[Guide] How to create and configure Response Group & IVR in Microsoft Lync

  11:05 AM    Santosh

In my Microsoft Lync test environment I have one IVR group & one HUNT group. This document covers Microsoft Lync Response group user guide & “how to create IVR & HUNT group” in details.

Response Group -
Response Group is an Enterprise Voice call management feature. The Response Group Service (RGS) is a basic hunt group/interactive voice response system included with Lync. To make Response Group available to users, you must configure agent groups, then queues, and then workflows. This section guides you through the configuration of Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Response Group.
Enabling Users -
The first step in configuring Response Group is creating agent groups. Before you can create an agent group, you must enable the users who will be agents for response groups for Lync Server 2010 and Enterprise Voice. Enabling users for Lync Server 2010 step is covered in Lync Enterprise installation guide. http://www.mytricks.in/2011/07/step-by-step-lync-server-2010.html
User Groups –
To create User groups,

  1. Start the Lync Server 2010 Control Panel: Click Start, click All Programs and point to Administrative Tools, point to Microsoft Lync Server 2010, and then click Lync Server 2010 Control Panel.

  2. In the left navigation bar, click Response Groups and then click the Groups tab.

  3. On the Group page, click New








  1. In Select a Service, select the ApplicationServer service for which you want to add the group, and then click OK.

  2. On the New Group page, in the Name field, type a descriptive name for the group.



  1. In the Description field, type a description for the group.

  2. In the Participation policy field, select one of the following to set up the sign-in behavior for the group:


? Select Informal to specify that agents in the group do not need to sign in and out of the group. Agents are automatically signed in to the group when they sign in to Lync Server 2010.

? Select Formal to specify that agents in the group must sign in and out of the group. When you select this option, agents click a menu item in Lync 2010 to open Internet Explorer and display a webpage console for signing in and out of the group.


  1. In the Alert time (seconds) field, specify the number of seconds to ring an agent before offering the call to the next available agent (the default is 20 seconds).

  2. In the Routing method field, select the method for routing calls to agents in the group as follows:


? To offer a new call first to the agent who has been idle the longest (has had a presence of Available or Inactive in Lync Server the longest), click Longest idle.

? To offer a new call to all available agents at the same time, click Parallel. The call is sent to the first agent who accepts it.

? To offer a new call to each agent in turn, click Round robin.

? To always offer a new call to the agents in the order in which they are listed in the Agent list, click Serial.

? To offer a new call to all agents who are signed into Lync Server 2010 and the Response Group application at the same time, regardless of their current presence, click Attendant. Lync 2010 Attendant users who are configured as agents can see all the calls that are waiting and answer waiting calls in any order. The call is sent to the first agent who accepts it, and the other Lync 2010 Attendant users no longer see the call.


  1. In the Agents section, specify how you want to create your agents list:


Create a Queue –

  1. Start the Lync Server 2010 Control Panel: Click Start, click All Programs and point to Administrative Tools, point to Microsoft Lync Server 2010, and then click Lync Server 2010 Control Panel.

  2. In the left navigation bar, click Response Groups and then click the Queue tab.

  3. On the Queue page, click New.

  4. In Select a Service, select the ApplicationServer service for which you want to add the queue, and then click OK.




  1. In the Description field, type a description for the queue.

  2. In the Groups section, click Select.

  3. In Select Groups, Select “infrastructure” group created in last step.


Create a Workflow

You must create agent groups and queues before you create a workflow that uses them.


  1. Start the Lync Server 2010 Control Panel: Click Start, click All Programs and point to Administrative Tools, point to Microsoft Lync Server 2010, and then click Lync Server 2010 Control Panel.

  2. In the left navigation bar, click Response Groups and then click the Workflow tab.

  3. On the Workflow page, click Create or edit a workflow.

  4. In Select a Service, select the ApplicationServer service for which you want to add or edit the workflow, and then click OK.

  5. The Response Group Configuration Tool webpage opens. https://lync.mytricks.in//RgsConfig/Default.aspx








Create a Hunt Group Workflow

 

  1. Open https://lync.mytricks.in//RgsConfig/Default.aspx

  2. Under Create a New Workflow, next to Hunt Group, click Create


As shown in below screen shot,







  1. Enter SIP address of the group, Display name, Telephone number & Display name as shown in below screen shot.

  2. If you want to configure a welcome message, under Step 3 Configure a Welcome Message, select the Play a welcome message check box, and then do one of the following:


??To enter the welcome message as text that is converted to speech for callers, click Use text-to-speech, and then type the welcome message in the text box.

??To use a wave (.wav) or Windows Media audio (.wma) file recording for the welcome message, click Select a recording. If you want to upload a new audio file, click the a recording link. In the new browser window, click Browse, select the audio file that you want to use, and then click Open. Click Upload to load the audio file.





    1. Under Step 4 Specify Your Business Hours, in the time zone field,


      • Click the time zone for the workflow.

      • Select the type of business hours schedule you want to use.



      • If you want to play a message when the office is not open, select the Play a message when the response group is outside of business hours check box, and then specify the message to play.

      • To use an audio file recording for the message, click Select a recording. If you want to upload a new audio file, click the a recording link. In the new browser window, click Browse, select the file that you want to use, and then click Open. Click Upload to load the audio file.

      • Specify how to handle calls after the message is played



      • To disconnect the call, click Disconnect Call.

      • To forward the call to voice mail, click Forward to voice mail, and then type the voice mail address. The format for the voice mail address is <username>@<domainname>

      • To forward the call to another user, click Forward to SIP URI, and then type a user address. The format for the user address is <Santosh>@<mytricks.in>.

      • To forward the call to another telephone number, click Forward to telephone number, and then type the telephone number. The format for the telephone number is <number>@<domainname> (for example, +1XXXXXXXXX@mytricks.in). The domain name is used to route the caller to the correct destination.









      1. Under Step 5 Specify Your Holidays, click the check boxes for one or more sets of holidays that define the days when the response group is closed for business.



      • To use an audio file recording for the message, click Select a recording. If you want to upload a new audio file, click the a recording link. In the new browser window, click Browse, select the file that you want to use, and then click Open. Click Upload to load the audio file.

      • Specify how to handle calls after the message is played



      • To disconnect the call, click Disconnect Call.

      • To forward the call to voice mail, click Forward to voice mail, and then type the voice mail address. The format for the voice mail address is <username>@<domainname>

      • To forward the call to another user, click Forward to SIP URI, and then type a user address. The format for the user address is <Santosh>@<mytricks.in>.

      • To forward the call to another telephone number, click Forward to telephone number, and then type the telephone number. The format for the telephone number is <number>@<domainname> (for example, +1XXXXXXXXX@mytricks.in). The domain name is used to route the caller to the correct destination.




      2. Under Step 6 Configure a Queue, in the Select the queue that will receive the calls field, select the queue that you want to hold callers until an agent becomes available.

      3. Under Step 7 Configure Music on Hold, choose the music you want callers to listen to while waiting for an agent by doing one of the following:




??To use the default music-on-hold recording, click Use default.

??To use an audio file recording for the music on hold, click Select a music file. If you want to upload a new audio file, click the a music file link. In the new browser window, click Browse, select the file that you want to use, and then click Open. Click Upload to load the audio file.




      1. Click Save






Interactive Workflow




      1. Open https://mytricks.in//RgsConfig/Default.aspx

      2. Under Create a New Workflow, next to Hunt Group, click Create




As shown in below screen shot,




      1. Enter SIP address of the group, Display name, Telephone number & Display name as shown in below screen shot.

      2. Step 3 Configure a Welcome Message, select the Play a welcome message check box, and then do one of the following:



      • To enter the welcome message as text that is converted to speech for callers, click Use text-to-speech, and then type the welcome message in the text box.



      • To use a Wave or Windows Media Audio file recording for the welcome message, click Select a recording. If you want to upload a new audio file, click the a recording link. In the new browser window, click Browse, select the audio file that you want to use, and then click Open. Click Upload to load the audio file.









      1. Under Step 4 Specify Your Business Hours, in the time zone field,


        1. click the time zone for the workflow.

        2. Select the type of business hours schedule you want to use.




      • If you want to play a message when the office is not open, select the Play a message when the response group is outside of business hours check box, and then specify the message to play.

      • To use an audio file recording for the message, click Select a recording. If you want to upload a new audio file, click the a recording link. In the new browser window, click Browse, select the file that you want to use, and then click Open. Click Upload to load the audio file.

      • Specify how to handle calls after the message is played

      • To disconnect the call, click Disconnect Call.

      • To forward the call to voice mail, click Forward to voice mail, and then type the voice mail address. The format for the voice mail address is <username>@<domainname>

      • To forward the call to another user, click Forward to SIP URI, and then type a user address. The format for the user address is <Santosh>@<mytricks.in>.

      • To forward the call to another telephone number, click Forward to telephone number, and then type the telephone number. The format for the telephone number is <number>@<domainname> (for example, +1XXXXXXXXX@mytricks.in). The domain name is used to route the caller to the correct destination.









      1. Under Step 5 Specify Your Holidays, click the check boxes for one or more sets of holidays that define the days when the response group is closed for business.



      • To use an audio file recording for the message, click Select a recording. If you want to upload a new audio file, click the a recording link. In the new browser window, click Browse, select the file that you want to use, and then click Open. Click Upload to load the audio file.

      • Specify how to handle calls after the message is played

      • To disconnect the call, click Disconnect Call.

      • To forward the call to voice mail, click Forward to voice mail, and then type the voice mail address. The format for the voice mail address is <username>@<domainname>

      • To forward the call to another user, click Forward to SIP URI, and then type a user address. The format for the user address is <Santosh>@<mytricks.in>.

      • To forward the call to another telephone number, click Forward to telephone number, and then type the telephone number. The format for the telephone number is <number>@<domainname> (for example, +1XXXXXXXXX@mytricks.in). The domain name is used to route the caller to the correct destination.









      1. Configure IVR options, assign keypad Resonse for “IVR” IVR & select the queue “Mytricks”. Response Group 1 - So if any one call to IVR number phone & press keypad response key 1 phone will rings to all “mytricks” Queue members as per group routing policy.







      1. *

      2. Response Group 2 - So if any one calls to IVR number phone & press keypad response key 2. IVR plays a recorded message & will ask for response. (e.g. 1 for sales 2 for service) Here I have used same queue i.e. mytricks for testing.







Answer and make calls for a response group in Lync 2010

As a response group agent, you’ve been selected to help answer phone calls for a particular group or even multiple groups. You can use Microsoft Lync 2010 communications software to answer and manage the phone calls that come into your group.

Find out which groups you are an agent of:-

  • In the Lync main window, click the Show Menu arrowTools, and then click Response Group Settings.


The Agent Groups page appears, listing all the groups for which you are an agent and whether you are signed into each group. There are two types of groups:

  • Formal groups are groups that you need to manually sign in to before you can take calls.

  • Informal groups are groups that you are automatically signed in to when you sign in to Lync 2010. You cannot clear the Signed in check box for these groups.


Sign in to a formal group:-
To sign in to a formal group, do the following:

  1. In the Lync main window, click the Show Menu arrow, point to Tools, and then click Response Group Settings.

  2. In the Agent Groups page, select the Signed in check box next to the group.


Answer a call:-





When you’re signed into a group, you’re ready to take a call. An incoming call alert will show you which group is routing the call to you.





To answer the call, click the incoming call alert.





*





NOTE If the caller was given options when he or she first connected, the conversation window shows Notes from the (group name) along with the instructions the caller heard and the option the caller selected. You can also see how long the caller waited to connect to you.





Add instant messaging to a call :-





While you’re in a call, you can send instant messages without disrupting the call.





To send an instant message during a call, in the conversation window, click the IM button.





Add video to a call:-





If your company enables it and you have the audio/video hardware, you can add video to a call.

  • To add video during a call, in the conversation window, click the Video button.


Redirect a response group call:-





You can redirect incoming calls to a different number.

  • To redirect a call, when you receive a call alert, click Redirect, and then select an alternate number.


NOTE Agents cannot redirect incoming calls to IM or personal voice mail.

Transfer a response group call:-





You can transfer a response group call in two ways:

  • As a direct transfer, where you don’t first speak with the person to whom you’re transferring the call to.

  • As a consultative transfer, where you first speak to the person to whom you’re transferring the call to ensure they can take the call.


MAKE A DIRECT TRANSFER:-

  1. In the conversation window, click Hold, and then click Transfer.

  2. Click Another Person or Number.

  3. Select the person (or search for them first).

  4. Click OK.


MAKE A CONSULTATIVE TRANSFER:-



  1. In the conversation window, click Hold.

  2. From the Lync main window (not the conversation window), call the intended recipient from your Contacts list (or enter a name or number).

  3. After confirming the transfer, go back to the original conversation window.

  4. Click Transfer, point to Current Conversations, and then select the person.

  5. Click OK.


Adding ivr & hunt group in contact list:-

  1. Open Lync client & login.

  2. Type hunt group or IVR sip address in “search by email or email address” tab

  3. Add sip address of the hunt or IVR group.


Example:-

sip:ivr@mytricks.in

sip:infrastructure@mytricks.in