Create a Hunt Group Workflow

 

Topic Last Modified: 2012-07-12

A hunt group workflow routes callers to a specified queue without asking the caller any questions. You specify the queue to which callers are routed. You can also choose a welcome message for the workflow, the music to play when users are on hold, and the days and hours that the workflow is available.

Note

Office Communications Server 2007 R2 supported two types of hunt groups: basic and enhanced. In Microsoft Lync Server 2010, the hunt group workflow covers both of these types.

You can use Windows Media audio (.wma) or wave (.wav) files for messages and music that is played while users are on hold. For details about supported audio file formats, see Response Group Audio File Requirements. After you upload an audio file, you can listen to it to verify that you selected the correct file. To listen to the audio file, click the name of the file.

To create a hunt group workflow

  1. Log on as a member of the RTCUniversalServerAdmins group, or as a member of one of the predefined administrative roles that support Response Group. If you are not logged on as a member of one of these roles, you are prompted for alternate credentials.

  2. Open a browser window, and then enter the Admin URL to open the Lync Server Control Panel. For details about the different methods you can use to start Lync Server Control Panel, see Open Lync Server Administrative Tools.

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

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

  5. In the Select a Service search field, type part or all of the name of the ApplicationServer service for which you want to add the workflow.

  6. In the list of services, select the service that you want, and then click OK.

    Note

    The Response Group Configuration Tool webpage opens. You can also open the Response Group Configuration Tool webpage directly from a web browser by connecting to https://<webPoolFqdn>/RgsConfig.

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

  8. If you are not ready for users to start calling the workflow, clear the Activate the workflow check box.

  9. To allow federated users to call the group, select the Enable for federation check box. You must also have an external access policy that applies to the Response Group application configured for federation.

    Note

    The global external access policy applies to the Response Group application. You can configure the global policy for response group federation by using Lync Server Control Panel or by using the Set-CsExternalAccessPolicy cmdlet to set the EnableOutsideAccess parameter to True. Keep in mind that global policy settings apply to all users unless they are assigned a site or user policy. Therefore, before changing this setting for response groups, make sure that the federation setting meets the requirements of your organization. For details about how policies apply to users, see Configure Communications with External Users. For details about the federation setting, see Set-CsExternalAccessPolicy.

  10. To hide the identity of agents during calls, select the Enable agent anonymity check box.

    Note

    Anonymous calls cannot start with instant messaging (IM) or video, although the agent or the caller can add IM and video after the call is established. An anonymous agent can also put calls on hold, transfer calls (both blind and consultative transfers), and park and retrieve calls. Anonymous calls do not support conferencing, application sharing and desktop sharing, file transfer, whiteboarding and data collaboration, and call recording.

    Note

    A consultative transfer is where the agent who received the call first (that is, the "transfer initiator") talks to the agent or user that they want to transfer call to (that is, the "transfer receiver") before they actually transfer the call. Consultative transfers are supported when the transfer receiver is not anonymous. If the transfer initiator consultative transfers a call to a PSTN or a Lync user and uses the anonymous option, the call will appear to transfer properly to the receiver. However, the transfer will fail and the transferred caller is disconnected. The transfer initiator can be either anonymous or known, but the effect is the same if the transfer receiver is anonymous.

  11. Under Enter the address of the group that will receive the calls, type the SIP address of the group that you want to answer calls to the workflow.

  12. In Display name, type the name that you want clients to display for the workflow (for example, Lync 2010).

    Note

    Do not include the "<" or ">" characters in the display name. Do not use the following display names because they are reserved: RGS Presence Watcher or Announcement Service.

  13. Under Telephone number, type the line URI for the response group (for example, +14255550165).

  14. In Display number, type the number as you want it to appear for the response group (for example, +1 (425) 555-0165).

  15. (Optional) In Description, type a description for the workflow as you want it to appear on the contact card in Lync 2010.

  16. Under Step 2 Select a Language, click the language that you want to use for speech recognition and text-to-speech.

  17. 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.

      Note

      Do not include HTML tags in the text you enter. If you include HTML tags, you will receive an error message.

    • 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.

      Note

      All user-provided audio files must meet certain requirements. For details about supported file formats, see Response Group Audio File Requirements.

  18. Under Step 4 Specify Your Business Hours, in Your time zone, click the time zone for the workflow.

    Note

    The time zone is the time zone where the callers and agents of the workflow reside. It is used to calculate the open and close hours. For example, if the workflow is configured to use the North American Eastern Time zone and the workflow is scheduled to open at 7:00 A.M. and close at 11:00 P.M., the open and close times are assumed to be 7:00 Eastern Time and 23:00 Eastern Time respectively. (You must enter the times in 24-hour time notation.)

  19. Select the type of business hours schedule you want to use by doing one of the following:

    • To use a predefined schedule of business hours, click Use a preset schedule, and then select the schedule you want to use from the drop-down list.

      Note

      You must have defined at least one preset schedule previously to be able to select this option. You define preset schedules by using the New-CSRgsHoursOfBusiness cmdlet. For details, see (Optional) Define Response Group Business Hours and Holidays.

      Note

      When you select a preset schedule, Day, Open, and Close are automatically filled with the days and hours that the response group is available.

    • To use a custom schedule that applies only to this workflow, click Use a custom schedule.

  20. If you are creating a custom schedule for this workflow, click the check boxes for the days of the week that the response group is available.

  21. If you are creating a custom schedule, type the Open and Close hours for each day of the week that the response group available.

    Note

    The Open and Close hours must be in 24-hour time notation. For example, if your office works a 9-to-5 work day and closes at noon for lunch, the business hours are specified as Open 9:00, Close 12:00, Open 13:00, and Close 17:00.

  22. 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 by doing one of the following:

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

      Note

      Do not include HTML tags in the text you enter. If you include HTML tags, you will receive an error message.

    • 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.

      Note

      All user-provided audio files must meet certain requirements. For details about supported audio file formats, see Response Group Audio File Requirements.

  23. Specify how to handle calls after the message is played (if a message is configured):

    • 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> (for example, bob@contoso.com).

    • 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 <username>@<domainname>.

    • 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, +14255550121@contoso.com). The domain name is used to route the caller to the correct destination.

  24. 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.

    Note

    You need to define holidays and holiday sets before you configure the workflow. Use the New-CsRgsHoliday and New-CsRgsHolidaySet cmdlets to define holidays and holiday sets. For details, see (Optional) Define Response Group Business Hours and Holidays.

  25. If you want to play a message on holidays, select the Play a message during holidays check box, and then specify the message to play by doing one of the following:

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

      Note

      Do not include HTML tags in the text you enter. If you include HTML tags, you will receive an error message.

    • 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.

      Note

      All user-provided audio files must meet certain requirements. For details about supported audio file formats, see Response Group Audio File Requirements.

  26. Specify how to handle calls after the message is played (if a message is configured):

    • 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> (for example, bob@contoso.com).

    • 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 <username>@<domainname>.

    • 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, +14255550121@contoso.com). The domain name is used to route the caller to the correct destination.

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

  28. 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.

      Note

      All user provided audio files must meet certain requirements. For details about supported audio file formats, see Response Group Audio File Requirements.

  29. Click Deploy.