Each agent workstation has an extension number in the physical PBX the ACE solution is working towards. This is sometimes also called extension. See Extensions.
Location describes where agents and IVR are located. The agents’ telephony equipment, CTI enginges, and various kinds of IVR machines are physically connected to PBXs. A location can be regarded as a grouping of a number of extensions, used either by agents or by IVR machines. Locations for agents are called extension locations and locations for IVR machines are called IVR locations. Each location shall have a unique name and a unique ID number.
An extension location describes to ACE where an agent is located when connections are distributed. An extension location and its extensions belong to a specific organisation area and is intended for agents belonging to that organisation area. See The Extension locations tab.
An extension belonging to a specific extension location corresponds to a workstation. An agent can log in and work at an optional physical workstation, specify an extension, which in turn belongs to an extension location, which in turn belongs to the agent’s organisation area. ACE’s mechanisms for call routing makes sure that calls to a specific agent will be delivered to the physical location (computer and/or telephone) where the agent is currently logged in.
An extension location can not include extensions from several physical PBXs. A physical PBX can however be the equivalent to one or more extension locations, connecting both agents and IVR machines; one or more of each.
In ACE you can configure PBXs. These are largely the equivalent to physical switches. There are two reasons for configure PBXs in ACE:
- To specify which PBX type that controls the extensions when using server based CTI. See Basics about switches for server based CTI and Configure switches for server based CTI.
- To indicate to ACE which locations that have a joint number plan. Knowing which locations that share a number plan is an advantage because calls between locations then to a larger extent will be made within the PBX.
To handle distributed PBXs (such as MX One) it is also possible to group PBXs in net groups. In a net grouped PBX the same number plan is normally used. Knowing which locations that share a number plan is an advantage because calls between locations then to a larger extent will be made within the PBX.
Configuration of extension locations is made in ACE Admin’s Telephony | Locations, switches, and access codes... menu choice under theThe Extension locations tab.
Each IVR in an ACE solution is represented by its own location, an IVR location. An IVR location is global and calls can be connected via an optional IVR machine to any extension in any extension location. See The IVR locations tab
Configuration of IVR locations is done in ACE Admin, Telefony | Locations, switches, and access codes... menu choice, under The IVR locations tab.