Glossary
Account Code – A number that is associated by the caller when making or receiving a call and is then reported as part of the SMDR record for the call. This allows the call record to be cross referenced to the client the call was made for. Also known as Client Code.
ANI – Automatic Number Identification. Process of automatically identifying a caller’s billing number and transmitting that number from the caller’s local central office to another point on or off the public network. Commonly referred to as Caller ID.
Asynchronous Data Transmission – Method of transmitting a short bits such as printable characters represented by a 7- or 8-bit stream of digital data, ASCII code. Each string of data bits is preceded by a start bit and followed by a stop bit, thus permitting data to be transmitted at irregular intervals.
Automated Attendant – Attendant application that automatically answers incoming calls with a recorded announcement and directs callers to a department, an extension, or the system operator.
Authorization Code – This a unique number assigned to a user that authorizes them to make calls. When this number is reported as part of the SMDR record the call can be cross referenced to the user making the call.
Backup – Procedure for saving a copy of call accounting data onto a floppy disk or other storage device.
Baud Rate – Strictly speaking, a measurement of transmission speed equal to the number of signal level changes per second. In practice, often used synonymously with bit rate and bps.
Bit Rate – Speed at which bits are transmitted, usually expressed in bps. Also called “data rate.”
Caller ID – Service provided by some local telephone companies (if local regulations allow) that supplies the calling party telephone number.
Client – A client is commonly someone you do work for or would be making calls for.
Client Code – See Account Code
CDR – Call Detail Record, contemporary PBX systems can output CDR (Call Detail Record) or SMDR (Station Message Detail Record). Essentially they are the same, and contain detail information of telephone activity within an organization.
Typically, these records contain information for every phone call made or received such as: date and time of call, duration, direction, Caller ID, Number dialed, etc
The way these records delivered vary among PBX make and models. Some older PBX system output these records via RS-232 (serial) port, while the newer systems predominantly use delivery of CDR/SMDR via IP port. Still, some store these records in a database or a text file that can be accessed.
These CDR/SMDR file typically processed by Call Accounting systems (also known as CAS or TEM) like Tapit, to generate a multitude of management and productivity reports that are very useful in today’s environment.
DCE – Data Communications Equipment – Equipment, such as modems or ISDN terminal adapters, used to establish, maintain, and terminate a connection between the system and data terminal equipment (DTE)—such as printers, personal computers, host computers, or network workstations.
Department – An organizational entity comprised of users.
DID – Direct Inward Dial – Service that transmits from the telephone company central office and routes incoming calls directly to the called extension, calling group, or outgoing line/trunk pool, bypassing the system operator.
DNIS – Dialed Number Identification Service – Service provided by phone service providers to route incoming 800 or 900 calls according to customer-selected parameters, such as area code, state, or time of call.
DTE – Data Terminal Equipment – Equipment that makes the endpoints in a connection over a data connection—for example, a data terminal, personal computer, host computer, or printer.
Extension – Endpoint on the internal side of the communications system. An extension can be a telephone with or without an adjunct. Also called “station.”
Filter Screen – The screen in Tapit which is used to select the data being used for a specific operation. It is common to all aspects of data selection in Tapit EX, i.e. reports, data import / export, data maintenance.
ICLID – Incoming Call Line Identification – See Caller ID.
ISDN – Integrated Services Digital Network – Public or private network that provides end-to-end digital connectivity for all services to which users have access by a limited set of standard multipurpose user and network interfaces; provides digital circuit-switched or packet-switched connections within the network and to other networks for national and international digital connectivity.
LAN – Local Area Network – Arrangement of interconnected personal computers or terminals, which sometimes access a host computer, and sometimes sharing resources such as files and printers.
Line – Connection between extensions within the communications system; often, however, used synonymously with trunk.
MODEM – Device that converts digital data signals to analog signals for transmission over a telephone line, and analog signals received on a telephone line to digital signals.
Network – Configuration of communications devices and software connected for information interchange.
Off Hook – Telephone is said to be off-hook when the user has lifted the handset, pressed the Speakerphone button to turn on the speakerphone, or used a headset to connect to the communications system or the telephone network.
On Hook – Telephone is said to be on-hook when the handset is hung up, the speakerphone is turned off, and the user is not using a headset to connect to the communications system or the telephone network.
Parent Department – An organizational entity comprised of users and other subordinate departments.
Parity – Addition of a bit to a bit string so that the total number of ones is odd or even; used to detect and correct transmission errors.
PBX – Private Branch Exchange. Local electronic telephone switch that serves local stations (for example, extensions within a business) and provides them with access to the public network.
PRI – Primary Rate Interface. Standard interface that specifies the protocol used between two or more communications systems. As used in North America, it provides twenty-three 64-kbps B-channels for voice and/or data and one 16-kbps D-channel, which carries multiplexed signaling information for the other 23 channels.
RAM – Random-Access Memory. Computer memory in which an individual byte or range of bytes can be addressed and read or changed without affecting other parts of memory.
SMDR – Station Message Detail Reporting. Detailed information provided by the telephone system about each call that is made or received. See CDR (Call Detail Record).
T1 – Type of digital transmission facility that, in North America, transmits at the DS1 rate of 1.544 mbps.
TAPI – Telephony Application Programming Interface. Application programming interface that allows computer telephony applications to be used.
Trunk – Telecommunications path between the communications system and the telephone company central office or another switch. Often used synonymously with line.
UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply. Device that connects to the system to provide 117 VAC to the equipment when the commercial power source fails.
User – Someone who makes and/or receives calls from your telephone system.