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Voice Mail Instructions

CITES > telecomm > voice mail > instructions

This is the online version of the Voice Mail User Guide Instructions brochure. This guide explains the features you will use most often to send, receive and answer voice mail messages.

• Getting started
• User options
• Distribution lists
• Creating a message
• Playing a message
• Fax messaging
• Pocket paging
• Important information and helpful hints
• Voice mail etiquette
• Summary of voice mail options

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Getting started

When you access your mailbox for the first time, a user tutorial is automatically activated. This tutorial will guide you through your first mailbox session; explain how to record a greeting and your name, and prompt you to change your temporary passcode.

Greetings

You will be asked to record one or more greetings that callers will hear when they call your mailbox. For example, you may record one greeting the caller hears when your line is busy (e.g. I'm currently on the phone...) and a different one when you're temporarily away from your office (e.g. I'm currently away from my office).

Passcode

You will always be prompted for your passcode before accessing your mailbox. The first time you access your mailbox you will use a temporary passcode. During the tutorial, you will be prompted to change your passcode to a number with 4 to 10 digits. Please define a passcode that you can remember, but do not select something trivial such as "1234."

Name

You will be prompted to record your name so that the voice mail system can:

• Address you when you call into the system. (e.g. "Hello, Jane Smith")
• Inform other subscribers when a message comes from you (e.g. "3:45 from Jane Smith")
• State your name to other subscribers when they address messages to your mailbox (e.g. "Jane Smith").

You will need the following three numbers to access the voice mail system.

1. Access number
• On Campus: 4-0505
• Off Campus: (217) 244-0505.
  
2. Passcode number
• This is the key that opens your voice mailbox; please keep it confidential. If you forget your passcode, your system administrator will be able to reinitiate your mailbox with a new temporary passcode, but will not be able to access your passcode.
3. Mailbox number
• This is the five-digit number identifying your mailbox. The system is set up so that your mailbox number is usually the same as your campus telephone number.

Accessing your voice mailbox

• From your office extension:
  Dial 4-0505
  Enter your Passcode when prompted.
• From another campus extension:
  Dial 4-0505
  (If you hear another user's name press *)
  Enter your 5-digit mailbox number plus *
  Enter your Passcode when prompted.
• From off-campus:
  Dial (217) 244-0505
  Enter your 5-digit mailbox number plus *
  Enter your Passcode when prompted.

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User options

Your user options may be accessed at any time by dialing 244-0505, accessing your mailbox, and pressing U (8). For more information on these or any other voice mail features, please call Communications Customer Service at 333-1161.

Change your Passcode:

It is a good idea to change your passcode periodically. If you forget your passcode, you will need to visit the CITES Help Desk in person with your photo ID and then reset your other mailbox features after you set your new passcode.

• Access your voice mailbox
• Press U (8) for User options
• Press P (7) for Passcode
• Enter your new Passcode (4 - 10 digits)

(Wait for the system to acknowledge your new passcode.)

• Press X (9) to Save your passcode
• Press X (9) again to exit the system.

Change your greetings:

Your recorded name

1. Access your voice mailbox
2. Press U (8) for User options
3. Press N (6) for Name
4. Press R (7) to begin Recording then press #
5. Press X (9) to Save your name recording or
6. Press D (3) to Delete and re-record your name.

Primary greeting

This is the general, default message you created in the voice mail setup tutorial.

1. Access your voice mailbox
2. Press U (8) for User options
3. Press G (4) for Greeting
4. Press P (7) for Primary greeting
5. Press R (7) to begin Recording then press #
6. Press R (7) to Review greeting
7. Press D (3) to Discard the greeting and record over
8. Press A (2) to Append to your present greeting
9. Press X (9) to Save the greeting.

Conditional greetings

Your callers will hear these messages if your calls are forwarded on busy, no answer or directly to the voice mail system

There are three different types of conditional greetings. Using greetings properly is one of the easiest ways to get more functionality from the voice mail system. Conditional greetings work by playing an appropriate message depending on the status of your phone when the call is received. Unlike the primary greeting, conditional greetings are designed to work as a set: you must set all three greetings for conditional greetings to work properly.

• "Ring No Answer" greeting: If you are away from your desk you can have a greeting to that effect. "Hi, this is (Name). I'm away from my desk right now. Please leave a message, and I'll return your call as soon as possible."
• "Busy" greeting: If you are on the phone when someone else calls, the caller would receive a greeting such as: "Hi, this is (Name). I'm on the phone at the moment. Please leave a message, and I'll return your call as soon as possible."
• "Call Forward" greeting: All subscribers have the ability to forward their phone calls to another number. If, for example, you were going to be out of the office for an extended period of time, you could record a greeting such as: "Hi, this is (Name). I will be out of the office on vacation from (mm/dd/yy), returning on (mm/dd/yy). I will not be checking my messages. If you need assistance, please call (Name) at (x-xxxx)." Then set your phone to forward your calls to 4-0505.

1. Access your voice mailbox
2. Press U (8) for User options
3. Press G (4) for Greeting
4. Press C (2) for Conditional greeting
5. Now choose one of these greeting types:
   • Press B (2) for Busy greeting
   • Press F (3) for call Forward greeting
   • Press N (6) for No answer greeting
6. Press R (7) to begin Recording and then press # when finished recording
7. Press R (7) to Review greeting
8. Press D (3) to Discard the greeting and record over
9. Press A (2) to Append to your present greeting
10. Press X (9) to Save the greeting.
11. Then follow the prompts to record other conditional greetings.
12. Press E (3) to Enable the conditional greetings or press X (9) to exit to the main menu; press X (9) again to exit the system.

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Distribution lists

Distribution Lists are very useful when you plan to use your voice mailbox to send messages to predefined groups. To make a distribution list:

1. Access your voice mailbox
2. Press U (8) for User options
3. Press L (5) to create/modify a distribution List
4. Enter the Distribution List Number (1 - 9) you wish to create or modify
5. Press N (6) to Name the distribution list (you will be prompted to record a name for the list); Press X (9) to Save the list name
6. Press A (2) to Add voice mail subscribers to your distribution list; enter mailbox numbers of subscribers and follow prompts for adding to list
7. Press D (3) to Delete a mailbox from your list; enter mailbox number and follow prompts for deleting from list
8. Press R (7) to Review members in the current list
9. Press X (9) to exit to the main menu
10. Press X (9) again to exit the system.

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Creating a message

From your voice mailbox:

1. Access your voice mailbox
2. Press M (6) to Make a message
3. Enter the distribution list number or mailbox number of each person you wish to send the message to
4. Press # after the last mailbox number, then record your message
5. Press # at the end of your message
6. Press X (9) to send the message or
7. Press M (6) to access Message addressing options:
   • Press U (8) to mark it Urgent
   • Press C (2) to mark it Confidential
   • Press R (7) to request Return Receipt
   • Press F (3) for Future Delivery
8. Press X (9) again to exit the menu
9. Press X (9) again to exit the system.

Call schedule options

If you have already created messages (such as a reminder to yourself or co-workers), this service allows you to have them sent on a later date. Call scheduling also allows you to be paged when a new message arrives.

1. Access your voice mailbox.
2. Press U (8) for User Options.
3. Press C (2) for Call Schedule Options.
4. Press P (7) for Paging Options.
   Follow the prompts for additional options
   • Press F (3) to audit future delivery messages.
   • Press M (5) for message delivery (deluxe mailboxes only).

By calling the party directly

When calling a party's extension and you are forwarded into voice mail, you will hear the subscriber's greeting inviting you to leave a message. After the system prompt, you can:

• Leave a message and hang-up
• Press 0 to reach assistance (The greeting or system advises you if this is an option.)
• Leave a message, or press 0 for assistance
• Leave a message and press M (6) to access

Message addressing options

• Press U (8) to mark it Urgent
• Press C (2) to mark it Confidential
• Press R (7) to request Return Receipt
• Press F (3) for Future Delivery.

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Playing a message

Access your voice mailbox

The system will announce how many "Unplayed" and how many "Saved" messages you have. It will then prompt you to Press P (7)  to Play your first message.

Message playback options

Press:

# to move forward 5 seconds
* to move back 5 seconds
1 pause for 30 seconds
8 plus # to skip to your next message
8 plus * to go back to your previous message.

Message handling options

Press:

G (4) to Give a message to another subscriber
A (2) to Answer a message from another subscriber
K (5) to Keep a message
P (7) re-Play a message
D (3) to Discard a message (to retrieve a discarded message, press * before playing the next message).

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Fax messaging

Making a fax message:

Fax messaging is an optional mailbox feature. Not all voice mail boxes are equipped to send or receive fax messages.

1. Load the pages you wish to fax into the fax machine
2. From a phone connected to your fax machine dial the extension or mailbox of the person you want to send the Fax to
3. You will hear the recipients personal greeting
4. To send a Fax without leaving a voice message Press L (5) and the Start Button on your Fax machine and hang up

or

1. Leave a voice message, press L (5), then press the Start Button on your Fax machine.

Retrieving a fax message:

1. When you access your mailbox to retrieve your messages, the system will first tell you how many messages you have, including identifying messages with fax
2. Press P (7) to play your messages
3. If you have any fax messages, the system will ask you to press T (8) for fax Transmittal options
4. Now choose from two options (Receive or Deliver)
• Press R (7) to Receive this fax now.
  Note: Use this option when you are calling from your fax machine. You must press the start button on your fax machine now.

OR

• Press D (3) to Deliver to personal fax #
  1. Press T (8) to schedule a Time for delivery
  2. Press C (2) to Cancel
  3. Press X (9) to deliver now
  4. Press I (4) to Input a number where you want your fax directed
     1. Enter Number you want fax to be delivered to
     2. Press A (2) to Accept confirmation of the number or I (4) to Input a new number
     3. Once you have accepted a fax number, press T (8) to schedule delivery Time, C (2) to Cancel, or X (9) to deliver fax now
5. Press X (9) to exit the system.

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Pocket paging

1. Enter your mailbox
2. Press U (8) for User options
3. Press C (2) for Call scheduling options
4. Press P (7) for Paging options, follow prompts for additional options

Note: If you change your pager type (Voice or Digital) contact the Voice Mail Administrator.

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Important information and helpful hints

• Help Desk - If you have a question regarding your voice mailbox or have a problem accessing the system or features contact 244-7000, 8:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday.
• Passcode security - If you make an error entering your passcode you will be prompted to enter it twice correctly before you are allowed into your mailbox. Note: you must listen to the prompt before entering passcode again.
• Lost Passcodes - The system administrators will not be able to access your voice mail passcode. If you lose your passcode, they can reset your mailbox. Your messages will be intact, but you will have to reset all of your mailbox parameters.
• Prompts/greetings - Once you are familiar with the voice mail system prompts you can override most of the prompts by pressing the appropriate button without having to listen to them. When leaving a message in a voice mailbox you can override the greeting by entering the S (7) Skip command.

The voice mail system listens to messages and determines that the message has ended if there is a pause of 5 seconds. Therefore, the system may end a message if a caller pauses too long. Similarly, if there is any background noise during the call, the system will record that as a message even though the caller did not leave a verbal message.

Generally, an individual who does not subscribe to voice mail cannot forward their phone to a phone with voice mail and have their messages recorded. There is a group mailbox option available, contact the Help Desk for additional information.

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Voice mail etiquette

• Check your messages daily. Return messages within one business day. If it is going to take longer to answer their request/question, phone the caller and advise him/her.
• Clean up your mailbox, delete messages frequently.
• Keep your password in a secure place.
• Keep messages short and to the point. Be sure to state your name, department/unit, telephone number, date/time of call, and a brief but complete message.
• Record a greeting in your own voice. If you use the default/system greeting, callers will not believe you are using your mailbox.
• Update your greetings daily. Make sure you record a special greeting in the event of vacations and extended absences.
• Take care when recording your greeting. Always listen to your greeting after making it.

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Summary of voice mail options

User options:

Press:

P (7) to change your 4 - 10 digit Passcode
G (4) to change Greetings
N (6) to change Name
C (2) to change Call schedule options
T (8) to activate Tutorial
L (5) to modify a distribution List
X (9) to eXit.

Messaging options

Press:

M (6) to Make a message
G (4) to Give a message to another subscriber
A (2) to Answer a message
K (5) to Keep a message
D (3) to Discard a Message
P (7) to Replay a Message.

Shortcuts when playing a message

Press:

# to Move forward 5 seconds
* to move backwards 5 seconds
1 to pause for 30 seconds (press * to resume playing message)
8 plus # to skip to next message (skipped messages remain as new and unplayed in message queue)
8 plus * to skip backward one message.