Overview

When users need to "Hot Desk" across multiple MiVoice Office nodes, "Agent Hot Desking" can be used as an alternative to the built-in Hot Desk feature. Using Agent Hot Desking, users can log onto any keyset using an agent ID with the feature code 328 and receive direct dialed, intercom and hunt group calls.

As well as inbound call routing, voicemail and keyset message notification will follow the agent as well as outgoing caller id (CLI) or Calling Party Number (CPN), username, description and class of service settings. When agents are logged out, calls can be forwarded to voicemail or any internal / external number.

The agent ID can simultaneously be a member of inbound ACD hunt groups and receive the associated calls as normal.

How does it work?

Agent Hot Desking uses phantom extensions on the MiVoice Office 250 PBX to create a virtual keyset for each Agent Hot Desking user. Each phantom created has the same number as the associated hot desking agent ID. Agent Hot Desking agent IDs are then added to a dedicated ACD Hunt group configured on the MiVoice Office 250 PBX. 

When an agent logs into an extension, the Mitel Communication Service will forward all calls from the user's phantom to the extension they have logged into. When the agent logs out, calls are forwarded to a "logged out destination" which can be configured by the user (the default can also be configured but is usually set to the Voicemail application on the MiVoice Office 250 PBX).

Any user specific programming needs to be done on the user's phantom extension; DID, username, description, class of service, calling party number and mailboxes. The Agent Hot Desking feature will then apply these settings against any extension a user logs into.

What does it do?

• The username and description on the extension logged into will be changed to match the user's phantom device username.
• Any voicemails alerting the user's phantom device will be duplicated to the extension they are logged into.
• A Forward All Calls is placed on the user's phantom to direct calls to where they are logged in, this will forward any internal or external calls that ring the phantom.
• Optionally the class of service can be changed on the extension they logged into to match their phantom's class of service.
• Outgoing caller ID can be changed to match that set against the user in the website configuration.

What doesn’t it do?

The way Agent Hot Desking uses phantoms means that a few of the normal phone system features are changed:

• Extension Number – The extension number where the users logs in DOES NOT CHANGE
• DND – Works when using Agent Hot Desking, but DND Override will not work for a caller to the agent
• Reverse transfer – Has to be entered using the physical extension the agent is logged into. Attempting to Reverse Transfer the user's phantom will fail since the call is not ringing at the phantom.  Using Phone Manager to reverse transfer alleviate this problem.
• System forwarding – When using Agent Hot Desking, inbound calls have followed a manual forward from the phantom to extension where the user logged in.  This means any system forward placed on the users phantom extension will not be followed. To workaround this, Agent Hot Desking will remember any manual forward placed on the extension when an agent is logged in and apply/remove this when logging in and out. (e.g. While logged in, if a user sets a FWD NO ANSWER to voicemail, calls will follow the manual forward rule. When the agent logs out the manual forward to voicemail will be removed returning the extension to its normal state. If the Agent then logs into a different extension, the FWD NO ANSWER to voicemail will automatically be "remembered" and applied to the new extension).
• Record-A-Call – The value for “Mailbox User-Keyed Extension” must be set to Yes for each extension that an agent could log into since at the time the user selects Record-A-Call they will not be associated with their phantom extension. The user must enter their own phantom extension mailbox number to record the call.
• DSS Console & Busy Lamp Fields configured on physical extensions – Buttons programmed up as phantom extensions will display no light status since the phantom is permanently in the free state and although the button can be used to dial the user, it will not be suitable for BLF. This is because the button will be showing the status of the phantom & not the extension where the agent is logged in. Instead use the Mitel Phone Manager software to display the status of an Agent Hot Desk user.
• System flags – camp on flags configured on the phantom cannot be used to provide busy conditions. These need to be configured on the physical extensions used by the Agent. Agent Hot Desking users should always have a logged out destination configured.
• UCD Hunt Groups - When using Agent Hot Desking UCD hunt groups cannot be used.  If the Hot Desk user's phantom gets added to a UCD hunt group, any calls will follow the manual forward set on the phantom causing the call to stop ringing at the hunt group.

Ensure the customer knows the restrictions of the solution upon installation and allow them to make a decision on the benefits and restrictions of using native hot desking or agent hot desking

Agent Hot Desking Requirements

Agent Hot Desking requires the following capacity on the phone system:

• One phantom extension for each Agent Hot Desking user
• One extra phantom for the whole system if using default class of service features
• One ACD agent hunt group for Agent Hot Desk users to log in and out of
• When agents need to log in across nodes, the ‘Remote ACD Hunt Groups’ premium features must be enabled on all nodes Agent Hot Desking is required
• Ensure that all nodes are aware of each others message notification stations

Configuration

Configuration is required on both the MiVoice Office PBX and in the Mitel Communication Service user interface to enable Agent Hot Desking.

PBX Configuration

Open the Mitel Database Programming:

1. Create a phantom extension for each Agent Hot Desk user.

2. Create a corresponding agent ID for each user. (The phantom numbers and the agent IDs should be identical).

3. Program each phantom as if it were being used as the user's extension.

4. Program the username, description, calling party numbers, class of service and create a voice mailbox if required against the phantoms.

5. Point any DID numbers to the phantom device.

6. Create a dedicated Agent Hot Desking ACD agent hunt group for the users.

7. Add the Agent Hot Desking agent IDs to this hunt group.

8. Add the agents to any other hunt groups they need to be members of for inbound ACD calls.

MCS Configuration

To configure Agent Hot Desking:

1. Access the Features -> Communication Service  -> Agent Hot Desking section.

2. Select the Enable checkbox to turn on hot desking.

3. Select the hunt group that has been configured on the PBX from the Hunt group drop down selection.

4. Configure the options for when users are logged out, see the Logout Settings section.

5. Configure the options from the Advanced Settings.

6. Click on Save.

Logout Settings

The logout settings control the call behavior when the users are logged out of the system.

Logged out destination: This is the default destination that calls are routed to when the agent is logged out.  If users are allowed to override this destination then this initial logged out destination will be used until the user overrides it.

Allow manual forwards: If this option is checked then agents have the ability to override the logged out destination. To override this when the agent is logged in, a user will set a FWD ALL CALLS (default feature code 355) and enter the required destination. The user is automatically logged out of the extension and calls are immediately routed to the required destination. The new destination is now set to the default "logged out destination" any time this user is logged out.

Automatically log agents out: Enabling this option will automatically log out all Agent Hot Desking agents at the specified Time.

Forward messages when logged out: If the agent configures their logged out destination to be another extension, then the message waiting indications on the user's phantom will notify the logged out destination when they are logged out.

Advanced Settings

Change calling party number: This will automatically change the outgoing calling party number used for the calls to be the value configured against the user's phantom device. If Reset settings on logout is enabled the Default calling party number value will then be used to set the caller ID on the extension when the agent is logged out.

The outgoing calling party number can only be set to values supported by the PBX and by the network trunk line provider. Typically this will be configured as the user's DID number.

Default calling party number: This is the calling party number that is configured on extension when an agents logs out of hot desking when using the Reset settings on logout option.

Change class of service (COS): This will change the class of service that is configured on the extension an agent logs into to match the COS configured on the user's phantom extension. This will enable the agent to only make calls that are permitted for their phantom extension.

Default COS extension: The class of service on this extension will be used when the agent is logged out of hot desking when using the Reset settings on logout option.

Change extension username: This will change the username and description of the extension to match their phantom when the agent is logged in. Intercom calls made by the user will therefore be identified for the receiving party.

Change station speed dials: This will change the station speed dials of the physical extension to match the user's phantom when the agent is logged in.

Reset settings on logout: This will clear the username and description on the extension when the agent is logs out and set the class of service and calling party number to be default.  If not enabled, the extension will be returned to its original configuration (the configuration before an Agent Hot Desking user logged).