How do I call groups with different messages in the same
call session?
Caution! This is a very powerful, and often confusing advanced option. Please
make sure you are familiar with basic messaging before trying this feature.
PhoneTree® can deliver a different message to each group in your list during a
single calling session (up to 36 x 3, or 108 different day/night/answering machine
messages at once!). Keep the following rules in mind:
- Rule #1: If a person does not belong to any groups OR if a message has not
been specified for a group, the Standard Day Message (or corresponding Night
or Machine Message) will be substituted.
- Rule #2: PhoneTree® searches the groups left to right as they appear on the
screen (0, 1, 2... A, B..., A). It plays the group message for the first group
it finds. For instance, a person in groups C, G and Z will get the Group C
message unless you check Play All Group Messages on the Message Options tab,
in which case the person will get all 3 messages in sequence.
- Rule #3: Night and Machine Group Messages are ignored unless there is a
corresponding Standard Message.
- Rule #4: When Deliver All Messages is ON, the messages are delivered in
the same order as Rule #2.
To set this feature up:
- Click on one of the PhoneTree® icons on the PhoneTree® desktop to go to
the List Editor for that PhoneTree®.
- Choose Preferences from the Setup menu and click the Messages tab.
- Check the box next to Allow group messaging mode.
- Click OK.
- Choose ...Using Call Wizard from the Call menu.
On the second screen of the Call Wizard, check the box next to Groups. Choose
any other special messaging options if desired and click Next.
On the next screen, you will need to record a message component for each of the
message options you chose in the previous step for each group you would like to
send messages to. For example, if you want to deliver a different message at night
to both the Men's Choir and Women's Choir, you would select Night and Groups in
step F, then on this screen record a different Standard message and Night message
for both the Men's Choir and the Women's Choir (4 messages total).
- Choose One Group Message if you wish to deliver a different message to people
based on the Group they belong to. With up to 36 groups, you could record
36 different messages and deliver them in the same calling session. Each person
will receive one message corresponding to the first group they are a member
of. Those who are not in a group, or are in a group without its own message,
receive the Default group message(s) (shown at the top of the group list).
- Check All Group Messages only if you have checked Allow Group Messages in
the Preferences dialog box. When PhoneTree® calls a person who is a member
of more than one group, it will play each groups message in turn. If unchecked,
PhoneTree® plays only the first group's message.
- Click Next -> when done, then select who to call on the next screen. PhoneTree® will start calling based on the parameters you selected!