.Call Types and Call Rates v2.1.4.7

The Call Types and Call Rates grids provide the user organization's financial team with catalog-type lists of the types of calls that can be made by the organization and the rates that accompany them.

Call Types

Navigate to the Billing Call Types grid (see image above) by clicking on the Billing icon in the 'Main' tab and then the node labeled 'Call Types'.

On the Billing Call Types grid, Users can add new Call Types and edit and delete existing ones. The purpose of adding new types here is to help classify calls when processing them out of call/carrier files.

Adding Call Types

To add a new Call Type, click the 'Add' button located on the Grid Toolbar above the Billing Call Types Grid.

In the Call Type data entry form (see image above), the User is prompted to define several fields.

The 'Service Host' field is optional. If this is filled in, this Call Type will only be available to Phones that are also on that Service Host. If the Service Host is left blank, this Call Type will be available to all Calls.

Select a 'Call Type' from the drop-down menu. Choices range from 'Local' to 'International'. Keep in mind that the available and required fields can change based on the User's 'Call Type' selection. For example, if the 'Call Type' is defined as 'International', 'Country Code' and 'Country Name' become required fields while 'NPA' and ‘NXX’ are no longer available.

Users can only input three-digit numbers into the fields labeled 'NPA' and 'NXX'. 'NPA', or 'Numbering Plan Area', represents a three-digit area code. 'NXX', or 'Network Numbering Exchange', represents the first three digits of a phone number.

Once all required fields have been defined, select 'Save New' at the bottom of the Call Type data entry form. The new Call Type will appear on the Billing Call Type Grid.

Editing Call Types

To edit an existing Call Type, simply highlight the item on the Billing Call Type grid and click the 'Edit Selected' button located on the Grid Toolbar above the Grid.

The data entry form is identical to the Call Type data entry form displayed above.

Assuming that all required fields have been defined, select 'Save' at the bottom of the Call Type data entry form. The changes will be reflected on the Billing Call Type Grid.

Deleting Call Types

Highlight an item in the Billing Call Type grid and click the 'Delete Selected' button located on the Grid Toolbar above the Grid.

Notes on Call Types

Many call types are pre-loaded into PCR-360 and defined as 'System Use' for proper call processing. Those call types cannot be modified or deleted.

During call processing, the most specific matching call type is used. If an international call is placed with a country code that is present in the call types table, that call type will be used. Otherwise it will use the system use 'International' call type with no country code defined. The same concept applies to domestic call types with NPA and NXX values.

Call Rates

Navigate to the Billing Call Rates Grid (see image above) by clicking on the Billing icon in the 'Main' tab and then the node labeled 'Call Rates'.

On the Billing Call Rates Grid, Users can add new Call Rates and edit and delete existing ones.

Adding Call Rates

To add a new Call Rate, click the 'Add' button located on the Grid Toolbar above the Billing Call Rates Grid.

In the Call Rate data entry form (see image above), the User is prompted to define several fields.

If the desired call type already exists, click the 'Look Up Call Type' icon and select it from the list. Otherwise, a new call type may be defined from this window. Select a 'Call Type' from the drop-down menu. The options here are defined in the Call Types as outlined in the Call Types section of this article. Keep in mind that, as was the case in Call Types , selection can cause changes in which fields are available or required. Following the protocol established in the Call Type Section, define the remaining required data fields.

Rate Charges

The obvious difference between the Call Rate data entry form and its Call Type counterpart is the 'Rate Charges' Grid included in the former (see image above). To add a new Rate Charge, press the 'Add' button located on the Grid Toolbar above the 'Rate Charges' Grid.

In the window (see image above), the User is prompted to define several fields. The 'Initial Charge Increment' and 'Initial Charge Amount' specify the duration and cost for the initial portion of a call. Likewise, the 'Additional' fields specify the duration and cost thereafter.

For example, if a call should be billed at 20 cents for the first minute and 1 cent for each 6 seconds thereafter, the User would enter '0.20' and '1m' for the 'Initial Charge Increment' and 'Initial Charge Amount', and '0.01' and '6s' for the 'Additional Charge Increment' and 'Additional Charge Amount'.

Optionally, the 'Start Time' and 'End Time' fields may be entered (in 24-hour format) to specify that this rate is in effect for only a portion of the day. Once all required fields have been defined, select 'Save New' at the bottom of the data entry form. The new Rate Charge will appear on the 'Rate Charges' grid in the Call Rate data entry form.

Editing and Deleting Call Rates

To edit or delete items from the Billing Call Rates Grid, follow the protocol established in the section Call Types in this article.

Bulk Rate Update

Sometimes it might be necessary to update some or all of the Call Rates at the same time. If the changes are similar, this functionality can make that task easier. There are two buttons here that can make this task easier.

Bulk Update Selected

To use this functionality, first click the check box of all of the items that are desired to update simultaneously. When the items desired are selected, the User can then click the 'Bulk Update Selected' button  , and all the selected records will be updated.

Bulk Update All

Sometimes it is not practical to select on an individual basis the records that need updating if there are a significant number requiring an update. The 'Bulk Update All' button  can assist with this. It is not necessary to modify 'ALL' records when using 'Bulk Update All'. This may be somewhat counter intuitive, but Bulk Update All will 'ONLY' modify all the record currently in the grid. This means that a User can filter the results of the Grid and only modify a specific section of information.

To use 'Bulk Update All', first filter the Grid so that the results reflect those that need to be updated. Once this is done, click the 'Bulk Update All' button and make any desired changes.