CCM 5.1(3) Attendant Console Call Queueing

[dszmandi]

Trying to setup the following.

2 x Attendant Consoles with 2 lines each, servicing calls on a single pilot number.

Distribution: First Available or Longest Idle or Circular

AC Hunt Group members are configured as Username/Line (total 4 lines across two users). Member #5 is a DN on a CTI Route point and is the "Always Route" member.

Receptionists will use online / offline feature to make themselves available to take calls.

If all receptionists are offline, I want all calls to go to the CTI route point. (A Night Switch service).

If at least 1 receptionist is online I want call queuing up to a maximum of 3 calls. If queue is full, then the next call should go to the CTI Route point.

I've turned on call queuing for 3 calls on the AC Pilot. According to documentation, the 4th call to the queue should go to the "Always Route" AC hunt group member - ie the CTI Route point.

While testing this setup, if online receptionists have already taken their maximum of 2 calls, the next call does not go into the queue. Instead it is routed to the CTI Route point.

This does not appear to work as documented. Any ideas?

[Rob Huffman]

Hi Daniel,

This is always very confusing but the only AC Hunt Algorithm that offers Queueing is the Broadcast method. Have a look;

When configuring the pilot point, you must choose one of the following routing options:

First Available Hunt Group Member - Cisco TCD goes through the members in the hunt group in order until it finds the first available destination for routing the call. You can choose this routing option from the Pilot Point Configuration window in Cisco CallManager Administration.

Longest Idle Hunt Group Member - This feature arranges the members of a hunt group in order from longest to shortest idle time. Cisco TCD finds the member with the longest idle time and, if available, routes the call. If not, Cisco TCD continues to search through the group. This feature evenly distributes the incoming call load among the members of the hunt group. You can choose this routing option from the Pilot Point Configuration window in Cisco CallManager Administration.

If the voice-mail number is the longest idle member of the group, Cisco TCD routes the call to a voice-messaging system without checking the other members of the group first.

Circular Hunting - Cisco TCD maintains a record of the last hunt group member to receive a call. When a new call arrives, Cisco TCD routes the call to the next hunt group member in the hunt group. You can choose this option from the Attendant Console Configuration tool. For more information on this option, see the "Understanding Circular Hunt Groups" section.

Broadcast Hunting - When a call arrives at the pilot point, Cisco TCD answers the call, places the call on hold, adds the call to the queue, and displays the call in the Broadcast Calls window on attendant PCs. While on hold, the caller receives music on hold, if it is configured. Any attendant can answer the call from the Broadcast Calls window. You can choose this option from the Attendant Console Configuration tool.

When a call comes into a pilot point, Cisco TCD uses the hunt group list and the selected call routing method for that pilot point to determine the call destination. During hunt group configuration, you must specify one of the following options for each hunt group member:

Directory number (device member)

If a directory number is specified, Cisco TCD only checks whether the line is available (not busy) before routing the call.

**Attendant console user plus a line number (user member)

When you specify a user and line number, the user can log in to and receive calls on any Cisco IP Phone in the cluster that the attendant console controls.

If a user and line number are specified, Cisco TCD confirms the following details before routing the call:

**That the user is logged in to the attendant console

**That the user is online

**That the line is available

From this doc;

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/voicesw/ps556/products_administration_guide_chapter09186a00803f3a8b.html#wp1144420

You configure broadcast hunting for a pilot point by using the Attendant Console Configuration Tool. You can specify the following values for each broadcast hunting pilot point:

•Queue Size-This field specifies the number of calls that are allowed in the queue. If the queue is full, Cisco TCD routes calls to the "always route" hunt group member specified on the Hunt Group Configuration window. If you do not specify an always route member, Cisco TCD drops the call when the queue size limit is reached.

•Hold Time-This field specifies the maximum time (in seconds) that Cisco TCD keeps a call in the queue. If the call is in the queue for longer than the "HoldTime," the call gets redirected to the "AlwaysRoute" member. If you do not configure an always route member, the call remains in the queue until an attendant becomes available.

Hope this helps!

Rob

[dszmandi]

The documentation does not actually state that queuing is only offered using the broadcast AC Hunt algorithm.

In fact I have setup this feature with other algorithms but using DNs as members rather than User/Lines.

Maybe when using the User/Line approach, queuing only works correctly for broadcast??

Anyway, I've logged a call with the TAC for clarification.

[Rob Huffman]

Hi Daniel,

I think you have to read between the lines on the Docs here but I'm pretty sure that Queuing only works with Broadcast :)

Let me know what TAC has to say as I may have misunderstood this all along.

Take care,

Rob

[infosys1]

I am having similar issues with this, but with a little twist. I originally had the hunt set up for longest idle, but after reading your msgs, changed this to broadcast.

I have the queue size set to 4 and hold time set to 60 seconds, just for testing. 2 users/lines in the hunt group, with a directory number set up as the always route number. However, I can only get it to queue one call. The next call coming in to the group rings an extension that is not even set up as part of the group. I double checked the always route to number and it does not forward to this unattached extension either. I do not see anything that would make it ring anything other than the 2 lines and the always route DN. Please help!

[Jaime Valencia]

hey guys, Rob is right on the money =) (as always hehe)

the Qing feature on AC is only provided with the broadcast hunting.

that is configured depending on the version directly on the pilot point or thru the acconfig.bat

the way it works is the following:

you create your users and you have them log in to ac, you enable broadcast in the pilot point

the call flow for a call that arrives to the pilot point will be that it will be put on hold, then the ac client will show up the call in the broadcast windows for the AC for any user to take it. when you try to take the call it will ask you on which line you want it (happens even if you only have 1 line) and after you select the line the call will connect.

but during the whole process while no one takes the call the users will be on hold on the Q waiting for someone to take their call.

that's the way it has always worked.

any other algorithm will work based on whether you have configured the user/line approach by sending the call to active users and if all inactive to the always route member or if you configure the DN option by ringing the phones and then the always route member, that's the behavior for the other hunting options.

HTH

javalenc

if this helps, please rate