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Book Contents Book ContentsSystem Administration Guide
Cisco Unity Connection allows the users to be notified of the incoming voice messages and emails as soon as the message arrives in the user mailbox.
Following are some of the types of notifications received by users:
The notifications for events are delivered to the end users through various notification devices. The notification devices can be enabled or disabled by the administrator for individual or multiple users through Cisco Unity Connection Administration and a user can override their specific notification device settings through Messaging Assistant feature of Cisco Personal Communications Assistant.
Unity Connection comes with a set of default notification devices that can be configured as required.
Following are the default notification devices:
The notification devices can be modified or enabled but cannot be deleted. An administrator can add, edit, or delete additional notification devices whereas, a user can only edit the notification devices.
Do not change the display name of default notification devices.
Missed call event type is pre-checked under Notify me of section of an HTML device when “Default_Missed_Call” template is used. Similarly, when “Default_Scheduled_Summary” template is used with HTML device, all the event types are un-checked.
Message notification settings for each user account or user template allows you to control how and when Unity Connection notifies a user of new messages. User accounts and user templates include notification devices for a home phone, mobile phone, work phone, and one pager. Users can also use the Messaging Assistant to set up phones and pagers to receive message notifications.
In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, find the user account that you want to edit.
On the Search User Basics page of the user account, select the user account that you want to edit.
On the Edit User Basics page, in the Edit menu, select Notification Devices.
Configure a notification device.(Phone, Pager, SMTP, HTML, SMS) (For more information on each field, see Help> This Page)
You can also schedule Bulk Edit for a later period using Bulk Edit Task scheduling and select Submit.
Similarly, you can configure the notification devices associated with a particular user template.
Cascading message notification allows you to send notifications to a wide circle of recipients. Unity Connection continues to send notifications until the message has been saved or deleted by a recipient.
For example, to create a cascade of message notifications for your Technical Support department, set the first message notification to be sent immediately to the pager of the front-line technical support representative. If the message that triggered the first notification has not been saved or deleted, then after a delay of 15 minutes, the next notification can be sent to the pager of the department manager. A third notification can be set up to call an employee in the Problem Resolution Group if the message is not saved or deleted after 30 minutes, and so on.
When a user receives a notification as part of the cascade, the notification prompts the user to sign in to the mailbox that is being monitored by the cascade.
An alternative to cascading message notification is to use dispatch messaging. For details, see the Dispatch Messages, page 11-3 section.
For the first recipient in the notification chain, you need to set up the notification device in the following way:
For each of the other recipients in the notification chain, you can repeat step 1 to setup the device till you reach the end of recipient list.
Message notification can be set to “chain” to a series of notification devices if an attempt to send a notification to the first selected device fails. A failure occurs when a notification device is not answering or is busy and the retry attempts to reach that device using various options has also failed
Do not configure SMTP devices for chaining message notification, except as the last device in the chain. Unity Connection does not detect notification failure for SMTP devices.
For the first recipient in the notification chain, you need to set up the notification device in the following way:
For each of the other recipients in the notification chain, you can repeat step 1 to setup the device till you reach the end of recipient list.
Cisco Unity Connection can notify a user of new messages by calling a phone or pager. Also, you can set up Unity Connection to send message and calendar event notifications in the form of text messages to text pagers and text-compatible mobile phones using SMTP.
Users can receive notification of new messages by email. Unity Connection supports two types of notification emails: plain text using SMTP notification devices; or HTML using HTML notification devices. HTML notifications can only be used for new voice mail. For other types of messages, you must use plain text SMTP notifications. To enhance security, both types of devices require connection to an SMTP smart host.
Configure the SMTP smart host to accept messages from the Unity Connection server. See the documentation for the SMTP server application that you are using.
Configure Unity Connection user accounts or user templates. See the Configuring Notification Devices, page 14-2 section.
In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand System Settings > SMTP Configuration, then select Smart Host.
On the Smart Host page, in the Smart Host field, enter the IP address or fully qualified domain name of the SMTP smarthost server, for example, https://.cisco.com. (Enter the fully qualified domain name of the server only if DNS is configured.)
The Smart Host can contain up to 50 characters.
What to do next
If the Unity Connection server has not been properly enabled to use SMTP smart host for message notification, it places SMTP notification messages in the Unity Connection SMTP server badmail folder
With the services and information provided by a wireless carrier, mobile messaging service provider, Unity Connection can use the Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) protocol to send message notifications in the Short Message Service (SMS) format to mobile phones and other SMS-compatible devices when users receive new messages.
Advantages Over SMTP Message Notifications
An advantage of using SMS is that the user device often receives message notifications much faster than when using SMTP. You can configure Unity Connection so that each SMS notification message replaces the previous one. Note that this functionality may not be supported by all mobile service providers.
SMS Message Length Limitations
The acceptable message length for an SMS message varies depending on the service provider, the character set used to compose the message text, and the specific characters used in the message text.
Character sets available include:
For 7-bit character sets, a maximum of 160 characters can fit into an SMS message; for 8-bit character sets, the limit is 140 characters; for 16-bit character sets, the limit is 70 characters; for multi-byte character sets, the limit is somewhere between 70 and 140 characters, depending on which characters make up the text of the message. (For multi-byte character sets, most characters are 16 bits; some of the more common characters are eight bits.)
Not all mobile phones support all character sets; most support the GSM 3.38 default alphabet.
Cost Considerations
The cost of setting up SMS(SMPP) message notifications depends directly on the number of SMS notifications that Unity Connection sends to user devices. More SMS notification implies higher cost as the service providers typically charge for each SMS message or group of messages sent.
To cut down cost, you can restrict the use SMS notifications to a group of users or inform users to limit the number of message notifications that they receive by message type or urgency. For example, users can specify in the Messaging Assistant that Unity Connection sends message notifications only when new urgent voice messages arrive.
Set up an account with a mobile messaging service provider that offers SMS messaging. Unity Connection supports the SMPP version 3.3 or SMPP version 3.4 protocols.
Gather the information needed to allow Unity Connection to communicate with the SMPP server at the SMSC affiliated with your contracted service provider, and enter the information on the SMPP Provider page. See the To Set Up an SMPP Provider.
When the Unity Connection server is set up behind a firewall, configure the TCP port used by the SMPP server when connecting to Unity Connection.
Enable the SMPP provider on Cisco Unity Connection Administration. See the Setting Up an SMPP Provider, page 14-6 section.
Configure SMS message notification, set up an SMS notification device to receive notifications for a test user account. See the Configuring Notification Devices, page 14-2 section.
In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand System Settings > Advanced, then select SMPP Providers.
On the Search SMPP Providers page, select Add New.
Enable the new provider and enter the Name, System ID and Hostname of the provider and Save. For more information on settings, select Help > This Page).
On the Edit SMPP Provider page, enter the Port, which is the TCP port number that is used by the SMSC to listen for incoming connections.
The port number should be in range of >100 and
The HTML notification is triggered based on the HTML notification device settings and is received on the configured email address.
The administrator can create or edit the content and format of the HTML notifications using notification templates, custom variables, and custom graphics. Unity Connection sends HTML notifications to an email server over SMTP in the IPv4 mode only. Therefore, the administrator must ensure that the HTML notifications are configured over IPv4.
Users can configure different types of HTML notifications:
HTML notification template includes the following:
The default templates for HTML message notification are:
The administrator can assign a notification template to the users or can allow the users to select a template. But the users do not have the permissions to create or edit a template.The template selected can either be a default or a custom template that the administrator has created.
The use of images, MWI status, and Message status is not mandatory. However, if used, the administrators need to ensure that the image rendering when used with the HTML tags and the APIs is supported by their respective email clients.
Notification templates can be created, modified, and deleted that include status items, action items, static items, custom variables, custom graphics, and collection tags.
In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand Templates > Notification Templates and select Notification Templates. The Search Notification Templates page appears displaying the list of currently configured templates.
Configure notification template. (For more information on each field, see Help> This Page)
Items | Description |
%MWI_STATUS% | Displays the image based on MWI status.The default images are displayed as defined in the Administrative Replaceable Images section.To insert the status items directly in the notification template, you can use the tag. |
%MESSAGE_STATUS% | Displays the message status as unread, read, unread urgent, read urgent, or deleted.The default images are displayed as defined in the Administrative Replaceable Images, page 14-13 section. To insert the status items directly in the notification template, you can use the tag. |
%LAUNCH_MINI_INBOX% | Launches the Unity Connection Mini Web Inbox. To insert this item directly in the notification template, you can use the Text tag. |
%LAUNCH_WEB_INBOX% | Launches the Web Inbox only on computer. To insert this item directly in the notification template, you can use the Text tag. |
%MESSAGE_PLAY_MINI_INBOX% | Launches the Mini Web Inbox for a specific message and auto plays the message. To insert this item directly in the notification template, you can use the Text tag. |
%MESSAGE_DELETE% | Deletes the voice message. To insert this item directly in the notification template, you can use the Text tag. |
%MESSAGE_FORWARD% | Forwards a particular voice message. To insert this item directly in the notification template, you can use the Text tag. |
%MESSAGE_REPLY% | Launches the Mini Web Inbox with the Reply to Message window to reply to a voice message.To insert this item directly in the notification template, you can use the Text tag. |
%MESSAGE_REPLY_ALL% | Launches the Mini Web Inbox with the Reply to Message window. The To and Subject fields get populated automatically with multiple recipients. To insert this item directly in the notification template, you can use the Text tag. |
%MESSAGE_MARKUNREAD% | Launches the Mini Web Inboxwith marking the message as unread and increasing the unread message count.To insert this item directly in the notification template, you can use the Text tag. |
Custom Variables | The administrator can store values in the form of text and numbers in custom variables. For example, the administrator can use custom variables for headers and footers. To insert a variable directly in the notification template, as specified by the administrator under the Templates > Notification Templates > Custom Variables page, you can use the %Var1%. For more information on custom variables, see the Configuring Custom Variables, page 14-12 section. |
Custom Graphics | The administrator can use custom graphics for adding logos, images, within an HTML template. The images could also be used to define Image based Template Structure.For example - See Default_Dynamic_Icons. To insert a graphic directly in the notification template as specified by the administrator under the Templates > Notification Templates > Custom Graphics page, you can use the tag.For more information on custom graphics, see the Configuring Custom Graphics, page 14-13 section. |
%CALLER_ID% | Displays the alias name of the caller who has received a voice message. |
%SENDER_ALIAS% | Displays the alias name of the sender who has dropped a voice message. |
%RECEIVER_ALIAS% | Displays the alias name of the receiver who has received a voice message. |
%TIMESTAMP% | Displays the time when voice message is received as per the time zone of the recipient. |
%NEW_MESSAGE_COUNT% | Displays the total number of new messages. |
%SUBJECT% | Displays the subject of the message. |
%MISSED_CALL% | Displays the missed call related information. |
Displays the summary of messages. |
Note | The notification template does not get saved if any error is returned in the HTML validation. You must remove the error(s) returned by validation before saving the notification template. However, an HTML template with warnings can be saved successfully. |
If a template is assigned to an HTML notification device, then you cannot delete the template unless all the existing associations with the template are removed.
The custom variables can be used to define commonly used HTML fragments such as, company's name, address, web address.
You should not create more than 20 custom variables.
In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand Templates > Notification Templates and select Custom Variables. The Search Custom Variables page appears.
Configure a custom variable. (For more information on each field, see Help> This Page)
Note | You can also add new custom variables in the notification templates. For more information, see the Notification Templates, page 14-7 section. |
If a notification template uses a custom variable that has been deleted, then the variable gets displayed in the notification instead of its value.
The custom graphics can be used to insert the company’s graphics into notifications including logos and product images.
You cannot create more than 20 custom graphics.
The default custom graphics are DEFAULT_BOTTOM and DEFAULT_TOP. You cannot edit or delete the default custom graphics.
Custom graphics display in email clients when they are correctly configured and are functionally capable of displaying graphics.
For more information refer to “Configuring Cisco Unity Connection for HTML-based Message Notification” section of the User Guide for Accessing Cisco Unity Connection Voice Messages in an Email Application, available at http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/voice_ip_comm/connection/11x/user/guide/email/11xcucugemailx.html.
In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand Templates > Notification Templates and select Custom Graphics. The Search Custom Graphics page appears.
Configure a custom graphic (For more information on each field, see Help> This Page)
The file must not be more than 1 MB in size and must be unique in its display name and image. You cannot upload the same graphic again.
The administrator can replace the default images for the following status items:
You can restore the images to the defaults using Restore button present on the Search Replaceable Images page. You cannot add or delete any image in the default list.
In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand Templates > Notification Templates and select Administrative Replaceable Image.
On the Search Replaceable Image page, select the display name of the image that you want to edit.
On the Edit Replaceable Image page, change the settings, as applicable. (For field information, see Help> This Page).
You are not allowed to edit the Display Name field. The replaceable images are used in the notification templates for the status items tags, for example, %MWI_STATUS% and %MESSAGE_STATUS% displays the MWI status and message status of the voice message.
Select Save after applying the settings.
Unity Connection can be configured to send message notifications in the form of HTML template to an email address. The HTML-based templates can be selected and applied by the administrator to allow HTML notification for a device.
To get the HTML notifications exactly as per the template defined by the administrator, the user’s email client must support the display of images and icons. For more information on whether your email client support the display of images and icons, refer to documentation of your email service provider.
HTML notifications are supported with the following email clients:
The user must ensure to select the authentication or non-authentication mode as desired.
If the administrator has created a template that includes images, icons, or status items, then the authentication mode ensures that the user authenticates with the Unity Connection credentials before the images are displayed in an email notification.
The non-authentication mode does not prompt user for credentials and the embedded images or icons are displayed without authentication in the email notification.
By default, the system is configured for the authentication mode. The administrator can configure the settings through Cisco Unity Connection Administration.
In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, select System Settings > General Configuration.
On the Edit General Configuration page, select the Authenticate Graphics for HTML Notification option to turn on the authentication mode and Save.
With Unity Connection 10.0(1) or later release, the administrator can configure Unity Connection to send the voice message as an attachment in the HTML notification to the user. Along with the link to access Unity Connection Mini Web Inbox through the HTML notification email, the user can now access the voice message attachment in the .wav format that can be played on a PC or mobile using any player. Prior to 10.0(1) version, the end user received only a link in the HTML notifications to access Unity Connection Mini Web Inbox and listen to voice messages through Mini Web Inbox only.
In case of forwarded messages, the attachment is sent only for the latest voice message. The secure and private voice messages cannot be sent as an attachment.
Following mobile clients are supported to access voice messages from mobile devices:
In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand Advanced and select Messaging.
On the Messaging Configuration page, select the Allow voice mail as attachments to HTML notifications option to send the voice message as an attachment and Save.
Unity Connection is configured to send the voice message as an attachment upto 2048KB with HTML notification. The administrator can configure the size of the voice message using the Cisco Unity Connection Administration.
In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, expand Advanced and select Messaging.
On the Messaging Configuration page, enter the size of voice message in the Max size of voice mail as attachment to HTML notifications (KB) text box.
Select Save. You should restart the Connection Notifier service for changes to take effect.
Notification subject line format is a feature that enables you to configure the subject lines of the notification emails.
The subject line of the following Notification types can be configured:
Note | The subject line for Message Notifications can only be customized for All Voice Messages. For other events, like Dispatch Messages, Fax Messages, Calender Appointments, and Calender Meetings, system generated subject is used. |
The below table describes the parameters that can be specified in the subject line of the notification emails.
Description of Subject Line Format Parameters
Enter text to be used in subject lines when the Caller ID of the sender of a message is not known.
You can also leave this field blank.
Enter text to be used in subject lines when both the display name and ANI Caller Name of the sender of the message is not known.
Enter text to be used in subject lines when the message is flagged as Urgent.
When the %U% parameter is used in the subject line, it is automatically replaced with the text that you enter in this field if the message is flagged as urgent. If the message is not urgent, this parameter is omitted.
Enter text to be used in subject lines when the message is flagged as Private.
When the %P% parameter is used in the subject line, it is automatically replaced with the text that you enter in this field if the message is flagged as private. If the message is not private, this parameter is omitted.
Enter text to be used in subject lines when the message is flagged as secure message.
When the %S% parameter is used in the subject line, it is automatically replaced with the text that you enter in this field if the message is flagged as secure. If the message is not a secure message, this parameter is omitted.
Enter text to be used in subject lines when the message is flagged as dispatch message.
When the %D% parameter is used in the subject line, it is automatically replaced with the text that you enter in this field if the message is flagged as dispatch message. If the message is not a dispatch message, this parameter is omitted.
When %TIMESTAMP% parameter is used in the subject line format of Message Notification or Missed call Notification, its value is the delivery time of the message for which the notification is sent as per the timezone of the recipient.
When %TIMESTAMP% parameter is used in the subject line of Scheduled Summary Notification, then its value is the time at which scheduled notification is sent.
Subject Line Format Examples
Type of Notification
Subject Line Format
Subject Line of the Message Received
Message notification: Voice message from %NAME% %CALLERID%
Message notification: Voice message from John 4132
Missed Call Notification
Missed Call from %NAME% (%CALLERID%) TIMESTAMP%
Missed Call from John (4132) 11.12 hrs
Scheduled Summary Notification
Missed Call from %NAME% (%CALLERID%)
Message Summary Notification
You should consider the following when defining the subject line formats:
In Cisco Unity Connection Administration page, expand System Settings > Subject Line Formats.
On the Edit Subject Line Formats page, select Notifications from Choose Message Type drop down to select the required message type.
Select the applicable language from Choose Language drop down menu.
Enter text and parameters in the Subject Line Formats fields, as applicable. (For more information on each parameter, see Help> This Page).
Enter texts in the Parameter Definitions field, as applicable.
Repeat Step 2 through Step 5 as needed for the other languages.