Configuring CyReport - Using CyReport Manager
Advanced CyReport configurations are carried out with the CyReport Manager. Run CyReport Manager from the CyReport Application Launcher.
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Use the same CyReport credentials which by default are set as username ‘Administrator’ and no password. On the main screen of CyReport Manager, click on the 'Configuration Editor' icon.
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Configuring CyReport - Call Logging Tab
Access this screen from the CyReport Manager, click here on running CyReport Manager.
The ‘Call Logging’ tab provides a view of the CyReport Server. This is very useful when CyReport Server is running as a service. The ‘Poll Now’ button can also be used from this view, and the CyReport Server options can also be modified from here.
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Path – When CyReport Server downloads files, it places these in a temporary data storage folder. This defaults on install to ‘C:\Program Files\CyTrack\CyReport\tmp’, however, it can be changed with this option.
Tracing – Controls the ability to write a log of the CyReport Server actions, mainly used for troubleshooting. The log files are stored in ‘C:\Users\ProgramData’ (Windows 7 or 2008 Server) or ‘C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data’ (Windows XP or 2003 Server).
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Novalog Sharing – If a legacy Novalog system is already in operation, this assist the transition to CyReport.
Display Options – Check the ‘Display Modified Dialled Numbers’ for the Dialled Number column on the CyReport Server logged calls pane to display the modified dialled number, which is the dialled number after the application of digit modification and prefixed area codes.
Email – When CyReport Server starts an alarm, it can be configured to send a message to one email address.
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Configuring CyReport - Configure a Site
Access this screen from the CyReport Manager and select Site Configuration.
When either a new site is created or an existing site is selected for editing, the ‘Configure Site Details’ dialog is displayed. This extensive dialog allows all features of a site to be modified.
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Site Name – the name of the site.
Country – the country that the site is situated. It is used to calculate the call charges.
Exchange – the exchange that the site is situated. It is used to calculate the call charges.
Connection Type – how CyReport Server receives call record data.
Server. This indicates that the CyRemote to connect to is located on the same machine as CyReport Server. In this case, the following item, Address, is greyed out.
Network. This indicates that the CyRemote is located on another machine, which can be reached via TCP/IP. In the Address box is a valid network address for this machine.
Dialup. This indicates that the CyRemote is located on another machine, which is reached via a dialup connection. The Address is the number to dial.
CyTrack CTI. This indicates that the call data source comes from CTI server i.e. CyDesk. The Address is the network address of the CyDesk Server. Port configuration is not required.
Samsung Logging
iPECS CM Logging – A special mode for connection to the iPECS CM. This requires the network address of the iPECS CM as well as the port that it listens to.
Tax Name – the name of sales tax applicable to the site.
Tax Rate – the rate at which the tax is charged.
Disable Site – When enabled, CyReport Server will never attempt to collect calls from the call data source.
The right hand column of controls starts with five buttons.
Configure Trunks – modify the parameters of the trunks for a site.
Configure Holidays – manage holidays at the site. This is necessary to get the call charges correct on these days.
Configure Decoders – starts the decoder editor, by decoders can be created and modified.
Configure Barring – configure the call barring class of service codes to bar and unbar for budgeting and CyReport Hospitality purposes.
Configure Timeouts – configure the day, night and weekend download intervals and inactivity timeout timers.
The Decoders list specifies the decoders selected for this site. Decoders are used to change the output of the PABX to a standard form. A selected decoder can be removed from this list be clicking the ‘red bin’ icon on the items left.
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A decoder selected in the Available Decoder list can be added to the list of decoders selected for this site by either selecting it from the list with the mouse or selecting it in the list with the keyboard and clicking the Add button.
Configuring CyReport - Configure Barring
Access this screen from the CyReport Manager → Site Configuration -> Configure Barring, click here on running CyReport Manager.
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Bar Template – the string sequence that will be sent to the PABX to bar an extension.
Unbar Template – the string sequence that will be sent to the PABX to unbar an extension.
Auth Bar Template – the string sequence that will be sent to the PABX to bar an authorization code.
Auth Unbar Template – the string sequence that will be sent to the PABX to unbar an authorization code.
GOS to bar / unbar – the respective class of service to be set on an extension.
Auth GOS to bar / unbar – the respective class of service to be set on an authorization code.
Send Notification to Administrator – when enabled, it will send an email notification to Admistrator.
Administrator Email – the target email address for administrator.
Send notification to User – when enabled, it will send an email notification to users as well.
Warning Percentage – If the budget is less than this value, it will be stopped.
Send warning to user – send budgeting warning to users’ email address.
Send warning to Administrator – send budgeting warning to the administrator.
Template – the template for the email notification that will be sent to administrator or user, for extension.
Auth Template – the template for the email notification that will be sent to administrator or user, for authorization code.
Configuring CyReport - Configure Decoders
Access this screen from the CyReport Manager -> Site Configuration -> Configure Decoders
Different makes, and even models, of PABX have different formats of SMDR output. The purpose of a ‘decoder’ is to extract the information from these various different types of records, and store the information into a standard database record for CyReport. To do this, the decoder needs to identify what type of information is being presented, and where in each record each field is positioned and how big it is.
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There are several sections to the Decoder Configuration screen:
PABX Name
Call Record Types
Identifiers
Standard Fields
Enhanced Fields
Call Flags
Test Data Input Box
PABX Name
The PABX Name is actually the name of the Decoder. In many cases, a particular PABX would usually require only one decoder but there might be occasions where special versions of a decoder are required. Some PABXs, for example, have a configurable output, where the installer can select which information is output in a record and in what order the fields appear.
To create a new decoder, select 'File' then 'New PABX'. Enter the PABX name with more details when required.
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Call Type
There are seven call types that can be selected, however below are those the most frequently used:
Internal – a call made from one extension to another.
Incoming – a call coming into the PABX on a trunk and going to an extension.
Outgoing – a call made from an extension to an outside number using a trunk.
Tandem – a call coming into the PABX on a trunk and exiting back out of the PABX on a different trunk.
The other call types e.g. Feature, Unknown, Date Record, are rarely used.
Call Record Type
A Call Record Type is a set of configurations inside a decoder that decodes a particular type of records from the PABX data. Some PABX systems can only give basic call records, but some may output extensive call data records that CyReport may need to log.
Identifiers
When multiple Call Record Types have been defined for a decoder, the decoder needs to know which one refers to each call record it is processing.
Identifiers are used to tell the decoder where to look in the record for certain fields of data to identify the record.
Example: Valid if offset 30, length 3 does not equal 'ABC'.
When the decoder is processing the call record it has received, it will look at the 30th character in the data, and check if the 30th, 31st and 32nd characters are the sequence 'ABC'. If they are, this identifier says that this record is valid. The decoder will then attempt to extract the information from the record using the information in the rest of the decoder to find the various fields.
Click on 'Add' to add a new identifier to the call record type.
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Each record consists of a number of characters in a string. The first character is offset 0, the second if offset 1 etc.
Offset – the number of characters from the beginning of the string.
Length – the length of the string to match.
The empty box can be used to make the Identifier valid if the data is either the same as the text in the Text to match field or different to it, depending n how they are set. They both have a similar same effect, as explained.
Configuring CyReport - Configure Holidays
Access this screen from the CyReport Manager Site → Configuration -> Configure Holidays, click here on running CyReport Manager.
This is used to set public holiday dates for a site. Calls made on these days will be charged at any public holiday rate being used by the carrier.
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On the left is a list of the public holiday dates configured for this site. A date can be removed from this list by clicking the ‘red bin’ icon to the left of the date.
On the right side of the dialog is a calendar control. To add a public holiday date, select the date in the calendar control and click the 'Add Date' button.
Configuring CyReport - Configure Tariffs
Access this screen from the CyReport Manager, click here on running CyReport Manager.
The Tariff Maintenance screen is used to edit the tariffs used to calculate the costs of calls.
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This screen consists of three regions. On the left hand side is a tree through which the hierarchy of tariff configuration sub-screens can be navigated. On the right hand side is the current tariff configuration sub-screen is displayed. At the bottom of the screen are options for the recharging of calls already in the database.
The top level tariff sub-screen is reached by selecting 'Countries' in the left hand tree. On this sub-screen is a map of the world, a key to the icons appearing in the left hand tree and the 'Add Country' button to add a new country to the list. A new untitled country will be created and its editing sub-screen chosen.
When tariffs have been changed, the new rate does not apply to calls already in the database. To recharge existing calls, click the 'Recharge Calls' button at the bottom, set the required data to be recharged, and click the ‘OK’ button to start. Note that recharging calls is an intensive process and may cause CyReport Server to stop responding while it is in progress.
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Country
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Name – The name of the country.
Lookup Codes – prefixes on the dialled numbers of international calls which indicate which country the call is destined for.
International access codes – the numbers dialled to indicate an international call from that country. This will be used when the Tier calculation takes place.
Add Exchange / Country / Exchange Group – add new respective items to the country.
Carrier
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Name – the name of the carrier.
Add Tier / Period Set / Period Name – add new respective items to the carrier.
Delete Carrier – erase the carrier.
Copy Carrier – make a copy of the carrier, including copies of all tiers, period sets and period names.
Create Tiers – generate blank tiers for each country.
Tier
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Name – the name of the tier.
Flagfall – call connection fee.
Connection Time – the time that a call using this tier is deemed to take to connect. This time is subtracted from the call’s duration and not charged.
Call Type - tiers are grouped into larger sets based on their call type.
Delete Tier – erase the tier.
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At the bottom of the Tiers sub-screen is the tier types list. To add a tier type open the 'Add' menu at the bottom of the list and select the type of tier type you wish to add. To delete a tier type from the list click the ‘red bin’ can icon to the left of the entry.
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The inland distance tier type matches the tier against the distance between the source and destination exchanges of the call. This tier type has four variations which are selected from the menu. Inland distances can be up to a given number, between two distances, about a certain distance or for all distances.
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The special calls tier type selects the tier based on the prefix of the dialled number. The name of the special call type is the first item and the special call prefix is the second.
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The exchange group tier type selects the tier based on the exchange group which relates the source and destination exchange. To configure the exchange group click the three dots (...) button.
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The country tier type selects the tier based on the destination country of the call. To configure the destination country, click the three dots (...) button.
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Edit Charges
This is used to edit the costs charged for various rates using a tier.
At the top left hand of the dialog is the name of the tier. On the top right is a drop list entitled Period Set from which the period set used by this tier is set. The rates whose period names are not used by the selected period set are inapplicable and greyed out.
Name – the period name of this rate. This name cannot be edited.
Fixed Cost – whether this rate uses a fixed cost or not. Check to use a fixed cost. When this is done the other columns merge into one, in which the fixed cost is entered by clicking on the value.
Min/Max Duration – the minimum and maximum duration of the call.
Min/Max Cost – the minimum and maximum cost of the call.
Cost – the cost per unit time of the call. This value is added to the cost of the call for every time of duration.
Time – the duration of the timing period of the call. The cost of the call is incremented for each period of this length in the duration.
Cap Time – The time for which the max cost will apply. If a cap time is present, and the total duration of the call exceeds this value, the cost will begin to rise from the end of the cap time from the max cost, as given by the rate.
Period Name
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Name – the name of the period name.
Delete Carrier – erase the period.
Copy – make a copy of the period name.
Period Set
A period set assigns every hour of every day a period name.
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Name - the name of the period set.
Delete Period Set – erase the period set.
Copy – A copy of this period set can be created by clicking the Copy button.
In the centre of the screen is a table of hours and days showing the assignment of period names to times. Below this is a list of the period names along with the colours with which they are represented on the table.
On the table the rows represent weekdays, extended with the ‘Special’ day ‘Holiday’ for holidays. The columns are the hours of the day, labelled in twenty four hour time. The colour of the table represents the period came to which that hour of that day belongs.
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The assignment of period names in this table is edited by selecting (by dragging on the table) a range of cells. Then right click on the selection to bring up a menu of the period names. The period name to change the selected cells to can then be selected from the menu.
Exchange Group
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Name – the name of the exchange group.
Delete Exchange – I hope the response.
The exchange group is deleted by clicking in Delete Exchange Group button.
Exchange
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Name – the name of the exchange to be changed.
Latitude / Longitude – the position of the exchange.
Numbers – the list of prefixes of dialled numbers which, if they match the dialled number of a call indicate that the call went to this exchange.
The exchange can be deleted by clicking the 'Delete Exchange' button.
A list of exchanges related to this exchange via an exchange group can be viewed and edited by selecting the name of the exchange group from the drop list entitled ‘ExchangeGroup’. The exchanges appear in the list entitled Exchanges.
To delete an exchange from the list of exchanges for an exchange group click the red trash can icon to the left of the exchange name.
An exchange can be added to the list of exchanges related to this exchange through an exchange group by selecting if from the drop list below the list of exchanges. If the exchange is selected through the keyboard the Add button needs to be clicked to add it to the exchange list.
Any exchange in the list can be selected by double clicking on its name in the Exchanges list.
This configuration determines when CyReport Server contacts the call data source to retrieve call data records.
Configuring CyReport - Configure Timeouts
Access this screen from the CyReport Manager → Site Configuration -> Configure Timeouts.
This configuration determines when CyReport Server contacts the call data source to retrieve call data records.
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There are 4 time modes with identical configurations for each: Weekdays Day, Weekdays Night, Weekends Day, and Weekends Night.
Download Interval – the interval between downloads.
Inactivity Timeout – if a site does not log any calls in the time in this box during the day, an alarm will be activated.
Start Hour – the start of the time zone of the CyReport Server.
Ignore timeout – when checked, it disables the inactivity alarms.
Configuring CyReport - Configure Trunks
Access this screen from the CyReport Manager → Site Configuration -> Configure Trunks.
The parameters of the trunks at a site, along with the trunk groups, can be edited. The ‘Trunks’ grid displays a list of all the trunks at this site. This list is automatically populated as calls are logged.
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If CyReport Server logs a call that uses a trunk not listed for a site, it will add that trunk to the list of trunks for the site, with a carrier of Use Group and a Trunk Group of the first trunk group for that site. Trunks can also be added manually for a site. To add a trunk, click the 'Add' button at the base of the list.
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A range of trunks can also be added by clicking 'Add Range' button instead.
Added trunks can be deleted by clicking the ‘red bin’ icon on the left of the trunk’s name. Any modifications to each trunk can still be made by clicking on the cell to be edited.
A set of preconfigured trunks can be imported from a CSV (comma-separated value) file by clicking the 'Import' button. A standard file explorer will be shown to select the CSV file. The CSV file must be formatted as in three columns: Trunk Number, Carrier Name, Trunk Group Name.
A trunk group can be added to the list by clicking the 'Add' button. A trunk group can be deleted by clicking the 'red bin' icon on the left of the trunk group’s name. At least one trunk group must always be present and so the first trunk group cannot be deleted.
The Charge Out box must always be checked unless outgoing calls using trunks on this trunk group should be charged to zero. Calculation using Meter Pulses can also be enabled on the trunk group.
Configuring CyReport - Cost Calculation
Access this screen from the CyReport Manager.
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The inputs to calculating the cost of a call are:
The site of the call.
The trunk number.
The number dialled.
The starting date and time.
The duration of the call.
The stages of calculating cost of the call are:
Use the site, trunk and dialled number to find the carrier used for the call.
Use the carrier and dialled number to find the tier used for the call.
Use the tier and date/time of the call to find the rate. Calculate the cost for a call of this duration, taking care that a new rate is started when the call passes into another charging period.
Calculate the Carrier
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Two factors determine the carrier associated with a call. Initially the carrier is determined from either the trunk or trunk group used by the call, and then both it and the dialled number can be changed by digit modifications associated with the trunk group.
For each site there is a list of trunks. The trunk number is looked up in this. Associated with each trunk is a trunk group, which has an assigned carrier. Individual trunks can override this and use a different specified carrier. The initial carrier used by a call is either that assigned to the trunk or to the trunk group.
With each trunk group are associated zero or more digit modifications. The digit modifications associated with a trunk group may result in changes to both the dialled number and the carrier for the call.
Calculate the Tier
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The set of time rates which are applied for a particular call are called a tier. For instance a local call with a flat rate of $0.25 and an intercapital call which is charged at $0.12 a minute during the day and $0.13 during the night use different tiers. CyReport has four different types to identify the tier that a call uses. Each of these is checked in order.
International – If the dialled number begins with an international access code of the country specified for the site then this is removed and the beginning of the remainder of the number matched against the lookup codes of the list of countries. If a match is found then this call is an international call. The originating country and destination country is then looked up in the list of tiers for this country to determine the tier to use.
Special – If the beginning of the dialled number matches against the special call prefix of a tier, then the call is a special call and uses that tier.
Inter Exchange – the area code of the call is added to the beginning of the dialled number if there is not already an area code at the beginning of the dialled number. The destination exchange of the call is then looked up in the numbers list for exchanges. The source and destination exchanges are looked up to see if they are related via an exchange group. Finally the tiers are checked to see if any of them are related to this exchange group.
Distance - the latitude and longitude of each exchange is known. From this the distance between the two exchanges can be calculated. Then the distance is matched with the distance bands of each tier to find the appropriate tier.
Calculate the Rate Cost
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Once the tier has been found the date/time of the call is used to find the call’s rate and the charges associated with that rate in the tier are used to find the cost. Associated with each carrier are one or more period names and period sets. A period set assigns a period name to all times of all days of the week, including holidays.
For instance, a certain carrier might have period names flat, peak, off peak and weekend.
The carriers period sets might be called flat, which applies the flat rate to all hours of all days, and national which applies the weekend rate all day Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, peak rate between eight and six weekdays and off peak at other times.
One of the period sets associated with a carrier is associated with each tier.
Each tier has a rate for each period name. Each tier also has a specific costing scheme for each rate. Hence for a call being charged the date/time is looked up for the tier’s period set to find a rate and then the charging scheme of the call is applied to the call.
There are two types of charging scheme:
Fixed cost, where a fixed charge is applied for the call.
Per time cost, where the cost is calculated in set increments per unit time. In this case the duration is important. If the call lasts sufficiently long that another rate becomes applicable this must be accounted for. Per time costs also allow the possibility of the calls having a maximum or minimum cost or duration set.
A tier also has a flag fall cost, which is a cost that is applied to a call as soon as it begins.