Page History: Using Solo
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Page Revision: Thursday, 23 September 2010 11:47
Starting Solo
Double click the icon on the desktop or click the icon in the start menu, both titled 'PhoneBOX Solo' to get start the software. The first time the software starts it may sit on the splash screen for a few minutes whilst configuring the database.
Screen Layout
Shown below is the screen layout for Solo.
Each installation will vary slightly, depending on the number of lines displayed, and also on the number of devices shown. Additionally it is possible to undock each element of the screen (Lines, Devices, Phonebook, Call details & Chat) to create and save your own screen layout.
Devices
Devices in Solo (shown at the bottom left of the screen above) include the handset (if used) and the virtual hybrids, which are each represented with a letter. It is also possible to configure Buddies such that devices from other workstations are visible.
The Active Device
The yellow block behind the device letter indicates that that is currently the „active‟ device (device A is active above). In simple terms this means that any dialling or routing actions carried out will occur on the this device.
To change the active device, simply click on another device. The yellow hi-lighting block will move to the device you have clicked and that device will now become active.
To Change the Active Device
To change the active device, simply click on another device. The yellow hi-lighting block will move to the device you have just clicked on and that device will now become the Active Device.
Line box layout
Shown below is an example of a typical LineBox on a PhoneBOX2 screen. Many of the features shown are beyond the scope of this Getting Started guide. Please see the Advanced User Manual for more information on any components of the LineBox not covered in this guide. An explanation of the basic elements is given below.
Call State
The Call State information tells us what state the call is currently in. In the example above, the call is „Held‟. It is not routed to a device and the caller would probably be waiting to go on air. They would probably be hearing the station output on their telephone. Other common states are Ringing (meaning that an inbound or outbound call is yet to be answered), and Connected (meaning that the call is on a device).
Name
Solo has comprehensive databases built into the system. This means that when a call arrives in the system, if it is from a known phone number (using Caller ID) then Solo will present on screen the caller name associated with that number if one is known. If not, the system will display the phone number of the calling entity. If no CLI information is given by the caller then „WITHHELD‟ will be displayed instead. In cases where the caller is not known to the Solo system a name may be entered manually.
Location
In a similar way to the Name information presentation, Solo will also display a Location for the caller if one is known. If one is not known but CLI is present, then Solo will use its look-up database of area codes and will display the nearest locality it can match to the telephone number. Again, Location information can be entered manually.
Point
The Point field is used to provide a brief description of what the caller wants to say so that producers and presenters are aware of each caller‟s angle before they take the call.
Call Duration Timer
The Call Duration Timer is the total time that the call has been present in the PhoneBOX system. This timer does not reset when the call changes state.
Call Control
Dialling a Call
The simplest way to dial a call in Solo is as follows:
- Highlight the device on which you wish to dial from. The yellow block will confirm you have made it the Active Device.
- Click on an empty line
- The Dial dialogue box appears. Enter the number you wish to dial
- Click the 'Dial' button at the bottom of the Dial dialogue box
- Solo will make the call on the line you chose
Placing a Call on Hold
To take a call that is already on a device, and place that call on hold, simply click on the LineBox of the line in question. The Line Box will turn light green.
The example below shows Line 1 is ringing, Line 5 is routed to a device and Line 6 is on hold.
Answering a Call
A ringing call in the PhoneBOX2 system will flash yellow on screen as shown below.
In situations where the caller is sending CLI information, the caller‟s phone number be displayed as shown above. If the caller is already known to the Solo database then the caller‟s name will be shown in place of the phone number.
To answer a ringing call:
- Choose the device on which you wish to answer the call by clicking the appropriate device.
- The yellow hi-light block will move to the device you have clicked on.
- Now, click on the Line Box of the ringing line
- That call will now be routed to your chosen device and you can answer the call.
Alternatively: - Simply click on the ringing line and it will answer on the currently active device. If you already have a caller on this device it will automatically hang up (if in “Dump Mode”) or automatically park the first caller.
Terminating a Call
Should a caller hangup at the remote end then the call will automatically disappear from the Solo screen (you may experience a slight delay if using analogue lines).
If you wish to terminate a call from Solo, do the following:
- Click on the Drop Call button on the Telephony tool bar
- This will turn your mouse pointer into an icon similar to the Drop Call button itself
- Move the mouse to the LineBox of the line you wish to Drop the call from
- Click that line. The call will drop.
Dump mode
When “Dump Mode” is selected on the Telephony Tool bar Active calls will automatically be dropped when a new call is taken on the same device.
Routing a Call
Routing describes the sending of a call that is on hold, and placing it on a device.
To route a call that is holding, simply click on a device to make it active, then click the Line Box for the line you wish to route. Both the Line Box and the active device will then display the same colour, that of the active device.
Editing function
As each call is completed and dropped a temporary recorded audio file is kept, indicated by a record icon on the device on which it was routed.
Selecting the record icon opens the record window (which follows) which gives you the opportunity to edit the call and save it to file for future use. Additionally you are able to isolate each side of the call if required. If you do not which to save the call the next call routed to this device will overwrite this file.
Minimizing the screen
Whilst Solo is running you have the ability to minimize the screen to a docked tool bar, allowing you to use the same computer to say, browse the internet, whilst still answering and routing calls. The following image shows the docked tool bar.
Keyboard shortcuts
- 1 - Answer to selected device
- F2 - Dial on selected device
- F3 - Toggle 'dump mode'
- F9 - Drop call on selected device
- F10 - Hold call on selected device
Keyboard shortcuts in editor
- Space or P - Play/Pause
- S - Stop
- Plus/Minus - Zoom in/out
- Zero - Zoom full
- Insert/Delete - Insert/Remove marker
- Ctrl-Z - Undo
- Ctrl-S - Save