Manage Call Pickup Groups

This chapter provides information to set up call pickup groups using BAT. Call pickup allows you to pick up incoming calls within your own groups or in other groups when you dial the appropriate pickup group number.

Call Pickup Group Setup Using BAT

Before you use BAT to set up call pickup groups, review the following information:

  • When you add call pickup group settings for the first time, you can create a CSV file through BAT.xlt or create a custom, text-based CSV file.

  • To update call pickup group settings, you can edit an existing CSV file or create a custom, text-based CSV file.

  • Designate a single line for each pickup group name (and corresponding setting). For example, use the following format when you enter information for pickup groups:

    • (Pickup Group Name, Pickup Group Number, Partition, Other Pickup Group Name-Member1... Other Pickup Group Name-Member10)

    • Marketing,7815,Part1,Marketing,Managers,Training

  • When you add new pickup groups, you must complete all required fields like the pickup group name and pickup group number. If the procedure specifies an entry as mandatory, you must provide the information in the file.

  • Deleting information from a file and leaving the information blank does not remove the information from the Cisco Unified Communications Manager database; in other words, a blank value does not overwrite an existing value in the database. Updating the values overwrites the existing value in the database.

  • Upload the appropriate CSV files to the first node of the Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster.

  • Any time that you create or change a CSV file, you must insert the CSV file in BAT to update the Cisco Unified Communications Manager database.

Create Call Pickup Group CSV Data File Using BAT.xlt

You can create the CSV file for call pickup groups using the BAT spreadsheet BAT.xlt.


Note

The BAT.xlt file exists on the first node of the Cisco Unified Communications Manager server; however, you normally do not have Microsoft Excel installed on the server. In that case, copy the file from the first node and move it to a local machine that has Microsoft Excel installed.

Before you begin

Review important considerations in Call Pickup Group Setup Using BAT before you use BAT to configure call pickup.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Bulk Administration > Upload/Download Files.

The Find and List Files window opens.
Step 2

Click Find and download the BAT.xlt file.

Step 3

Copy BAT.xlt to a local machine where Microsoft Excel is installed.

Step 4

To open the BAT Spreadsheet, locate and double-click the BAT.xlt file.

Step 5

When prompted, click Enable Macros to use the spreadsheet capabilities.

Step 6

Click the Call Pickup Group tab.

Step 7

Enter call pickup group settings in the columns.

See Table 1 for descriptions of configuration settings.
Note 

Repeat Step 7 until you enter all pickup groups.

Step 8

To transfer the Excel spreadsheet format to a CSV file, click Export to BAT Format.

The system automatically saves CSV files to C:\XlsDatafiles on the local machine.

Tip 

Click Browse to choose a different location.

What to do next

Upload the CSV files to the first node of the Cisco Unified Communications Manager server.

You must add the CSV file to BAT and insert the file to update the Cisco Unified Communications Manager database.

Edit Existing Call Pickup Group CSV Data File

You update existing codes by manually updating an existing CSV file or creating a new CSV file using a text editor.


Caution

When you update the Pickup Groups, existing Other Pickup Groups will be disassociated. Do not leave Other Pickup Group as blank fields. Enter all Other Pickup Groups, that you want to associate with Pickup Group, continuously.

You can change any part of an existing record, but you must include the pickup group name.

Procedure

Step 1

To edit an existing CSV data file, download the CSV file from the first node of the Cisco Unified Communications Manager server to your local workstation.

Step 2

Open and edit the existing CSV file using a text editor.

Delete existing settings, add new call pickup groups, or update existing settings. See Table 1 for descriptions of configuration settings.

Example:

To update a call pickup group CSV file, you may enter Marketing,,,Marketing,Managers,Training, where Marketing is the mandatory pickup group name. Marketing, Managers, and Training are the other pickup group names associated to the pickup group Marketing.
Caution 

You can change any part of an existing record, but you must include the pickup group name. When you update the Pickup Groups, existing Other Pickup Groups will be disassociated. Do not leave Other Pickup Group as blank fields. Enter all Other Pickup Groups, that you want to associate with Pickup Group, continuously.

What to do next

Upload the CSV files to the first node of the Cisco Unified Communications Manager server.

You must add the CSV file to BAT and insert the file to update the Cisco Unified Communications Manager database.

Call Pickup Group CSV File Settings

The following table provides descriptions of the configuration settings for call pickup groups.

Table 1. Configuration Settings for Call Pickup Groups

Setting/Column

Description

For CPG CSV file

Pickup Group Name

For this mandatory field, enter a unique call pickup group name of no more than 50 alphanumeric characters.

Pickup Group Number

For this mandatory field, enter a pickup group number of no more than 24 digits that the user will enter to pick up incoming calls.

Partition

Choose a route partition to which the directory number (pickup group number) belongs.

Note 

The directory number (pickup group) can appear in more than one partition.

Note 

The combination of Pickup Group Number and Partition should be unique.

This field is optional.

Other Pickup Group Name-Member(x)

Enter the name of the other pickup group to be associated with the new pickup group. This optional field allows each pickup group to be associated with maximum of ten other pickup groups.

Update Call Pickup Groups in CUCM Database Using BAT

To update the Cisco Unified Communications Manager database, you must insert the call pickup group CSV data file using BAT.

Before you begin

Before you can update pickup groups in Cisco Unified Communications Manager database, you must create or edit a call pickup group CSV file and upload it on the first node on the Cisco Unified Communications Manager server.

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Bulk Administration > Call Pickup Group > Insert Call Pickup Groups.

The Insert Pickup Groups window displays.
Step 2

In the File Name drop-down list box, choose the CSV file that contains the updated call pickup groups.

Tip 

To view the contents of the file that you want to insert, click View File.

Step 3

If you updated an existing list of call pickup groups, check the Override the existing configuration check box.

See BAT Settings to Update Pickup Groups in the Database for descriptions of configuration settings.
Step 4

In the Job Information area, enter the Job description.

Step 5

Choose an insert method. Do one of the following:

  1. Click Run Immediately to insert pickup groups immediately.

  2. Click Run Later to insert pickup groups at a later time.

Step 6

Click Submit to create a job for inserting pickup groups.

Use the Job Scheduler option in the Bulk Administration main menu to schedule and/or activate this job.

BAT Settings to Update Pickup Groups in the Database

The following table provides descriptions of BAT update configuration settings for pickup groups.

Table 2. Settings in BAT for Inserting CSV Files

Setting in BAT

Description

File Name

From the drop-down list box, choose the call pickup file that you want to insert.

Override the existing configuration

This check box applies if you are updating pickup groups for existing settings.

Checking this check box overwrites the other pickup group name- members with the information that is contained in the file that you want to insert. If you do not check the check box, an error, which writes to the log file, indicates that the other pickup group name already exists; therefore, no updates occur.

Note 

For each pickup group, ensure the combination of Pickup Group Number and Partition is unique.

Note 

While updating pickup groups, Pickup Group Number and Partition values will be ignored and existing Other Pickup Groups will be disassociated.