Configuring queue's contact management settings

You must have rights to modify queues or to create queues. In Opt-In IVR Settings, you must have at least viewing rights for custom IVRs to be able to select the Opt-In IVR Number.

You use this procedure to configure settings related to calls, e-mails, and chat requests.

On the System Configurator main screen, choose Queue Management > Queues.
Search for the queue whose settings you want to configure.

The search result list appears.
Choose the queue by double-clicking it.
Choose Contact Management.

Configure the settings according to the following tables.

The settings that are marked with an asterisk (*) are typically defined for the channel, see Configuring Channel Settings. An empty field or the option Not Defined here in the queue settings means that it follows the channel setting. If you define the value here for a queue, it overwrites the channel setting for that specific queue.

Technical Names may be required when importing or exporting configuration.

Table 1. General contact management settings for queues
Queue Type	Field and Technical Name	Function
Phone, e-mail, and chat	Priority In earlier versions, this field was called Target Answering Time. Priority	Enter a value that defines how quickly the contact should be answered in regards to other contacts (the lowest value has the highest priority). For example, queue A has the priority value 5 and queue B has the value 10. The calls from queue A are allocated first. You can also adjust the priority of a contact at the channel level with the setting Importance of Contact Waiting Time. For more information, see Priority.
Phone, e-mail, and chat	Queue Size QueueLength	Enter the number of inbound contacts allowed in this queue. 0, or a negative value, means that the number of contacts is not limited. The default value is -1, the size is not limited. Note: Contacts that are being allocated to agents are not counted to the queue size. For example, if the queue size is configured to be 3 and there are already 3 contacts being allocated to agents, a new contact is allowed to enter the queue. The background color in the queue list in the end-user application changes according to the defined static queue capacity: Green There is at least one contact in the queue. Yellow Over half of the queue capacity has been used. Red The queue is full.
Phone, e-mail, and chat	Timeout for Contacts to be Picked or Rejected * MaxPickTimeout	Enter a time to define how long a conversation is being offered in Communication Panel. For chat and email on both channel and queue levels, the default value is 120000 (2 minutes). For phone on both channel and queue levels, the default and maximum value is 60000 (1 minute). The queue-level value must be less than the one defined for the channel. Automatic Not Ready Status in Communication Panel To change the agent status to not ready when the defined time has elapsed if the agent hasn't responded to the offering with the Accept or Reject buttons, define the following settings: Timeout for Contacts to be Picked or Rejected in Queue Management > Queues > Contact Management Activate Not Ready After No Response in Queue Management > Queues > Client Settings Number of Offerings Before Activating Not Ready in User and Role Management > User Settings Template > Communication Panel Settings
Phone	Early Queuing EarlyQueuing	To activate early queuing in this queue, select this option. The function must be enabled in advanced signaling settings in Call Switching > Global Switching Settings.
Phone, e-mail, and chat	Clear Old Skills ClearOldSkills	Select this option if you want that the skill values are cleared if a call comes from another queue with required skills attached.
Phone, e-mail, and chat	Block Rejected Contact from Agent * IfNoAnsAddToRejNbrs	Choose from the following options whether an auto-allocated queue contact can be re-allocated to the agent, who has rejected the contact or who did not pick it before either Timeout for Contacts to be Picked or Rejected or Answer Timeout for Queue Contacts expired. If a contact is forwarded into another queue, the contact can be allocated to the same agent again. Yes: The contact is not offered to the same agent again from this queue. Never: The contact can be offered to the same agent several times. No Blocking if Contact Redirected after Max Waiting Time: Depends if the queue forwarding options Forward if All Agents Have Absence Profile or Are Logged Off from Queue or Forward if Allocating Is Not Possible Immediately is in use: If one of the above mentioned queue forwarding options is not in use, behaves as Never. If one of the above mentioned queue forwarding options is in use, behaves as Yes. For e-mails you can only set the blocking on or off.
Chat	Timeout for Idle Chats	Enter a value to define how soon idle chats are removed. A chat is considered idle when there is no active text or video session in progress. The minimum value is 3 minutes and the maximum is 1 day. The default value is 10 minutes. You can configure that when the defined time is reached the Disconnection Message prompt is sent to the customer. For more information, see Creating prompts.
Chat	Warning Time for Idle Session	Define a time after which a prompt message is sent to inform the customer that the chat has been idle and will be disconnected when the time you defined for Timeout for Idle Chats is reached. Use the prompt type Idle Session Warning Message and the variables Idle Session Duration and Warning Time for Disconnection. For more information, see Creating prompts.
Chat	Busy During Wrap-Up * BusyWhenWrapUp	Select this option if you want the a chat session in the wrap-up mode is considered as an active chat session and counted to the Maximum Number of Chat Sessions value defined in User and Role Management > User Settings Template > Contact Settings. example: The setting Busy During Wrap-Up is enabled either at the channel or queue level. The Maximum Number of Chat Sessions value is 3, and an agent has two active chat sessions and one in the wrap-up mode. The agent is not offered a new chat request until the chat session in the wrap-up mode is handled. This setting also applies to outbound chats.
Phone	Number of Agents Affect Queue Size * QueueLenSlope	Enter the value to define how the number of available agents affects the maximum size of the queue. que len = max que len + (QueueLenSlope x available opers) max que len means the queue size defined in the queue configuration. The value for this setting can be one of the following: x = 0 -> No effect (the configured static queue size). x is greater than 0 -> More agents, longer queue. x = 1 -> One additional agent means one more queue place. x is smaller than 0 -> More agents, shorter queue. The default value is 0.0.
E-mail	Allow Other Contacts When E-Mail Open OverrideEmails	Select this option if you want that agents can receive other contacts although they have opened a queue e-mail. To define if a user can receive other contacts when creating a new e-mail (that is not assigned to any queue yet), use Keep User Free When Writing New E-Mail for a user directly or via a user template, see Configuring Contact Settings. If you route ECF tasks (type xri) to your system, select this option if you want to use multi-contact allocation. For user-related ECF task settings, see Configuring Contact Settings.
E-mail	Extra Data Included When E-Mail Allocated * ExtraDataWhenAllocated	Enter a comma-separated list of field names (for example Language, Skills, or any custom key-value pair to define host application specific data added in the Task Management Interface, TMI) that are sent to the user interface when an e-mail is allocated to an agent. This setting is used with Embedded Communications Framework (ECF) and is also available in the channel view: System Management > Channels > E-Mail Channel > Extra Data Settings.
Phone and chat	Max. Waiting Time for Preferred Agent * MaxPrefOperWait	Define how long the system waits for the preferred agent to be available before it allocates the conversation to another agent. The function is automatically enabled. Calls The default value is 10 seconds. For example, the preferred agent can be the last agent who answered the call. This is useful when a blind transfer fails and the call comes back to the queue. Then the system tries to reallocate the call to the same agent if the agent is potentially available: Logged in and not logging out Serving in the queue No absence type profile active No ongoing outbound campaign call Not being offered another conversation (allocated but not yet accepted) Have another connected conversation or the agent's status is Not Ready In the hunt group mode, another agent is still able to take the call before this time has elapsed. Note that the function works only in a call transfer during one call event. Social chats The default value is 2 minutes. A social chat will have a preferred agent in Communication Panel's Picklist if the chat starts waiting for the preferred agent to become available. This happens when the chat is registered to the queue and the preferred agent is potentially available: Logged in and not logging out Serving in the queue No absence type profile active No ongoing outbound campaign call Not being offered another conversation (allocated but not yet accepted) Have another connected conversation or the agent's status is Not Ready In other cases, the conversation is either allocated to the preferred agent directly or allocated to any available agent. If the queue setting Allow Picking Chats from Preferred/Required Agents is selected, other Communication Panel agents can pick the chat before the waiting time has elapsed.
Chat	Allow Picking Chats from Preferred/Required Agents	Select this option if you want that also Communication Panel agents who are not preferred or required agents of a social chat can pick it.
Phone	Reference Timestamp for Calculating Queuing Time * QueUseEntryTime	Choose the timestamp to be used for calculating call priorities. The priority affects call allocation, see Allocation Priority Calculations. The default value is Call Enters Contact Center 1st Time. Call Enters Contact Center 1st Time: Queuing time starts when the call enters the contact center application for the first time. The Welcome and Prewelcome messages are included. If the call is transferred from a queue or application to another (for example from the contact center to an IVR), the time is not reset. CEM Receives Call Information: Queuing time starts when CEM Server gets the CALL_COMING message. If the call is transferred from a queue or application to another (for example from the contact center to an IVR), the time is not reset. Call’s Last Entry to Contact Center: Queuing time starts when the call enters the contact center for the latest time. The Welcome and Prewelcome messages are included. If the call is transferred from a queue or application to another (for example from the contact center to an IVR), the time is reset. Call Enters Queue: Queuing time starts when the call enters the current queue or application for the latest time. The Welcome and Prewelcome messages are not included.
Phone	Queues Used for Long-Term Waiting Time QueLWTDDependencies	Enter a value to define what other queues are taken into account when the software uses the LEARNEDWAIT algorithm for calculating the estimated average waiting time in a queue (a so-called long-term average). In this case, the previous waiting times in the queue affect the calculation. Use this setting if you want that also the number of calls and agents in certain queues affect the calculation. Enter a comma-separated list of queues. We recommend that the maximum number of these queues is two.
Phone	Original Source Number Shown to External Agents and MTD Devices ExtAgentShowCaller	Choose if the original call number is shown to external agents. The choice Not Defined means that this queue setting follows the voice channel setting. This is an operator-specific function and is supported by certain hardware only.

To define Recording-related contact settings, configure the settings according to the following table.

Table 2. Recording
Channel Type	Field	Function
Phone	Record Queue Calls ServerRecording	Select this option if you want to activate recording of the queue calls. Note: When queue calls are recorded, the recording continues even if the call is transferred to an external number. You can select this option at any time but if the system-wide recording mode is Disabled, no queue recordings are created.
Phone	Recording Behavior with Consents	Select how customer consents are used in recording: Ignore Consents: Customer consents (the ones asked for a current call with an IVR, nor the ones saved in database earlier, or imported from an external system) do not affect recording. The default value. Ask For and Follow Customer Consent: If customer consent is not found in database, it is asked with an IVR. Calls are recorded only if there is a customer consent to record the call.
Phone	Consent IVR Number	Select or enter either the built-in consent IVR number defined in System Services > Recording Settings (Consent IVR block) or the custom IVR number defined in IVR Management.

To define Forwarding settings, configure the settings according to the following table.

Table 3. Forwarding settings for queues
Queue Type	Field	Function
Phone, e-mail, and chat	Extension for Default Queue DefaultQueue	Choose how conversations are handled if they cannot be answered, that is, when the situation defined in the Forwarding Options field has occurred. Calls The following options are available Forwarded to voicemail (VOICEMAIL) Disconnected (CALLDISCONNECT) Disconnected and the busy sound played (CALLDISCONNECTBUSY) Forwarded to some other queue extension. If you choose this, choose also the queue extension. If the extension is not defined, calls will be disconnected. Note: If you have defined a voicemail number for the queue but you leave the extension for default queue empty, calls are automatically forwarded to the voicemail after the maximum waiting time or the maximum queue size has been exceeded. Chats and Emails For chat and email queues only the option Choose Queue Extension is supported. Choose also the queue extension. If this is not defined, chats will be disconnected.
Phone, e-mail, and chat	Max. Waiting Time MaxWaitTimeInQueue	Enter the maximum time a contact is allowed to wait in a queue before it is forwarded to the next optional destination. The default value is 3 hours (= 180 minutes = 10 800 seconds). If the Extension for Default Queue value is not defined, the call or chat in queue is disconnected after this time. E-mails will stay in queue even though Extension for Default Queue is not defined. For callback queues, it is recommended to define Max. Waiting Time value to be for example 24 hours (=1 440 minutes = 86 400 seconds). Once this time has elapsed, the callback request will be recreated to a queue by CEM Server (the counter starts from zero although recreated callback request keeps its position in a queue). The system default value Call Enters the Contact Center 1st Time for the setting Reference Timestamp for Calculating Queuing Time must be used for these queues in order for callback calls to preserve their position in the queue in case they are redialed. Redialing may occur for example due to the maximum waiting time of the callback queue being elapsed.
Phone, e-mail, and chat	Forwarding Options QueueFullIfNoDest	The option Forward when Maximum Waiting Time Has Elapsed (MaxWaitingTime) is automatically chosen. The contact is forwarded to the default queue when the time entered in the Max. Waiting Time field has passed. For calls and chats there are additionally options: Forward if All Agents Have Absence Profile or Are Logged Off from Queue NoServingAgents: A contact is forwarded immediately if there are no agents serving in the queue (agents have an absence profile or there are no agents logged on to the queue). Forward if Allocating Is Not Possible Immediately NoFreeAgents: A contact is forwarded immediately if there are no free agents available (agents have active contacts, they have an absence profile, or there are no agents logged on to the queue). Note: If the Extension for Default Queue is not defined, a call or a chat will be disconnected when the selected option occurs.
Phone	Forwarding Number When Service Closed ForwardOnServiceClosed	Choose how calls are handled when the service is closed by choosing the edit icon. Make sure you configure this for the overflow queues, that is, the ones that are defined as Extension for Default Queue, and Routing to Closed Overflow Queue is allowed. Calls can be Forwarded to voicemail (VOICEMAIL) Forwarded to some other queue number ([queue number]) Forwarded to an external number Disconnected (CALLDISCONNECT) Disconnected and the busy sound played (CALLDISCONNECTBUSY).
Phone	Routing to Closed Overflow Queue LetScheduleClosed	Choose if a call can be forwarded to an overflow queue even if the overflow queue is closed according to its schedule. If you allow this, make sure that in the overflow queue there is something defined in the previous setting Forwarding Number When Service Closed. The choice Not Defined means that this queue setting follows the voice channel setting.
Phone	DTMF Character for Forwarding * LeaveVoiceMessageChar	Enter the DTMF character that allows a caller in a queue to enter to the voicemail service for leaving a message or to be forwarded in another predefined way. You must activate the setting Transfer to Voicemail if Queue Is Full (in System Services > Voicemail Settings) to enable the forwarding to voicemail. The default value is the pound (#) key.
Phone	Forwarding Number after DTMF Character ForwardOnUserInput	Choose how calls are handled when the defined DTMF character (for example the # key) is pressed by choosing the edit icon. Calls can be Forwarded to voicemail (VOICEMAIL) Forwarded to some other queue number ([queue number]) Forwarded to an external number Disconnected (CALLDISCONNECT) Disconnected and the busy sound played (CALLDISCONNECTBUSY).
Phone, e-mail, and chat	Forwarding Destination for Scheduled Queue Close ForwardOnServiceClosing	Enter a queue number or address where the contacts waiting in a queue are forwarded when the queue will be closed by a schedule. Forwarding to external numbers (such as mobile phone) is not supported. Waiting contacts can be moved from a queue to another also by executing a SQL procedure manually.
Phone	Callback Queue Number QCBQueueNumber	Enter the number of the queue where the callback requests are handled. This number must already exist in the system.
Phone	Enable Instant Forwarding ForwardEnabled	Select this option if you want that contacts are forwarded. When you select this option, contacts are immediately forwarded.
Phone	Instant Forwarding Number ForwardNumber	Enter a number (internal or external) to where calls are forwarded when you have selected the Enable Instant Forwarding option. Or, choose the edit icon to define the forwarding action. Calls can be Forwarded to voicemail (VOICEMAIL) Forwarded to some other queue number ([queue number]) Forwarded to an external number Disconnected (CALLDISCONNECT) Disconnected and the busy sound played (CALLDISCONNECTBUSY).

To define transferring options on the queue level, configure the following settings.

Table 4. Transfer settings for queues
Queue Type	Field	Function
Phone	Enable Transfer-On-Hold When Busy * HoldTransferWhenBusy	Choose whether an agent can receive another call immediately after transferring an active call to a mobile phone or to an external number. In a normal situation, no calls are offered to the agent when this type of a target number is busy. This option has effect only if the transfer-on-hold method is in use.
Phone	Timeout for Transfer-On-Hold * HoldTransferTimeout	Enter the timeout for calls that are not answered. This is only useful if the transfer-on-hold method is in use. If the call is not answered within the defined time, the call is considered as failed and CEM informs the Communication Desktop (CDT) application that there was no answer. If the user wants to try the transfer again, the attempt must be repeated manually. The default value is 3600 seconds.
Phone	Enable Join Transfer * UseJoinTransfer	For advanced use only. Choose whether an alternative call transfer method is in use. In this case, CEM keeps the original call to the first destination waiting and initiates a new call to the second destination. These two calls are not connected until the new call to the second destination is successfully connected.
Phone	Timeout for Join Transfer * JoinTransferTimeout	For advanced use only. Enter the timeout for calls to be connected to an external number. See the Enable Join Transfer option. The default value is 30 seconds.
Phone	Enable Barring of Internal Transfers UseInternalTransferBarring	By default, internal transfers are not barred in a location that is used as a barring group. To enable barring internal transfers as well, select this option.

To use Opt-In function in your system, configure the settings according to the following table. Opt-In enables asking the customer for permission to make a survey with the Survey IVR.

Table 5. Opt-in IVR settings for queues
Queue Type	Field	Function
Phone	Activate Opt-In IVR OptInActivate	To activate the Opt-in, select this option.
Phone	Opt-In IVR Number OptInNumber	Choose the IVR number for the Opt-in IVR. The list consists of available custom-made IVR numbers that are defined in IVR Management.

To define that contacts or agents on the same CEM have higher priority, configure the settings according to the following table.

Table 6. Weight value settings
Queue Type	Field	Function
Phone, e-mail, and chat	Importance of Contact When on Same CEM as Agent* QuePriorityWeightLocalCall	Typically, this does not concern Sinch Contact Pro cloud. Choose a value to define the importance of a contact when the contact is on the same CEM as an agent. The default value 1.00 which means that all contacts on different CEMs have the same priority. A bigger value than 1 means that the contact on the same CEM is more important.
Phone, e-mail, and chat	Importance of Agent When on Same CEM as Contact* QuePriorityWeightLocalOper	Typically, this does not concern Sinch Contact Pro cloud. Choose a value to define the importance of an agent when the agent is on the same CEM as a contact. The default value 1.00 which means that all agents on different CEMs have the same priority. A bigger value than 1 means that the agent on the same CEM is more important.

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