Getting Started
Cisco WebAttendant, a plug-in application, allows you to set up Cisco IP phones as attendant consoles. Employing a graphical user interface, the Cisco WebAttendant client creates an attendant console that uses speed-dial buttons and quick directory access to look up phone numbers, monitor line status, and direct calls. A receptionist or administrative assistant can use Cisco WebAttendant to handle calls for a department or company, or another employee can use it to manage his own telephone calls.
The Cisco WebAttendant client installs on a PC with IP connectivity to the Cisco CallManager system. The client works with a Cisco IP phone that is registered to a Cisco CallManager system (one client for each phone that will be used as an attendant console). Multiple clients can connect to a single Cisco CallManager system.
The number of lines configured by your system administrator for your Cisco IP phone determines the number of available Smart Lines (SLs) on Cisco WebAttendant (up to eight lines on the Cisco IP Phone model 30 VIP and six lines on the Cisco IP Phone model 7960). For Cisco WebAttendant to work properly, you must make sure that your Cisco IP phone has buttons assigned for Hold and Transfer. If you intend to use a headset, you must also assign an Answer/Release button.
Cisco WebAttendant Interface
The Cisco WebAttendant interface comprises several areas and buttons, as described in the following sections.
Display Area
Located in the upper, left corner of the Cisco WebAttendant Console, the display area allows you to view the following items:
•
The call action in progress (for example, 1001 for 2001)
•The state of the Telephony Call Dispatcher server (either SRV or No SRV)
•Whether you are logged in
•Whether you are online or offline
The numbers you dial appear in the upper right corner of the display area.
Action Buttons
Located in the upper, middle of the Cisco WebAttendant Console, the action buttons allow you to log in or out, go online or offline, view settings, and handle calls. See the "Handling Calls" section on page 2-1 for information about using action buttons.
Speed-Dial Area
The speed-dial area, located on the upper, right area of the Cisco WebAttendant Console, allows you to program speed-dial numbers, place calls using the speed dials, and monitor phone status for speed-dial lines. Two columns of speed-dial buttons provide up to 26 different speed-dial numbers.
For each speed-dial number, you have two areas:
•A button area that displays the line status and up to six digits of the speed-dial number. The status icons indicate the following states:
–Blue line—The phone is available.
–Red line—The phone status is unknown.
–Blue phone icon—The phone is busy.
•A longer display area that allows you to enter a description of the speed-dial number
See the "Using Speed-Dial Buttons" section on page 4-1 for information about setting up and using speed-dial buttons.
Smart Line Area
The Smart Line (SL) area, located beneath the display area on the left side of the Cisco WebAttendant Console, displays from one to eight SLs, depending on the number of lines configured by your system administrator. For information on phone requirements with Cisco WebAttendant, your system administrator should refer to the Cisco CallManager System Guide.
In the SL button area, you can see four SL states:
•Solid light-blue SL—The line is active.
•Flashing yellow SL—A call is ringing on the line.
•Flashing red SL—The line has a call on hold.
•Solid dark-blue SL—The line is idle.
Directory Area
The directory, located at the bottom of the Cisco WebAttendant, displays line number, line status, and user information from the Cisco CallManager user directory database. You can click a column header to sort the column in ascending order, or you can search the directory by entering a letter or number in the title bar of the column you want to search. You can double-click directory numbers or drag directory numbers onto the buttons in the Smart Line (SL) area to place calls. See the "Using the Directory" section on page 3-1 for more information about looking up directory numbers and placing calls.
The status display, located on the lower, left area of the Cisco WebAttendant Console, shows the status of the phone line for each entry in the directory. The icons in the status area indicate the following states (these are identical to the line status icons displayed for the speed-dial buttons):
•Blue line—The phone is available.
•Red line—The phone status is unknown.
•Blue phone icon—The phone is busy.
Before You Begin
After your system administrator installs and configures Cisco WebAttendant and associates it with a Cisco IP phone (through the Cisco WebAttendant Settings dialog box), you can set up your working environment.
Perform the following steps to set up your environment:
Procedure
Step 1 Make sure that the Internet Explorer Version 5.0 or greater web browser is installed on your system with ActiveX enabled. See your system administrator for more information.
Note Cisco WebAttendant will not work in conjunction with Netscape Navigator.
Step 2 Attach a headset, if available, to your Cisco IP phone.
Tip Cisco recommends that you use a headset with Cisco WebAttendant if you expect to handle a large call volume or you expect to perform other duties while using Cisco WebAttendant. The headset allows you to use Cisco WebAttendant without picking up the handset of the associated Cisco IP phone. To use a headset, you must make sure that the phone has an Answer/Release button.
Step 3 You are now ready to begin using Cisco WebAttendant. See the "Starting Cisco WebAttendant" section for instructions.
Starting Cisco WebAttendant
Perform the following procedure to start Cisco WebAttendant:
Procedure
Step 1 Start Cisco WebAttendant in either of the following ways:
•Choose Start > Programs > Cisco WebAttendant > Cisco WebAttendant.
•If Internet Explorer is not your default web browser, open Internet Explorer and enter the following URL into the Location (URL) field:
C:\install_path\WebAttendant\bin\WebAttendant.htm
where install_path is the path to the Cisco WebAttendant installation.
For example, if Cisco WebAttendant was installed in the default location, you would enter the following address into the Location (URL) field:
C:\Program Files\Cisco\WebAttendant\bin\WebAttendant.htm
Step 2 Click Yes if an Internet Explorer dialog box appears with this message: "An Active X control on this page might be unsafe to interact with other parts of the page. Do you want to allow this interaction?"
The Cisco WebAttendant client launches in a new window.
You are now ready to log in and go online.
Logging In and Going Online
Perform the following steps to log in, go online, and handle calls:
Procedure
Step 1 Click the Login button in Cisco WebAttendant.
Cisco WebAttendant checks the information provided by the system administrator in the Settings dialog box and accesses the user directory information for your company.
Logging in enables you to use Cisco WebAttendant to answer, place, and direct calls, view line status, use the directory, and configure and use speed-dial buttons.
Your Cisco WebAttendant user ID and password should already be set up for you. Contact your system administrator if you cannot log in.
Step 2 Click the Online button in Cisco WebAttendant.
When you go online, the Cisco Telephony Call Dispatcher receives notice that you are available to answer calls.
Going Offline and Logging Out
When you are not using Cisco WebAttendant, go offline, so Cisco Telephony Call Dispatcher knows that you are unavailable to handle calls. At the end of the day, go offline, log out, and close Cisco WebAttendant.
•To go offline and log out, click Offline; then, click Logout.
•If you need to stop handling calls for a short period, click Offline. When you want to resume handling calls, click Online.
•To exit Cisco WebAttendant completely and close the application window, click the Close button on the title bar.
Be aware that the Online/Offline and the Login/Logout buttons are context-sensitive. If you are online, the Offline button displays. If you are offline, the Online button displays. When you are logged in, the Logout button displays, and so on.
Viewing Settings
Through the Settings dialog box, your system administrator sets certain values to enable communication among the Cisco CallManager server, the associated Cisco IP phone, and the Cisco WebAttendant client application.
To view Cisco WebAttendant settings, click Settings on the Cisco WebAttendant Console.
Check the Activate WebAttendant when a call is received check box to ensure that the Cisco WebAttendant Console automatically displays every time a call comes into the system.
In the Settings dialog box, you may modify the Cisco WebAttendant User ID and Cisco WebAttendant password. You may also disable or enable the Activate WebAttendant When Call Comes In check box. Do not change any of the other values specified in the Settings dialog box unless instructed to do so by your system administrator. Doing so may cause Cisco WebAttendant to stop working.
The system administrator assigns and sets up your Cisco WebAttendant User ID and Cisco WebAttendant password. To change passwords, notify your system administrator.
Feedback