Using the Voice Portal

Before using the Voice Portal features, the Voice Portal must be configured and enabled. This article describes how Users may use the Voice Portal. For information regarding configuring the Voice Portal, see associated articles, VoIP: Configuring the voice portal (administrators) and VoIP: Configuring the voice portal (users). The Voice Portal provides a convenient way for Users to manage some of their features from any phone. In particular, the Voice Portal allows Users to:

• Log in by dialling the Voice Portal number or extension, or by dialling a Feature Access Code (default is *62)
• Manage their Voice Mailbox
• Retrieve messages
• Compose, forward, or reply to messages
• Change greetings for Busy and No Answer
• Select, and make active, a CommPilot profile that has been preconfigured through the Toolbar > Services.
• Record a personalized name for their mailbox
• Modify their Passcode
• Record Auto Attendant Announcements (If logging in using Voice Portal extension and PIN)

The Voice Portal Wizard

The Voice Portal Wizard is optionally assigned to Sites, and assists Users the first time they log into the Voice Portal. Upon logging in, Users are guided through the following steps:

• Change Passcode on first use (or after the Group or Company  Administrator has reset it)
• Record personalized name

When the Voice Portal Wizard is active for a Site, all Users must go through the wizard before they can use the Voice Portal for the first time.

Passcode Rules

Passcode Rules enhance the Voice Portal security by providing a set of rules to minimize Voice Portal access by unauthorized parties. Cloud Direct defines a system level default Voice Portal Passcode rule. When the CSR Administrator has the Voice Messaging Group feature authorized for the Customer and Site(s), the Cloud Direct default system Passcode rule is applied. The Voice Portal Passcode Rules, as defined by Cloud Direct, cannot be overridden at the Customer/Enterprise or Site level or at the individual User level for reasons of security. The Passcode rules are described below and apply each time a User changes their Passcode.

Users must select a Passcode that follows the rules defined by Cloud Direct. If the Passcode they have selected does not comply with these rules it is rejected, and they will be prompted to enter another one.

The following rules are defined by Cloud Direct..

• Passcode length –The length of the Passcode must be between 4 and 6 digits.
• Trivial Passcode –This rule rejects Passcodes that are considered trivial, such as:
  • Repeated digits (for example, 11111, or 22222)
  • The User's own extension number
  • The User's own extension number reversed
  • 1234
• Repeated Passcode – This rule rejects a Passcode that is the same as the previous Passcode or a reversal of the previous Passcode.

Passcode Ageing

This rule starts a timer when the User changes their Passcode. The change can be performed through the VoIP Business Portal on the User's Service Settings page, or through the Voice Portal voice menu.

When the timer expires, Users will receive system generated voice prompts requesting that they select a new Passcode before they are granted access to their Voice Portal. The User hears the following system announcement:

"Your Passcode has expired; please enter a new one now to get access to the Voice Portal. Please enter the new Passcode, followed by # sign."

The new Passcode can be selected via the VoIP Business Portal Service Settings page, or through the Voice Portal voice menu. The User will be asked to confirm their new passcode.

Cloud Direct has defined the Passcode Ageing timer at the system level to ensure security and minimise the potential of access from unauthorised persons. It is set at 60 days and cannot be overridden at the Site level, or at the individual User level.

Passcode Lockout

The passcode Lockout feature locks out a User's Voice Portal access after five unsuccessful login attempts in a row. Cloud Direct has defined the number of attempts before a User becomes locked out at the system level. This cannot be overridden at the Customer/Enterprise or Site level or at the individual User level. When locked out, a User Voice Portal account must be reset by the Group or Company Administrator through the User's Service Settings, Service Passwords page on the VoIP Business Portal before it can be used again. If the User tries to log in when the account is locked out, the User will hear the following system announcement,

"Your Voice Portal access is locked out. Please contact your group administrator to reset the Passcode. This operation cannot be completed at this time. Please hang up and try again later."

Accessing the Voice Portal

To access the Voice Portal menu, Users must dial either their mailbox number, the number of their Site Voice Portal or a configurable Feature Access Code. Each User can enable or disable auto-login to the Voice Portal. When the Voice Portal auto-login option is disabled, the login behaviour remains unchanged. When enabled, all scenarios where the system recognizes the calling User (and would usually prompt immediately for a password rather than their mailbox number), resulting in an automatic authentication, and the password collection phase is skipped.

Examples of automatically logging in to the Voice Portal are as follows:

• Cloud Direct Users call their Site Voice Portal number from their own phone
• Cloud Direct Users call their mailbox from their own phone

Upon connecting to the Voice Portal, Users are prompted for their mailbox (extension), and Passcode.

Note:  
If Users have activated the auto-login option then, when calling their Voice Portal from their own phone, they are prompted to enter only their Passcode.

On successful authentication, Users are presented with the main menu, offering the options described above.

Note:
The Voice Portal presents only the options corresponding to the features assigned to the user. If a user does not have the feature offered by the Voice Portal in their feature pack, then the option is not offered as part of the menu.

Users then select the desired option from the main menu and navigate through the menus by pressing the corresponding DTMF keys on their phone. All options offered by the Voice Portal feature allow Users to revert back to the main menu, so multiple options can be selected during the same session.

Voice Portal menu maps

The following Voice Portal illustrations, or menu maps, may be helpful as a Quick Reference Guide to those wishing to use Voice Portal features.

• Voice Portal menus overview
• Changing Busy and No Answer greetings
• Playing, replying to, or forwarding, messages
• Recording your personalised name
• Changing or activating your CommPilot Express profile
• Recording or changing the Auto Attendant announcement

Each menu map covers the options available to a user dialling in to the Voice Portal. With the exception of the Voice Portal menus overview, key points are marked with a number, and these numbers are explained in the notes following the menu map.

Note:
If you do not know the Voice Portal number or your passcode, then please contact your IT Manager, or contact the Cloud Direct Technical Services Team on 0800 368 1831, or at TechServices@clouddirect.net.

Voice Portal menus overview

Changing Busy and No Answer greetings

Numbered notes to Changing Busy and No Answer greetings

1. Enter your extension number.
2. Welcome to your voice messaging system. Please enter your passcode, then the # key.
3. To change your Busy greeting, from the Voice Messaging Menu, press 2 to access the Change Busy/No Answer Greetings Menu, then press 1 to record a Busy greeting.
4. Please start recording after the tone. To end recording, press the # key.
5. After recording a new greeting, you will be returned to the Change Busy/No Answer Greetings Menu.
6. To change your No Answer greeting, press * to return to the Voice Messaging Menu, then press 3 to change your No Answer greeting.

Playing, replying to, or forwarding, messages

Numbered notes to Playing, replying to, or forwarding, messages

1. Enter your extension number.
2. Welcome to your voice messaging system. Please enter your passcode, then the # key.
3. To play "New" messages, press 1. To play "Saved or Heard" messages, press 2.
4. When listening to a message you can skip forwards/backwards, pause/resume or jump to the beginning or end of the message.
5. After listening to a message you are returned to the Play Messages Menu where you can play the previous or next message or play the message envelope.
6. After listening to a message you have the option to Delete the message or Callback the caller who left the message.
7. If you want to Reply to a message or Forward a message, press option 9 in the Play Messages Menu.
8. To Reply to the message, press 1.
9. To Forward the message, press 2.
10. To compose your Forward/Reply, press 1, Change current Intro/Message.
11. Please start recording after the tone. To end recording, press the # key. After you have finished recording, you will be returned to the Forwarding/Reply Menu (or, if you are changing your current Reply message, you will be returned to the Reply Message menu).
12. To send your reply, or forward your message, press 3.
13. Enter the destination number and send the message.

To return to the Play Messages Menu, press * twice. To go to the Voice Portal Main Menu, press * again.

Recording your personalised name

Numbered notes to Recording your personalised name

1. Enter your extension number.
2. Welcome to your voice messaging system. Please enter your passcode then the # key.
3. You will be presented with the Voice Messaging Menu. To access the Voice Portal Main Menu, press *.
4. To record your name, press 3 in the Voice Portal Main Menu, then press 1 in the Personalised Name Menu.
5. Please start recording after the tone. To end recording, press the # key.
6. When finished recording, you will be returned to the Personalised Name Menu. Press * to be returned to the Voice Portal Main Menu.

Changing or activating your CommPilot Express profile

Numbered notes to Changing or activating your CommPilot Express profile

1. Enter your extension number.
2. Welcome to your voice messaging system. Please enter your passcode, then the # key.
3. You will be presented with the Voice Messaging Menu. To access the Voice Portal Main Menu, press *.
4. To access your CommPilot Express profile, press 2.
5. From the options 1-5, select the required profile to be active.
6. Press * to return to the Voice Portal Main Menu.

Recording or changing the Auto Attendant announcement

This feature is protected from unwanted changes by the application of a Voice Portal passcode. This is NOT  your own Voicemail passcode, and would normally be reserved for Administrator use only.

Numbered notes to Recording or changing the Auto Attendant announcement

1. You need to access the Voice Portal menu. The Voice Portal number is configured in the Site Feature Settings. You can either dial the Voice Portal DDI or extension number.
2. When prompted to enter your extension number you must enter the extension number for the Voice Portal (not your own extension number). When prompted to enter your passcode, you must enter the passcode of the Voice Portal (not your own voicemail passcode).
3. You will be presented with the Voice Portal Admin Menu. To access the Record Auto Attendant Announcement Menu, press 1.
4. To record the Business Hours Greeting, press 1.
5. Follow the options to record a new greeting, listen to the existing greeting, or revert to the system default greeting.
6. Press * to be returned to the Record Auto Attendant Announcement Menu if you wish to repeat the process for the After Hours greeting.