This chapter describes how to configure the information that routing
clients use to interpret the response from the system software and route the
call to its destination on Unified Intelligent Contact Management (Unified ICM).
For every routing request it processes, the system software determines
an announcement to be played to the caller, a route for the call, or a special
action such as ring-no-answer or signal busy.
To see the elements of the Routes and Targets subsystem and the order
in which you must define them, see the following figure. Note that elements in
this subsystem depend on elements defined in the routing client and peripheral
subsystems. For example, you must define a network trunk group and trunk group,
which are part of the peripheral subsystem, before you can define a peripheral
target.
The system software can route a call to a carrier resource such as an
announcement or to a target at a peripheral. A peripheral, such as an ACD, PBX,
or
Unified Communications Manager (Unified CM) dispatches calls within a contact center.
Depending on the capabilities of the peripheral and the type of routing
instructions you use, the system software might choose a specific agent at the
peripheral to handle the call. In that case, the peripheral merely dispatches
the call to the chosen agent. In other cases, the system software might specify
only a group of agents or a type of service to be provided to the caller.
The system software can route to three types of peripheral targets:
Agent. A specific individual who receives calls through the
peripheral. (The system software, however, cannot guarantee that the specific
agent will be available when the call arrives.) The Queue to Agent node allows
the targeting of a task (the work performed by an agent) to a script-specified
agent. This node enables an agent to receive and operate on more than one task
at a time.
Skill group. A group of agents who share a common set of
skills and who can, therefore, all handle a specific type of calls. Each skill
group contains one or more agents. If supported by the peripheral, each agent
can be a member of more than one skill group.
Service. A type of processing the caller requires. For
example, a peripheral might have services defined for sales, technical support,
or opening new accounts. Each service has one or more skill groups whose
members can provide the service. Each skill group can be associated with more
than one service.
In the last two cases, the peripheral must choose a specific agent
within the group who can provide the service. In each case, the peripheral
plays a key role in completing the routing that the system software has
determined. Therefore, the system software and the peripheral must be set up to
complement each other. They must have the same understanding of the agents,
skill groups, and services available at each site.
Some routing clients also support
scheduled targets. A scheduled target is a group of agents not
associated with a Peripheral Gateway. The system software cannot monitor the
group directly. Instead it relies on a periodic schedule to determine the
number of agents logged on to the group. The routing client informs the system
software when a call to the group ends. Since the system software knows how
many calls it has routed to the group, it can determine the number of calls in
progress. Based on this and the schedule, the system software can determine
whether the target can handle an additional call.
Route configuration
A route consists of two components:
The skill target (agent, skill group, service, translation route,
or service array) at a peripheral which can handle a call.
The service by which the peripheral classifies the call.
Note
You must have defined the skill target and service before you can
configure a route. Follow the steps in the Configuration Manager's Step by Step
Configuration menu when configuring your
Unified ICM system.
In the Configuration
Manager, you can define and update many routes at a time using the Route Bulk
tool. Or you can create and update a route using one of the following Explorer
tools:
Agent Explorer
Skill Group Explorer
Service Explorer
Service Array Explorer
Translation Route Explorer
With the Explorer tools, you can define and update a route at the same
time you define and update its target. To access all the tools for creating
routes:
Procedure
Click
ICM
Configure > Targets > Route.
See following figure.
Figure 2. Configuration Manager Route tools
Modify a route
Use the Configuration Manager's Route Bulk tool to create multiple
routes. To create individual routes, use the Configuration Manager's Explorer
tool appropriate for the route target. Follow the instructions in the online
help.
To modify routes with the Explorer tools:
Procedure
Step 1
In the appropriate Explorer window:
To define a new route, select the target for which you are
creating the route and click
Add Route.
To modify a route, select the route.
Step 2
In the Route tab, enter values for the following fields:
Name. A unique name for the route. You might derive the
name for the route from the skill target and service associated with it. For
example, you might have a route associated with the Dallas.TeleSales service
and the Dallas.Sales skill group. You might name the route Dallas.TS_Sales.
Description. Text identifying the route.
Service name. (selection list) Every route must be
associated with a service. By choosing a service, you are implicitly
associating the route with the peripheral for that service. For a new route,
the drop-down list contains all the services defined for the selected
peripheral (or PG, in the case of a service array).
To assign the route to another service, in the tree list, drag
it to the desired peripheral. You can also move the route to the UNASSIGNED
list.
Warning
When you break the association
between a route and a peripheral, the system software removes the Route ID
value from all peripheral targets that reference that route.
Step 3
Click
Save. The system software saves your changes
in the database.
Set a default route for each peripheral
After you have defined routes, you can set a default route for each
peripheral. The system software uses the default route to classify calls for
statistical purposes.
For each call that arrives at a peripheral, the system software
records monitoring information in the real-time and historical tables for the
route associated with that call. If the system software cannot determine a
route for the call, it uses the default route defined for the peripheral.
By defining a default route for each peripheral, you ensure that the
system software captures route information for every call. You might want to
create a special route for this purpose. You can then determine which calls are
not being accounted for properly.
To set a default for each peripheral:
Procedure
Step 1
In the Configuration Manager menu, select
Tools > Explorer
Tools > PG Explorer. The PG
Explorer window appears.
Step 2
In the tree list window, select the peripheral you want to modify
and click the
Advanced tab.
Step 3
In the Default route field, select the enterprise name of a route
from the selection list. The list includes all routes associated with skill
targets at the chosen peripheral.
Step 4
After choosing the route, click
Save to enter your edits into the database.
Network targets
Routing clients do not send calls directly to services, skill groups,
or agents. They send each call to an announcement or to a specific trunk group
at a peripheral. If the call is sent to a trunk group, the routing client can
also send a DNIS value for the call. The combination of trunk group and DNIS
value is a
peripheral target.
You must define the announcements and peripheral targets that the
routing clients use. These are called network targets. Later, you can associate
a routing label with each
network target.
A peripheral target is a combination of a network trunk group and a
DNIS value. You must work with your interexchange carrier or other routing
client to set up the trunk groups on which you expect to receive calls and the
DNIS values that are sent with them.
To define peripheral targets:
Procedure
Step 1
In the Configuration Manager menu, select
Configure
ICM > Targets > Target
from the menu bar.
The resulting menu (see the following) allows you to create multiple peripheral targets, using the Peripheral Target Bulk configuration
tool or creating a peripheral target for a service, a service array, a skill
group, a translation route, or an agent. Select the appropriate tool for your
needs.
Figure 3. Configuration Manager target submenu
Step 2
Use the online help if you have questions.
Step 3
When finished, click
Save.
Announcement configuration information
You must provide information about any announcements to which you want
to route calls. You must work with the IXC or other routing
client to set up announcements within the network and assign labels to them.
You can then enter information about the labels into the
Unified ICM system.
Note
If you have a Sprint routing client, the system software
automatically configures an announcement named NPA_Blocked_Recording.
In the Configuration Manager menu, select
Tools > Explorer
Tools > Announcement Explorer.
The Announcement Explorer window appears.
Step 2
Click
Retrieve. This enables the
Add Announcement button.
Step 3
Click
Add Announcement.
Step 4
In the Announcement tab, enter values for the following fields:
Name. A unique name for the
announcement.
Description. Text identifying the
announcement.
Note
You can save at this point and then add the
label information in the following step.
Step 5
To associate a label with the announcement:
In the tree list window select one from the UNASSIGNED group
and drag it to the announcement.
Select the announcement and click
Add Label. Then in the Label tab, enter
the appropriate field information.
Note
A description of the Label tab fields and buttons is in the online help.
Step 6
Click
Save to save the announcement configuration
settings. The system software automatically generates a unique Network Target
ID value.
Labels
After defining announcements and peripheral targets, you must define
the labels that your routing clients use to reference network targets. The
label is the value that the system software returns to the routing client. The
routing client then translates the label to an announcement or peripheral
target (trunk group and DNIS) that the peripheral will convert to the skill
target and service you specify.
Note
For an AT&T ICP connection, the system software treats a CRP
code as a label.
In defining a label, you must specify a label
type by selecting an option from the Type drop-down list in the
Label Configuration selection box.
Note
Each label you define is valid only for a specific routing client;
not all label types are valid for all types of routing clients. Check with your
carrier for the latest information about supported label types.
The following table lists the configured label types the system
software supports. In addition to these labels, a script can create a
dynamic label, which is defined in real time through a script
expression and then passed to a routing client.
Table 1 Supported label types
Label Type
Description
Routing Clients
How to Send Label
Normal
Maps to a trunk group and DNIS or announcement defined by the
routing client.
All
Specify an associated route in a routing script target.
DNIS Override
Sends a value along with the label that overrides the DNIS
value of the routing client.
MCI
Specify an associated route in a routing script target.
Busy
Plays a busy signal for the caller.
All
Use a Busy or Termination script node.
Ring
Plays an unanswered ring for the caller.
AT&T GTN
Use a Ring or Termination script node.
Post-Query
Specifies a re-entry point in the network routing plan. The
routing client begins processing the routing plan from that point.
All
Use a Return Label script node.
The Normal and DNIS Override types are used for peripheral targets
(and hence, for routes) or for announcements. Busy, Ring, and Post-Query labels
are not associated with any target in the
Unified ICM configuration. The routing client uses its own special targets
for labels of these types.
For more information on targets within scripts, refer to the
Scripting and Media Routing Guide for Cisco Unified ICM/Contact Center Enterprise & Hosted.
Special Sprint labels
Sprint routing clients require two special labels to support the Busy
feature and the NPA Blocked Recording feature:
A Busy label named @Slow Busy.
A Normal label named @NPA Blocked Recording. The target for this
label must be the NPA_Blocked_Recording announcement.
When you use the NIC Explorer to set up a Sprint routing client, the
system software creates these labels automatically. (It also automatically
creates the NPA_Blocked_Recording announcement, if necessary.)
The label names @Slow Busy and @NPA Blocked Recording are reserved for
this specific use. You must not create any other labels with these names.
Label setup
To set up a label, you create configuration information and associate
the label with a network target.
In the Configuration Manager menu, select
Configure
ICM > Targets > Label.
This displays the following menu options for configuring a label:
Label Bulk
Label List
Service Explorer
Service Array Explorer
Skill Group Explorer
Translation Route Explorer
Agent Explorer
Announcement Explorer
Network VRU Explorer
Step 2
Select the tool you need:
Use the Label Bulk tool to configure many labels at a time.
Use the Label List tool to configure individual labels for any
network targets.
Use the remaining Explorer tools to configure labels for a
specific network target (services, service arrays, skill groups, translation
routes, agents, announcements, network VRUs).
Step 3
Enter values for the following fields. Use the online help if you
have questions:
Routing Client (required)
The
enterprise name of the routing client that can receive this label.
Label (required)
The literal string of characters to be returned to the routing
client.
Label Type. (required)
The type of label. The valid types depend on the type of the
routing client.
Target type
(selection list) Indicates the type of the network target
associated with the label: Network Announcement, PBX/ACD Peripheral (that is, a
peripheral target), a device target, a scheduled target, or a network VRU.
Note
The Target type is a filter for the Network target field.
The Target type selected is not retained unless a Network target is selected.
Network target. (list and bulk tools
only)
(selection list) Indicates the announcement, peripheral
target, or scheduled target associated with the label.
Customer. (list and bulk tools only)
The customer associated with the label.
Description.
Any other information you
want about the label.
The following table lists which targets are valid for each
label type.
Table 2 Valid label targets
Label
ACD/PBX
Network Announcement
Scheduled Target
Network Device
Network VRU
Normal
Valid
Valid
Valid
Valid
Valid
DNIS Override
Valid
Valid
Valid
Valid
Valid
Busy
—
—
—
—
Valid
Ring
—
—
—
—
Valid
Post-Query
Valid
—
Valid
Valid
Valid
Step 4
Click
Save.
Label mapping
For some routing clients, all labels are valid for all dialed
number/script selectors. For other routing clients, you must specify which
labels are valid for each dialed number/script selector. You specify whether
the mapping of labels to dialed number/script selectors is necessary when you
configure the routing client.
Map specific labels to a dialed number/script selector
To map specific labels to a dialed number/script selector, follow
these steps:
Procedure
Step 1
In the Configuration Manager menu, select
Tools > List
Tools > Dialed Number/Script Selector
List. The Dialed Number/Script Selector List window
appears.
Step 2
Select the filters you want and click
Retrieve. The enterprise names for the
retrieved dialed number/script selectors are listed in the list box.
Step 3
Select the enterprise name for the dialed number/script selector
you want.
Step 4
Click the
Dialed Number Label tab.
The Name column displays a list of all labels currently associated
with that dialed number/script selector.
Note
For a call associated with this dialed number/script selector,
the system software can return only labels assigned to the dialed number/script
selector.
Step 5
Click
Add.
Step 6
In the
Add Label dialog, select a label name and
click
OK.
Note
For labels to appear in this dialog selection box, they must
have been previously defined for the selected dialed number/script selector's
routing client. Use the Label List tool to define labels.
Step 7
Click
Save.
Set a default label for each dialed number/script selector
After you have defined labels, you can set a default label for each
dialed number/script selector. If the system software fails to find a label by
running the routing scripts for the call type, it uses the default label for
the dialed number/script selector.
You can use Configuration Manager's Dialed Number Bulk tool to
configure many dialed number/script selectors at a time or the Dialed
Number/Script Selector List tool to configure one at a time. The following
instructions show how to use the Dialed Number/Script Selector List tool.
To set a default label for each dialed number/script selector:
Procedure
Step 1
In the Configuration Manager's menu, select
Tools > List
Tools > Dialed Number/Script Selector
List. The Dialed Number/Script Selector List window
appears.
Step 2
Select the filters you want and click
Retrieve. The enterprise names for the dialed
number/script selectors retrieved are listed in the list box.
Step 3
Select the dialed number/script selector you want and click the
Attributes tab.
Step 4
In the
Default label field, select the enterprise
name of a label from the selection list. This list includes all labels
associated with the same routing client as the dialed number/script selector.
Step 5
After choosing the label, click
Save.
Note
Within a routing script, you can explicitly invoke the default
label for the current dialed number/script selector by using a Termination
node.
Service arrays
Service arrays are closely tied to network trunk groups. Typically,
you use service arrays in cases where:
You have similar peripheral services defined on multiple VRUs.
The VRUs all share the same network group.
By grouping the services of multiple VRUs into a service array, you
can send calls to a single target (a service array) and let the network deliver
the call to any one of the peripheral services that make up the service array.
For example, if several VRUs each support a Quotes service, you can define a
Quotes service array for those services.
To configure service arrays, proceed along the following steps:
Procedure
Step 1
In the Configuration Manager menu, select
Configure
ICM > Targets > VRU Service
Arrays > Service Array Explorer.
The Service Array Explorer window appears.
Step 2
In the Select filter data box, select the appropriate filters and
click
Retrieve. This enables the
Add Service array button and displays a list
of all currently defined service arrays associated with the selected PG.
Step 3
You can define a new service array or modify an existing one:
To set up a new service array, click
Add Service array.
Note
To create subsequent service arrays for the same PG, select
the PG in the tree list window and then click
Add Service array.
To modify an existing service array, select it in the tree
list window.
Step 4
In the
Service Array tab for the selected service
array, enter values for the following fields:
Name. A unique name for the service
array.
Description. Additional information
about the service array.
Step 5
Click the
Members tab.
This tab lists the services that are current service array members
of the selected PG.
To add service members, click
Add. Then in the Add Service Member
window, select the name of a service from the list of available records and
click
OK. The Available records list contains
all the services connected to the peripherals associated with the selected PG.
To remove a service member, select it in the list and click
Remove.
Step 6
Add or modify a route associated with the service array:
To add a route, select the service array in the tree list box,
and click
Add Route. Or in the tree list box,
select a route from the UNASSIGNED group and drag it to the service array. Then
in the
Route tab, enter or modify the Name and
Description.
To modify the route, select it in the tree list box, and
modify the Name and Description in the
Route tab.
Step 7
Add or modify one or more peripheral targets for the route:
To add a peripheral target, select the route and click
Add Peripheral target. Or in the tree
list box, select a peripheral target from the UNASSIGNED group and drag it to
the route. Then in the Peripheral target tab, enter the following:
DNIS. The DNIS value for the peripheral target. The
routing client delivers this value to the trunk group along with the call.
Description. Any additional information about the
DNIS value.
Network trunk group. The group on which to deliver
calls for the service array.
Step 8
To add or modify a label for the peripheral target:
To add a label, select the peripheral target in the tree list
box, and click
Add Label. Or in the tree list box,
select a label from the UNASSIGNED group and drag it to the peripheral target.
Then in the Label tab, enter or modify the following:
Routing client. The enterprise name of the routing
client that can receive this label.
Label. The literal string of characters to be
returned to the routing client.
Label type. The type of label. The valid types
depend on the type of the routing client.
Description. Any additional information about the
label.
To modify the label, select it in the tree list box, and
modify the preceding fields in the
Route tab.
The Application Wizard provides an alternate method for defining
labels, peripheral targets, and routes and associating them with services at a
peripheral.
Before starting the Application Wizard, you must have defined the
routing client, peripheral, network trunk groups (and associated trunk groups),
and services to be used. Within the Application Wizard you can create dialed
numbers, labels, peripheral targets, and routes.
Note
The Application Wizard does not allow you to associate routes and
targets with skill groups or agents. It allows you to target only services.
Use the Application wizard
To use the Application Wizard, follow these steps:
Procedure
Step 1
In the Configuration Manager menu, select
Tools > Wizards > Application
Wizard. The Routing window appears.
Step 2
Choose the type of application you want to set up (Pre-Routing or
Post-Routing) and click
Next to continue. The Routing Client and
Dialed Number window appears, displaying information about all the configured
routing clients of the type you selected.
Figure 4. Application wizard—Routing client and dialed
number
Step 3
Specify the following:
Routing Client. Click to select one or more routing
clients for the application. (A check mark to the left of the routing client
indicates it is selected.)
Dialed Number. Click the row and select a number from
the drop-down list or enter a new dialed number value.
Note
You must specify a dialed number for each routing client
selected.
Step 4
Click
Next. The Peripheral window appears.
Figure 5. Application wizard—Peripheral
Step 5
Specify the following:
Peripheral. Click to select one or more peripherals to
which you want the application to deliver calls.
Number of Network Trunks. The number of network trunk
groups to be targeted at each peripheral.
Step 6
Click
Next. The Network Trunk Group window appears,
displaying the peripherals and routing clients you have previously selected.
Figure 6. Application wizard—Network trunk group
Step 7
For each row, specify the following:
Network Trunk Group. Click the row and select from the
drop-down list.
# DNIS. The number of peripheral targets (DNIS values)
to define for each network trunk group.
Step 8
Click
Next. The Route DNIS and Label window appears.
Figure 7. Application wizard—Service, route, DNIS, and
label
Step 9
For each network trunk group, specify the following:
Label. (This value does not have to be defined in the
Unified ICM database.) The value the system software returns to the routing
client to indicate the destination of the call.
DNIS. (This value does not have to be defined in the
Unified ICM database.) The value the routing client sends to the network
trunk group to indicate the destination of the call.
Service Peripheral Name. Click the row and select a
predefined service at the peripheral from the drop-down list.
Route. Name of the route to be associated with the
service. Select from the drop-down list or enter a new route name.
Step 10
Click
Next. The Application Wizard displays a dialog
listing the changes that will be made to the
Unified ICM database.
Step 11
Click
Finish to save the changes and exit the
Application Wizard.
Translation routes
A translation route is a special destination for a call that allows
you to deliver other information along with the call. You do this by delivering
the call first to the translation route. While the routing client is processing
the call, the system software delivers the final destination for the call to
the Peripheral Gateway along with any other necessary information. The
peripheral then works with the PG to reroute the call to the ultimate target
and ensure that the appropriate information is also delivered.
A single translation route can be used to send information to any
number of different targets. However, because the PG must uniquely identify the
call, you cannot perform translation routing on two calls to the same
peripheral target simultaneously. To avoid this, you typically define a set of
peripheral targets and routes, for each translation route.
Translation route wizard
You can define translation routes within the Configuration Manager.
However, defining the correct associations with peripheral targets, labels, and
routes is complicated. To automate much of the process, use the Translation
Route Wizard.
Note
You can also use the Translation Route Wizard to view configuration
or integrity reports on translation routes, update existing translation routes,
and delete translation routes and their associated entities.
To create a translation route, follow these steps:
Procedure
Step 1
In the Configuration Manager, select
Tools > Wizards > Translation
Route Wizard. The Translation Route Wizard
introductory dialog opens.
Step 2
Click
Next. The
Select Configuration Task dialog appears.
Step 3
To create a translation route, choose
Create New and click
Next. The Define Translation Route dialog
appears.
Figure 8. Define translation route
Note
The graphic on the left of the dialog shows the entities you
will be defining while using the Translation Route Wizard.
Step 4
Enter a long and short name for the translation route and,
optionally, a description — the short name is used in forming target names —
and click
Next. The Select Configuration dialog appears.
Figure 9. Select configuration
Step 5
Use the drop-down list to choose the configuration. The graphic
changes to show the configuration you select.
Note
A translation route can be associated with a single peripheral
or with multiple VRUs associated with a single PG. It can handle calls
originating from a single routing client or from multiple routing clients. (The
Multiple ACD type is not currently supported.)
Step 6
Click
Next. The Select Peripheral Gateway,
Peripherals, and Services dialog appears.
Figure 10. Select peripheral gateway, peripherals, and
services
Step 7
Specify the following:
Peripheral Gateway. (scrolling list) The gateway target
for the translation route.
Peripheral. (scrolling list) The single peripheral or
the peripheral to route calls to.
Service/Service Array. (scrolling list) If the
translation route is associated with a single peripheral, then select the
service associated with the translation route. If the translation route is
associated with multiple VRUs, then select a service array.
Step 8
Click
Next. The Select Routing Clients and Dialed
Numbers appears.
Figure 11. Select routing clients and dialed numbers
Use this dialog to specify the routing client or routing clients
from which translation routed calls originate. For each routing client, you can
also specify which specific dialed numbers are used for translation routed
calls.
Step 9
Select a routing client from the Pre-Routing Client list or the
Post-Routing Client list. The Dialed Number list updates to show the dialed
numbers associated with the selected routing client.
Step 10
Select a dialed number you want to use with the translation route
and click the
Add button. The number appears in the list at
the bottom of the dialog. The Translation Route Wizard will map the translation
route's labels to each of these dialed numbers.
Note
Some routing clients do not require mappings of labels to
specific dialed numbers. The Dialed Number list is automatically disabled for
such routing clients. You need only select the routing client and click the
Add button to add it to the list. You can
also use the Disable Dialed Number Selection option to manually disable the
Dialed Number list. The Translation Route Wizard will then not create mappings
of dialed numbers to labels for the routing client.
Step 11
Click
Next. The Select Network Trunk Groups for
Routing Clients dialog appears.
Figure 12. Select network trunk groups for routing
clients
For each routing client you have selected, you must select at
least one network trunk group to be used in peripheral targets associated with
the translation route.
Step 12
Select a routing client, select a network trunk group value for
it, and click
Add. The Network Trunk Group appears in the
list at the bottom of the dialog.
Step 13
Click
Next. The Configure DNIS dialog appears.
Figure 13. Configure DNIS
Use this dialog to specify the DNIS values to be used in
peripheral targets associated with the translation route.
Step 14
Do one of the following:
To enter a specific DNIS value, click
Add DNIS and enter the value.
To add a range of DNIS values, typically required by a
translation route, click
Add DNIS Range. A dialog prompts you to
enter a starting and ending DNIS value. The Translation Route Wizard
automatically generates the DNIS values in the range.
Note
DNIS values with leading zeroes, while valid, are different
from DNIS values without leading zeroes. For example, 400, 0400, and 00400 are
three different and unique DNIS values.
Step 15
Click
Next. The Configure Label dialog appears.
Figure 14. Configure label
Use this dialog to define a label for each peripheral target. A
label consists of a prefix and a suffix. Each DNIS value requires a unique
label.
Step 16
Do one of the following:
Enter prefixes and suffixes individually.
Use the buttons in this dialog to set a range of values or base the prefix or suffix values on the DNIS values.
Step 17
Click
Next. The Wizard Complete dialog appears.
Figure 15. Wizard completing
Step 18
Click
Create Translation Route to create the
translation route and its associated entities. First, the Translation Route
Wizard displays a success message and then the dialog appears as follows.
Figure 16. Wizard complete
Step 19
Do one of the following:
To see details about the translation route you just created,
click
Run Report.
To return to the beginning of the Translation Route Wizard and
perform a new task, select
Start New Task and click
Finish.
To exit the Translation Route Wizard, click
Finish.