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Communications Configuration Requirements for Siebel Modules

Much of the communications configuration data that this chapter is concerned with involves sets of data organized under a type of record called a communications configuration. Used as a noun, this term (sometimes shortened to configuration) refers to these records and associated elements such as configuration parameters, agents, telesets, profiles, commands, and events. Siebel Systems provides predefined communications configurations that support multichannel communications environments.

For information about additional kinds of configuration data related to communications, see Types of Communications Configuration Data.

Communications drivers and profiles, through which Siebel Communications Server can interface to external systems such as CTI middleware, email servers, or paging are part of the communications configuration data.

Communications drivers are usually based on library files, such as DLL (Dynamic Link Library) files on Microsoft Windows. Corresponding configuration data in the Siebel Database, including driver parameters, is defined to work with each driver. Communications profiles customize driver behavior for particular purposes by allowing driver parameters to be overridden. Communications configurations have associated profiles.

Every deployment of Siebel Communications Server uses communications drivers and profiles. However, as shown later in this section, some Siebel modules use communications drivers and profiles but do not use (or might not use) communications configurations. For more information about:

• Communications drivers and profiles, see Configuring Communications Drivers and Profiles
• Communications configurations, see Creating or Modifying a Communications Configuration

Modules That Use Communications Configurations

If you are using any of the Siebel following modules, you must create or use a communications configuration, such as a predefined multichannel configuration:

• Siebel CTI
• Siebel CTI Connect

For more information about these modules, see Communications Server and Siebel CTI.

Modules That May Use Communications Configurations

Siebel Email Response customers can also use communications configurations. Note that:

• If inbound email messages are routed using Siebel Universal Queuing or another integrated package for queuing and routing, you must use configurations.

  NOTE:  If you choose to use Siebel Email Response with Siebel Universal Queuing, your communications configuration must include profiles for the communications driver named "User-interactive Email." Events and commands for handling email work items are supported by this driver.

• If inbound email messages are routed manually or using Siebel Assignment Manager, you cannot use communications configurations.

Using communications configurations enables your agents to use features such as the communications toolbar and communications commands in the application-level menus. It also enables you to use Siebel Universal Queuing or another integrated queuing package to route inbound work items and to support multichannel communications capabilities.

Features That Do Not Use Communications Configurations

The following outbound communications features generally require communications drivers and profiles, but do not employ communications configurations:

• Email or other messages sent automatically using workflow policies and workflow processes
• Email or other messages sent using outbound communication requests (multiple-recipient, high-volume)
• Send Email command
• Send Fax command
• Send Page command

Send Email, Send Fax, and Send Page Commands

By default, Send Email, Send Fax, and Send Page commands are available in the File application-level menu for Siebel Business Applications users.

Apart from Send Page, these commands use communications drivers and profiles, and are available when the communications infrastructure is in place. (Send Email does not use communications drivers and profiles when it is integrated with Microsoft Outlook or Lotus Notes.)

A communications configuration is not needed in order for employees to access these menu commands. However, these Send commands are also available through the communications toolbar for agents who are enabled to use interactive communications session functionality offered by Siebel CTI, or Siebel Email Response (with Siebel Universal Queuing).

For the Send commands to be available through the communications toolbar, employees must be specified as agents within a communications configuration, and communications must be enabled for the Siebel applications. For more information, see Enabling Session Communications and Simulation.

For more information about user interface elements, see the following:

• Configuring User Interface Elements
• Configuring Siebel Business Applications
• Using Siebel Tools
• Siebel Developer's Reference