Unity Express

Welcome to our collaborative guide to configuring Cisco Unity Express.

AA Customization and Prompt Management

Here is a quick guide on customizing the Auto Attendant settings and prompts on the UC520.
In this example, I will be using the ‘aa_transfer’ AA script that is included in the newer UC520 systems. If you don’t have it, you can get it from the UC520 support files by going to Cisco.com, and clicking on ‘Voice Software’ under the downloads section, then find ‘UC500 Series.’ The AA script is in the support files package.
The aa_transfer script is simple and works good for small offices. It will play one greeting message, and you can configure 10 different transfer options by using buttons 0-9. If necessary, you can use this same procedure to configure multiple AA scripts (UC520 supports up to 5) to create a nested tree, using one AA to transfer into a second AA.

First you need to record your greeting message for AA. Make a note of the options and buttons you will need to record the greeting. Your greeting will end up something like this: “Thank you for calling Cisco. For Sales, press 1. For Support, Press 2. To transfer to the operator, press 3. To leave a message in our general mailbox, press 5.” Of course use whichever numbers and destinations you need.
There are two ways to get the prompts into the system: Sound Recorder and Prompt Management.

Option A: Sound Recorder
Startup Sound Recorder from any Windows PC (Start, Programs, Accessories, Entertainment). Of course you will need a microphone on the PC for this. Push the ‘record’ button and record your message. When you are happy with the message, click on File, Properties. Under Format Conversion, click Convert Now. In the Sound Selection window, select ‘CCITT u-law’ and ‘8KHz, 8 Bit, Mono.’ Save this file, and keep it for later.

Option B: Prompt Management
The UC520 system has a built-in system for recording prompts into the system. To configure prompt management, start by logging into the CUE GUI (default address is http://10.1.10.1, default username/password is cisco/cisco). Then click on Administration, Call-In numbers, then click Add. On the ‘Add Call-in Number’ screen, select ‘promptmgmt’ for the Application, and give it a call-in number (i.e. 410), then click Add. The new number should then be listed in the list of call-in numbers. Next, you will need to configure one or more of your existing users as a CUE Administrator to be able to utilize prompt management. Click Configure, Users. Select one of your users, and ensure they have a PIN under the Profile tab (and make sure you know what it is). Then under the Groups tab, click ‘Subscribe as Member’ then enter ‘Administrators’ for Group ID and click Find. Put a check-mark next to Administrators and hit the ‘Select Rows’ button. The user should now be a member of the Administrators group.

Next, you will need to add a Dial Peer for the prompt management system. To do this, access the CLI via Telnet to the IP address of your UC520 and entering your username and password. Enter the configuration prompt by typing ‘configure terminal’ and hitting enter. Then type in the following commands to create the Dial Peer:
Dial-peer voice 2010 voip
(*NOTE: 2010 is an unique identifier, use an available number on your system)
Description Prompt Management Dial Peer
Destination-pattern 410
(*NOTE: use the extension you created earlier)
B2bua
Session protocol sipv2
Session target ipv4:10.1.10.1
Dtmf-relay sip-notify
Codec g711ulaw
No vad

You can then ‘exit’ out and close your telnet session.

To record your prompt, dial the prompt management extension from one of the connected phones. You should be prompted for an extension number and PIN, enter the information for the user you configured as an Administrator. Then just follow the directions to access Custom Prompts and record a new prompt.

Now that we have the prompt recorded, it’s time to setup AA. Access the CUE GUI again at http://10.1.10.1. Select Voice Mail, Auto Attendant. Click on the existing ‘autoattendant’ to modify it. Under Auto Attendant Script, select the ‘aa_transfer’ script (or click upload to upload it if it isn’t on your box already), then click next. Setup each of the extension numbers you want to be available when the AA script runs, i.e. Extension1: 201, Extension 2: 202, etc. Leave ‘none’ for any buttons you aren’t using. For menu prompt either upload the prompt you created with Sound Recorder, or select the prompt already on the system you created with Prompt Management (which will be in the form of ‘UserPrompt_(date, time).wav.’ Click Next, then finish.

Your prompt should now be active, you can dial your AA extension (usually 401) to test it out.

To create nested attendants, use the same procedure and just add additional AA scripts under the CUE GUI, giving each of them a unique call-in number. Then use the first AA to transfer to the extension of the second AA, and so-on. This will also work with other AA scripts, just configure the options appropriately for the script you are using.

Hope this helps!

Cisco Unity Express, Unity Connection and Unity Compared

Here is a quick comparison of the three voicemail systems available to CallManger Express from Cisco. Cisco Unity Express, Cisco Unity Connection and Cisco Unity. This comparison is from a feature, not cost point of view.

Cisco Unity Express

Unity Express supports up to 250 users, offers integrated email access, and does not offer redundancy. Unity Express starting in version 3.0 does offer IVR as an optional licensed feature. Unity Express runs off of a Cisco router and come in three form factors. AIM card, Network Module, and Enhanced Capacity Network Module. Voicemail can be backed up, but it is not a redundant system.

Cisco Unity Connection

Unity Connection is a server based voicemail system that supports up to 3000 users. It offers Integrated email access and speach recognition. It is linux based.

Cisco Unity Unified Messaging

Cisco Unity Unified Messaging offers up to 7500 subscribrs per server and can be networked to up to 250,000 users. It runs on a Windows server, can be made redundant and offers speach Recognition and Unified (not integrated) email integration.

The difference between Integrated Messaging and Unified messaging.

Integrated voicemail access typically requires you to set up a separate IMAP mailbox for voicemail in your email client. Unified messaging actually uses your Exchange, Lotus Notes or Groupwise message store to store your voicemails.

Connecting Unity Express with Cisco Unified Call Manager

It is not widely known but you can use Cisco Unity Express as your voicemail system with full blown CallManager as well as Call Manager Express.
Unit Express will work with versions 4.2 and 5.0 of Cisco Unified Call Manager.
The complete Installation procedure is available from Cisco at this link:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/unity_exp/rel2_0/ccm_cli/ccmcligd.html

When purchasing Unity Express be sure to license the version appropriate to either CallManager or CallManager Express

Enabling Message Notification on Cisco Unity Express

Here are the rough steps:

1. Login to Unity Express through the web GUI
2. Administration > SMTP Settings - specify your exchange server. I recommend you allow Exchange to accept unauthenticated email from the UC500.
3. Voice Mail > Message Notification > Notification Administration - enable system-wide notification for all messages
4. Configure > Users
5. Click on the user you want to enable notifications for
6. On the Notification tab click on Email Inbox - enable notification, set email address, set notification preference for All Messages, attach voice mail to message, use Quick Add to enable 24x7 notification schedule (all checkboxes should be checked), apply changes, close pop-up
7. Back from the Notification tab - check the Enabled box for Email Inbox, apply changes
8. Switch to the Profile tab - enable notification for the user, apply changes
9. Test
10. If it works, repeat for all other users

A little tedious but it works.

Now when a user receives a voicemail it'll show up in their email client almost immediately.
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Babul
The Montopolis Group, Ltd.
http://blog.montopolis.com

How to connect Unity Express to multiple CME installs

Is it possible?
do you have any configuration?

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MWI for General delivery mailbox

Hi !!
I just have a little problem with the MWI for the General delivery mailbox .
In fact i have 3 ephone-dn in a hunt group :

ephone-hunt 1 peer
pilot 120 secondary 0298......
list 100, 101, 103
final 888
timeout 15, 15, 15
no-reg both

I have no problem to switch on the MWI for the ephone-dn :

ephone-dn 20
number 8000... no-reg both
mwi on
!
!
ephone-dn 21
number 8001... no-reg both
mwi off

But I don't know how to switch on MWI for the General delivery mailbox .

I read that in a cisco documentation :

When a caller leaves a message in this mailbox, no MWI is turned on.

Is it possible to switch it on where there is a message in ?

Thanks a lot.

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Music on Hold - live feed

Hey guys,

Just a quick question regarding the UC500 MOH feature. I want to plug in a mp3 player into the audio jack. How do I configure the system for live feed MOH? In the CCA, I can only select a music file.

Thanks!

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New Features in Unity Express 3.01

The new version of Unity Express is out and Cisco has added some powerful new features.
For a product aimed at the small and medium business market,
it does a great job of providing enterprise features.

New Hardware Support!

Cisco has released a new Enhanced capacity network module, the NME-CUE, that supports up to 24 concurrent voicemail and auto attendant sessions.

So we now have 4 form factors for hardware they are:

· Cisco Unity Express Enhanced Network Module (NME-CUE)

· Cisco Unity Express Network Module Extended Capacity (NM-CUE-EC)

· Cisco Unity Express Network Module (NM-CUE)

· Cisco Unity Express AIM-CUE

New Fax Support in Unity Express

Unity Express voicemail users can now receive faxes in their voicemail box or using their extension or you can create the user a separate extension for faxes that point to their mailbox. You can then use notification features or integrated messaging to retrieve these faxes.

New IVR features in Unity Express!

Unity Express now has the capability to do Integrated Voice Response(IVR). This is a separately licensed feature. When activated you have the ability to do database dips to create full featured self-service applications. The IVR feature uses the VoiceXML framework and new steps have been added to the script editor to allow outbound email and faxing from the scripts.

The Unity Express AIM module now supports integrated messaging.

GUI based Unity Express Script Editor.

Administrators can now setup a simple Auto Attendant via GUI instead of using the standard Unity Express Script editor. The full Unity Express Script editor is still available though.

Live Record

When enabled, voicemail users can record conversations and save them to their voice mailbox or forward them to other subscribers.

Cascading Message Notification

Users can set up time based message notifications that keep growing to and ever widening series of devices or users.

Message delivery to nonsubscribers

Non subsciber message delivery

You can schedule a message to be delivered up to a year in advance to a non-subscriber on the system.

The Complete list of new features can be found in the Release Notes for Cisco Unity Express 3.0 here http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/voicesw/ps5520/prod_release_note09186a0080857e89.html#wp153937

Video Tutorial - Creating an Auto Attendant with the Unity Express Express Editor

Here is my first stab at a couple of video walk thoughs.

This video demonstrates how to create a custom auto attendant in Cisco unity Express using the Express editor and the web GUI from a UC520.