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Version: v4 (Stable)

Call Group Properties

This dialog box allows you to define the properties of a call group.

See also: Call Group Definition

Group name​

The name of the group must be entered: 1 to 256 alphanumeric characters.

Relief group​

A group may be designated as a relief group. The designated relief group will be called when there is no on-call team selected in the schedule of the main group or if the call cycle of the main group fails. If "(none)" is selected, there is no designated group in relief.

Station​

This drop-down list allows you to select the station to which the group is attached. This information is used only as a discriminant to offer the possibility of groups having the same name on different sites. By default, the name of the local station is proposed.

The "(all)" selection means that the group is multi-station. In this case:

  • If the group is defined on the central station, the "Central Station Group" option is displayed. If this option is enabled, this group can be selected as the group to call for alarms from remote stations. On these stations, it will appear grayed out in the call group tree, and its properties (operators, teams, on-call schedule, etc.) will not be accessible.

  • If the group is not defined on the central station or is not defined as a "central station group," only multi-station operators can be assigned to it.

Note: If the group is defined as multi-station and contains multi-station operators, this drop-down list is grayed out.

Schedule resolution​

Display resolution of the group schedule (minimum time slots), expressed in minutes (15, 30 or 60 minutes).

When the "Default" option is checked, the default resolution is set in the general display options.

Program​

This tab displays the default weekly schedule of on-call teams in the group.

Teams​

This list displays the teams attached to the group. Each team is represented by its color and name.

Add a team​

Click on this button to create a new team and add it to the list.

Reduced duty (bottom line)​

When this option is checked, the periods plotted on the schedule are qualified as reduced duty periods (call only for priority alarms).

These periods are traced on the lower part of the daily rows.

Schedule​

On-call schedule of the group. This schedule defines in graphical form the weekly assignment of the teams of the selected group (7 days of the week + holidays). Holidays are defined in the general schedule (main screen) by clicking in the schedule on the 1st column of the line corresponding to the desired day.

The teams scheduled for each day of the week are represented by the team color mark on the top of the daily row for teams on normal call (unconditional call), on the lower part of the daily row for teams in reduced service (call only for priority alarms).

To assign a team to the on-call program of the group, select it from the list of teams and then, using the mouse, draw on the weekly schedule the rectangular zone corresponding to the desired on-call period (on one or several days). The corresponding rectangle is filled with the color of the team.

Options​

This tab displays the main options of the call group.

Call cycle (teams of the group)​

This group defines the default properties of the team call cycle:

  • Call relief if not one of users is advised: Call of a relief operator if none of the team's operators could be reached (ensures that at least one operator is notified).

  • Call relief for each unadvised user: Call of a relief operator whenever an operator of the team can not be reached (ensures that a minimum number of operators is warned).

  • Call one user for each alarm (with turnover): Call of a different operator to each alarm (ensures a distribution of the intervention requests between the operators).

When the "Default" option is checked, the displayed properties of the call cycle are those that have been defined in the general call options.

Call cycle timeouts​

This group defines the timeouts applied to the group:

  • Timeout before restarting after fail: This value defines the waited time (in minutes) at the end of the group call cycle when this cycle has failed (including the call of the relief operators) to reset the call cycle. If in the meantime the on-call team has changed, the call will be made to the new team. By default, this time is 5 minutes. If this time is zero, there is no resumption of the cycle in case of failure (except at the end of the acknowledgment timeout if it is not null).

  • Timeout if alarm not acknowledged: This value defines the maximum waited time for alarm acknowledgment in the group. This number can be between 0 and 999 minutes, the value 0 canceling any timeout (no obligation to acknowledge the alarm). At the end of this time, if the alarm has not been acknowledged in the meantime, the call cycle is restarted to the team that is on-call at that moment.

When the "Default" option associated with each timeout is checked, the displayed timeout is the timeout set in the general call options.

Group alarm tone​

The displayed file name, when it is not empty, designates a sound file containing the indicative tone to be played on each reception of an alarm concerning the group.

This tone will only be played if the "Play group tone" option is checked in the general alarm options or for alarms having an associated "Play tone" action without a specified audio file (see "Play Tone" Action).

Click on the "Browse" button to search for a sound file containing the desired sound tone.

Click on the "Listen" button to test the selected tone.

Authorization to set off duty an operator who is the only one on duty in a team

When this option is selected (choice "Yes"), it will not be possible to decommission an operator who is the only one on duty in a team. When the "Default" option is checked, this choice is defined by the global option Oncall.CheckAvailableTeams".

Advanced​

This tab displays the advanced options of the call group.

Associated commands​

This group defines commands that can be passed to an external application when the on-call group changes of state:

  • Group to call: Command to be transmitted when the group switches to the call state (at least one unacknowledged alarm).

  • Group advised: Command to be transmitted when the call of the group is considered successful.

  • Group call failed: Command to be transmitted when the call of the group is considered as failed.

  • Group acknowledged: Command to be transmitted when all the alarms attached to the group have been acknowledged (the group is no longer to be called).

Enter the command in the corresponding edit field or click the button on the right of the edit field to select an existing command or create a new one (see Command List).

Team changeover management​

This group defines the options for team changeover management (see Team Changeover).

  • Team changeover mandatory: When the "Yes" option is checked, the team changeover operation has to be performed by one of the users of the new on-call team, at the time scheduled for the team changeover, within a configurable time (user clock-in). If the team changeover has not been performed when the deadline is reached, a team changeover fault is signaled with possibility of triggering an alarm. Similarly at the end of the on-call period, if no other team is scheduled, one of the users of the on-call team has to clock out. Failing this, the team will remain on-call beyond the end of the planned period. When the "Default" box is checked, this option is defined in the general advanced options.

  • Maximum delay for team changeover (min): This option defines the default value of the maximum time for the group to perform the team changeover (delay from the start of the scheduled on-call period). During a team changeover operation concerning the group, this delay time is proposed by default. This time can also be modified at this time, specifically for the current changeover (maximum delay allowed for the next changeover). When the "Default" box is checked, the maximum allowed time is that set in the general advanced options.

Group transfer​

This group defines the list of groups to which the alarm calls for the group can be transferred (see Call Group Transfer).

The Call groups list displays the list of on-call groups defined for the station attached to the group.

The Substitution groups list displays a list of groups that will be proposed to transfer alarm calls that was addressed to the current group.

Click on the button to add the selected group(s) to the list of on-call groups (left list) to the list of substitution groups (right list).

Click on the button to delete the selected group(s) from the list on the right.