This article will guide you through the process of selecting an alert to use with the Workflow Polling feature (which includes polling through phone calls) and Priority Calling, where individual phones are called instead of using a broadcast method.
If your agency is struggling with a problem that could be solved by using workflow or priority calling, these features are not standard but can be enabled by contacting your account manager.
Roles and Permissions:
The following Permissions must be enabled in order for the Administrator to have access to either feature:
Workflow Polling provides Administrators with the capability to send out polls that can be based on a specified number of calls or a designated time frame, such as every 15 minutes. When this feature is activated, recipients are required to press a key upon receiving the voice call; if they do not, the system will persist in calling the numbers listed in the recipients' profiles until the call is acknowledged. It is important to note that simply answering the call without pressing a key does not count as an acknowledgment.
The Priority feature allows Administrators to set the calling order for devices, determining which phone will be contacted first, second, and third. This replaces the default method where the system simultaneously attempts to reach all devices.
NOTE: Once a call is acknowledged by pressing a key, any further calls will be halted. Additionally, voice calls are mandatory for both the Workflow and Priority features; thus, this communication channel will be automatically selected and cannot be disabled when using either option.
Sending Alerts using Workflow, Priority or Both:
Workflow is only available on the Send Poll form., while Priority calling is available on both the Send Alert and Send Poll forms.
Priority:
Located just below the Message Customization field on the Delivery Methods Card within the Send Alert or Send Poll forms, the Administrator has the option to enable Priority calling. This feature allows the Administrator to choose whether to follow the User Preference set in their Internal Contact profile, override those preferences, or utilize the standard (none) delivery method. If the Administrator opts to override the existing calling order, they can change the sequence in which each device is contacted for a single attempt, provided there is no confirmation (i.e., the phone is answered). For example, the Administrator might decide to prioritize calling the home phone before the cell phone. These options can be dragged to select the order.
Workflow:
Also found on the Delivery Methods card within the Send Poll form, the Workflow feature enables Administrators to set the call duration and ensure that calls are successfully received. There are three options available:
1. **Standard** - This option does not include any specific duration settings.
2. **Limited Duration** - With this selection, recipients will be contacted for a designated time period across each device, based on the specified intervals. For example, the system may wait for 1 minute before calling each number in the recipient's profile for a total duration of 5 minutes.
3. **Max Attempts** - This option is similar to the Limited Duration selection, but it allows the Administrator to specify the maximum number of attempts the system should make to reach each device. For instance, the system might wait 3 minutes between attempts and try each number up to 10 times.
