Planning, Installation, and Problem Determination Guide
This glossary defines all terms and abbreviations used in
this publication that may be new or unfamiliar as well as previously defined
terms that you may want to look up. The terms are defined as they apply
to telephony.
This glossary includes terms and definitions from the Dictionary of
Computing, SC20-1699.
The following cross-references are used in this glossary:
Contrast with. This refers to a term that has an opposed
or substantively different meaning.
See. This refers the reader to multiple-word terms in
which this term appears.
See also. This refers the reader to terms that have a
related, but not synonymous, meaning.
Synonym for. This indicates that the term has the same
meaning as a preferred term, which is defined in the glossary.
Acronyms are defined under their expanded form.
- A
- ACD
- Automatic call distribution.
- ACD group
- A set of service representatives assigned to process incoming calls
directed to the same dialed number. The ACD feature of the switch
routes an incoming call to a member of the ACD group based on such factors as
availability of the member and length of time since the member last completed
an incoming call.
- Agent
- A call center employee whose job it is to handle incoming and outgoing
telephone calls.
- ANI
- Automatic number identification.
- application
- The use to which an information processing system is put, for example, a
payroll application, an airline reservation, a network application.
- automatic call distribution (ACD)
- A PBX feature that allows incoming calls to one dialed number to be routed
to any member of the ACD group, all of whom can provide the same service to
the calling party. Automatic call distribution enables the efficient
distribution of a high volume of incoming calls.
- automatic number identification (ANI)
- A service offered by commercial telephone networks that provides the
billing directory number associated with a calling party. This is the
telephone number of the incoming call. This information is used for
call setup activities and can be used by the CallPath Enterprise Client as a
key for retrieving data from host computer applications.
- C
- call
- An attempt by a caller to reach one or more parties by using a telephone,
whether or not the attempt is successful.
- call center
- A customer business center where initial access is by telephone.
Examples of call centers include help desks, order desks, and customer service
centers. Call center employees usually have terminals for access to
information stored in databases on host computers.
- Call Control Table (CCT)
- A series of instructions that tell the system how to handle incoming and
outgoing calls. Each instruction is referred to as a step.
- caller
- A person dialing into a call center's telephone system.
- CallPath Services
- An architecture that defines communication between a computer and a
telephone switch so that a program on the computer can monitor and influence
the actions of the switch.
- Call table
- A set of statements in the HAT file used to automatically access the host
application program each time the workstation receives a telephone
call. Call tables can also run Navigate tables.
- CCT
- see Call Control Table.
- CLID
- Caller Line ID. Synonym for ANI.
- Common User Access (CUA)
- A set of design standards providing the CallPath Enterprise Client with an
easy-to-use interface, consistent with other IBM OS/2 software
applications.
- coordinated voice and data transfer
- The CallPath Enterprise Client function where telephony data and a copy of
a host screen are sent from one agent to another when a call is
transferred.
- CUA
- Common User Access.
- D
- database
- A collection of interrelated data stored together with controlled
redundancy according to a scheme to serve one or more applications.
- DDE
- Dynamic data exchange.
- DDI
- see Direct Dialing In.
- device
- An object, such as a VRU or a telephone, that performs a specific
function.
- device driver
- A software interface that carries out the protocols necessary to enable
communication with a hardware or software device. Normally, for two
devices to communicate, they both need device drivers.
- Direct Dialing In (DDI)
- The European equivalent of DID.
- Direct Inward Dial (DID)
- A DID telephone line connects the caller directly with an inside
extension, allowing an outside caller to call an internal extension without
going through an operator.
- dialed number identification service (DNIS)
- A number supplied by the public telephone network to identify the digits
dialed. For example, two or more 1-800 numbers might both call the same
call center switch. DNIS tells the switch which of the 1-800 numbers
was actually dialed. DNIS can be used by the CallPath Enterprise Client
to automatically select between several host computer applications.
- DID
- see Direct Inward Dial.
- DNIS
- Dialed number identification service.
- DLL
- Dynamic link library.
- dynamic data exchange (DDE)
- A protocol that allows applications to exchange data on a real-time basis
by means of messages passed between windows.
- dynamic linking
- The delayed linking of a program to a routine so that the routine is not
linked until load or run time.
- dynamic link library (DLL)
- A file containing a dynamic link routine that is linked at load or run
time.
- H
- HAT development facility (HDF)
- A tool to facilitate development of CallPath Enterprise Client HAT files
by providing step-by-step guidance through an OS/2 Presentation Manager
interface.
- HAT file
- Host Application Transaction file.
- HDF
- HAT development facility
- Host Application Transaction (HAT) file
- A set of tables containing commands for interaction between the CallPath
Enterprise Client workstation and host computers. When the tables are
executed, the actions specified in the tables are carried out on the
host.
- host computer
- A computer that provides customer application and database
services. In a CallPath Enterprise Client system, the host computer can
be a System/390, System/370, Application System/400, System/36, or Personal
System/2, communicating with CallPath Enterprise Client through 3270 or 5250
emulation or by a device driver.
- I
- icon
- A graphical representation of an object, consisting of an image,
background, and label.
- intelligent answering
- Coordination of an incoming call with a computer display of information
about the call. CallPath Enterprise Client can use telephony data, such
as ANI and DNIS, to provide intelligent answering for incoming calls.
- interactive voice response (IVR)
- see voice response unit.
- JTAPI
- Java Telephony Application Program Interface
- L
- LAN
- Local area network.
- local area network (LAN)
- A data network located on the user's premises which uses serial
transmission for direct data communications among devices, such as
workstations. In a CallPath Enterprise Client installation, the
workstations, Server(s), Archive, and SwitchServer/2 all communicate over the
LAN. Host communications may also take place over the LAN.
- N
- Navigate table
- A set of statements in the HAT file used to move from one screen to
another in the host application program. A Navigate table can be
defined for each unique screen in the host application program. A
Navigate table can be used in Call tables and QuickKey tables to quickly
manipulate the host application program to go to a specific screen.
Navigate tables can only be processed through a Call table or a QuickKey
table.
- O
- operating system
- Software that controls the execution of programs on a computer.
- Operating System/2 (OS/2)
- An advanced, multitasking operating system with extensions for supporting
host computer communications, local area networks, and relational
databases. OS/2 has a CUA-compliant graphical user interface, called
Presentation Manager.
- outbound call
- A telephone call that was originated by a party associated with the local
switch and that is directed toward a remote party. In this book, it
refers to calls made by agents in the call center.
- OS/2
- Operating System/2.
- P
- PBX
- Private branch exchange.
- private branch exchange (PBX)
- A telephone switching system, located on a call center's premises,
that transmits calls to and from the public telephone network. Many
PBXs provide advanced telephony and data communication features.
- protocol
- A set of rules governing the communications between functional units, such
as device drivers.
- Q
- QuickKey
- A combination of keys, such as Alt+Q, that provides a shortcut for
executing a complex series of commands. QuickKeys are defined by the
system administrator and can be customized according to the needs of each
service representative.
- QuickKey table
- A set of statements in the HAT file used to automate complex or repetitive
functions in the host application program. When a service
representative presses a valid QuickKey combination at the keyboard, the
associated QuickKey table is executed in the HAT file.
- S
- server
- A device on a local area network that provides services to other devices
on the network. The CallPath Enterprise Client/2 Server provides
coordination of voice and data transfers to ACD queues.
- service representative
- Synonym for agent.
- session
- A logical connection between a workstation and a host computer that allows
them to communicate and exchange data. CallPath Enterprise Client
allows the workstation to have multiple sessions on one or several host
computers.
- system administrator
- An individual responsible for installing, configuring, and managing the
CallPath Enterprise Client system.
- T
- telephony
- The use or operation of systems for the transmission of voice or data
between separate points.
- V
- voice response unit (VRU)
- Hardware and software used to answer incoming calls by playing one or more
prerecorded messages. The messages usually require the caller to
provide additional information by pressing the push buttons on a telephone
keypad. The sequence of messages played may be determined dynamically
by this additional input. A VRU can be used with CallPath Enterprise
Client/2 to perform routine tasks (for example, account balance inquiries), to
obtain information about the caller, and to direct calls to service
representatives, using coordinated voice/data transfer.
- VRU
- Voice response unit.
- W
- workstation
- A terminal or personal computer connected to a host computer or on a
network at which a user can run applications. The CallPath Enterprise
Client workstation is a PC on a local area network attached to a host
computer. A service representative can do processing locally on the
workstation or remotely on the host.
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