AltiGen comm MAXCS 85 AltiConsole Manual

							AltiConsole Manual 17
CHAPTER 4 
Handling Calls
In general, the steps in handling a call in AltiConsole are as follows:
1. Select the call. An incoming ringing call is already selected 
(highlighted) if it is the only call in the list.
2. Select the operation, such as Blind Transfer, Supervised Transfer, 
Voice Mail, and so on. 
3. Select the destination (extension or outside number) you want to send 
the call to.
4. Click the Dial button or press Enter on the keyboard.
Note:Double-clicking the destination number in step 3 completes the 
action and eliminates the need for step 4. Some actions, such as 
conferencing, are somewhat more complex, and some actions need 
only two steps, such as Park and Hold.
Note:If you have configured AltiConsole to blind transfer using a single 
click, you need not select Blind Transfer. See 
“Unattended 
Transfer” on page 21.
Hands Free Handling
You can perform basic functions such as dialing and answering in 
AltiConsole without having to pick up the phone. To do so, you must 
enable the Hands Free Manual Answer Mode (#82 or #81) for your 
extension. There are two different hands-free methods:
• The receiver can be off-hook and the speaker phone turned ON, or
• You can use a headset with the speaker phone OFF.
In the hands-free mode, you can answer calls using the Answer button or 
make a call using the Dial button, and you can use the keyboard shortcut 
equivalents.
If the hands-free mode is off and you try to answer a call using the Answer 
button, or if you try to place a call using the Dial button, AltiConsole will 
display a failure message in the INFO line. 
						

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Dialing
In the AltiConsole main window, you can dial as follows:
1. Type a number using the keyboard number keys or the numeric 
keypad, or click numbers on the dial pad, or select a number in one of 
the view panels (BLF, ALL, or Speed).
2. Click the Dial button, or press Alt+d o r  t h e  Enter key on the keyboard. 
The Double-Click Shortcut
I f  y o u ’ r e  c a l l i n g  a  n u m b e r  i n one of the view panels (BLF, ALL, or Speed), 
just double-click the number.
If  t h e  c a l l  i s  t o  a n  o u t s i d e  n u m b e r,  e n t e r  t h e en t i r e  p h o n e  n u mber, including 
the trunk access code and area code if necessary.
Answering Calls
You can answer a call simply by picking up the receiver. Use the Answer 
button or double-click to answer calls without picking up the phone. (You 
cannot answer a hunt group call using AltiConsole.)
Answering Calls without Using the Phone Hand Set
If it isn’t already enabled, turn on the Hands Free Manual Answer Mode as 
discussed in 
“Hands Free Handling” on page 17. 
• When you get a ring, click the Answer button or press Alt+a on the 
keyboard or the + key on the numeric keypad to answer the call 
through the speaker phone or headset. 
• To answer a call with the Ringing status in the Active Calls list, 
double-click it. 
Answering Calls when You’re Already Connected
If you take a Ringing call in the Active Calls list by double-clicking it while 
you are already connected to a call, that call is placed on hold while you 
connect to the new call.  
						

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Answering Calls to Other Extensions
You can take calls that were going to another extension under certain 
conditions.
You can’t take a call to another extension if you have calls other than Hold 
calls in the Active Calls list. You have to handle the pending calls first.
You can take the call if it shows a Ringing status. 
Use the Answer button, A l t + a ,  and the numeric keypad + key can also pick 
up calls ringing to other extensions. 
To pick up a ringing call on another extension:
1. Select the extension call in the BLF/ALL/SPEED panel view.
2. Click the Answer button or press Alt+a on the keyboard; 
or, just double-click the extension call you want to pick up. 
Hanging Up 
Use the Hang-Up button, or alternatively, Alt+h, to disconnect a call 
without having to place the phone back on-hook. 
If you want to disconnect a call on hold, you must first select it in the Active 
Calls list and then click the Hang-Up button. 
Hold and Hold Pending
You can place a call on hold in two different ways: 
• Click the Hold button to put the call on hold until you click Hold 
again.
• Any time you use one of the other call handling functions such a s  B l i n d  
Transfer or Park, the call is put on Hold Pending until the call 
handling action is completed. 
• A  k e y  d i ff e re n c e  b e t w e e n  t h e  t y p e s  o f H o l d  i s  t h at  H a n g i n g  u p  will not 
disconnect a call on Hold but will disconnect a Hold Pending call. 
You can only put a call on hold if you are Connected to it, and not while it 
is Ringing. Also, you cannot put active conference calls on hold, even if 
you are participating in the conference.
Calls on System Call Park will ring back on your extension if they are not 
picked up within the timeout period set by your system administrator. 
						

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To place a call on hold:
While connected to a call, click the Hold button or press Alt+o on the 
keyboard.
The call is placed on hold, and the caller will hear music or recorded 
greetings (if it is configured by the system administrator) until it is picked 
up or you get a ring back.
To pick-up a call on hold:
The call must have a Hold status in the Active Calls list.
To pick up the call, double-click it in the Active Calls list, or select it and 
click the Hold button, or select it and press Alt+o.
Transferring Calls
Important:When the R e l e a s e  I P  T r u n k  T i e  L i n k  A u t o m a t i c a l l y check 
box is selected in the AltiConsole General setup, the Blind 
Transfer and Supervised Transfer buttons will send 
“FLASH *” to release a tie trunk if the incoming call is 
through an IP tie trunk. See 
“Setting AltiConsole Behavior, 
Overhead Paging, Auto Attendant” on page 31 for more 
details.
Note:Agents using Polycom VVX model phones, refer to the MAXCS 
Polycom user guides for instructions on additional ways that you 
can transfer calls. The user guides for the various Polycom models 
can be found on AltiGen’s MAXCS web site, at: http://maxcs.com/
support/current-manuals. Click 
here to open that page.
When You Can and Can’t Transfer Calls
Transfer functions include blind and supervised transfers, transferring to an 
auto attendant, transferring to voice mail, and parking calls. These 
functions follow simple rules:
• With the exception of transferring to voice mail or auto attendant, the 
call being transferred must be Connected in the Active Calls list. If it’s 
Ringing, double-click it, to connect to it.
If there is no selection and there is no currently connected call, the first 
ringing call is selected.
• You can transfer Connected calls to voice mail or to an auto attendant.  
						

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• You cannot transfer calls with a Hold or Hold Pending status.
• You cannot transfer calls involved in a conference call, even if you are 
participating in the conference call.
Unattended Transfer
An unattended (blind) transfer transfers an incoming call to an extension 
without your having to wait for the called party to answer. For limitations 
on this transfer, see the discussion, .
“When You Can and Can’t Transfer 
Calls” on page 20.
If you have selected Single Click to Transfer in the Setup > General tab 
(see 
“Setting AltiConsole Behavior, Overhead Paging, Auto Attendant” on 
page 31), you can select the extension to which you want to blind transfer 
a call, and then single-click the selected call. The call is transferred to the 
selected extension. If this feature is not enabled, follow the directions 
below.
1.Click the Blind Transfer button or press Alt+b on the keyboard. 
2. Select the destination extension from one of the view panels (BLF/
ALL/SPEED) by clicking it, or just enter the destination extension 
number in the Dial Pad. 
If the transfer is to an outside number, enter the trunk access code and 
the full number. 
To use Centrex Transfer, transfer the call using your desk set dial pad, 
or:
a. Click the Blind Transfer button OR press Alt+b on the keyboard.
b. Type “*”; then type the second party’s full outside number in the 
number field on the AltiConsole screen; then press the Enter key 
on the keyboard or the dial button on the AltiConsole screen.
c. Now either click the hang-up button or wait to announce the caller 
and then click the hang-up button.
Supervised Transfer
Supervised Transfer allows you to transfer a call to another extension 
after checking if the called party at that extension wants to receive the call. 
For limitations on this transfer, see the discussion, “When You Can and 
Can’t Transfer Calls” on page 20. 
						

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1. Click the Supervisor Transfer button or press Alt+s on the keyboard. 
2. Select the destination extension from one of the view panels (BLF/
ALL/SPEED) by clicking it, or simply enter the destination extension 
number in the Dial Pad.
If the transfer is to an outside number, enter the trunk access code and 
the full number. 
To use Centrex Transfer, transfer the call using your desk set dial pad.
3. Click the Dial button or press Enter on the keyboard.
Note:Double-clicking the destination extension number at step 2 
eliminates step 3.
4. After connecting to the destination party, verify that the person wants 
to accept the call, and depending on their response, do one of the 
following:
•If yes, click the Supervised Transfer button or press Alt+s on the 
keyboard again to complete the transfer.
•If no, click the Roll Back button or press Alt+r on the keyboard to 
cancel the transfer and return to the original caller.
Transfer to Auto Attendant
You can transfer a connected call to any auto attendant as follows.
This function can make use of the default auto attendant, which is described 
in “Configuring AltiConsole Settings” on page 31.
1. Select the Connected call in the Active Calls list.
2. Click the Auto Attendant button or press Alt+u.
3. If you want to transfer the call to the default auto attendant, skip to the 
next step. If the auto attendant ID you want is different from the 
default, enter it in the Dial Pad.
4. Click Dial or press Enter on the keyboard.
Transfer to Voice Mail
You can transfer a connected call to the voice mail of any extension. If you 
do not select an extension, the caller is transferred to your own voice mail. 
						

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1. Select the Connecting call in the Active Calls list.
If you do not select a call and then proceed with these steps, the 
currently connected call is selected by default.
2. Click the Voice Mail button or press Alt+v.
3. Select the voice mailbox of the extension you want to transfer to. You 
can select the extension number from the BLF or ALL panel views or 
enter the number using the Dial Pad.
4. Click the Dial button or press Enter on the keyboard.
Double-clicking the extension in step 3 eliminates this step.
To transfer users to their own Voice Mail System mailboxes
If a user calls in and wants to be transferred to his or her own voice mailbox, 
follow the steps detailed above.
System Call Park
System Call Park allows you to park a call at a public location. The system 
announces where the call is parked—a location number for an extension. 
After a timeout period expires without the call being answered, your 
extension is rung to let you know the call is still parked. The timeout period 
is set by your system administrator.
Up to 100 calls can be parked simultaneously using System Call Park.
On the phone set, System Call Park is performed by entering FLASH #41.
For limitations, see the discussion, “When You Can and Can’t Transfer 
Calls” on page 20.
To park a connected call:
• When you have a connected call, double-click the Park button.
The call will be parked.
OR
• When you have a connected call, click the Park button (or Alt+P on 
the keyboard), then double-click on an extension in the panel at the 
right of the main window.
The call will be parked and will show Park for the extension. 
						

							24    AltiConsole Manual       Parked calls ring back to you after a timeout period if a user does not pick 
up the call. The timeout period is set by your system administrator. 
Remember to notify users of their parked calls periodically.
To pick up a parked call:
You cannot be currently connected to any other call when you pick up a 
parked call.
1. Select the parked call from the Parked Calls list.
2. Click the Park button or press Alt+P on the keyboard.
Note:Double-click the parked call in the Parked Calls list to 
immediately take the parked call. 
Line Park
Line Park allows you to park a call at a Line Park group. Line Park groups 
are configured in MaxAdministrator, where they are also assigned to 
Groups. All Line Park groups, including available park lines and occupied 
park lines where an extension has parked a call, are shown in the Line Park 
panel. In the Line Park panel, each line displays the Group, Caller ID, Line 
Park name, DNIS, Duration and Line Park group status.
The dots at the left have the following meanings:
• A solid green dot means an available Park Line.
• A solid red dot means the Park Line currently has a parked call. 
						

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To line park a connected call:
• When you have a connected call, double-click a green Line Park 
group. The call will be parked.
Parked calls ring back to you after a timeout period if a user does not pick 
up the call. The timeout period is enabled and set by your system 
administrator. Remember to notify users of their parked calls periodically.
To pick up a line parked call:
You cannot be currently connected to any other call when you pick up a line 
parked call.
1. Select the parked call from the Line Park list.
2. Click the Park button or press Alt+P on the keyboard.
Note:Double-click the parked call in the Line Park list to immediately 
take the line parked call. 
Conference Calls
Note:Agents using Polycom VVX model phones, refer to the MAXCS 
Polycom user guides for instructions on additional ways that you 
can work with conference calls. The user guides for the various 
Polycom models can be found on AltiGen Communication’s 
MAXCS web siteat: http://maxcs.com/support/current-manuals. 
Click 
here to open that page.
AltiConsole can provide for a connection of up to six parties into a 
conference call.
While you are participating in a conference call, you cannot handle other 
incoming calls. You cannot mix AltiConsole conferencing with phone set 
conferencing in the same conference session.
To conference an outgoing call:
While connected to the first conference participant other than yourself:
1. Click the Conference button or press Alt+c to call the second party. 
2. Select the second party’s extension number from the BLF/ALL/
SPEED tab or enter the extension number using the Dial Pad.
To add an outside caller to the conference call, enter the full phone 
number, including trunk access code and area code, if necessary, using 
the Dial Pad. 
						

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3. Click Dial or press Enter on the keyboard.
Note:You can also add a party to the conference by double-clicking 
its extension in the BLF/ALL/SPEED tab. You don’t need 
Steps 
2 and 3.
4. After connecting with the second party and announcing the conference 
call, click the Conference button or press Alt+c to add the call to the 
conference.
If the party does not want to join the conference call or is not available, 
click the Roll Back button or press Alt+r to cancel the operation.
5. Repeat the above steps for each party you want to add.
To conference an incoming call:
To add an incoming call to the conference call, click the Conference button 
or press Alt+c to add the call to the conference.
When conference members are reduced to two
When conference members are reduced to two, the conference bridge is 
released. The displayed state changes from “Conference” to “Connected” 
in AltiConsole. The call can then be transferred, parked, and otherwise 
handled as a regular two-party call.
Note:With Polycom phones, if the conference initiator hangs up and 
there are only two parties left on the conference call, then the call 
reverts to a direct call. 
However, if the conference initiator is one of the two remaining call-
ers, the call will remain a conference call. In this scenario, neither 
party can transfer the call to another party. If the conference initiator 
wants to transfer the call, the initiator must conference in the other 
party and then drop off.
Overhead Paging
If your system is set up with an overhead paging system, you can connect 
to it by clicking the Overhead Paging button. If your system is not set up 
with this function, the Overhead Paging button is dimmed.
You cannot answer a call while engaged in an overhead page, nor can you 
place the overhead page session on hold.
Also, you cannot use overhead page during a conference call or during a 
supervised transfer.