Configuring MCF Agents

This chapter discusses:

Defining agents.
Defining optional agent characteristics.

Defining Agents

To define agents, use the MCF Agent (MCF_AGENT_CMP) component.

This section discusses how to:

Create agents.
Specify languages that an agent supports.
Customize an agent's presence.

These three agent definition pages form the basis of agent configuration. Other parameters are optional.

Pages Used to Define Agents

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Agent	MCF_AGENT_PG	PeopleTools, MultiChannel Framework, Universal Queue, Administration, Agent, Agent	Specify name, skill level, maximum workload, and queues for each agent.
Languages	MCF_AGENTLANG_PG	PeopleTools, MultiChannel Framework, Universal Queue, Administration, Agent, Languages	Specify the languages that an agent is qualified to use. Specify at least one language.
Personalize Presence	MCFAGENTPRES_PG	PeopleTools, MultiChannel Framework, Universal Queue, Administration, Agent, Personalize Presence	Specify an agent's presence options.

Creating Agents

Access the Agent page.

Name

Enter the full name, in PeopleSoft format, of this agent.

The agent name appears in other agents' buddy lists.

Nick Name

Enter a short name for this agent.

The agent nickname identifies this agent in chat sessions and logs.

Delete Agent

An agent cannot be deleted if the agent still has accepted tasks on any queues to which the agent belongs. Before deleting an agent, ensure that the agent is logged off from all queues to which the agent is assigned.

Logical Queue ID

Enter the ID of a logical queue to which this agent is assigned.

Each agent may be assigned to more than one logical queue. An agent can log on to only one queue at a time from the MultiChannel Console.

Note. Do not overwrite the logical queue except when first creating an agent, as the agent's tasks may lose their assignment.

Physical Queue ID

Agents are randomly assigned to a physical queue when the logical queue is associated with the agent. An agent who services a logical queue logs on to a physical queue managed by a specific MCF cluster.

While an agent can service multiple logical queues, the agent can belong to only one physical queue per logical queue.

Note. Do not overwrite the physical queue except when first creating an agent, as this may orphan tasks. Use the Physical Queues Move Agent page.

Randomly Select Physical Queue

Click to assign another physical queue (within this logical queue) randomly. This will help to spread multiple agents evenly over available physical queues.

Skill Level

Select the skill level of this agent for the tasks assigned for this queue. This is a required field.

The agent is assigned only tasks requiring a skill level less than or equal to the skill level specified here. If there is more than one qualified agent available to accept the task, the queue server gives preference to the agent with the lowest skill level.

Each agent can have a different skill level for each queue to which the agent is assigned.

Maximum Workload

Select the maximum load that this agent can be assigned before tasks are held or assigned to other agents. This is a required field.

The cost of each accepted task is added to the agent's current workload. A task is not assigned to an agent if its cost pushes the agent's current workload over the maximum.

Note. Do not delete a queue from an agent's list unless that agent has no open accepted tasks on that queue.

Specifying Languages That an Agent Supports

Access the Languages page.

Specify the languages that each agent is qualified to support.

The agent is assigned only tasks that have been enqueued with a language code in the agent's language list. For the EnQueue() built-in function, the language code is specified as a parameter. For the InitChat() built-in function, the language code is determined by the user profile of the initiator.

If you do not specify a language code for a new agent, the default value is English.

Personalizing an Agent's Presence

Access the Personalize Presence page.

Each agent can customize the presence description displayed when the agent is available or unavailable. The queue server only understands the presence state, available or unavailable, but you can specify more specific presence descriptions when displaying or logging an agent's presence. For example, Lunch, Meeting, or Indisposed are unavailable states that can be used for tracking agent time and activity.

If you do not specify presence descriptions, default values are used.

Presence State

Select Available or Unavailable.

Presence Description

Enter a description for each agent state.

The description appears in logs of agent activity and when agent presence is displayed.

Defining Optional Agent Characteristics

To define optional agent characteristics, use the MCF Agent (MCF_AGENT_CMP) component.

This section discusses how to:

Set up buddy lists.
Configure windows.
Personalize chat.
Specify agent-specific URLs.
Specify miscellaneous parameters.

These agent configuration pages are considered optional because most do not have default values and can remain unconfigured without affecting an agent's ability to log on to a queue and accept tasks.

Pages Used to Define Optional Agent Characteristics

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Buddy List	MCFAGENTBUDDY_PG	PeopleTools, MultiChannel Framework, Universal Queue, Administration, Agent, Buddy List	Specify a list of other agents.
Window Config (window configuration)	MCFAGENTCUST_PG	PeopleTools, MultiChannel Framework, Universal Queue, Administration, Agent, Window Config	Configure the specified agent's window.
Personalize Chat	MCFAGENTMSG_PG	PeopleTools, MultiChannel Framework, Universal Queue, Administration, Agent, Agent Messages	Specify agent-specific messages, in addition to available system messages.
Static Push URLs	MCFAGENTURL_PG	PeopleTools, MultiChannel Framework, Universal Queue, Administration, Agent, Agent Push URLs	Specify agent-specific URLs, in addition to system push URLs.
Miscellaneous	MCF_AGENTMISC	PeopleTools, MultiChannel Framework, Universal Queue, Administration, Agent, Miscellaneous	Specify miscellaneous behaviors.

Setting Up Buddy Lists

Access the Buddy List page.

The agent's buddy list facilitates collaborative chat and chat conferencing.

Agent Buddy

Select another agent with whom this agent can have a chat session or can ask to conference onto another chat.

Each agent buddy must be logged onto a physical queue on the same cluster to be able to chat. If two agents must be able to chat but they do not share a cluster, use the Physical Queue Move Agent page to move the agents onto physical queues on the same MCF cluster.

Name

Displays the buddy agent's nickname.

The name appears in the buddy list on the MultiChannel Console or agent chat window.

An agent's presence as shown in the buddy list on the MultiChannel Console or on the Invite Agent list on the chat console indicates the agent's availability for chat or conference.

Configuring Windows

Access the Window Config page.

Set the initial agent window placement and size by specifying parameters on this page. The windows may be resized and moved by an agent.

Window	Select the window to which the specified configuration applies. Select from: Agent to Agent Chat Agent to Customer Chat E-mail Generic Alert Grab URL MultiChannel Console
Top and Left	Enter the distance in pixels from the top and left edge of the screen when the window first appears.
Width and Height	Enter the width and height, in pixels, of the window when it first appears.
Popup Mode	Select from: Automatic:The window appears automatically. For customer-initiated chat or tasks initiated from the EnQueue() built-in function, the task is automatically accepted as well. For agent-initiated chat, the agent can elect not to accept the task; in effect, the agent can preview the task. If this is the desired behavior, select Manual from the Accept Mode drop-down list box.If you want agent-to-agent tasks to function like customer-initiated tasks, select Automatic from the Accept Mode drop-down list box. Manual:The window does not appear until the agent clicks the task on the agent MultiChannel Console. For customer-initiated chat or tasks initiated from the EnQueue() built-in function, clicking the task means that the task is automatically accepted as well. For agent-initiated chat, the behavior depends on the setting for the Accept Mode field.
Accept Mode	Select from: Automatic: Agent-to-agent chats are automatically accepted without requiring the agent to click the icon. Manual:Agent-to-agent chats require the agent to click the icon. Accept mode affects only collaborative chat.

Personalizing Chat

Access the Personalize Chat page.

An agent can create personalized responses in addition to the system responses defined for each queue.

Response ID

Responses, except those identified by Other, are linked to specific events. These responses, except for those identified Other, are always sent on these events from this agent. If an agent does not have a customized response for a specific event, it is read from a default response set in the Message Catalog. The response text set here overrides the default text set in the Message Catalog.

Select from:

Abandon:A chat is abandoned when a chat initiator closes the chat window before the chat is accepted by an agent. This message appears when the agent accepts the abandoned chat.
Accept:This greeting is automatically sent to the chat initiator when an agent accepts a chat in response to a chat request that does not include a question.

If the chat request includes a question, the agent's Answer Question text is sent in response instead of the Accept response.
Answer Question:This greeting is automatically sent to the chat initiator when an agent accepts a chat in response to a chat request that includes a question.
Deny:Only applies to collaborative chat. If an agent elects not to accept a chat, this message is automatically sent to the chat initiator.
End: If either party exits a chat after the chat is accepted, this message is displayed from the agent.
Forward:If the agent forwards a chat session to another queue, this message is sent to the customer.
Other: These messages are never automatically sent in a chat session. Their message names appear in the Template Messages drop-down list box on the agent chat page. These messages are appended to the template messages (chat responses) defined for the queue.

Response Name

This name appears in the agent's template response drop-down list box.

Response Text

Enter the response text to appear in the chat window.

Specifying Agent-Specific URLs

Access the Static Push URLs page.

This page defines URLs that this agent can send to a client browser. These URLs are in addition to the URLs defined in the queue configuration page.

URL Name

The URL name appears in the agent's static URL drop-down list box.

URL Description

This description appears only on this page, to further describe this URL or, for example, its reason for inclusion.

URL

Enter the queue push URL.

The URL must include the opening http:// and any required parameters.

All static URLs defined for the agent are downloaded when the agent launches the agent chat console by accepting a customer chat. Static URLs are not available in collaborative chat.

If you send a PeopleSoft Pure Internet Architecture URL, be sure that the recipient has permissions to access that portal , node, or page.

Specifying Miscellaneous Parameters

Access the Miscellaneous page.

When task is unassigned

Select from the following options the action that occurs when a task assigned to an agent is unassigned:

Prompt whether to close window (default).

Close the task window.

Do not close the task window.

Trace Level

Select from the following log trace levels:

0 - None

1 - Information

2 - Debug

If a value other than 0 is selected, a tracer window appears to display activities and events on the chat or MultiChannel Console for debugging purposes.

Name	Enter the full name, in PeopleSoft format, of this agent. The agent name appears in other agents' buddy lists.
Nick Name	Enter a short name for this agent. The agent nickname identifies this agent in chat sessions and logs.
Delete Agent	An agent cannot be deleted if the agent still has accepted tasks on any queues to which the agent belongs. Before deleting an agent, ensure that the agent is logged off from all queues to which the agent is assigned.
Logical Queue ID	Enter the ID of a logical queue to which this agent is assigned. Each agent may be assigned to more than one logical queue. An agent can log on to only one queue at a time from the MultiChannel Console. Note. Do not overwrite the logical queue except when first creating an agent, as the agent's tasks may lose their assignment.
Physical Queue ID	Agents are randomly assigned to a physical queue when the logical queue is associated with the agent. An agent who services a logical queue logs on to a physical queue managed by a specific MCF cluster. While an agent can service multiple logical queues, the agent can belong to only one physical queue per logical queue. Note. Do not overwrite the physical queue except when first creating an agent, as this may orphan tasks. Use the Physical Queues Move Agent page.
Randomly Select Physical Queue	Click to assign another physical queue (within this logical queue) randomly. This will help to spread multiple agents evenly over available physical queues.
Skill Level	Select the skill level of this agent for the tasks assigned for this queue. This is a required field. The agent is assigned only tasks requiring a skill level less than or equal to the skill level specified here. If there is more than one qualified agent available to accept the task, the queue server gives preference to the agent with the lowest skill level. Each agent can have a different skill level for each queue to which the agent is assigned.
Maximum Workload	Select the maximum load that this agent can be assigned before tasks are held or assigned to other agents. This is a required field. The cost of each accepted task is added to the agent's current workload. A task is not assigned to an agent if its cost pushes the agent's current workload over the maximum.