Introduction

Introduction

The Unified Communications Manager Assistant application (called Manager Assistant) provides call-routing and other call-management features to help managers and assistants handle phone calls more effectively.

Assistants and managers can experience large phone-call volumes from inside and outside the Unified Communications Manager IP Phone network. A maximum of 3500 assistants and 3500 managers (7000 total users) can be configured within a Cisco Unified Communications Manager network.

Manager Assistant Overview

Within the framework of the Manager Assistant, it is helpful to understand the three key components—managers, assistants, and the Assistant Console. These components are as follows:

  • Manager—A user whose incoming calls are intercepted and redirected to an assistant. At least one assistant supports a manager. Managers can use Manager Assistant directly on their Cisco Unified IP Phone by configuring features in the Manager Configuration window or ask assistants to configure the preferences.

  • Assistant—A user who handles calls for a manager, such as the manager’s assistant. An assistant can support as many as 33 managers. Incoming calls to a manager can be intercepted and redirected to an assistant automatically or manually. The assistant can then answer, transfer, divert, and manage the calls.

  • Assistant Console—Assistants can use this application on their computers to perform most Manager Assistant features:

    • Place, answer, transfer, put on hold, end, divert, or add conference participants to a call

    • Monitor a manager’s call activity and feature status

    • Enable or disable manager features

    • Configure manager features

Shared-Line and Proxy-Line Modes Overview

The Manager Assistant operates in two modes—shared-line and proxy-line. The features available to you are based on the mode that your system administrator chose for your Manager Assistant configuration.


Note
Note that before you begin using the Manager Assistant, you need to identify which mode your system administrator chose. To do this, check the Manager Settings application screen:

  • Shared-line mode—Only the Do Not Disturb option appears on the screen.

  • Proxy-line mode—Multiple options appear on the screen.

Use Manager Assistant in Shared-Line Mode

If your system administrator configured the Manager Assistant in the shared-line mode, the manager and assistant share a directory number, such as 8001, and share a line. When a call comes in on 8001, it rings on both phones, and the assistant handles these calls for the manager.

When Manager Assistant is in this mode, assistants and managers have these capabilities:

  • If you are an assistant, you do not need to be logged in to receive calls. Calls to your manager ring on your phone automatically.

  • If you are a manager, you can share your directory number with up to 10 assistants, and any of these assistants can answer and handle a call.

These Manager Assistant features do not apply in the shared-line mode. The assistant cannot see or access these call features on the Assistant Console application:

  • Assistant Selection

  • Assistant Watch—The manager’s phone does not have this softkey.

  • Call Filtering—The manager’s phone does not have this softkey.

  • Divert All—The assistant’s and manager’s phones do not have this softkey.

Use Manager Assistant in Proxy-Line Mode

If your system administrator configured Manager Assistant in the proxy-line mode, the manager and assistant do not share a directory number. The assistant handles calls for a manager using a proxy number (line), which is not the manager’s directory number. The proxy number is an alternate number that the system chooses and it represents the manager’s actual directory number.

When Manager Assistant is in the proxy-line mode, a manager and an assistant have access to all call features in Manager Assistant, including Assistant Selection, Assistant Watch, Call Filtering, and Divert All and have these capabilities.

  • If you are an assistant, you must log in to the Assistant Console and be online to receive calls on your phone that come in to your manager. You can use the Assistant Console for all call-handling features, such as answering or transferring calls.

  • If you are a manager, you can set up filters to sort and filter incoming calls to your assistant.

Identify Mode on Manager’s Phone

To identify the mode on a manager’s phone, reset the LCD display on the phone by picking up the receiver and replacing it.

If you see a single bell (or crossed-out bell) icon in the status window of the LCD display, you are using Manager Assistant in the shared-line mode. See the following figure.(The icon is black and white on some Cisco Unified IP Phone models.)

Figure 1. Shared-Line-Mode Display on Cisco Unified IP Phones

If you see multiple icons in the status window of the LCD display, you are using Manager Assistant in the proxy-line mode. See the following figure.(The icons are black and white on some Cisco Unified IP Phone models.)

Figure 2. Proxy-Line-Mode Display on Cisco Unified IP Phones

Identify Mode on the Assistant Console

On the Assistant Console, use this procedure to identify the Manager Assistant mode.

Procedure

Step 1

Log in to the Assistant Console. See Log In and Out of the Assistant Console.

Step 2

Find the extension number adjacent to a manager’s name in the My Calls panel. See Use My Calls Panel.

Step 3

For the same manager, find the extension number adjacent to the telephone icon in the Call Details column in the My Manager’s panel. See Use the My Managers Panel.

If you cannot see a number adjacent to the telephone icon, increase the column width by clicking and dragging the Call Details heading border.

Step 4

Verify whether the manager’s and assistant’s extension numbers are the same or different:

  • Extensions that are the same—Shared-line mode: You can see four headings in the My Manager’s panel- Manager, Intercom, DND, and Call Details.

  • Extensions that are different—Proxy-line mode: You can see the headings that you see in the shared-line mode and four additional headings:—Divert All, Assistant Watch, Filter Calls, and Filter Mode.

Support for Other Languages

The Manager Assistant supports several different languages, including Arabic and Hebrew.

(If Arabic or Hebrew are used, the Manager Assistant application screens change to reflect the right-to-left direction of these languages.)

For more information on using different languages with your phone, contact your system administrator.