If you want to use shifts in conjunction with callbacks (i.e. to have callbacks occur during the next shift after the failed call, using the next shift callback type), you need to define the shifts you are using. You can access the shifts window by clicking create shifts (or edit shifts, to change a shift that has already been defined) in two places:
In the callback tab of the task properties window;
In the callback tab of the list properties window.
In this topic:
To create a shift:
Right-click the day on which the shift is to occur.
Select new shift node, then shift n, where n is the shift number. A new shift will be created from 00:00-24:00.
Define the details of the shift as described below.
To edit the start and end times for a shift:
Hold the mouse pointer over the beginning or end edge of the block, and drag it right or left to adjust the start or end time.
You can also hold the mouse over the middle of the block to drag the entire block left or right within the same day. This adjusts the position within the day, but retains the same shift length.
Alternatively, click the shift you want to edit, and enter the times you want in the shift nodes box at the bottom right of the window:
You can type the start time and end time, or use the up and down arrows to change the times.
To change the shift number for a shift node:
Right-click the shift node, and select change shift.
Select the shift number you want to use.
To delete a shift node:
Click the shift node, and press DELETE on the keyboard.
Alternatively, right-click the shift node, and select delete shift node.
You can also enter a description for a shift, to help identify it a later point in time. This is shown in the bottom-left of the shifts window.
To enter a shift description:
In the shift settings box, click in the description column against the appropriate shift.
Type the description.
It is possible to view the details of shift nodes for a specific shift. In the bottom right of the shifts window, there is a list of shift nodes, indicating their day, start and end times, and shift number. If you select only show nodes for highlighted shift below the list, then the list will display only the nodes for the shift that is currently selected at any given time.
Shifts can be set to last resort to ensure they will handle callbacks only if all the other shifts have already attempted a greater number of callbacks. This also means that the last resort shift is not used until every other shift has attempted at least one callback.
The "last resort" shift will be used for a callback only when all the other shifts have been used more; otherwise, it will be skipped. So if, for example, there were two calls already done in the last resort shift, and only one in the others, the other three shifts would have to "catch up" and each be used twice before the last resort shift is used again.
To give a more detailed example, suppose you have four shifts defined, shift 4 being the "last resort" shift. A call in shift 2 is returned as busy, and "next shift" is the callback type used.
The first call was in shift 2.
The second call will be in shift 3.
The next call (if any) will be in shift 1 (skipping shift 4, as it is "last resort").
The next call will be in shift 2.
The next call will be in shift 3.
The next call will be in shift 4 (last resort shift), because shift 4 has been used less than all the other shifts.
To set a shift as "last resort":
In the shifts window, right-click a shift node belonging to the shift in question, and select use shift as last resort.
Alternatively, in the shift settings list (at the bottom left of the shifts window), for the appropriate shift, change last resort to yes.
To remove the "last resort" status from a shift:
In the shifts window, right-click a shift node belonging to the shift in question, and select don't use shift as last resort.
Alternatively, in the shift settings list (at the bottom left of the shifts window), for the appropriate shift, change last resort to no.
Shift information is stored in two places:
AskCall[ListID]: "AskShift", with values from 0 (when the call is made outside a shift) to n (the maximum number of shifts you declared in the survey properties.
AskList[ListID]: three new fields:
AskLastTelephonyShift: this field contains the last shift used for the last call.
AskLastTelephonyShiftPercentage: contains the value of the position into time shift when the last call has been made.
AskShiftAvailable: indicates in which shift the next call will be made for this specific contact.