CUC 9.x: Call Routing

The building blocks which control call routing in unity connection are:

System Call Handlers

Answer calls and can take messages; provide menus of options (for example, “For customer service press 1, for sales press 2...”); route calls to users and to other call handlers; and play audiotext (prerecorded information).

Directory Handlers

Directory handlers provide access to a corporate directory that callers can use to reach Cisco Unity Connection users who have mailboxes and who are listed in the directory. When a caller searches for a username or part of a name, a directory handler looks up the extension and send call forward request to the PhoneSystem to dial the extension of the user.

Note: For SIP integration with CUCM, you need to assign Rerouting CSS to the trunk and Enable Divert by Application on the SIP Profile.

Callers can also enter an extension/called number to place an outgoing call from a directory handler; the extension/called number is checked against the applicable outcalling restriction table if the caller is a user, or against the Default Outdial restriction table if the caller is an outside caller.

There are two types of directory handlers:

1. Phone Keypad

Callers enter search information or extensions by using the phone keypad. For this type of directory handler, you can specify how it searches for names, what it does when it finds one or more matches, and what it does when it detects no caller input.

2. Voice Enabled

(For Cisco Unity Connection systems with the voice-recognition option only). For this type of directory handler, callers say the first name and last name of the Connection user that they want to reach, or enter an extension by saying the individual digits in the extension. In addition to searching by first and last name, the voice directory handler includes alternate names in searches. Callers can narrow down the search by saying the name and city or department of the user (or both) if these fields are defined on the Edit User Basics page in the user profile.

• Connection users who are listed in the directory are available to outside callers as names that can be reached.
• Administrator-defined contacts are only available to Connection users who are signed in to Connection
• User-defined contacts are only available to the Connection users who defined them.

Note that for this type of directory handler, users cannot be accessed by using directory handlers unless they have a display name specified and the 'List in Directory' check box is checked for them on the User Basics page

Interview Handlers

Collect information from callers by playing a series of questions and then recording the answers. When a call is routed to an interview handler, the interview handler plays the first recorded question, then plays a beep, then records the answer. Cisco Unity Connection stops recording either when the response reaches the maximum recording time that you have specified, or when the caller stops speaking. When all the answers have been recorded, they are forwarded as a single voice message, with beeps separating the answers, to the recipient that you designate.

Call Routing Tables

Allow you to define how calls are initially routed, based on criteria such as the phone number of the caller and the schedule. When you have set up call handlers, interview handlers, and directory handlers, as well as extensions for users, you can route calls to the applicable person or handler by modifying the call routing tables.

When Connection receives a call, it first determines if it is a direct or forwarded call based on the call information that is sent by the phone system, and then applies the applicable call routing table as per below flow chart.
 

Note: Two important settings are present in any dial rule whether it is direct or forward:

• Send to Greeting: It will skip the transfer rules.
• Attempt transfer for: t will start at the top of the flow with the transfer rules. 

If the call information matches all of the conditions for the first rule, the call is routed as specified in the rule. If any of the conditions specified in the first rule are not met, the call information is then compared to the conditions of the second rule, and so on, until a rule is found that matches all the characteristics of the call.

Route from Next Call Routing Rule

In a user profile or call handler, you can configure the After Greeting action, the After Message action, or the action of a caller input key to apply the 'Route from Next Call Routing Rule' action to calls. This action causes Cisco Unity Connection to continue processing the call according to the applicable call routing table (direct or forwarded, depending on how the call was received from the phone system) starting at the rule immediately after the rule that Connection previously applied to the call. If the call was already processed according to the final rule in the table, the final rule is applied again.

A typical usage for this action if you want to play a disclaimer before starting call routing. In this case, a rule should be configured in both direct and forwarding table to play the disclaimer. The after greeting action should be 'Route from Next Call Routing Rule' to resume call routing.

Restriction Tables

Control outgoing calls by allowing you to specify the numbers that Connection can dial for transferring calls, for notifying users of messages, and for delivering faxes.

When a user uses the Cisco Unity Connection Messaging Assistant or the Connection conversation to attempt to change a phone number that is used for call transfer, message notification, or fax delivery, or when signed-in users use the Connection conversation to perform User system transfers to a number that they specify, Connection applies the restriction table associated with the class of service of the user to verify that the phone number entered is allowed.

Note: An administrator can, when necessary, override the limitations of the class of service of a particular user.

Each row of a restriction table is made up of a dial string. Each dial string consists of a call pattern and a setting that specifies whether numbers that match the call pattern can be called.

Types of Default restriction tables:

Default Fax	Restricts numbers for fax delivery.
Default Outdial	Restricts numbers for message notifications. Also restricts the user extensions that Unity Connection dials when the phone is selected as the recording and playback device in the Media Master.
Default System Transfer	Restricts numbers that can be used for Caller system transfers, which allow unidentified callers to transfer to a number that they specify. For example, callers may want to dial a lobby or conference room phone that is not associated with a Unity Connection user. By default, the table does not allow Unity Connection to dial any numbers.
Default Transfer	Restricts numbers for call transfers.
User-Defined and Automatically-Added Alternate Extensions	Restricts the numbers the users can use to create alternate extensions for themselves through interfaces such as the Cisco Personal Communications Assistant or via an API call. Also restricts numbers from being offered as alternate extensions. For example, you might block a lobby or conference room extension so that users who frequently call Unity Connection from those shared phones are not automatically prompted to add the number as an alternate extension.
Excluded Extensions for Automatically Added Alternate Extensions	Restricts numbers from being offered as alternate extensions. For example, you might add a lobby or conference room extension so that users who frequently call Unity Connection from those shared phones are not automatically prompted to add the number as an alternate extension.

Schedules and Holidays

Define business/nonbusiness and holiday hours for the organization, for the purpose of controlling which set of call routing rules, greetings, or transfer options is currently active.