Phone Monitor

Introduction

This help topic covers trouble-shooting your Caller Identifier hardware. This is an optional device that connects to your telephone system. This hardware works in conjunction with our Caller ID Server.

Please note, at this time, the Caller ID functionality exists for our on premise customers only.

Warning

This is an advanced topic designed for a network administrator, not a novice computer technician.

Usage

The Caller Identifier connects to your incoming telephone lines. It sends a signal via a serial cable to a computer that is running our Caller ID Server. The Caller ID Server sends information to each instance of Total Office Manager that may be running. This allows Total Office Manager users to see who is calling and quickly access that caller’s records – if they are on file.

Troubleshooting

Power on Procedure

• Plug the supplied AC Wall Transformer (12VAC Output) into a 110 VAC outlet and the Power Connector into the back of the Identifier connector labeled ‘POWER’.
• When power is supplied to the Identifier a Red LED, located between the DB-9 “OUT” connector and the Line 1 RJ-12 jack, will illuminate. After about 1 second the LED will flash 5 times. Then if the Identifier is properly connected to a serial port and the serial port’s CTS signal is active , the LED will turn off. If the LED remains on either the cable is not properly connected or the device (computer or serial printer) is not driving the serial port’s CTS signal. When connected to a computer serial port, software must be controlling the serial port to make the CTS signal active. Most communications software which connects to a CommPortwill automatically set CTS active. If the LED continues flashing the internal diagnostics has found a failure, and the unit may need to be returned for repair.
• If the LED remains illuminated when you have the cable connected properly and you have software running which is currently accessing the CommPort, check the following:
• Make sure the software is connected to the same CommPortthe Identifier is connected to.
• Make sure the cable is properly connected. Use the supplied cable.
• Power the Identifier down and up again. Make sure the LED flashes 5 times after about 1 second. If not the unit is defective.
• Remove the cable from the computer and loop the cable between the “OUT” port and the “IN” port. If the LED goes out, the computer or software is the problem. If not, either the Identifier or the cable may be defective.
• Once communications is established the Identifier sends a power-on initialization string such as;
  1. +0,1,”YES MLM-8X 04/22/94,1.10

• This can be viewed by using a terminal program such as Procomm or HyperTerminal (which comes with Windows)

Using Hyper Terminal to View the Identifier’s Output

These instructions are compatible with Windows 98 and Higher. Some of these instructions are meant to be performed by advanced computer technicians and may be inappropriate for those not comfortable with such procedure.

1. Go to START, PROGRAMS, ACCESSORIES, HYPER TERMINAL

2. In the Hyper Terminal group window double click the HYPERTRM.EXE icon. This will bring up the CONNECTION DESCRIPTION dialog box.

3. Enter a name such as CALLERID, click OK.

4. In the PHONE NUMBER dialog box change the CONNECT USING to “Direct to ComX” (where X is the commport to which the Identifier is connected).

5. Click OK.

6. The COM PROPERTIES must be:

7. Bit per Second: 4800
   Data Bits: 8
   Parity: None
   Stop Bits: 1
   Flow Control: Hardware

8. Click Ok

You should now be connected to the Identifier. Unplug and power up the Identifier. Watch the Red LED on the rear of the Identifier. It will blink about 5 times then go out. If it does not blink power was not applied or the unit is defective. If it stays on (after blinking) you have not connected to the correct com port or the serial cable is not connected properly. The instant the LED stops blinking, on the Hyper Terminal screen you should see something like:

1.    +0,1,"YES MLM-8X",05/27/95,1.27

Type in ATSNthen press the Enter key . You will not see anything as you type, but after you press Enter you should get the serial number that looks something like: +3,2,8480912

This confirms the Identifier is correctly installed. If you have phone lines connected to the Identifier at this point you should see additional events depending on phone line activity. You can view examples of what you might see by clicking on “Output Examples” in the menu bar at the top of this page. You can also type in commands as described in the technical manual. You can view this manual by clicking on “Technical Manual” in the menu bar at the top of this page.

Related Content

 

Telephone Call Monitor Introduction (aka: Caller ID)

Caller ID, as it is most commonly called, is a term that encompasses more than one type of caller identification. Calling Number Delivery refers to the most basic type of Caller ID. It is delivered in SDMF and includes the date, time, and calling number. Calling Name Delivery (CNAM) is an enhancement that adds the calling name and is sent in MDMF.

Total Office Manager provides a tool for tracking incoming calls. At a glance, you can see who is calling; their name, phone number, date/time, type of call, and what line the call is on.

Please note, at this time, the Caller ID functionality exists for our on premise customers only.

IMPORTANT

This feature only works if you have properly installed the optional Total Office Manager Caller ID Server, optional Caller Identifier Hardware, and have Caller ID service on your telephone system.

Usage

This form makes it easy to quickly pull-up a caller’s information (if they are set up in your files/ database ) as the phone is ringing. You will have all their pertinent information at your fingertips as you answer the phone.

Note: The caller has to be set up in your Vendor, Customer, or Employee database for the Phone Monitor to display their pertinent information.

Customer Service should be a distinguishing characteristic in any business.

The Phone Monitor will help you impress your customers and vendors, by quickly being able to reference their equipment and its location, their address, the last service/maintenance call, their warranty info, service agreement info, company info, cost of an item at a glance, even their dog’s name if you wish. Let your customers and vendors know they are very important to you by offering them the utmost of excellence in your customer service.

While the Caller ID will always display standard Caller ID information broadcast from the service provider (Phone Number and Name) a long with the Line Number the call came in on as well as the Date and Time, a Record Name will only appear if the phone number matches a phone number already logged into the software. For customers, the applicable Phone Number fields are the  “Phone/Ext.” field on the Address Info tab and the “Phone” field on the Contacts tab.

Note: Phone Monitoring must be turned on before it can be view.

Form Access to Turn Phone Monitor On

• From the main menu click Edit | Preferences | Call Identifier Tab. Check mark the Activate Call Identifier System (Caller ID), click Always Listen, click Reset Connection Button. It will indicate Connected.

Form Access

• From the main menu, click Company | Phone Monitor.

Alternative: click on the View or Change Program Options & Preferences Icon.

Form Access to Disable Phone Monitor

• From the main menu click Edit | Preferences | Caller ID tab.  Uncheck the “Activate Call Identifier System (Caller ID)” checkbox.

  

Note: The list is only good for the length of time you have Total Office Manager open. Once you quit Total Office Manager, you lose all the historical data.

Field Definitions

View –	Clicking on the View button will pull up all the pertinent information on the caller provided the caller is set up in your database.
Date/Time –	This field will automatically populate with the current date and time.
Line # –	This field will automatically populate with the Phone Line number the call is coming through on. Ex. Line 1, Line 3 etc.
Phone Number –	This field will automatically populate with the caller’s phone number. The number they are calling from.
Name –	This field will automatically populate the name of the party, company, or location that is on file with the Phone Company under that particular phone number.
Type –	This field will automatically populate with the classification of the caller. Ex.  Vendor, Customer or Employee.
Record Name –	This field will automatically populate with the name of the employee, the name of the vendor, or the name of the customer.

Step-By-Step

1. Open the form and sort and filter the list if desired.
2. Clear the list by clicking on the Clear List button (located in the lower left hand corner of the form).

Tips

• This feature only works if you have properly installed the Total Office Manager Caller ID Server and have Caller ID Service on your telephone system.
• You can delete calls. To highlight multiple calls, press and hold your CTRL key and click each record. You may also select a range of calls by highlighting the first call in that range, pressing and holding your left Shift key, and clicking the last call in that range.
• You can select a call and right click for common tasks.

Related Content

Preferences – Caller ID

Phone Message List