IVR - Interactive Voice Response - Advanced OGM Options

Read out number after OGM

IVM can read out numbers from a variable that has been entered by the caller or returned from a plugin (e.g. database results). This can be used to confirm data entry (e.g. "the number you entered was...") or to return information to the caller (e.g. "your account balance is...").

To use this, tick the "Read Out Number" box and enter the variable name. The variable name must not include the % characters.

You can also select the way IVM reads numbers. For example if the number to read was "1234", "Digits" would be "one two three four", "Number" would be "one thousand two hundred thirty four", "Dollars & Cents" would be "twelve dollars thirty four cents" and "Dollars Whole" would be "one thousand two hundred thirty four dollars".

The number is read at the end of the OGM. Usually this OGM would then be chained onto a further OGM using the "Go To" active command for the End of Message.

Add entry to special log

IVM can create special logs of calls that play a particular OGM, including any data that the caller may have entered. These can be used to count the callers (and caller IDs) of callers that select a particular option, or to record the data the caller has entered.

To create a Special Log, tick "Add Entry to Special Log". Enter the log file name and the log line format. The format can include any data field variables (between two % characters). You can also use the call variables %time%, %date%, %cid%, %callername%, %linenumber% and %linename%. If you are intending to import the log directly into a database or spreadsheet, we recommend you use commas to delimit each variable. (This is particularly useful when using IVM for customer surveys).

Go to the "Logs" tab in the web interface to open, print or delete logs.

Announce call through speakers

If you tick this and click browse to locate a file on your hard drive, whenever the caller reaches the current OGM, the wav file will be played through the speakers.

Often this can be used to play a wav file which might be a message "Call for Joe Smith... Please pickup line...". In the interim you select OGM audio which would probably be on-hold music or messages. When Joe Smith picks up the call, he presses a key which would be set using the Key Response line to make IVM hang-up immediately. That way the caller thinks they have been transferred but it really has just been on the same line. If the call is not picked up after the duration of the OGM on-hold music or messages file, IVM could be set to take a message.

Set Variables

When each OGM starts IVM can set variables which can be used later in the call (local call variables) or at any time in future (global variables).

The set string needs to be in the form variable=data. For example language=french will mean later you can use %language% almost anywhere in call flow settings and French will be substituted. Optionally more variables can be set separating each with & (e.g. variable1=data&variable2=otherdata).

The local call variables apply to this call and last for the duration of the call only.

Global variables last forever (or until you set them to blank) and apply to other calls. They are one way something somebody does on one call can change other calls.

The other two common ways of setting local call variables are data entry and plugins. Global variables are commonly set or changed by other programs using an IVM command line option. See www.nch.com.au/ivm/sdk.html for more.

Run Exe or Run IVM Plugin

IVM can run an exe or plugin as the OGM starts. This can be used to run another program to open almost any file (a movie mpg for example), or an exe or plugin which could do almost anything on your computer.

For more information about running exes or plugins, please see the topic Using IVM Plugins.

Tick this option then browse to the program you want to use. You can add command line arguments to the end of the exe if required. The command line arguments can include caller data entry variables, circumfixed with the % character or the call variables %time%, %date%, %cid%, %callername%, %linenumber% and %linename%.

IVM can also run special IVM Plugins - an external program that IVM can run to process or obtain data. For example, if you are making an interactive voice response system to tell the caller the current temperature, a plugin could be used to read from the hardware and return the temperature to IVM. A plugin could also be used to restart the computer, access a database, process credit card orders and more. For more information about using plugins, please see the topic Using IVM Plugins.

If the exe is a plugin, tick "Is IVM Plugin Process". You must not tick "Is IVM Plugin Process" unless the process is a true plugin!