Northern Telecom Pc Console 1.1 User Guide

							P0887496 01 Norstar PC Console 1.1 User Guide
Understanding Norstar PC Console
Norstar PC Console is a client/server software application that consists of the following three 
interrelated programs operating together under a Windows operating systems:
• Server program. Refer to Server program
 on page 5 
• Attendant program. Refer to Attendant program
 on page 5 
• Reports program. Refer to Reports program
 on page 6 
Server program
The Server program communicates with your Norstar Integrated Communication System (ICS) 
initiating Norstar telephone functions such as transferring calls, placing calls on hold and 
parking calls.
The Server program talks with one or more Attendant programs. An Attendant program can be 
either on the same PC as the one with the Server program or on a separate PC connected via 
a Local Area Network (LAN). 
The Server program receives:
• notification of all incoming calls
• status changes of all telephones attached to the Norstar ICS 
The Server program collects and manages call-processing information in a database that can 
be used for reporting purposes. 
Attendant program
The Attendant program has an easy-to-use graphical user interface. The Attendant main 
window displays information about incoming callers and includes a Company Directory with 
employee names, telephone status (such as on-hook, off-hook, do not disturb and call 
forward) and personal status (None, Not at desk and Out of office). The Directory can be 
searched from the Attendant main window. 
Attendant PCs can be either main, assistant, overflow or backup. For more information, refer to 
Types of attendant setups
 on page 13 . Incoming calls can be transferred to an extension, a 
voice mailbox or to an external number. 
Your company can be set up with more than one attendant. Norstar PC Console can also be 
set up to provide call coverage for assigned groups of employees. In this setup, you are 
notified of calls to assigned employees and can answer calls when those employees cannot. 
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Reports program
The Reports program provides information about incoming calls to your company. Reports can 
help you identify trends and find answers to questions before they become problems. You can 
request a report from any PC with an Attendant program and view the report in the Reports 
window or print it on an attached printer.
Norstar PC Console features
There are many features and benefits associated with Norstar PC Console.
Easy to use, time saving Graphical User Interface (GUI)
Norstar PC Console has a GUI that is uncomplicated and uncluttered compared with other 
attendant consoles, without sacrificing sophisticated features. It is easy to select the correct 
buttons to process incoming calls and very few key strokes are required for most everyday 
activities. In fact, answering an incoming call and transferring it to an extension usually 
requires only two steps: clicking a Loop
 button to answer the call and double-clicking the icon 
beside the called party’s name to transfer the call.
The GUI provides you with information at-a-glance about the progress and status of calls. 
Even before a call is answered, you are provided with advance information about the call and 
caller, including the caller’s telephone number and the length of time that the caller has been 
waiting. When calls are transferred back to you, the Attendant main window immediately 
displays the status of the call.
On-line help is readily available which ensures that Norstar PC Console is easy to learn and to 
use.
Because performing normal attendant functions is faster with a GUI, your time is freed up to do 
other tasks.
Advanced software capabilities
Here are some of Norstar PC Console’s advanced software capabilities:
Visual call announcing 
and controlEven when a telephone is busy with a call, an attendant 
can send caller information to the telephone’s two-line 
display area. Using display buttons, the person being 
called can control the call accordingly. This is a unique 
feature because it means that important calls will not be 
lost.
Backup attendant
Incoming calls can be quickly and easily transferred to a 
backup attendant sitting at a different location than the 
main attendant. This means that the backup attendant 
does not have to leave his or her own desk to cover for the 
main attendant.
Overflow attendant
Overflow calls are transferred to an overflow attendant. 
Consequently, calls will not be lost during busy periods. 
						

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P0887496 01 Norstar PC Console 1.1 User Guide
Attractiveness of PC compatibility
Norstar PC Console has combined telecommunications with personal computing to make the 
attendant’s job easier, faster, and more efficient.
Attendant types
Each PC that has the Attendant program installed is set up to handle calls either as a main 
attendant, overflow attendant, backup attendant or assistant attendant. Each attendant type 
provides flexibility in responding to calls. This ensures that all calls can be handled in a 
professional and timely manner. For detailed information about attendant setups, refer to 
Types of attendant setups
 on page 13 . Reports
Norstar PC Console provides reports, allowing you to 
obtain periodic information such as the number of 
incoming calls and who answered the calls. This is impor-
tant information because it can indicate the calling trends 
within the business and the performance of the telephone 
system.
Ability to handle growth
A one-time purchase of Norstar PC Console is often all 
that is ever needed. If you want to add more attendant 
positions as the company grows, Norstar PC Console is 
easily expandable.
Use of existing hardware
There is no need for you to purchase additional dedicated 
hardware to obtain the power of Norstar PC Console. 
Provided you have the minimum computer requirements, 
all that is needed is the software and a simple hardware 
enabler allowing your computer to communicate with the 
Norstar ICS.
Multi-tasking
Norstar PC Console works in a multi-tasking environment. 
You can use your PC for other tasks such as word 
processing in addition to attending to calls. You can quickly 
switch from PC tasks to the Attendant main window when 
there is an incoming call. 
						

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 Understanding Norstar PC Console
Norstar PC Console 1.1 User Guide P0887496 01 
						

							P0887496 01 Norstar PC Console 1.1 User Guide
Getting started
Once your Norstar PC Console system is set up and checked by the installer or system 
administrator, you can use the Norstar PC Console programs. Before you handle calls, you 
should know how to start and exit from Norstar PC Console on your PC. For starting the 
programs for the first time, refer to Initializing and configuring the Attendant program
 on page 
12.
Starting the Server program
You must start the Server program before the Attendant program. 
To start the Server program:
1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start
 and point to Programs
.
2. Point to Norstar PC Console
 and click Server
. The Norstar PC Console Server 
button, 
, is added to the Windows taskbar. 
3. Click the Norstar PC Console
 Server
 button and the Norstar PC Console Server
 
window appears. The Server program is ready to use when the Status of Server 
Program
 group box indicates Running
. 
4. When you have checked that the Server is running, click Minimize
,   , to minimize the 
Server window.
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Shutting down the Server program
We recommend that you leave the Server program running at all times. In the event you must 
shut it down, perform the following steps.
To shutdown the Server program:
1. On the Server PC, click the Norstar PC Console Server
 button on the taskbar to restore 
the Norstar PC Console Server 
window (if it is not already open). 
2. Click File
 and then click Exit
. A dialog box appears asking if you want to close the Server. 
3. Click Yes
.
The Norstar PC Console Server
 window closes and the Norstar PC Console Server
 button, 
, no longer appears on the taskbar.
You can also shut down the Server program by right-clicking   on the 
Windows taskbar and clicking Close
, or clicking the Close
 box in the title bar.
Starting the Attendant program
Check that the Server program has been started and the Status of Server Program
 group 
box says “Running” before starting the Attendant program. For information about setting the 
attributes of the Attendant main window refer to Initializing and configuring the Attendant 
program on page 12.
To start the Attendant program and open the Norstar PC Console Attendant main window:
1. On the Attendant PC, click Start 
on the Windows taskbar and point to Programs
.
2. Point to Norstar PC Console
 and click Attendant
. The Norstar PC Console Attendant 
button,  , is added to the taskbar.
3. The Norstar PC Console 1.1 
introduction window appears briefly, then the Attendant 
main window appears. The Tip of the Day window appears. 
4. Click Close 
on the Tip of the Day
 window. 
5. After a few seconds, the Serve
r icon,  , and then the Synchronization
 icon,  , 
appear on the Status Bar.
Note:
The Server icon,   
and the Synchronization
 icon,  , 
must both be present on the Status Bar before calls can be 
processed. 
						

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Minimizing and maximizing the Attendant main window
The Attendant main window can be minimized or maximized depending on your needs.
To minimize the Attendant main window:
1. Click Minimize
,   , in the title bar. The Attendant main window minimizes. 
To maximize or re-open the Attendant main window:
1. Click the Norstar PC Console Attendant 
button,  , on the 
taskbar.
Shutting down the Attendant program
To shutdown the Attendant program:
1. Click File
 and then click Exit
.
The Attendant main window closes and the Norstar PC Console Attendant
 button no longer 
appears on the taskbar.
You can also shut down the Attendant program by right-clicking the Norstar PC Console 
Attendant
 button on the Windows taskbar and clicking Close
, or clicking the Close
 box in the 
title bar.
Checking that the Server and Attendant programs are running
If your PC has both the Server and the Attendant programs installed, be sure both are running 
and that they are communicating with each other. 
To check that the Server and Attendant programs are running:
1. Check that both   and   appear on 
the taskbar. If either does not appear, refer to Starting the Server program
 on page 9 and 
Starting the Attendant program
 on page 10. 
Note:
If your PC has only the Attendant program installed, verify that it 
is running by checking that   
appears on the taskbar.
2. Check that   and   appear in the Status Bar of the Attendant main window. 
If you encounter difficulty, refer to the Norstar PC Console Installation Guide
 or contact your 
system administrator. 
						

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 Getting started
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Initializing and configuring the Attendant program
Each PC that has the Attendant program installed must be set up to handle calls either as a 
full-time main attendant, part-time main attendant, backup attendant, overflow attendant or 
assistant attendant.
Starting the Attendant program for the first time
Now that the Server program is set up and operational, the Attendant program can be started 
and set up.
To start and set up the Attendant program:
1. On the Windows taskbar, click Start
, point to Programs
, and then point to Norstar PC 
Console
.
2. Click Attendant
. The Attendant program starts.
3. The first time the Attendant program is started after installation, the Enter Attendant 
Options
 dialog box appears. 
4. Enter the extension number for the attendant into the Attendant Extension
 box.
5. If the network has more than one Norstar PC Console Server running, you will need click 
the Server ID
 box and enter the Server ID for the server you want to use. The Server ID 
refers to the Windows TCP/IP host name of the Server PC. For information about how to 
determine the Server ID, refer to Determining the TCP/IP host name of a Server PC in the 
Norstar PC Console Installation Guide. If there is only one Norstar PC Console Server 
running, leave this field blank and the Attendant program automatically connects to that 
Server program.
6. Click OK
. The Tip of the Day
 dialog box appears over the Norstar PC Console 
Attendant 
main window. 
						

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P0887496 01 Norstar PC Console 1.1 User Guide
7. Click Close
. The Norstar PC Console Attendant 
window main window appears. 
8. As soon as the Attendant program begins communicating with the Server program, the 
Server
 icon,  , appears in the Status Bar at the bottom of the Attendant main window. 
The Attendant program obtains setup information from the Server program. As this 
happens, the individual Norstar telephone extensions appear in the Directory
 group box 
on the Attendant main window. When the setup is complete, the Directory
 displays all 
extensions that are connected to the Norstar ICS and the Synchronization
 icon,  , 
appears in the Status Bar at the bottom of the Attendant main window.
Types of attendant setups
Each PC that has the Attendant program installed must be set up to handle calls either as a 
main attendant, overflow attendant, backup attendant or assistant attendant.
Full-time main attendant setup
The full-time main attendant setup is intended for a telephone operator that has the Attendant 
main window always visible on their PC. There can be more than one full-time attendant.
Every Attendant program has to have the Server ID and Attendant extension options set 
properly for the Attendant program to function. The Server ID indicates to the Attendant 
program where the Norstar PC Console Server program is located. The Attendant extension 
setting indicates to the Attendant program which Norstar telephone belongs to the attendant.  
						

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 Getting started
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Once the settings are completed, the Attendant program displays all incoming calls to the 
attendant’s telephone which appear on the Attendant main window as a yellow Ringing Loop
 
button. If the attendant’s telephone has been programmed to receive all incoming calls for the 
company, that is as a main attendant, then the Norstar PC Console Attendant program now 
also displays those calls.
In order to receive and make calls properly, the Attendant program requires that an extension 
be associated with the program. The extension must be a valid extension on the Norstar 
system and should be the telephone located at the attendant’s desk. 
To set or change the attendant’s extension number:
1. Click Tools 
then Options
. The Options
 dialog box appears with the Options 
tab dis-
played.
2. Click the My Extension
 box in the Attendant
 group box. 
3. Type the extension number of the attendant’s telephone. 
Part-time main attendant setup
The part-time main attendant is an attendant that is available to answer incoming calls and 
also performs additional functions on the PC, such as word processing.
The difference between the full-time main attendant setup and the part-time main attendant 
setup is that the part-time setup has additional Attendant options selected which allow 
notification of incoming calls when the attendant program is minimized. Refer to Full-time main 
attendant setup on page 13 and Setting up other attendant features on page 17.
Backup attendant setup
A backup attendant is an attendant position that receives calls that have been re-directed from 
another attendant position. The backup attendant can, at the same time, be operating as a 
main attendant or assistant attendant, or any combination of the attendant types.
Note
: As with all Attendant program setups, the Server ID and 
Attendant extension options have to be set within the 
Options
 dialog box. Once this is done, the Attendant program 
displays all incoming calls that arrive on the attendant’s 
Norstar telephone. Refer to Setting up other attendant 
features on page 17.
Each Attendant PC that was set up originally to receive incoming calls must be set up to re-
direct the calls to the backup Attendant PC. 
Note
:  Calls can be redirected to another Norstar PC Console 
attendant or any Norstar extension within the company.