THE SQUARE VS. POOLED DECISION
For systems that have just been installed, you have to make a decision about a basic system
In a pooled system, outside lines are grouped together so that one button provides access to several outside lines. On attendant consoles, however each outside line appears on a separate button, whether your sytem is pooled or square, and you can- not change this arrangement.
Whether your system should be square or pooled depends on your specific business needs. If you want to use the Automatic Route Selection feature, your lines must be pooled and your system must be set for Dial Access to Line Pools (Dial Access is discussed on page 79). The characteristics of both configurations are discussed in greater detail in the paragraphs that follow.
About Square Systems
In the MERLIN communications system, Models 1030 and 3070 with Feature Module
4, a square configuration is one in which outside lines are represented by separate
buttons on every voice terminal in the system. A square configuration simplifies call- handling because people can join in on calls or pickup calls on hold just by touching the appropriate line button at almost any voice terminal.
You can choose between two kinds of square configurations: standard or custom- ized. in the standard configuration, you give all voice terminals in the system access to the same lines. In the customized arrangement, on the other hand, you assign specific lines or sets of lines to selected groups of voice terminals. You can also assign personal lines to individual voice terminals in a customized square configuration.
Standard Square Configurations
The standard square configuration is ideal for offices in which all staff members use the same lines to make and receive calls. In this arrangement, every line in the system appears at each voice terminal that has enough buttons to accommodate that number of lines. Depending upon the size of your system, you can assign up to 30 lines to as many as 70 voice terminals.
You will assign each of your lines to the same buttons at each voice terminal. To get the most from a standard square configuration, all your voice terminals should have enough buttons to handle all the lines in your system. If you have smaller capacity voice terminals, see “Special Information about
An example of a standard square configuration appears on the following page. All six lines in the system are available for general use and appear on the same but- tons at each voice terminal, as shown.
14
