This chapter provides overviews of number lifecycle management, number management process flow, number categories and sub-categories, number formats, and Configuration table setup in Number Management and discusses how to:
Set up the Configuration table.
Set up number categories and sub-categories.
Set up number formats.
Number lifecycle management enables you to create and maintain an inventory of numbers and services that can be assigned to users during the order-capture process. For example, customers in the communications industry may need to maintain different pools of numbers for wireline service offerings and wireless service offerings. When assigning a number from these pools, you must ensure that the number is local to the customer, with the correct area code and prefix.
Number Management functionality controls the lifecycle of assignable numbers.
Number management components enable administrators to create and manage numbers. Each number is associated with a particular service product (wireless, wireline) and region. A single region is associated with one or more postal codes or cities.
The following diagram illustrates the number management business process flow, including managing numbers (creating, importing, requesting, reserving, and assigning) and managing orders (changing and disconnecting):
Number management business process flow
The table provides details on the number lifecycle:
Process |
Details |
Numbers are loaded into the number tables using either the Number Creation wizard or the prebuilt number loading functions. Numbers can be loaded from external applications through flat files. Numbers can be generated in blocks or individually. When numbers are first created, the status is Pending . |
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When numbers are ready for assignment, an administrator uses the Number Management component to change the status of the number range to Available. |
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See Using Order Capture and Service Management in the Communications Industry. |
When a customer places an order, the customer service representative (CSR) enters the customer address. The system takes the sold to postal code from the region and searches the number inventory for numbers in that region with a status of Available . For example, the sold to postal code for the customer is 95054, and the number region is South Bay. When the CSR enters the postal code 95054 during the order process, the system displays numbers from the South Bay inventory. The product selection during the order process also determines number assignment. If the customer selects wireless, the system displays only those numbers designated as wireless. The CSR is presented with a block of numbers to offer to the customer. The NUMLISTVAL configuration variable determines how many numbers are presented in the group. The status of the group of numbers given to the CSR changes to Blocked. During the time that the numbers are in this status, no other CSR can use this group of numbers. Once the customer selects a number from the group, that number is assigned a status of ActPending (pending activation). Run the RBT_NMBLK_AE Application Engine process hourly to return all unused numbers from Blocked status to Available. The RBT_IPSTATUS_MSG changes the status of the number from ActPending to Assigned. The status is entered into the number history table. |
See Using Order Capture and Service Management in the Communications Industry. |
When the number is disconnected, the status is changed to Aging and the status is entered into the number history table. Start and end dates for Aging status are entered based on configuration variables. The AGETIMEBUS variable establishes the number of days for aging business numbers. The AGETIMEIND variable establishes the number of days for aging individual customer numbers. Run the RBT_NMAGE_AE Application Engine process daily. If the end date is equal to the current date, the system changes the status to Active. |
The table shows valid number statuses:
Usage |
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Available |
The number can be selected by a CSR or customer. |
Assigned |
The number is already in use and cannot be assigned. |
Reserved |
The number has been either specifically placed on hold or has been selected by a customer or CSR, and the order transaction is not complete. |
Pending |
The number is not yet available for assignment. Numbers are in Pending status after they are either created or imported and entered into the system. |
Activation Pending |
The number has not yet been activated. |
Aging |
The number is being aged and is not yet available for assignment. You establish the number of days for aging both business and individual customer numbers in the Communication Setup component. |
Blocked |
The number is not available for use. |
Ported-Out |
The Number is Ported-out to external Service provider. |
Released |
The Number is released to the external Service provider who owns it. |
See Also
Using Order Capture and Service Management in the Communications Industry
Number Management supports different categories and sub-categories of numbers. These categories can be set up to charge a fee.
This table lists the delivered number categories and sub-categories:
Category |
Sub-Category |
Product to track fee |
General |
Postpaid Account Number Prepaid Account Number |
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Metallic |
Platinum Gold Silver |
Platinum Number Fee Gold Number Fee Silver Number Fee |
Reserved |
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Administrative |
Employee Service Routing Key Employee or Official Number Local Directory Number Location Routing Number Test Number SoftDial Tone Number E911 Number |
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Intermediate |
Note. Metallic numbers are also known as vanity numbers.
The Number Format setup component defines the country in which the host provider operates along with the structure of phone numbers supported in that country.
The phone number format is complaint to World Telephone Numbering Guide and ITU-T Recommendation E.164. The structure is CC-NDC-LSP, where:
CC is the Country Code.
NDC is the National Destination Code.
This is same as the area code in the US.
LSP is the locally significant part.
This is same as the 7 digits of phone numbers in the US.
When setting up the Configuration table in Number Management, consider:
The Configuration table establishes configuration parameters for your system.
The Configuration table is delivered with default values and is maintained by PeopleSoft.
The Configuration table is based on Set ID.
This section discusses how to set up the Configuration table.
To set up the Configuration Table, use the Configuration (RBT_CONFIG_CMP) component.
Page Name |
Definition Name |
Navigation |
Usage |
RBT_CONFIG_PG |
Set Up CRM, Product Related, Communications, Communications Setup, Communications Setup |
View the configuration parameters that are delivered. Configuration parameters that you add are not maintained by PeopleSoft. |
Access the Communications Setup page (Set Up CRM, Product Related, Communications, Communications Setup, Communications Setup).
Copy above Configuration Parameters to a New SetID |
Click to copy all of the configuration parameters to a new SetID that you have created. |
This section discusses how to set up number categories and sub-categories. A category may have a sub-category for which a price can be charged
To set up number categories and sub-categories, use the Number Category (RBT_CATEGORY_CMP) component.
Page Name |
Definition Name |
Navigation |
Usage |
RBT_CATEGORY_PG |
Set Up CRM, Product Related, Communications, Number Category, Number Category |
Set up number categories and sub-categories. The system displays the fee charged, if applicable. Pricing rules determine the actual price. |
Access the Number Category page (Set Up CRM, Product Related, Communications, Number Category, Number Category).
This section discusses how to set up number formats.
To set up number formats, use the Number Format (RBT_NUM_FORMAT_CMP) component.
Page Name |
Definition Name |
Navigation |
Usage |
RBT_NUM_FORMAT_PG |
Set Up CRM, Product Related, Communications, Number Format, Number Format |
Define the country of the host provider and the structure of the phone numbers. Note. A separate installation of CRM is needed for Customers operating across multiple countries. |
Access the Number Format page (Set Up CRM, Product Related, Communications, Number Format, Number Format).
Wireless Service Provider |
Select the name of the wireless service provider. |
Network ID |
This indicates the NPAC managed service provider ID of the new service provider requesting the port in. |
Operating Company Number |
The Operating Company Number of the new service provider requesting the port in. When the new local service provider is a reseller and they do not have an OCN, the value of ZZZZ should be used. |
Country |
The name of the country where the provider operates. |
Country Code |
The country code is used to reach the telephone system for each nation or special service. |
A trunk prefix refers to the initial digit(s) to be dialed in a domestic call, prior to the area code (if necessary) and the subscriber number. 0 is the trunk prefix in most nations. In the North American Numbering Plan +1 it is 1; it is merely coincidental that the country code and trunk prefix are both 1. For calls to another country code, the trunk prefix is generally omitted. For example, a call to London, UK within the UK would be dialed as 020 #### #### but from outside the UK, the initial 0 (trunk prefix) is omitted: +44 20 #### ####. Some nations do not use a trunk prefix, which means only the subscriber number is dialed in those cases. |
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An international prefix is the code dialed prior to an international number (country code, area code if any, then subscriber number). In most nations, this will be 00. In some nations in Asia, this is 001 (in some cases, alternate codes are available to select the particular international carrier). In North America, this is 011 (or 01 for special call processing - collect, person-to-person, calling card, and so on.) |
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The Number Distribution factor further categorizes the number based on how close the customer is to the exchange. For example, in the Fremont area code 510, available Phone numbers are 510-659... or 510-657.... Therefore, based on zip code of the Customers address, the CSR can recommend 510-659.... number instead of 510-657.... Countries that do not have area codes can have the numbers based on City. |
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The National Destination Code defines the minimum and maximum number of digits allowed for Area Code. The National Destination Code in the United States is referred to as the area code. It is used within many nations to route calls to a particular city, region or special service. Depending on the nation or region, it may also be referred to as a numbering plan area, subscriber trunk dialing code, national destination code or routing code. This information can be used to validate the length of the phone number. |
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The Locally Significant Part defines the minimum and maximum number of digits allowed for the Subscriber Index. The subscriber number represents the specific telephone number to be dialed, but does not include the country code, area code, international prefix or trunk prefix. This information can be used to validate the length of the phone number. In the United States, the size of Locally Significant Part number is 7. |