Comdial Execumail Voice Processing System 6.5 Instructions Manual

							96 Message Playback ExecuMail6.5 
Message Playback 
Subscribers retrieve their messages by calling the voice mail system and entering 
their Personal IDS during the Opening Line, or whenever the system is listening 
for IDS. In addition to listening to his or her messages, a subscriber may also 
redirect, save, or reply to messages. While listening to a message, a subscriber 
may move backward through the message to listen to portions of it again, or fast 
forward it to jump ahead to a specific part of the message. A subscriber may also 
change a message’s playback volume. 
This topic details how the system plays messages to a subscriber and the actions 
the subscriber may take with messages, including: 
w Summary of message playback 
n The message stack and announcements 
n The conversation for new messages 
n Redirecting messages 
n The conversation for old messages 
n Using touchtone keys during playback 
w Optional hands-free message playback 
Message Playback Summary 
When a subscriber calls the system and enters a Personal ID, the system first 
announces the number of new messages the subscriber has waiting, for example: 
“You haoe 3 
new messages”. The system then announces the messages by sender 
or source-that is, who sent the message or where it was recorded. 
Messages from the same source are grouped together. Before reading the first 
message from each new source, the system announces how many messages there 
are from that source and asks if the subscriber wants to hear them. If the 
subscriber responds “no,” the system moves to the next source of messages. 
While listening to each message, the subscriber may use touchtone keys to move 
backward, forward, or pause the message, skip over a message, save it for later 
retrieval, or redirect (forward) it to another caller. 
After playing each message, the system announces when the message was 
recorded. If the message is from another subscriber or a guest, the subscriber 
may record an immediate reply. 
.-. 
. 
.I 
The system can also announce the total duration of all the messages waiting for a 
subscriber, as well as those from a particular source. This length of messages 
announcement can be turned on or off for each subscriber.  
						

							Reference Manual Message Playback 97 
The Message Stack and Announcements 
The system gives the subscriber quite a bit of information about the status of his 
or her messages before playing them. The system tells the subscriber how many 
new messages are waiting and the source of each message. The system can also 
be configured to tell a subscriber how much time it will take to listen to a set of 
messages, A subscriber can use this information to skip over all or some of the 
messages. 
When a subscriber listens to new messages, the system organizes the messages in 
a message 
stack. The messages are organized by source for playback in the 
following order: 
n Messages from other subscribers 
n Messages from guests 
n Messages from outside callers (“Your message box... “) 
n Messages recorded by transaction boxes 
n Messages recorded by interview boxes 
If the subscriber has public message access, the system also plays: 
n Messages recorded by the Operator Box 
n Messages recorded by the Public Interview Box 
Urgent Messages 
The system plays all a subscriber’s urgent messages before playing regular new 
messages. The subscriber hears all the urgent messages from each source, in the 
same message stack order as regular messages. 
Number of New Messages 
When a subscriber first enters a Personal ID, and security code if any, the system 
responds with a greeting and the number of new messages waiting: 
‘. Remember, 1 for Yes and 2 for No. ” [PH~Sub~HelloChvner] 
“You have aumber> new messages. ” [PH-Chk-YouHaveNew] 
As the subscriber moves through the new message stack, the system announces 
how many messages are from each source: 
“ left  new messages. Would you like to hear them?” 
[PH-Chk-WouldYoulikeToHear] 
The subscriber can choose to listen to these message or move on to the 
messages from the next source in the message stack. 
Optional Announcement of the Total Length of Messages 
In addition to announcing the number of messages waiting, the system can also 
announce the total length of time the messages last. This feature can be turned 
on or off for each subscriber. For example, a subscriber could hear an 
announcement like this when first checking messages: 
‘You have 3 new messages, totaling 3 minutes, 20 seconds.” [PH-Chk-Totallime]  
						

							98 Message Playback ExecuMail6.5 
The length of time for messages would also be announced when the subscriber 
moved to a new source of messages in the message stack. For example: 
‘Thomas Jefferson lek 3 new messages, totaling 5 minutes, 40 seconds. Would you 
like to hear them?” 
To streamline the conversation, the length of time announcement is rounded up 
to the next highest ten seconds. For example, a message lasting 22 seconds is 
announced as lasting 30 seconds. 
To turn message length announcement on for a subscriber, include the letter L in 
the Access field on the subscriber’s Personal Directory page. (See Figure 51.) 
-->Transfer >Greeting ->Actlon 
Transfer? No *Std: 0:OO 
Await-Ans-->4 Rings Take-msg 
Screening? No Holding? No Alt: 0:OO Max-msg: 90 set Edits OK? Yes 
-Message Notification 
Lamp #: x 
#l: Activate Lamps? No On Now? No 
after 0 min, 
;;i 5 rings 30 min,Off 
after 0 8:OOam- 6:OOpm MTWHF 
min, 6:OOpm- 9:OOpm KCWHF 4 Rings 60 min,Off 
after 0 
#4: after 0 min, 12:OOam-11:59pm MTWHFSU 0 Rings 30 min,Off 
min, 12:00am-11:59pm MTWHFSU 4 Rings 60 min,Urgent 
Ctrl-E for expanded options 
Figure 51: Personal Directory page, with message length announcement turned on 
After Each Message is Played 
After each message, the system announces when the message was recorded: 
‘: . . recorded  at chourxxminute> . ” 
The system announces the date as a relative date, such as: “‘recorded today at... ” 
or ’ ‘recorded yesterdq at.. . ’ ’ or “‘recorded three days ago at... “. This saves the 
subscriber from having to use a calendar to calculate how many days the sender 
has been waiting for a response. 
The system announces the time when the message was sent, to the nearest 
minute. For example, “ 
. ..recorded today at 11:57 am. ” It is important to note that 
the system uses its own internal clock for this timestamp. The system’s clock may 
not agree with the subscriber’s watch. To avoid confusion, the system manager 
should check the system’s clock regularly. The system constantly displays what it 
believes is the current time and date in the upper right comer of the Banner 
Screen. See the topic 
Set the Date and Time in the Installation Manual. 
After the timestamp, if there is another message from this same source, the 
system says “7he 
next message is... “, and plays the next message. 
After reading all the messages from an identified subscriber or guest, the system 
will automatically offer to record an immediate reply: 
“For no reply press 2, otherwise I’ll record your message now. *’ [PH-Chk-ForNoReply] 
This makes it easy for the subscriber to respond to the message. If the message is 
from an outside caller, a transaction box or interview box, the system will not 
record an automatic reply. This is true even when a message is left in one of  
						

							Reference Manual Message Playback 99 
these boxes by another subscriber or guest who did not enter his or her Personal 
ID. Without the Personal ID, the system does not know who the message is from. 
At the End of the Message Stack 
Once the subscriber has reached the bottom of the message stack, the subscriber 
usually hears: 
‘There are no further messages. ” [PH-Chk-NoFurther] 
If the subscriber skipped over any messages, or if a new message has been 
received while the subscriber was checking messages, the system reminds the 
subscriber that there are still new messages waiting: 
‘You still have aumber> new messages. ” [PH~Chk_voUSiliHaveNew] 
The subscriber may press 1 to check these remaining messages. If the subscriber 
presses no touchtones, he or she will continue through the conversation. 
Playback while Leaving a Message 
If a subscriber tries to leave a message for a subscriber or guest who has left a 
message already, the system will announce that there are messages waiting, then 
offer to play the messages to the subscriber. This ensures that the subscriber is 
up-to-date before leaving this person a message. 
The Conversation for New Messages 
The flow of the conversation is best understood by example. bet’s say Pat Wu has 
2 messages from Chris Aaronson, 1 message from Thomas Jefferson, 2 messages 
from Dave Thompson, and 3 messages from outside callers. Pat does not have 
the length of messages feature turned on. When Pat calls in for messages, she 
enters her Personal ID, and security code. The system responds: 
“Pat ‘Wu. Remember 1 For yes and 2 For no. ” [PH-Sub-HelloOwner] 
“You have 8 new messages. Chris Aaronson lefi 2. Would you like to hear them?” 
[PH-Chk-YouHaveNew] 
Pat presses 1 for yes. The system plays each message and its timestamp. Then the 
system gives Pat a chance to record a reply to Chris: 
“For no reply, press 2. Otherwise, I’ll record your message now... ” [PH-Chk-FotfVoReplyl 
Pat records a reply. Then the system moves to the next source in the message 
stack: 
“Thomas Jefferson lefi a message. Would you like to hear it?” (PH-Chk-Msgleft] 
jPH_Chk_WouldYouLikeToHear] 
Pat presses 1 for yes. The system plays the message and its timestamp. Then the 
system gives Pat a chance to record a reply to Thomas: 
“For no reply, press 2. Otherwise, I’ll record your message now... ” [PH~Chk~FotNoRepiyl 
Pat presses 2 for no, because Thomas’s message needs no reply. The system 
moves to the next source in the message stack:  
						

							100 Messacae Playback ExecuMail6.5 
“Dave Thompson 
lelt 2 messages. Would you like to hear them?” [PH-chk-MsgLeft] 
[PH-Chk_WouldYouLikeToHear] 
Pat presses 2 for no, because she saw Dave in the hallway and he said the 
messages were not important. She’ll check them later. The system moves to the 
next source in the message stack, messages from outside callers: 
‘Your message box has 3 messages. Would you like to hear them?” 
[PH-Chk-YourMessageEbx] 
[PH-Chk_WouldYouLikeToHear] 
Pat presses 1 for yes. The system will play each of these messages and their 
timestamp, but will not offer to take an immediate reply. Pat will have to dial up 
these people herself, since they are not subscribers or guests on the system. 
Having reached the bottom of her message stack, the system reminds Pat that she 
still has messages from Dave Thompson that she has yet to listen to: 
“You still have 2 new messages. ” 
[PH~Chk~YouSlillHaveNew] 
Pat doesn’t press any touchtones and is finished checking her new messages. 
Redirecting Messages 
When listening to a message, a subscriber can redirect (forward) the message, to 
another subscriber or guest. Subscribers can redirect either new or old messages, 
using essentially the same procedure. 
To rediiect a message: 
1. While listening to the message, press 2. 
2. Press 1 to confirm that you want to redirect the message. 
3. Answer the questions to redirect the message. 
Archive or Delete a New Message 
To archive a new message for later review, press 2 while listening to the message, 
then press 2 for No when the system asks “Would you like to redirect this?” The 
system will next ask: 
‘Would you like me to archive this?” 
[PH-Chk-LikeToArchive] 
If you press 1 for yes, the system will save the new message as an archived 
message. If you press 2 for No, the system 
immediately deletes the message. If 
you press any other touchtone, the message will be changed to an 
old message. 
The Conversation for Old Messages 
An old message is any message which a subscriber has already heard. The system 
plays old messages in much the same way it plays new messages, in an old 
message stack. You can listen to or review your old messages when the system 
i&S:  
						

							Reference Manual Message Playback 10 1 
,.: 
‘You have aumber> old messages to review. Would you like to hear them?” 
[PH-Chk-YouHaveReview] 
[PH-Chk-WouldLikeToHear] 
If the subscriber answers yes, the system organizes and announces each old 
message by source, just as it does with new messages. For example, let’s say the 
subscriber had two old messages from Thomas Jefferson. The system will 
announce: 
“Thomas Jefferson has 2 messages to review. Would you like to hear them?” 
Once the subscriber has reviewed or been offered each of the old messages, the 
system confirms that there are no additional old messages by saying: 
‘There are no further messages. ” [PH-Chk-NoFurther] 
A subscriber may listen to all or some of his or her old messages. While listening 
to any old message, the subscriber may use the 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, #, or * touchtones 
just as during playback of new messages. However, if the subscriber skips over 
listening to any old messages, the system will 
not remind the subscriber that 
there are still old messages to review at the end of the old message stack. 
Announcement of Total Length of Old Messages 
If the optional Total Length of Messages feature has been activated for a 
subscriber, the system will announce the total length of all old messages when 
the subscriber reviews old messages, for example: 
“You have 4 old messages to review, totaling 5 minutes 40 seconds. ” 
[PH-Chk-YouHaveReview] 
[PH-Chk-TotalMe] 
The system also announces the total length of old messages from each source. 
RedirecUArchive Old Messages 
After playing an old message and its timestamp, the system immediately asks the 
subscriber two questions: 
-‘Would you like to redirect this?” 
[PH-LiketoRedimt] 
“Would you like me to archive this?” [Ph-Chk-LikeToArchive] 
Redirecting an old message works precisely the same as redirecting (forwarding) 
a new message. Archiving a message saves the mess%e for the number of days 
programmed in the 
Archive field on the subscriber’s Personal Directory page. If 
the subscriber presses 2 for no after the question “Would you like me to archive 
this?” the system 
immediately deletes the message. If the subscriber hangs up 
without pressing a key, the message retains its archive status. 
Using Touchtone Keys During Playback 
While listening to a message, the subscriber may control how the system plays 
the message. The subscriber may use touchtone keys to reverse, forward or pause 
the message, increase or decrease the volume of the message, skip over the 
message for later retrieval, or redirect the message to another caller. The 
following diagram illustrates which keys are active when subscribers listen to messages:  
						

							102 Message Playback 
1 
2 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
* 
# 
ExecuMail6.5 
Skip 
to the very end of the message 
Interrupt message to redirect or delete 
Slow 
down the message playback 
Raise or 
lower the volume 
Speed up the message playback 
Backward several seconds 
Pause message playback 
Forward several seconds 
Stop message and save for later retrieval 
Repeat several seconds 
I Skip to the End 
Pressing the 1 key on the touchtone pad while the system is playing a message 
causes the system to skip to the very end of the message immediately. This key is 
active at all times during the conversation, not just during message playback. 
Note that if you press the 1 touchtone while the system is asking a question, it 
skips to the end of the question and assumes that the 1 also means a “yes” 
response to the question. 
2 Interrupt fhe Message 
Pressing the 2 key on the touchtone pad while the system is playing a message 
causes the system to stop playing the message and ask: 
“Would you like to redirect this?” [PH-Chk-LikeToRedirect] 
The caller can then respond yes and send the message to another subscriber. 
This is most useful when an outside caller has left a message for the wrong 
subscriber, or has left a message about a problem which can best be handled by 
another person in the office. 
Whether the subscriber redirects the message or not, the system will ask: 
‘Would you like me to archive this?” [PH-ChkLikeToArchive] 
If the subscriber answers Yes the system saves the message for several days. If the 
subscriber responds no 
the system immediately deletes the message. 
Whether or not the subscriber archives a new message, the system continues with 
the normal new message conversation. If the message is from another subscriber 
or a guest, the system says, 
‘%br no reply press 2, otherwise I’ll record your 
message 
now... ” and records a reply just as if the subscriber had not interrupted 
the message and had listened to it in its entirety. If the message is from a public 
message box, the subscriber’s message box, a transaction box, an interview box, 
or if the message is an old message, the system offers the next message without 
asking the subscriber to reply.  
						

							Reference Manual 
Message Playback 103 
Like the 1 touchtone, 2 to interrupt is active at all times during the conversation. 
If pressed while the system is asking a question, it causes the system to interrupt 
the question and assume that the 2 means a ‘no’ to the question. 
4 6 Slow Down or Speed Up Message Playback 
When a subscriber listens to a message, he or she can press the 4 key to slow it 
down, or the 6 key to speed it up. 
By default, the speed setting the subscriber chooses lasts only for the current 
message. The next message plays at normal speed, unless the subscriber presses 
the 4 or 6 key again. 
5 Message Volume Control 
Subscribers can lower and raise the volume of a message by pressing the 5 key 
during message playback. To lower the volume of a message, the subscriber 
presses 5 once. To raise the volume of a message, the subscriber presses 5 twice. 
To return the volume to normal, the subscriber presses 5 a third time. 
The volume setting the subscriber chooses lasts only for the current message. The 
next message plays at normal volume, unless the subscriber presses the 5 key 
again. 
The volume key does not affect message recording or the system prompts. 
Prompts are always played at normal volume. The volume control key is not 
available for guests. 
NOTE: The volume control feature requires DSP voice boards. 
7 9 Backward & Forward 
When a subscriber listens to a message, he or she can press the 7 key to move 
backward, or the 9 key to move forward. The increment of time that the system 
moves backward or forward, called the transport value, is controlled by the 
value in the Skip back time of # field, on the QuickStart Application 
Screen, Page 6, Line 53. Usually, the transport value is set to 4 seconds. 
Pressing the backward or forward key once causes the system to move backward 
or forward through the message, one times the transport value. To increase or 
decrease the number of seconds the system moves backward or forward for each 
press of the 7 or 9 key, the System Manager should increase or decrease the 
value in the Skip back time of # field. Subscribers can “accelerate” their 
moving backward or forward through a message by pressing the backward key or 
the forward key rapidly several times. 
The subscriber can combine the keys. For example, if the subscriber is certain 
that the caller who left the message left his or her telephone number at the end 
of the message, the subscriber can press the 1 key to skip to the end and 
immediately press the 7 key to back up a few seconds. If the telephone number 
is not there, the subscriber can press 7 again and back up another few seconds.  
						

							104 Message Playback 
ExecuMail6.5 
8 Using Pause During Playback 
A subscriber can press the pause key at any time while the system plays back a 
message. Pressing the pause key causes the system to temporarily suspend 
playback of the message. The system prompts the subscriber that message 
playback has been paused. The subscriber can then press the pause key again to 
resume listening to the message from two seconds earlier in the message. The 
subscriber can also press the backward (7) repeat (#), or forward (9) key to 
move backward or forward in the message, or the stop (*) key to save the 
message at its current status (used most often when the message is new). If the 
subscriber presses any other key, the system reminds the subscriber: 
‘PLess pause 
to continue play@. ” 
The system will continue to pause for 40 seconds, then prompts the subscriber to 
press a touchtone to continue. If the subscriber doesn’t press a touchtone within 
two minutes, the system hangs up. If the message was a new message, the system 
saves the message as new. If the message is an old message, the system retains 
the message as old. 
* Stop the Message 
Pressing the star (*) touchtone key while the system is reading a new message 
causes the system to stop playing the message and say: 
“‘Message saved as new. ” [PH-Chk-SavedAsNew] 
When the subscriber next calls the system, the message will be announced again 
as if the subscriber had never heard the message before. 
# Repeat 
Pressing the pound key (#) during message playback causes the system to 
function precisely as if the 7 key had been pressed. However, the pound key (#) 
can also be used to repeat the system’s yes-and-no questions as well as in 
message playback. If a subscriber uses menu mode, pressing the pound key (#) 
steps back to the previous menu. 
Optional Han&-free Message Playback 
The system allows subscribers the option to retrieve messages without pressing a 
touchtone to select each message. A system manager can activate this feature for 
an individual subscriber by adding the letter N to the Access field on the 
subscriber’s Personal Directory page. The subscriber can then listen to all their 
messages using a telephone handset or speaker phone without having to press 
touchtones for each message. 
WARNING! Do not activate hands-free playback for any subscribers unless 
your Comdial telephone system can signal an “immediate disconnect” to the 
voice mail system. If your Comdial telephone system does not signal a 
disconnect to the voice mail system as soon as a caller hangs up, the voice 
mail system may continue to play subscriber messages to the disconnected 
line. Contact Comdial Technical Support if you aren’t sure whether your 
Comdial telephone system provides “immediate disconnect.” 
: - 
._ 
i 
i 
: 
( : 
 ‘,_ 
‘L 
i:  
						

							Reference Manual Message Playback 105 
When the letter N (for “No-Hands playback”) is added to a subscriber’s Access 
field, the system plays the subscriber’s messages one after the other, without 
asking, “Would you like to hear it?“. 
All the touchtone keys which control message playback are still available to the 
subscriber even with hands-free message retrieval. For example, if a subscriber 
presses the 8 touchtone to pause a message playback, the subscriber must press 8 
again for playback to resume. Message playback will continue hands-free, once it 
is resumed. 
For related information, see: 
n Call Transfer & Call Screening 
n interview Boxes 
n 
Messages 
n 
Message Delivery 
n Message Notification 
n Message Taking 
n Message Waiting Lamps 
n Public interview Box & Public Messages 
n Subscribers 
n Transaction Boxes 
Sea also: 
n The User’s Guide