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Preference Settings for Communications

This topic describes in detail the preferences in the Communications options of the User Preferences screen. The preference settings are grouped by category. Each preference applies only to certain communications features.

General Preferences

The following are the communications preferences in the General category. These preferences apply to users who are part of a communications configuration. Such users typically handle voice calls using Siebel CTI, or receive inbound work items using Siebel Email Response.

• Receive Screen Pop. If a user wants not to be the recipient of screen pops upon communications events, such as receiving a new or transferred work item, then the user can clear this check box to disable receiving screen pops.

  If this option is not checked, then no screen pops are received. By default, each user receives screen pops.

• Send Screen Pop. When this check box is checked, attaching Siebel client context data is enabled for work item transfers and conferences and for internal calls placed by the agent.

  If this option is not checked, then context data is not attached, and no screen pops are sent. By default, each communications user sends screen pops.

  For more information about requirements for screen pops, see Event Responses.

• Bring Siebel to Front. This drop-down list specifies whether, or when, the Siebel client window is restored from being minimized and moved to the front of the screen on a communications event such as an inbound work item.

  By specifying either On All Incoming Work Items or On Matching Events, the agent can make sure that the Siebel application window is displayed when it is needed so the agent can use the communications toolbar or other features, or view screen pops. Screen pops, if they are enabled, are still generated regardless of the setting of the Bring Siebel to Front option.

  NOTE:  The behavior of this feature varies depending on your browser and operating system version. In some cases, a Siebel client window might not move to the front. In this case, restore the window from the taskbar. Bring Siebel to Front does not work in deployments using Siebel Open UI. You can set a parameter value to cause the browser title to change in this case. For more information, see the description of the BringSiebeltoFrontBrowserTitle parameter for communications configurations, in Parameters for Communications Configurations. For more information about Siebel Open UI, see Configuring Siebel Open UI.

  The Bring Siebel to Front options are:

  • On All Incoming Work Items. Brings the Siebel client window to the front on all communications events received at the agent's computer that represent incoming work items. This option is the default and is best for general use by agents running a single instance of the Siebel client.
  • On Matching Events. Brings the Siebel client window to the front on communications events that match that instance of the Siebel client.

    This option must be used only by agents running multiple instances of the Siebel client that are each enabled for session communications, but that have different settings, such as for language or locales. In such a situation, different event handlers might be defined, for example, for each language or locale. Use this setting only at the instruction of your administrator.

    Administrators can find more information by referring to the description of the MaxCommToolbars configuration parameter, in Parameters for Communications Configurations.

  • Off. Does not bring the Siebel client window to the front on communications events. The window might remain hidden behind another window or minimized.
• Auto Login to Call Center at Startup. When this check box is checked, an agent automatically logs in to the call center's communications systems when starting the Siebel client or connecting to the Siebel database.

  What the agent logs in to depends on how your communications environment has been deployed and how login commands are configured in the communications configuration. Agents can log in to ACD queues. Automatic login can make it easier for your users to begin receiving inbound work items from these sources.

  Voice agents who are authorized users for more than one teleset might be best advised not to use automatic login, so they can verify which extension they are using before logging in.

  NOTE:  Generally, end users must change this setting only at the direction of the system administrator or call-center administrator.

  Whether this control can be set by agents depends on the setting of the AutoLogin configuration parameter. Administrators can find more information under Parameters for Communications Configurations and Configuring Communications Login and Logout.

• Message Display Interval. Specifies the length of time, in seconds, that a message displays in the status bar above the communications toolbar. (An example message might be Call from 6505060000.) The default value is 7 seconds.

  Whether this control can be set by agents depends on the setting of the MessageDisplayInterval configuration parameter. Administrators can find more information under Parameters for Communications Configurations.

Sound Settings

The following are the communications preferences in the Sound category. These preferences apply to users who are part of a communications configuration. Such users typically handle voice calls using Siebel CTI, or receive inbound work items using Siebel Email Response:

• Enable Sound. Lets the agent specify if a sound file plays when an inbound work item arrives. By default, no sound file plays.

  If Enable Sound is checked, then when a work item arrives, if no valid sound file is specified, the computer might beep. For more information, see the description of the Sound File user preference.

• Sound File. Lets the agent specify which sound file to play when the Enable Sound user preference is checked. For example, you can specify ringin.au, ringin.wav, or another such file that is valid for your environment. For more information, see the description of the Enable Sound user preference.

  The default sound file is shown in the communications preferences as files/ringin.au. The sample sound files ringin.au, ringin.wav, and ringin.mp3 are installed in webmaster\files (Microsoft Windows) or webmaster/files (UNIX), in the Siebel Server installation directory.

  The default value for the Sound File user preference includes a relative URL corresponding to the files directory on the Siebel Web Server Extension (SWSE) installation directory. Files from the Siebel Server location mentioned earlier are copied to this location.

  NOTE:  Each time the Web server is restarted, files and subdirectories are automatically copied from the webmaster directory on the Siebel Server to the public directory on the SWSE. You can also update files manually without restarting the Web server. For more information, see the Siebel Security Guide and the Siebel Installation Guide for the operating system you are using.

  Alternatively, you can specify the full path for a sound file that is to be loaded, if the file is located in a different directory and if (for the high-interactivity client) the Java applet for the communications toolbar is signed. For example, the following might be valid paths for specifying a sound file ringin.wav located on a user's local computer or on a network location:

  • e:\dev\ringin.wav (for Microsoft Windows)
  • \\host\dev\ringin.wav (for Microsoft Windows)
  • file://e:\dev\ringin.wav (for Microsoft Windows)
  • http://network_path/ringin.wav (for Microsoft Windows or UNIX)
  • /usr/ringin.wav (for UNIX)

    For deployments using Siebel Open UI, the following limitations apply:

  • The Sound File user preference does not support specifying a local path for a sound file.
  • If sound is enabled but no sound file is specified, then the browser does not beep.
  • The browser must support HTML 5 in order to play a sound file.
  • Whether a particular type of sound file can play depends on the browser.

    For more information about Siebel Open UI, see Configuring Siebel Open UI.

Teleset and Configuration Settings

The following are the communications preferences in the Teleset and Configuration category. These preferences apply to users who are part of a communications configuration. Such users typically handle voice calls using Siebel CTI, or handle other types of inbound work items through the communications toolbar.

The first two options described apply only to agents who handle voice calls using Siebel CTI.

• Teleset. Lets the agent specify the teleset to use the next time the agent logs in.

  The telesets an agent can choose from are those that have been associated with the agent. These telesets were specified when the teleset, agent, and extension data was entered in the views in the Administration - Communications screen. The Standard Extension field lists extensions for the currently selected teleset.

  An agent can choose a teleset from the Teleset field only if at least one teleset has been associated with the agent, and the agent is not using a hoteling teleset.

  If the agent has logged into a hoteling computer, then the current hoteling teleset is shown in this field; the agent cannot change it.

  NOTE:  After you choose a different teleset and extension, you must log out and log in again in order for the new extension to be in effect.

  Administrators can find more information under Specifying Telesets.

• Standard Extension. Lets the agent specify the standard extension to use, from the teleset selected in the Teleset field, the next time the agent logs in.

  The available extensions to choose from are those of the current teleset. These extensions were specified when the teleset, agent, and extension data was entered in the views in the Administration - Communications screen. Standard extensions (of type S for standard DN) are listed for each teleset the agent is assigned to, or for each hoteling teleset.

  If the agent is using a computer associated with a hoteling teleset, then the extensions of this teleset are shown in this field.

  NOTE:  After you choose a different extension, you must log out and log in again in order for the new extension to be in effect.

  Administrators can find more information under Specifying Telesets.

• Configuration. This option specifies which communications configuration is in effect for the agent.

  This field lists all configurations with which the agent has been associated. If this option has not previously been chosen, then the default configuration displayed here is the agent's primary configuration, as specified by the administrator. Otherwise, the configuration displayed is the last configuration used.

  Although an agent can be specified for multiple configurations, only one configuration can be in effect at one time.

  NOTE:  After you choose a different configuration, you must log out and log in again in order for the new configuration to be in effect. Just before you log out to end a session for any configuration that is not your regular configuration, change this field back to the configuration you regularly use.

  Administrators can find more information under Specifying Agents.