A dialer configuration file is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that contains two worksheets named Dialers and Positions. To help you create your first dialer configuration file, an example spreadsheet called DialerConfiguration.xls is included with the UNICOM Intelligence Developer Documentation Library and, by default, is in:

You define each autodialer on a separate row of the Dialers worksheet. The first row must contain the column headings.

A name that uniquely identifies the autodialer. For example, ChicagoDialer03.

A general description of the autodialer, such as its location

The dialer’s system address. This is typically an IP address but can be a name that appears in the server’s hosts file instead.

When using a 3rd party dialer, this value must match the property collection that is added by the specific 3rd party dialer install kit.

An error can occur when the value is null. Setting the value to QSAMP in DPM will avoid such errors: Site > Properties > DialerConfiguration > Dialers > [DialerName] > DialerType.

For more information about the Dialer SDK and 3rd party dialers, see UNICOM Intelligence Dialer Software Development Kit (SDK).

Identifies a particular ISDN trunk to support connecting remote interviewers and/or supervisors. This setting can be overridden in the sample management script.

The port number to use on the autodialer.

The worksheet does not need to include this column. However, to avoid having to manually connect to the autodialer after importing the dialer configuration file, set the value to Active.

The international access code that the autodialer should use to replace the plus (+) at the start of international phone numbers. If you enter an international access code that starts with one or more zeroes, make sure that you format this column as Text so that the leading zeroes are preserved.

You define each position on a separate row of the Positions worksheet. The first row must contain the column headings.

A name that uniquely identifies the position. For example, R02-S18 for station 18 in room 2. Remember that users have to enter this name on the corresponding telephone interviewer or supervisor station, so do not make names too long or difficult to type. For more information, see Setting up stations to use an autodialer. The maximum Position length is 80 characters.

The autodialer that will be used by this position. For example, ChicagoDialer03. This value must match an entry in the DialerName column in the Dialers worksheet.

Identifies a particular ISDN trunk to support connecting remote interviewers and/or supervisors. This setting can be overridden on a per position basis.

If this setting is not specified for the position, the dialer’s RemoteTrunkGroup should be used. If RemoteTrunkGroup is not set for the dialer, a trunk group should not be specified when establishing the remote connection (it will be left to the dialer to determine which trunk group to use).

Interviewers cannot specify the RemoteTrunkGroup value.

The telephone extension used at this position. For the IBM SPSS Dialer, use the format Ennn, for example, E101 or E123. To specify that this position is not able to use an autodialer, set the value to either Modem or Manual, which defines that only modem or manual dialing can be used at this position.

If the position will be used by a supervisor for interviewer monitoring, an extension must be specified. When using Remote Interviewing, this property must be defined as “remote”. The maximum Extension length is 40 characters.

A free-format description of the position. The worksheet does not need to include this column.

The telephone number of the remote interviewer. The maximum AccessNumber length is 50 characters (the characters < and > are not valid).