4. Configuring ARC

The following sections cover the configuration of the ARC client.

4.1. Creating Selective Recording Rules

ARC uses selective recording rules that you can create to record, block, or delete incoming audio, based on specific metadata and channel numbers. You can create selective recording rules for ARC from the Web Configuration Manager of your recorder.

A Default rule can be set to activate automatically provided that no other recording rules are enabled for the same channel. For example, if a recording rule to block incoming calls is enabled alongside a default rule to record calls from the same channel, the default rule is not activated because the first rule takes precedence. If the recording rule to block incoming calls is disabled, the default rule is activated.

Caution

Conflicting recording rules can disrupt audio capture and prevent rules from working as intended. To avoid issues with selective recording, ensure that metadata fields do not overlap with different recording actions.

For example, let’s say both the following rules are enabled on the ARC Client:

• Block Channel 5 if Agent ID = Charlie

• Record Channel 5 if Channel Name = Position 5

If Channel 5 is named Position 5 and an incoming call is answered by Agent Charlie, both rules may activate simultaneously. This can cause unpredictable behavior in the ARC Client. The client may attempt to record the audio because the channel name is Position 5, while also trying to block the audio because the agent ID is Charlie. As a result, the outcome of the audio capture may be unpredictable and neither rule may function as intended.

Note that recording rules that feature overlapping channel ranges may not necessarily conflict with each other. Recording rules can share the same channel range provided that each rule includes unique metadata.

For example, the following rules do not conflict with each other:

• Block Channels 1-16 if Channel name = Position 2

• Block Channels 1-16 if Channel name = Position 1

Although these rules share the same channel range, they do not conflict because a channel cannot have more than one name. Position 1 and Position 2 refer to different channels, meaning each rule is activated by unique metadata. As a result, both rules can be enabled at the same time without any issues despite sharing the same channel range.

To create a selective recording rule:

1. In the Web Configuration Manager, click Recording → Selective Recording. The Selective Recording tab opens.

2. Click the Add Rule button to create a new selective recording rule. The Select Recording Rule Page opens.

   

   Fig. 4.1 Selective Recording Page

   

   Fig. 4.2 Selective Recording Rule Page

3. Create a recording rule:

   1. Field: From the drop-down menu, select the metadata field that will be activated by the recording rule.

   2. Value: Enter the text for the metadata field. The value field will be grayed out if Field is set to *(Default Rule).

   3. Action: Select an action to trigger when the rule matches a call. Available drop-down menu actions are:

      • Record: Incoming audio is captured by the recorder. When disabled, audio is not captured unless a default rule is enabled to trigger a different action.

      • Suppress: Incoming audio is muted by the recorder, but metadata is captured, and call length remains unaffected. When disabled, audio capture continues and remains part of the same recording. Note that parts of calls can be selectively suppressed.

      • Block: Recording stops immediately when a rule is enabled. When disabled, incoming audio creates a new recording.

      • Delete: When enabled, audio is captured by the recorder but deleted once the call completes.

      • Block and Delete: Incoming audio stops immediately when enabled and recording is deleted once the calls completes.

   4. Channels: Enter the channel or a range of channels for which the rule will apply.

   5. Enabled: Select the checkbox to enable the rule.

   6. Description: Enter a summary of the recording rule. This section is optional and can be left blank.

4. Click Save to create the recording rule.

Selective recording rules are based on metadata fields defined within the Web Configuration Manager. They are activated when metadata values match the values configured in the rules, but not when the change in metadata values is because of an internal where clause.

Certain recorder features—such as some CAD API commands or integrations like Mitel SMDR—can attach or modify metadata after a call has ended. These features often use internal logic, namely, a ‘WHERE’ clause, to apply metadata to calls. Metadata applied in this way using such conditional logic, does not activate selective recording rules.

4.2. The Configuration File

The ARC user interface is generated from a configuration file that includes rule identifiers linked to recording rules created in the Web Configuration Manager. This file can be updated there directly or uploaded as a JSON file. Note that only administrator users have access to the configuration file.

4.2.1. Reviewing the Sample Configuration File

A sample configuration file is available for review in the Web Configuration Manager. The sample file outlines the settings required for configuration with the ARC client.

To review the sample configuration file:

1. In the Web Configuration Manager, navigate to System → Configuration Files → ARC Client Configuration.

   

   Fig. 4.3 ARC Client Configuration Selected

2. At the bottom of the page, select View/Edit File. The configuration file page for ARC appears.

3. Click the highlighted icon as shown in Fig 4.4 to review the sample configuration file.

   

   Fig. 4.4 ARC Configuration File Page

4. Review the sample configuration file to customize the ARC user interface. Note only the sections highlighted in red should be modified. The example in Figure 4.5 shows recording rules for the sample agents “Eventide” and “Charlie”.

Fig. 4.5 Configuration File Annotated

4.3. Creating a Configuration File

The text within a configuration file should mirror the actions of the recording rules and rule identifier seen within that recording rule. To input this information, refer to the recording rule to update the file.

To create the configuration file:

1. Create a selective recording rule. See section Section 4.1 - Creating Selective Recording Rules for more information.

2. In the Web Configuration Manager, navigate to Recording → Selective Recording.

3. Select the recording rule and click Edit Rule.

   

   Fig. 4.6 Selective Recording Rule Page

4. Review the information in the recording rule.

   

   Fig. 4.7 Recording Rule Information

5. Access the configuration file by navigating to System → Configuration Files → ARC Client Configuration.

   

   Fig. 4.8 ARC Client Configuration Selected

6. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select View/Edit File.

7. Update the configuration file by adding the metadata field’s information, channel(s) affected, and recording rule to the configuration file. See the next section Configuration File Examples for more examples of configuration files.

   

   Fig. 4.9 ARC Configuration File With Selective Recording Rule Information

8. Click Save.

9. Restart the ARC client to apply changes.

4.3.1. Configuration File Examples

Below are examples of ARC Client configuration files to display their different components and how they appear in the ARC client once configured.

4.3.1.1. Enabling or Disabling Values

Edit the values next to “enabled:” and “disabled:” in the configuration file to reflect the selective recording rules created in the Web Configuration Manager.

Fig. 4.10 Configuration File Example 1

To configure a recording rule to Block Channel 5, enter the value “Block Channel 5” for the “enabled”: value and “Record Channel 5” next to the “disabled:” value as shown in the example in Figure 4.10,.

You can add multiple rules to the configuration file.

Let’s say that you want to create two recording rules:

• Block Channel 5

• Suppress Channel 4

Fig. 4.11 Configuration File Example 2

To configure the first rule, enter the “Block Channel 5” in the “enabled” : value and “Record Channel 5” in the “disabled” : value.

To configure the second rule, enter “Suppress Channel 4” in the “enabled” : value and “Record Channel 4” in the “disabled” : value.

4.3.1.2. Setting Primary Values

The value of the “primary”: key can be modified to place a recording rule in the main menu. Entering the value as “true” sets a recording rule in the main menu. Entering the value “false” next to the “primary”: key sets a recording rule to appear in the drop-down menu when there are multiple rules.

Note that only one recording rule can be set to a value of “true”. Enabling this option for multiple rules prevents this feature from working as intended.

Fig. 4.12 Configuration File Example 3

In the example shown in Figure 4.12, the recording rule to Suppress Channel 1 is enabled and features “primary” : set to “true”. This rule is seen in the main menu and first in the drop-down menu.

When the primary key value of the first rule is set to “false”, and the primary key value for the second rule is set to “true”, the first recording rule becomes the second in the drop-down menu, and the second recording rule appears in the main menu.