Directory (Dial by Name)
(Embedded Voice Mail)

Description:

Allows callers to reach a mailbox user from the Auto Attendant by dialing the user's name on the keypad. The system can be configured to dial by last name or by first name. Up to 6 letters of the name can be entered. If there is more than one match, the Auto Attendant lists the names of the matches along with the key to press to call each match.

The Directory feature is accessed by dialing 9 from the Auto Attendant. To prevent confusion between dialing a mailbox that starts with 9 and dialing 9 for the Directory, an inter-digit timer of 4 seconds is started when the first digit entered is 9. If no other digits are entered during these few seconds, the user is transferred to the Directory.

Conditions and Feature Interactions

You must have voice mail licenses to use the Directory feature.

Programming

  1. VM Options form.
    Set Directory Voice Prompt/Set Prompt For to "Last Name" or "First Name".

  2. VM Mailboxes or User and Device Configuration form.
    Verify that all names are entered as defined in the Directory Voice Prompt field of the VM Options form (if "Last Name" is selected, names must be entered <last name>,<first name>; if "First Name" is selected, names must be entered as <first name>,<last name>).

Operation

  1. Access the Auto Attendant.

  2. Dial 9 and wait a few seconds.

  3. At the prompt, enter the name using the keypad (press 2 for A, B or C, press 3 for D, E or F, etc.). You can enter up to 6 letters.

  4. If a unique match is found, the Auto Attendant transfers you to the user.
    If more than one user name start with the letters entered, the Auto Attendant lists the number of matches, then reads each match's name or number followed by the keypad number to enter to be transferred to that person.

Example 1:

You are trying to reach James Jones. When you press 9 in the Auto Attendant, you hear "You can enter up to 6 letters of the person's last name, using 7 for Q and 9 for Z". You enter 5 6 6 3 7 for JONES. There is only one voice mail user with the last name spelled by the letters 5 6 6 3 and 7, and you hear "You are being transferred to James Jones", and the Auto Attendant transfers you.

In this example, in the VM Options form, the "Directory Prompt" field is set to "Last Name", and in the VM Mailboxes and User and Device Configuration form, names are entered as "<last name>,<first name>" (for example, "Jones,James").

Example 2:

You are trying to reach Jamal Singh. When you press 9 in the Auto Attendant, you hear "You can enter up to 6 letters of the person's first name, using 7 for Q and 9 for Z". You enter 5 2 6  for JAM and wait. There is more than one user with the first name starting with the letters on 5 2 and 6, and you hear "3 matches were found. To reach Jamal Singh, press 1. To reach James Jones, press 2. To reach Jamie Beauchamp, press 3". You press 1 and the Auto Attendant transfers you.

In this example, in the VM Options form, the "Directory Prompt" field is set to "First Name", and in the VM Mailboxes and User and Device Configuration form, names are entered as "<first name>,<last name>" (for example, "James,Jones").