Dial-by-Name

Dialing Plan

In the Dialing Plan, coding a digit with the A element reserves that digit for dialing names. For example, a Dial-by-Name dialing plan might look like this: 3,3,3,3,3,3,3,A,3 which would trigger the prompt, "Please enter a mailbox number or press 8 to dial by name."

Name Dialing Sequence

You specify the name dialing sequence with the Last Name First Flag parameter. This parameter determines whether a user’s name must be dialed in the last name-first name sequence or the first name-last name sequence. In most cases, callers need not enter user’s full name. When a caller finishes pressing a series of keys, the NuPoint Unified Messaging server searches special files for entries that match the series. If it finds more than one match, it plays the names and mailbox numbers of the partial matches. If the server finds a unique match, it plays either the user’s name or personal greeting.

Matching Threshold

Setting a threshold for playing matching names determines the maximum number of names and mailboxes the server plays in response to a partial name match. A partial name match occurs in either of these cases:

• Callers enter some portion, but not all, of a recipient’s name.

• Callers enter a complete name, but the server finds more than one recipient that matches the entry.

If more than one name is found that matches the name dialed, the server plays the specified number of matching names. A threshold of 3, for example, means that up to three matching names will be recited, even if there are more than three. If the number of names for a partial match is greater than the threshold, the server prompts a caller to continue entering letters.

Exact Match Break

Specifying an exact match break determines how callers can enter the partial name of a user. When “yes” is specified, the caller hears the name and mailbox number play as soon as there is a match. The caller can, however, end a name entry with the pound (#) key; the caller hears whatever names match. When “no” is specified and a caller stops entering letters, the server waits for a time out period before responding; if a caller presses the # key, the server responds immediately. If the server can determine exactly who the intended recipient is, it plays that recipient’s name (and mailbox number if not suppressed). Alternatively, the server plays, for outside callers, that recipient’s personal greeting. If more than one recipient’s name matches the caller’s input, the server plays the names and mailbox numbers of the possible recipients. A caller can interrupt the server during name or greeting play by pressing any key on the telephone keypad.

Single Digit Access

Specifying single digit access means that a caller can enter a single digit to reach a mailbox after matched names have been played, similar to a tree mailbox operation. When single digit access is allowed, a match with the name dialed by a caller causes the server to play a prompt such as:

“There are three entries: Jean Brown, mailbox 4321, press 1; John Brown, mailbox 4222, press 2; Jill Brown, mailbox 4567, press 3. Enter a mailbox number. Press 0 to return to Dial-by-Name.”

The caller can then press the appropriate digit to reach the desired person instead of entering the entire mailbox number.

When no single digit access is allowed, a caller must enter an entire mailbox number to reach a mailbox after matched names have been played. A match with the name dialed by a caller causes the server to play a prompt like the one shown above except that there is no single digit stated. The caller must enter the entire mailbox number.

Suppressing Mailbox Numbers

Suppressing the mailbox number means the server omits the mailbox numbers in the list of names played when there is a match with a dialed name. The default is to include the mailbox number.

Dial-by-Name Databases

Each mailbox that can be reached by name must be configured with an FCOS that includes feature bit 92, which places users’ mailbox numbers in the two Dial-by-Name databases. The databases are identical but their format is different, with one listing users by last name and the other by first name. The server searches these databases for entries to match a caller’s input. For example, if the caller is prompted to dial by last name, when the caller begins entering a name the system will search through the database that lists users by last name. If the caller is prompted to dial by first name, the system will search through the database that lists users by first name. See the FCOS section for more information on this feature bit and how to implement a Feature Class of Service.

Even with all the parameters just described set, a mailbox owner’s name can be listed only when the mailbox owner’s name is specified in the mailbox configuration. Once all these requirements are met, the name goes into the databases when you exit from the respective configuration menu.

To make sure there is only one mailbox per user’s name, you can print out a phone book for your site. This phone book shows the mailbox owners accessible through the Dial-by-Name function and their mailbox numbers.

Same Digit for Dial-by-Name and Mailbox Numbers

Occasionally you may need the same digit for a Dial-by-Name trigger and in a mailbox number. With the optional star prefix dialing plan (described above), the digit specified for Dial-by-Name can still be used for mailbox numbers when the digit is not followed by a star (*). Suppose, for example, that your server has mailboxes beginning with 1 but you also need the digit 1 for Dial-by-Name. You can specify 1 as the Dial-by-Name dialing plan digit, which causes the server to prompt the caller to press 1 and * to dial by name.

Using a Telephone to Dial by Name

The Dial-by-Name feature allows callers to reach a mailbox user by dialing the user's name on the telephone keypad. By default, the system expects the last name to be dialed before the first name. However, the dialing sequence can be reversed so that the first name is required before the last name. If there is more than one match, the attendant lists the names of the matches along with the key to press to call each match.

Example 1:

You are trying to reach Sarah Jones on a system that requires the last name to be dialed name first. In the Auto Attendant, you hear "Please enter a mailbox number or press <x> to dial by name." You enter 5 6 6 3 7 for JONES. There is only one voice mail user with the last name spelled by the letters 5 6 6 3 and 7, so you hear "You are being transferred to Sarah Jones", and the attendant transfers you.

Example 2:

You are trying to reach Jamal Singh on a system that requires the first name to be dialed name first. In the Auto Attendant, you hear "Please enter a mailbox number or press <x> to dial by name." You enter 5 2 6 for JAM and wait. There is more than one user with the first name starting with the letters on 5 2 and 6, and you hear "3 matches were found. To reach Jamal Singh, press 1. To reach Sarah Jones, press 2. To reach Jamie Beauchamp, press 3". You press 1 and the attendant transfers you.

Using the Phone Keypad:

Callers use their phone keypad to enter letters. For example, to enter A, B or C, a caller presses 2, and to enter D, E or F, a caller presses 3. To enter an accented character, callers must press the key for the equivalent unaccented (or "English") character. For example, to enter À, a caller presses 2 (A), and to enter Ø, a caller presses 6 (O). The following table illustrates which keys should be pressed to enter accented and unaccented characters: