Call Prompting

Removing Incorrect Digit Strings

The customer can (and probably should) include an announcement that requests the caller to enter digits. As an option, the announcement can instruct the caller to enter an asterisk (*) if he or she enters incorrect data. When the caller enters a ‘‘*,’’ the following happens:

1.Digits collected for the current collect digits command are deleted.

NOTE:

Also deleted are any dial-ahead digits that are entered and that do not exceed the maximum digit count of 24. (Dial-ahead digits are explained later in this chapter.)

2.Digit collection is restarted.

3.Announcement is not replayed.

Once the caller enters ‘‘*,’’ the callercan re-enter digits for processing.

Entering Variable-Length Digit Strings

The maximum number of digits requested from the caller must be specified in the administration of the collect digits command. In some cases, the caller might be permitted to enter fewer digits than the maximum specified. In fact, the number of digits entered by the caller can vary for several variations of one collect digits command. Each such grouping of digits is called a variable-length digit string.

Call Prompting allows for variable-length digit strings by providing an end-of- dialing indicator in the form of the pound sign (#). ‘‘#’’ is used to end any digit string entered by the caller, and it does the following:

Tells the PBX that the caller has finished entering digits

Causes the next vector step to be processed immediately

Whenever the caller is permitted to enter a variable-length digit string, the announcement portion of the collect digits command should specify the largest possible number of digits that can be entered. Accordingly, the customer should administer each collect digits command to collect no more than the intended maximum number of digits. The customer can have the caller enter ‘‘#’’ as part of a variable digit string entry either at the end of each variable digit string entered or at the end of each such string that, not counting ‘‘#,’’ contains fewer characters than the maximum number of allowable digits. In the first case, ‘‘#’’ should be included in the count of the number of maximum digits that can be entered; in the second case, ‘‘#’’ shouldnot be included in this count.

If the caller enters more digits than the maximum number specified, the additional digits are saved as “dial-ahead” digits for sub sequent collect digits commands. ("Dial-Ahead Digits" are explained later in this chapter.) If the vector,

5-4Issue 4 September 1995

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AT&T 555-230-520 manual Removing Incorrect Digit Strings, Entering Variable-Length Digit Strings