Configuring Channel Settings

You need rights to modify the channel you configure (voice, e-mail, or chat).

The defined settings are inherited from the channel level to the queue level. You can also define some of the channel settings at the queue level. These settings are marked with an asterisk (*) in the queue settings. An empty field or the option Not Defined in the queue settings means that the setting follows the channel setting. If you define the value at the queue level, it overrides the channel setting for this queue.

On the System Configurator main screen, choose System Management > Channels.
Choose the channel.

Configure the settings according to the following tables. The tables below refer to parameter groups that may appear in different order on the user interface for different channels (voice, e-mail and chat).

Table 1. Contact Management Settings
Channel Type	Field	Function
Voice	Use Early Queuing	To activate early queuing in the voice channel, select this option. The function must be enabled in Advanced Settings in Call Switching > Global Switching Settings.
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Timeout for Contacts to be Picked or Rejected	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
Voice	Non-Autom. Connection	Optional for advanced use: enter a comma-separated list of commands which do not cause the call to be connected when Early Queuing is in use. Possible commands are CALL_TRANSFER, CALL_JOIN, and GENERATE_DTMF.
Voice	DTMF Character for Forwarding	Enter the DTMF character that allows callers in a queue to be transferred to a voicemail or to be transferred in another predefined way. The default value is the pound (#) key. You can transfer callers to the voicemail in the following ways: By selecting the Transfer to Voicemail if Queue Is Full option in System Services > Voicemail Settings By choosing VOICEMAIL for the Forwarding Number after DTMF Character field in Queue Management > Queues > Contact Management > Forwarding
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Number of Agents Affect Queue Size	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	Max. Number of Unhandled E-Mails	Enter the number to define how many unallocated e-mails there can be before CEM stops reading new e-mails from the mail server. The default value is 2000.
Voice	Allow Routing to Closed Overflow Queue	Select this option if you want that calls can be routed to an overflow queue even when the overflow queue is closed according to a schedule. Usually calls are never routed to closed queues but in some cases, you may want the callers to hear the ServiceClosed prompt file.
Voice	Reference Timestamp for Calculating Queueing Time	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.
Voice	Show Original Source Number to External Agents and MTD Devices	Select this option if you want that external agents see the original external source number when a call is transferred from a queue. This is an operator-specific function and is supported by certain hardware only.
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Block Rejected Contact from Agent	For voice and chat channels: 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. Note that if a contact is forwarded into another queue, the contact can be allocated to the same agent again. Yes: Blocks all re-allocations from the 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 none of the above mentioned queue forwarding options is in use, behaves as Never. If one of the above mentioned queue forwarding options is in use, behaves as Yes. For e-mail channel: To block all re-allocations the queue, select the checkbox. By default, this option is not selected.
Chat	Use preferred or required agent	Define whether chat conversations should be offered to agents that have previously handled the conversations from the customer. This means that they have been preferred agent or required agent for the chat conversation.
Chat	Max. number of required agents	Define the number of agents who have previously been required agent for the chat conversation. The default value is 1 and the maximum is 6.
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	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.
Voice and chat	Max. Waiting Time for Preferred Agent	Define how long the system waits for the preferred agent to be available before it allocates the conversation to another agent. 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. 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 logged in and not logging out. is serving in the associated chat queue. doesn't have an absence type profile active. isn't serving in a campaign. isn't being offered another conversation (allocated but not yet accepted). has another connected conversation or the agent's status is Not Ready. In other cases, the chat 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.
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Skill Expiry Time	Enter a value to define how long time a skill requirement is valid. After this expiry time the contact can be allocated also to other agents if there has not been any agents available with the required skill level. The other option is to use skill reduction, see Defining Skill Reduction Values. The default expiry times are: For phone calls: 10 minutes For e-mails: 1 week For chat contacts: 10 minutes
E-mail and chat	Default Expiry Time for Required Agent	Enter a value to define how long the Required Agent requirement is valid. After this expiry time the contact can be allocated also to other agents if the required agent has not been available. The default value for emails is 1 week.

Table 2. Transfer Settings
Channel Type	Field	Function
This group is for voice channel only.
Voice	Enable Transfer-On-Hold When Busy	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.
Voice	Timeout for Transfer-On-Hold	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 Panel (CP) 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.
Voice	Enable Join Transfer	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.
Voice	Timeout for Join Transfer	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.
Voice	Enable Barring of Internal Transfers	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.
Voice	Use preferred agent in transfers	By default, the preferred agent function in call transfers is used. In addition to queue calls, this setting also affects direct calls, both incoming and outgoing and calls that are transferred using custom IVRs. By default, custom IVRs keep the preferred agent information. If you don't want to use preferred agent when a call is transferred, deselect this option. Note that even when this setting is deselected and the transfer fails, the call is offered to the agent who transferred the call if the agent is available.

Table 3. Reporting and Monitoring Settings
Channel Type	Field	Function
Voice, e-mail, and chat	False-Attempt Limit	Enter the threshold time limit that determines if a contact was a false attempt (not abandoned). Affects Service Level calculation, see below. The default values are as follows: For phone queues: 5 seconds For e-mail queues: 0 (not in use) For chat queues: 30 seconds
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Answered-on-Time Limit	Enter the time limit that determines if a contact was answered on time. Affects Service Level calculation, see below. The default values are as follows: For phone queues: 20 seconds For e-mail queues: 60 minutes (1 hour) For chat queues: 60 seconds (1 minute)
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Max. Handling Time	For advanced use only. Enter the maximum value used in the reporting. If a contact’s handling time exceeds this time, the contact is not included in reporting but it is listed as an exception in Data Transformation Engine (DTE) Reporting. The default values are as follows: For phone queues: 10 hours For e-mail queues: 30 days For chat queues: 4 hours
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Max. Waiting Time	For advanced use only. Enter the maximum value used in reporting. If a contact’s waiting time exceeds this time, the contact is not included in reporting but it is listed as an exception in Data Transformation Engine (DTE) Reporting. The default values are as follows: For phone queues: 1 hour For e-mail queues: 30 days For chat queues: 2 hours

Service level of a contact center or a specific queue is calculated as percentage of contacts answered-on-time of arrived contacts, false attempts are not included, SL = 100% x calls answered on time / (arrived calls-false attempts).

Table 4. E-Mail Settings
Field	Function
When Replying to Emails	Select what you want Communication Panel to do when replying to emails: Keep Email Chain (Default) Remove Email Chain Show User an Option to Keep or Remove Email Chain: The agent can select if they want to include the email chain when replying.
Time Limit for Accepting E-Mails	Define the time an agent has to accept allocated conversations from the email channel. If the agent does not accept within the time limit, the conversation is returned to the queue. If you change the value, it does not affect conversations that have been already allocated. Values are as follows: 0 = not in use 1 = a week This is the default value. Other numeric values are interpreted as seconds. The time limit value is based on a schedule time. For example, if the limit value is 1 week and the queue is open from 09:00 to 17:00, the limit is not reached after 1 week because the time the queue is closed is not calculated into the limit value. In advanced use, the parameter can also refer to an external SOAP, COM or Python call. For more information, contact Sinch.
Customer Information	Enter a value to define how the external customer info should be determined. In advanced use, the parameter can also refer to an external SOAP, COM or Python call. For more information, contact Sinch
Use Required Agent Instead of Preferred Agent	To use the required agent function instead of the preferred agent function, select this option.
Default Expiry Time for Required Agent	Define how long the required agent requirement is valid. After the required agent requirement has expired, the conversation can also be allocated to other agents. The default value is 1 week.
Preferred Agent	To prefer the agent that has been in the related email conversation before, use the value 1. To allocate the email for the first appropriate agent, use the value 0. Other values are reserved for customized use. In advanced use, the parameter can also refer to an external SOAP, COM or Python call. For more information, contact Sinch.
Block E-Mail from Addresses	Enter a comma-separated list of addresses and names you want CEM to filter out. This means that e-mails from these persons are blocked. By default, this kind of spam filter is not used. In advanced use, the parameter can also refer to an external SOAP, COM or Python call. For more information, contact Sinch.
Language Definition Method	Enter a custom method name for setting the e-mail language. By default, the queue or extension language is used. In advanced use, the parameter can also refer to an external SOAP, COM or Python call. For more information, contact Sinch.
Old E-Mails Deleted After (d)	Enter the number of days after which CEM removes e-mails from the Received folder on the IMAP mail server. The default value is -1, which means that the setting is not in use.
Priority Definition Method	We recommend defining e-mail priorities with keywords instead of using this option, see Creating email keyword rules. In advanced use, it is possible to set the e-mail priority with a custom method. By default, the queue or extension priority is used. The parameter can also refer to an external SOAP, COM or Python call. For more information, contact Sinch.

Table 5. Advanced Settings
Channel Type	Field	Function
Voice	Delayed Acceptance Time	Enter the time that Call Dispatcher (CD) delays the sending of `CALL_ACCEPT`.
Voice	Display Original External Source Number	Select this option if you want that CEM attempts to display the original external source number (A number) when it transfers a call from a queue to an external number. Normally it displays the queue number as the source number. The R number is an operator-specific function and requires a special hardware configuration. For more information, contact Sinch.
Voice	Indicate if Original External Source Number Is Unknown	Select this option if you want that CEM indicates whether the original external source number (A number) is unknown when CEM transfers a call from a queue to an external number. Normally it displays the queue number as the source number. An unknown number means that the A number is hidden (CLIR, Calling Line Identification Restriction, is used).
E-mail	Find E-Mail Address of Sender	For advanced use only. Select this option if you want that the software tries to find the address of the real sender of the e-mail (for example from the e-mail body text). This setting has no default CEM action since it can also refer to an external SOAP, COM or Python call only. Even when the option is selected, CEM uses the sender of the e-mail. By default, the option is not selected.
E-mail	Find Name of E-Mail Sender	For advanced use only. Select this option if you want that the software tries to find the name of the real sender of the e-mail (for example from the e-mail body text). This setting has no default CEM action since it can also refer to an external SOAP, COM or Python call only. Even when the option is selected, CEM uses the sender of the e-mail. By default, the option is not selected.

Table 6. Extra Data Settings
Channel Type	Field	Function
E-mail	Extra Data Included When E-Mail Allocated	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 Task Management Interface) that are sent to the user interface when an email is allocated to an agent. This setting is also available in the queue view at Queue Management > Queues when you select an email queue and open the Contact Management block. Note: This setting is also available for queues but we recommend using the setting for the channel.
Voice	Extra Data Included When Allocating Calls	Enter a comma-separated list of field names (for example CallerID, IVRInfo, Skills, Language, Class, CallGUID, ExternalData) that are sent to the user interface when a call is allocated to an agent. The data may contain information collected by an IVR application and items like call GUID, skills, language, and so on. This data can be used by ClientCOM or JavaScript customizations.
Voice	Extra Data Included in Outbound Calls	Enter a comma-separated list of field names that are sent with outbound calls, transferred calls, and consultation calls. The following fields are always automatically sent with consultation calls: FirstANumber, FirstBNumber, FirstAName, FirstBName, CALL_ID, CallGUID, CallReason. The default value is "" (only the default fields are sent). Note: To pass this information to external number, define the settings Call Switching > Trunks > Call Attached Data (CAD), see Managing Trunks.
Voice	Extra Data Included When Connecting Calls	Enter a comma-separated list of field names (for example CallerID, IVRInfo, Skills, Language, Class, CallGUID, ExternalData) that are sent to the user interface when a call is connected. The data may contain information collected by an IVR application and items like call GUID, skills, language, and so on. This data can be used by ClientCOM or JavaScript customizations.
Voice	Extra Data Included When Supervising Calls	This setting does not apply to Sinch Contact Pro cloud.
Voice	Extra Data Included When Completing Consultation Calls	Enter a comma-separated list of field names (for example CallerID, IVRInfo, Skills, Language, Class, CallGUID, ExternalData) that are sent to the user interface when a consultation call is completed. The data may contain information collected by an IVR application and items like call GUID, skills, language, and so on. This data can be used by ClientCOM or JavaScript customizations.
Voice, chat, and email	Extra Data Included in Statistics	Enter a comma-separated list of field names you want to store in the database and to be visible in the History view of Communication Panel and in reports. Note the following about this setting: It is not recommended to store data that would include sensitive data. If this setting is empty, nothing is saved. For chats: Using the asterisk (*) saves all extra data. Extra data must be included before the chat conversation is answered by an agent. Name and email are removed from the attached data. Extra data is not stored if the chat is not allocated to an agent; it is considered as an abandoned conversation. Users need Statistic Details rights to view extra data in Communication Panel. Note: For emails, this setting is also available for queues but we recommend using the setting for the channel.

Table 7. Weight Value Settings
Channel Type	Field	Function
Note: To increase the importance of a parameter, set the weight value above 1, and to decrease the importance, set the value from 0 to 1. When you adjust weight value settings take into consideration other parameters that affect allocation. For example, if you use skills in your system and you use the value 20 for Importance of Contact Waiting Time, the importance of the contact’s waiting time increases so much that skills are practically ignored. See Allocation Priority Calculations. For more information, see Priority.
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Importance of Contact Waiting Time	Enter a value to define how important the contact’s waiting time is when selecting a next contact for a free agent. The default value is 1.
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Importance of Agent's Waiting Time	Enter a value to define how important the agent’s waiting time is when selecting an agent for a contact. The default value is 1. This setting has an effect only if there are two or more agents available. You can also use Target Time for Agents with Low Skill Levels in Miscellaneous Settings for adjusting the similar setting.
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Importance of Agent Priority	Enter a value to define how important the agent priority is when selecting an agent for a contact or a contact for an agent. A greater value than 1 increases importance, and a value smaller than 1 decreases the importance. The default value is 1.
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Importance of Skill Matching	Enter a value to define how important the skill matching is when selecting an agent for a contact or a contact for an agent. The default value is 1.
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Importance of Contact When on Same CEM as Agent	Note: 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 greater value than 1 means that the contact on the same CEM is more important. This setting can also be defined at the queue level.
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Importance of Agent When on Same CEM as Contact	Note: 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 greater value than 1 means that the agent on the same CEM is more important. This setting can also be defined at the queue level.

For more information about how priority values can be used in the system, see Priority.

Table 8. Recording
Channel Type	Field	Function
Voice	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. If you select this option on the channel level, consent question is asked in all inbound calls, both direct and queue calls, assuming that proper prompts are added, and the IVR number defined. For more information, see Consent IVRs.
Voice	Consent IVR Number	Select or enter either the built-in consent IVR number defined in System Services > Recording Settings > Consent IVR, or the custom IVR number defined in IVR Management. This consent IVR is then used for all phone queues in the system, unless a queue-specific value is defined. This number can be defined for the entire system on the channel level though the consent IVR is used only in queue calls, or some specific queues. In that case choose Ignore Consents on the channel level, and the option Ask For and Follow Customer Consent in a queue's contact management.

Table 9. Miscellaneous Settings
Channel Type	Field	Function
E-mail	Send Autom. Reply Only on First Allocation	Select this option if you want that the first allocation triggers an automatic reply if an e-mail is allocated several times.
E-mail	Max. Number of Unhandled E-Mails per Agent	Enter a value to define how many unhandled pending e-mails an agent can have in the channels controlled by CEM. The default value is 50. All active e-mails must have the Pending status in the Communication Panel (CP) application before CEM allocates more e-mails to an agent.
Voice	Max. Number of Allowed External Call Loops	Enter the maximum number of allowed external call loops. For example, you call agent A that has a direct transfer to number B. Then there is a call transfer to number C, and again there is a transfer back to the A number that has a direct transfer to number B, and so on. If the number of loops (calls from the same A number to the same B number, and forwarded to the same C number) is greater that the value of this setting during the time defined with the Timeout for Allowed External Call Loops setting, the extra calls are disconnected. The C number must be a direct number. The default value is 4.
Voice	Timeout for Allowed External Call Loops	The default value is 60000 milliseconds.
Voice	No. of Queue Calls Sent to and Displayed on Virtual Phone	Note: This setting is related to hunt group queues which are not supported in Sinch Contact Pro.
Voice	Ringing Time for Agent's Direct Queue when Agent Busy	Enter the ringing time used in the agent’s direct queue instead of the normal ringing time.
Voice	Timeout for Virtual Channel	Enter the time for a timeout. If the connection to a terminal client or to the module that controls external terminals is disconnected unexpectedly, the session of the disconnected client is put to a paused status. If the connection is not restored during the timeout, the system forces an agent to log out. The default value is 120000 milliseconds.
Voice	Unavailability Time During Transfer-On-Hold	Enter a value to define how long an agent is reserved for the transfer before the next call is possible. The default value is 5 seconds.
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Target Time for Agents with Low Skill Levels	Enter a value to define how often an agent with the lowest level of skills should have contacts. This ensures that no agent is left without contacts (but if a skill requirement for the contact is 5, the contact is never allocated to an agent without the required skill). Increase the value to make this waiting time less important. The default value is 24 hours. You can also use Importance of Agent Priority in Weight Value Settings for adjusting the similar setting.
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Use Absolute Waiting Times in Skill Reduction	Select this option if you want that the defined skill reduction values are always used. Otherwise, if there are no agents with the required skill level serving in the queue, the requirement is lowered to match the highest skill level of a serving agent. For more information about skill reduction, see Defining Skill Reduction Values.
Voice, e-mail, and chat	Extend Skill Reduction	Select this option if you want that the reduction applies also to skill requirements that have not been defined for the queue. This includes skill requirements set in the previous queue or by IVR, email keywords, and requirements set via interfaces (Online Integration Interface (OII) or Task Management Interface (TMI) ). For more information about skill reduction, see Defining Skill Reduction Values.
E-mail	Timeout for Open Emails	Enter a value to define when open email channel conversations are set to the pending state. This means the conversations, both emails and tasks, that are open because the agent has signed out or the browser session is abruptly closed. The conversations are therefore automatically saved. If the agent (current conversation owner) signs back into Communication Panel before the set Timeout for Open Emails time has elapsed they can continue. If the conversation owner remains signed out and the timer elapses, the conversation is put automatically to a pending state for picking by others also. The default value for the timeout is 1 day. Note the following: Although the system looks for open email channel conversations of signed-out agents to be set to the pending state approximately every one minute, the interval can be some seconds longer due to, for example, network or database slowness. When CEM starts, the signed-out timestamp of an agent is the time the first one of the agent's conversations is registered with the routing engine. This means that at the earliest the conversation status is set to pending is after the time defined in the timeout setting added with 1,5 minutes.

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