Siebel CTI Administration Guide > Communications Operations for End Users > Using the Communications Toolbar >

Initiating Work Items

You can initiate communications work items, such as voice calls or email messages, from the communications toolbar. The Initiate Work Item button allows you to choose the channel type for the work item.

NOTE:  Using the Send Email, Send Fax, Send Wireless Message, or Send Page commands in the File menu is equivalent to using the communications toolbar to initiate these activities. For more information about these actions, see Siebel Email Administration Guide.

Initiating a Work Item

This procedure describes how to initiate a work item.

To initiate a work item

1. Optionally, specify the recipient for the work item by selecting a contact or employee record, or by entering a phone number into the text input field.

   NOTE:  Recipient information entered into the text input field of the communications toolbar applies to initiating voice calls only. It does not apply to initiating email, fax, wireless, or page messages.

2. Do one of the following:
   • If no work item has been initiated within the current session, then click Initiate Work Item to initiate a work item of the channel type that corresponds to the current context.
   • If a work item of a particular channel was previously initiated, then click the Initiate Work Item button to initiate another work item of the same channel type.
   • If you want to choose the channel type explicitly, then click the arrow to the right of Initiate Work Item, then select a supported channel type from the displayed menu.
   • In some cases, you can initiate a voice call to a contact by clicking a hyperlink phone number in a list or by clicking a phone button next to a phone number in a form. This action does not use the communications toolbar.
3. If you did not specify contact information first, then do so now in the dialog box that appears.

Releasing the Current Work Item

This procedure describes how to release the current work item.

To release the current work item

1. Select the work item from the Work Items list.
2. Click Release Work Item, as appropriate for the channel type for the work item.

NOTE:  If you are working with an activity record or another type of record that is automatically associated with a work item, then you must save any changes to the record before you release the work item. In addition, in order to make changes after releasing the work item, you must first refresh the record. Otherwise, changes you make to the record might be lost.