Current time is 0:01:30.00 Enter new time: If the time is correct, press (<...

  • Page 33: Installing The Cms Software

    Installing the CMS Software To install the CMS program, do the following: Insert copy of the CMS software into drive A. (If you are duplicate using the 5 and 1/4 inch floppies, insert the copy you have labeled “CMS 1 of 2“). copy If the prompt does not appear on your computer screen, type...
  • Page 34 There may be insufficient storage space on the hard disk for new In that case, you will see the following message on your information. screen: ***** Insufficient Disk Space for CMS. An additional xxxK is required. Delete Old Files and Try Installation Again. must work on a hard disk dedicated exclusively to REMEMBER: the CMS program and storing CMS reports.

  • Page 35: Step 5: Starting Cms And Entering Data

    Step 5: Starting CMS and Entering Data the CMS Main Menu, the starting point This section describes how to reach for CMS activities. It also explains how to respond to prompts and enter and edit data. The following procedure applies to both the PC 6300 and 6300 WGS STARTING CMS keyboards.

  • Page 36: Entering Data

    ENTERING DATA enter data by pressing function keys and responding to the prompts that PC screen. Whenever a prompt appears on the prompt line, appear on your the editing function keys also appear, as shown on the following screen. Bon Voyage Travel ADMIN CMSIIRZ 3: 58p 06/02 Agent...
  • Page 37 Press (Cancel Prompt) (Delete) Cancel a prompt, including any data (F1) you may have already entered in any field. Move to the beginning of the (Previous Field) < (F5) ( ^ ) > (the shift key and the tab key previous field.

  • Page 38: Editing Data

    Follow the instructions in the table below to change entries. EDITING DATA Do this Change a character in a field Move the cursor to the incorrect character and type another character over it. Add characters at the end of an Press ( >)after the last character entry...

  • Page 39: Step 6: Identifying Your Agents And Lines

    Step 6: Identifying Your Agents and Lines Administration enables you to tailor CMS for your business by identifying your agents and lines, as described in this section, and by arranging your in shift configurations, as described in “Step 7: Building a lines and agents Shift Configuration.”...
  • Page 40 Bon Voyage Travel ADMIN CMSIIRZ 10:54a 06/13 Last Name First Last Name First Anders Harry HARRY Middon Beth BETH Bakerson O’Rourke Walter WALT Chanleys Diane Pantilly Ernie ERNIE Chapman Charlie CHUCK Patrick Claren Clifford CLIFF Peters Norman NORM Clover Ward WARD Piers Benjamin BEN...

  • Page 41: Administering Lines And Line Groups

    Administering Lines and Line Groups On the Line Group Planning Form, you identified the MERLIN II system lines and line groups you plan to use with CMS. You also identified your priority lines. You can enter that information into the system with the following procedures.

  • Page 42: Adding Lines

    add a line to CMS: ADDING LINES Press (labeled “AddLine’’) on the Administer Lines and Line Groups (F1) Screen. The editing function keys replace the screen’s function keys, and the following prompt appears on the prompt line: ADD LINE: Button #.. _ L i n e I D : Group Letter:_ The button number corresponds to the button on the CMS supervisor’s console assigned to an outside line.

  • Page 43: Step 7: Building A Shift Configuration

    Step 7: Building a Shift Configuration Now that you have identified the agents and line groups, you can build your in this order: first shift configuration Name and select the configuration you want to build. Administer splits (involves assigning each split an ID and some agents). Administer call flow (involves assigning splits to handle calls for specific line groups).

  • Page 44: Managing Calls During The Day And At Night

    The first shift configuration you create should be one for managing calls MANAGING CALLS during one of your day shifts. Later on you can build other day shift DURING THE DAY AND AT configurations and decide how you want to handle calls at night. The NIGHT different ways of handling calls at night are described in “Step 9: Managing Calls.

  • Page 45: Renaming Aconfiguration

    Bon Voyage Travel ADMIN CMSIIR2 ll:00a 06/0l Agent Agent Num Answer Force Auto Split Pos ID Split Pos ID Group Lines Delay Delay ACW 1 PERS 16 TOM 3 CORP 37 IKE A PUBLC 4 17 CLIFF 39 TINA B SPECL 3 off 10s 19 ERNIE 40 DIANA...

  • Page 46: Administering Splits

    Configuring splits involves assigning agents to each split. Refer to your ADMINISTERING SPLITS Agent Splits Planning Form for these assignments. From the Configuration screen, press (labeled “Splits”) to reach the (F1) Agent Splits screen for Configuration 1. An example of this screen with typical agent and split data appears below.

  • Page 47: Administering Line Group Options

    Repeat steps 1 through 5 to identify the other splits in Shift Configuration 1 and assign agents to them. If your Agent Splits Planning Form shows a split to be an All-Ring NOTE: split, assign the “ghost” agent indicated on the form as the only agent in that split.
  • Page 48 ADMIN CMSIIR2 Bon Voyage Travel 3:57p 06/02 Split Split Pos ID Group Lines Delay Delay ACW 1 PERS 16 TOM 3 CORP 37 IKE A PUBLC 4 17 CLIFF 39 TINA B SPECL 3 off 10s 19 ERNIE 40 DIANA C CHART 6 21 DEB 4 SUPPT...

  • Page 49: Administering Call Flow

    ADMINISTERING CALL On the Shift Configuration Planning Form, you assigned a main split to each line group. You may also have identified some secondary splits as backup FLOW splits for intraflow. To assign main and secondary splits: Press (labeled “Call Flow”) on the Configuration screen, (F3) The Call Flow screen for Shift Configuration 1 appears, as shown below.
  • Page 50 To turn intrafiow on for a particular line group: Press (labeled “Flow On/Off”). (F2) The editing function keys replace the screen’s function keys, and the following prompt appears on the prompt line: CHANGE INTRAFLOW: Line Group Letter: _ Enter a line group letter. Then press (labeled “Enter Data”), (F8) The prompt disappears, the screen’s function keys replace the editing...

  • Page 51: Exiting Cms 4

    EXITING CMS Before you begin the system tests in the next section, exit CMS and turn off your PC as follows: To return to the Configuration screen from the Call Flow screen, press (labeled “Config Screen”). (F7) The Configuration screen’s function keys replace the Call Flow screen’s function keys.

  • Page 52: Step 8: Testing Cms 4

    Step 8: Testing CMS You can test CMS now, or you can have CMS begin managing calls with your first shift configuration as learn more about the system. If you choose to have CMS begin managing calls immediately, go to “Step 9: Managing Calls.”...

  • Page 53: Line Status Test

    When the second appears, type c> and press (< The CMS Main Menu appears. Press , (labeled “Start Call Mgt” on the screen). (F1) First, the Initialization screen appears. It displays a list of stored shift configurations along with the following prompt: SELECT CONFIGURATION: Config #:_ To select your first shift configuration, enter its number and press (<...
  • Page 54 3 Using the MERLIN II system administrator/attendant console at the intercom 10 position, do as follows: a Touch the console’s Speaker button (or lift the handset). Touch the line button for the line shown on Button 1 on the CMS Line Button Planning Form as you (or someone else) watch the Line Status screen on the CMS PC.

  • Page 55: Agent Status Test

    4 Check MERLIN II system line administration for the two attendant ports (CU1 and CU2) used by the PC. If their assignments do not match, follow the instructions under “Assigning Lines to the CMS PC” in “Step 2: Administering Your MERLIN 11 System for CMS, ”...

  • Page 56: Voice Announcement Unit Test

    The number for the agent’s split in the “Calls Handled Num” column increases by one. 5 Make another call to the same number, but this time you and the agent hang up as soon as the agent answers the call. The number for the agent’s split in the “Abandon Num”...

  • Page 57: Intraflow Test

    See the number for the agent’s split in the “Agents Avail” column increase by one and the number in the “Agents ACW” column decrease by one. Hear the agent answer the call. c See the number in the “Agents ACD” column increase by one and the number in the “Agents Avail”...

  • Page 58: Step 9: Managing Calls

    Step 9: Managing Calls This section tells you how to start call management and how to use the status screens to monitor call handling performance. It also includes information about Night Service, a mode of operation designed for nights, weekends, or any other time your business is closed.
  • Page 59 Bon Voyage Travel DAY CMSIIR2 3:46p 06/02 1 - DAILY 2 - WEEKEND 3 - NIGHT 4 - EVENING 5 - UNUSED 6 - UNUSED SELECT CONFIGURATION: Config ¤: The Initialization screen displays: An Initialization in Progress message A list of stored shift configurations The following prompt on the prompt line SELECT CONFIGURATION: Config #:_ To select your first configuration, enter its number.

  • Page 60: Monitoring Call Management

    Bon Voyage Travel DAY CMSIIR2 3:47p 06/02 F10 - Help From the above screen, you can navigate through the screens to monitor, administer, and print reports regarding the configuration you have selected. Use the MERLIN 11 system Group Page feature or some other procedure to tell the agents in the active configuration that CMS is now managing calls.

  • Page 61: System Status Screen

    The System Status screen, shown below, summarizes the activity in each line SYSTEM STATUS SCREEN group and split. Continually updated, it is cleared every hour and is considered the “home” screen during call management. Bon Voyage Travel DAY CMSIIR2 4: 04p 06/02 Line Lines Spl i ts...

  • Page 62: Split Status Screens

    SPLIT STATUS SCREENS The Split Status screens give you a detailed picture of the activities of each agent in each split. For instance, you can see how many calls each agent has answered and the average time an agent spends on a call. Each Split Status screen contains one split’s data.

  • Page 63: Line Status Screen

    Split Status Waiting: Number of calls waiting in each split and length of time the oldest call has been waiting Call Flow Splits/Intra: Main and secondary split assignments and intraflow status The Line Status screen, shown below, summarizes the activity for each line in LINE STATUS SCREEN each line group.

  • Page 64: Events Log Screen

    Split Status Waiting: Number of calls waiting in each split and length of time the oldest call has been waiting Call Flow Splits/Intra: Main and secondary split assignments and intraflow status The Events Log Screen displays the last 19 exceptions, routine events (such as EVENTS LOG SCREEN a normal shutdown), and system problems with the time and date they occurred.

  • Page 65: Dynamic Reconfiguration

    Dynamic Reconfiguration Once you begin call management, you can use dynamic reconfiguration to modify the shift configuration being used to handle calls. For example, you can reassign agents or turn on intraflow to handle unexpected changes in incoming call traffic. These changes are immediately implemented in the current shift configuration.
  • Page 66 When you start call management, CMS is automatically in Day Service mode. To select Night Service: Go to the System Status screen. You can reach this screen from the CMS System Menu or from many of the other call management screens. Press (labeled “Day/Night”).

  • Page 67: Step 10: Customizing Your Cms

    Step 10: Customizing Your CMS As you become more familiar with CMS and your call traffic patterns, you can customize CMS for your business. This section describes CMS options, exceptions, and features you may want to use or change to improve your call flow or gather more information about system and agent performance.

  • Page 68: Flexible Message Length

    FLEXIBLE MESSAGE The length of the delay message affects the number of calls CMS can handle LENGTH within a given period of time: the longer the message, the fewer the calls handled. If the delay message you actually record on the voice announcement unit is longer than the time entered for this option on the Set Options screen, you see the following message on each CMS screen: “WARNING - Message Unit Problem.

  • Page 69: Split Exceptions

    Agent Logout ACW After an agent has been in the After- Call-Work state more than a certain length of time (established by you), the agent is automatically placed in the logged out state. Refused Call Monitors the number of CMS calls an agent has refused to answer.

  • Page 70: Monitoring Exceptions

    Monitoring Exceptions From the “Setting Options” screen, you can choose to have your PC beep every time an exception message, system message, or error message appears on the screen (see “Setting Options” in Section 4 of the CMS System Manual). This is a system wide alerting device. Also, exception messages will appear on the PC screen to indicate which exception thresholds have been exceeded.

  • Page 71: Setting Call Flow Options

    Basic Procedure To have an external alert light go on when a given threshold has been met or exceeded, you must do the following: Make sure an alert is physically connected to an unused line port. Make sure that line has been assigned to CMS during MERLIN II system administration.

  • Page 72: Choose Startup

    CHOOSE STARTUP You can have CMS invoke one of your shift configurations automatically each time you start call management. Initial Setting: blank (no startup configuration) INTRAFLOW You can turn intraflow on and off for each line group, depending on your call traffic.

  • Page 73: Appendix A: Guide To Cms Screens

    Appendix A: Guide to CMS Screens These menu maps illustrate the network of CMS screens and functions during administration and call management. FIGURE 12 CMS administration screen map. CMS MENU ADMINISTRATION START CALL PRINT MANAGEMENT MENU REPORTS AGENT ADMINISTER LINES STORED SHIFT A D M I N I S T E R OPTIONS...
  • Page 74 FIGURE 13 Call management screen map. CMS MAIN MENU START CALL ADMINISTRATION REPORT MANAGEMENT MENU M E N U AGENT SPLIT D A I L Y S U M M A R Y CUMULATIVE INITIALIZE D A I L Y S P L I T STORED SHIFT CUMULATIVE BY DAY...
  • Page 75 Index Guide to CMS screens, 68 administration menu map, 68 call management map, 69 Adding Lines, 37 Administering lines and line groups, 36 Administering MERLIN II System for CMS, 7 assigning lines and line pools, 8 Handling calls at night. See Night calls assigning lines to CU1 and CU2, 8 Hardware, installing, 11 assigning lines to message unit, 9...
  • Page 76 Setting system options, 62 abandoned call threshold, 62 alarm, 62 business name, 63 flexible message length, 63 service level limit, 62 Setting the Date, 26 Setting the Time, 27 Shift configuration, building, 38 Shift configurations administering call flow, 44 administering line group options, 42 administering splits, 41 initial settings, 38 managing calls, day or night, 39...
  • Page 77 999-502-149...

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