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I have two banks that each have IP Office. The main bank runs IPO 406v2 and runs voicemail pro. The satellite location has a IPO 500 and is connected to the 406v2 via SCN. Both systems are running core software 4.2.14 and the voicemail is version 4.2 (27). Right now, when the main bank closes, they have a button programmed to put the receptionist group into night mode, which forwards all calls to the auto attendant. When they arrive in the morning, they simply hit the button to turn the night service off. The satellite location is not open yet, but will be soon. Instead of manually turning night mode on and off at both of these locations, I would like to be able for the auto attendant to automatically start and stop on its own depending on the time of day and also for holidays. I should add, that the two locations each have their own analog lines....4 at the main location and 2 at the satellite location. The president of the bank prefers to not use an auto attendant during the day to answer calls, as he wants the personal touch of a live person when a customer calls in.

Here is where I am not sure how to set things up. Do I setup time profiles in each IPO to tell the system when to forward calls to the auto attendant based on time of day and or calendar date, or is there a better way of doing this?

I should also mention that two more banks in separate towns will soon be joining this SCN and I would also like to add them to the auto attendant if possible.

The best way would be to setup time profiles on each system. It requires more programming on your part but saves VCM and VM pro resources during the day.

The other option that always keeps all sites sychronized on day/night modes would be to route every call from all sites directly to a voicemail module that checks a condition for open/closed and route accordingly. The main problem with this is making sure there are sufficient VCM channels and voicemail ports available to handle the load.

Right now they only have 4 channels on their VCM. Also, the sites are linked by a T-1 which is also handling their data network as well as their SCN. So I am thinking I want to keep IPO traffic off of the SCN as much as possible. So time profiles may be the best option.

So, if the bank hours are M-F 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM and Sat from 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM, do I need to make separate profiles that point to the auto attendant that run M-F 6:00 PM to 7:30 AM and then Saturday 12:00 PM to 7:30 Monday? Cause with this setup, what will happen at 6:00 PM on Friday? Will it stay on auto attendant til 7:30 on Monday, or will Saturday override that?

Just set up a time profile for saturday on your conditions editor on voice mail.

After playing with it, here is what I did. From what I understand, the IPO goes thru the Incoming Call Routes in reverse order (ie. from the bottom up???). I made a time profile for holidays, that direct the incoming calls into the system to the auto attendant. Then I made a time profile for working hours, that says any incoming calls that come in during 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM M-F and 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM Sat, send to the reception hunt group. Then the default time profile I have set to go to the auto attendant. Therefore if it isn't a holiday or working hours, calls get routed to the attendant. Seems to be working fine. Is this an ok setup?

I talked to our licensed Avaya vendor, and they suggested not using time profiles if we use VMPro. They say that time profiles are actually part of embedded voicemail and that if you try to use a time profile w/ VMPro you will run into problems, even though it seems to be working fine. He suggests letting the auto attendant answer and route all calls. However, after explaining to him that each location has its own analog lines and a simple T-1 that is shared with the data network, that it may not be wise to be sending all that call traffic over the network all day long. They are thinking the the way I have set it up may be the only way to do it. Any thoughts on this? How would anyone else set this up? Thanks for any input!

No, the IP office matches the incoming number from the digits sent, and cmopares to the incoming call route.

I have used all combinations of time profriles in IPO to conditions from VM Pro and all different variables. I have never had a problem doing it this way, so it is doubtfull you will.

If it is currently working, then i would go with that.

I am thinking I may do just that. I did get an email from our vendor, and he mentions using the built-in auto-attendant on each local IPO and then have calls sent to the VMPro attendant as needed. But to use that built-in attendant, doesn't a person need to setup time profiles as well???

Find a new vendor. There is no "built in" auto attendant.

In manager, there is a Auto Attendant setting, and it has settings for up to three separate actions.......morning, afternoon, and evening.