Condense Call Processing and Route Records

When a cost record is converted from ExpressNet to Panorama, a new call processing record and new route records are created to match the information that was contained in the ExpressNet cost record. This is because in ExpressNet the information for call processing and routing was contained within the cost record, and the cost record within Panorama must be linked to the same information. The conversion utility makes the information immediately available in order to eliminate down-time for your business; now, though, you must ìclean upî the excess of information that the conversion process has created.

The process that will be described below could be very time-consuming and tedious, but the time spent now will be saved many times over in the long-run. Just imagine the hassle of updating all of those records the next time your main long-distance carrier changes its access number. Skipping this process would mean doing things the old-fashioned, cumbersome way, instead of taking advantage of the superior structure and capabilities of Panorama.

1. Begin by making a list of the carriers that you use and the different ways to access them for each type of coin call (1+, 0+, 00, 0-, et cetera) and by the different phone locations.

2. Create a route record for each of these specific cases; name the record something that will remind you what it does, and fill in the description field. There must be enough route records to cover every possibility needed, and keep in mind that a route record can and should be used by more than one phone, and should not be duplicated unless a variation of the route is needed. Again, this is for each carrier, each type of coin call going through that carrier, and the different specifics required for each payphone to use each call type for the appropriate carrier. To save steps, if one route will be very similar to another that has already been created, then clone the route that has already been created, giving it a name that has meaning to you, and make the changes needed. Then click save. Since route records have been created from

3. For each payphone, make a list of the routes that will be needed to make each type of coin call, using the appropriate carrier. When a phone needs the same routes as another phone, donít create a duplicate list; just indicate which phone numbers will be using the same list.

4. Create a call processing record for each list of routes; name the call processing record something that will remind you what it does, and fill in the description field. To save steps, if one call processing record will be very similar to another that has already been created, then clone the record that has already been created, giving it a name that has meaning to you, and make the changes needed. Then click save.

5. In the Phone window, assign a call processing record to the appropriate payphone(s), or better yet, to a phone set aside for testing purposes only. Open the cost record that has been assigned to the phone, and in the Call Type Override column in the Edit Assigned Bands tab, enter a No in every row. Click save. Poll the selected phone(s). Test the phone to make sure that calls are being routed correctly and that everything functions properly. If everything works as itís supposed to, repeat this step for more phones.

6. After some time has passed and your phones have been working properly, delete the unused call processing and route records. The names generated by the data converter should be easily recognizable, especially when compared to the personalized names you created. To be safe though, print a Phone Configuration report to determine which call processing records are being used. Use this list to determine what route records are not being used. Delete the unused call processing and route records.