Questions about Shoretel system before

[pk2007]

Hello All,

We are ready to buy shoretel ip phone system but I have a couple of questions which I would like to check with you first


Our dealer offering me to buy Remote Web Reporting license which allows me to customize and create my own reports – we actually need only Agent Detail login/logout report – but the price for one report is more than half than Crystal report customization tool.

My questions are:

1. Do I need that Remote Web Reporting license to customize and write new our own reports? Or I just can use our copy of Crystal report? Is it hard to create those reports to compare to MS Access reports which I had previous experience with

2. Also on this forum I have read that their standard report do not include calls which went to voicemail? Is it true?

We are buying workgroup call center – and will need to get report on how many calls went to voicemail? And how long it took for our guys to retrace those messages? Is it possible? Is it standard report?

3. How their record on demand button work?

4. we will use our own DELL POE 3424P and Dell 3448P - any known issue with them?

Thank you so much for your help

Paul

[Forum]

I will answer 2 parts as best I can.

Answer to question #1: My understanding is that the remote web reporting license is required to view the reports from the webpage, rather then from the server console. I didn't think it had anything to do with writing your own reports.

I've written my own reports by installing a MySQL connector on my laptop (which I configure to connect to the server), and using my own version of Crystal Reports. We have another customer that dumps his MySQL DB into his SQL, and runs his reports from there.

#4: There are mixed reviews on the Dell switches. I have used them for 3+ years with Shoretel, and never had an issue. Others have.

I probably know the answer to the other 2 questions, but I need to get some sleep before an early morning cutover.

Charles

[pk2007]

Thank you Charles for your asnwers

>Answer to question #1: My understanding is that the remote web >reporting license is required to view the reports from the webpage, >rather then from the server console. I didn't think it had anything to do >with writing your own reports.

that's was my understanding too. But somehow they are pushing this web licensing thing. So they don’t lock database somehow and I have full access to it? And information about data structure in their database is public too? Or to get it I have to pay something to shoretel?


>>I've written my own reports by installing a MySQL connector on my >>laptop (which I configure to connect to the server), and using my own >>version of Crystal Reports. We have another customer that dumps his >>MySQL DB into his SQL, and runs his reports from there.

you can connect to their live databse? they use MYSQL?


thanks again

Pavel

[cburgy]

Hello All,

We are ready to buy shoretel ip phone system but I have a couple of questions which I would like to check with you first


Our dealer offering me to buy Remote Web Reporting license which allows me to customize and create my own reports – we actually need only Agent Detail login/logout report – but the price for one report is more than half than Crystal report customization tool.

My questions are:

1. Do I need that Remote Web Reporting license to customize and write new our own reports? Or I just can use our copy of Crystal report? Is it hard to create those reports to compare to MS Access reports which I had previous experience with

2. Also on this forum I have read that their standard report do not include calls which went to voicemail? Is it true?

We are buying workgroup call center – and will need to get report on how many calls went to voicemail? And how long it took for our guys to retrace those messages? Is it possible? Is it standard report?

3. How their record on demand button work?

4. we will use our own DELL POE 3424P and Dell 3448P - any known issue with them?

Thank you so much for your help

Paul

I'll step in and answer the ones Charles could not get to.

There is not a built in report for reporting on calls that go to voicemail. That information is, however, housed in the CDR database (which is MySQL).

The record on demand button will record the call up to the limit of the length of a voicemail and when the recording stops, it will appear as a voicemail on the user's extension. There is also an option to send the recorded call to a different mailbox.

If you want to record all calls, a third party solution will be required.


As far as the Dell switches, you can do research on the forum (this topic has came up many times). We used to sell them years ago and have ripped out all of them except one installation because of problems. They are not enterprise grade switches. It really becomes a function of the complexity of your network and if QOS is really being used (Dell does QOS in software and not in hardware). For a small and simple environment, you'll probably not have issues. At the end of the day, your phone system will only be as good as the underlying infrastructure.

[pk2007]

thank you Chris for your detailed answers

Can you please confirm about that web licensing thing and CDR. They don’t lock database somehow and I have full access to it with my own copy of crystal reports? And information about data structure in their database is public too? Or to get it I have to pay something to shoretel/dealer? It looks like for me that I don’t have to buy anything to create my own reports, rigth?

[cburgy]

thank you Chris for your detailed answers

Can you please confirm about that web licensing thing and CDR. They don’t lock database somehow and I have full access to it with my own copy of crystal reports? And information about data structure in their database is public too? Or to get it I have to pay something to shoretel/dealer? It looks like for me that I don’t have to buy anything to create my own reports, rigth?

Web Reporting license is ONLY if you want to be able to run the reports in Director remotely (meaning, you dont have to open Director on the actual Shroetel server). It is for crystal reports but it is just a use license. CR requires that shoretel have customers buy a license for each concurrent user (regardless of if you already own CR) that wants to run remote reporting.

You can access the CDR and do as you please. It is not locked. Details on the database schema and writing reports is available in the Administrator's Guide (you can download from within Shoreware Director).

There are also a number of 3rd party reporting tools that tie in with Shoretel that have pre-created reports.

[pk2007]

There are also a number of 3rd party reporting tools that tie in with Shoretel that have pre-created reports.[/QUOTE]

now it's clear - thank you

can you mention here those 3rd party reporting tools with pre-created reports please

[nikroft]

My company and many others as far as i am aware use the HP pro curve switches and we have never had an issue as far as I am aware they are one of the best value on the market compared to some of the bigger network guys. I would also say shop around on them the last two I bought were from my cabling contractor and he was almost $200/ea cheaper than some of the online guys.

[Palitto Consulting]

We are one 3rd party developer of reports. We have a handful of ready-made reports, but our model is generally to customize the report to fit your exact needs. If you're interested, feel free to read more about us on our web site at Palitto Consulting Services, Inc. or call Bryon Palitto at 330-335-7271.

[pk2007]

BTW - can you guys tell me what version of Crystal Report I shoud buy to write reports for 8.1 release? Shoretel tells that they use Crystal Report ver. 6 to write reports but I am not sure it's still available?

[johncb3]

I'm trying to get Crystal Reports to connect to the Shoretel Database. So far I am trying to connect to the ODBC datasource and it brings up "Shoreline CDR ODBC Connection" but I can't figure out the user ID and Password. Or should I be looking somewhere else.

Thanks!

[pk2007]

I used Logon: st_cdrreport PSW: passwordcdrreport

it worked for me