Setup the Call Detail Recording Data File Transfer to push the records to your FTP server based on what ever schedule you like.
For multiple sites, create sub folders in the root of your FTP server based on their location. i.e. Reports\School or Reports\Office
Setup an account on the BCM end users or support staff to manually push out the file if it's an urgent request. They just click the "Push Now" button once you have setup the information.
** Keep in mind they will see the IP address and remote user account name for the FTP server.
Now that the files are being pushed to the FTP server, we need a way to get them to the end user.
Since we are using a Windows FTP server, create a share based on the "Reports" folder in the FTP root so that end users can have read access to that folder. Change the security on the subfolders (i.e. School or office) so that only admins and the specific end user accounts have access.
Problem: Opening text files that don't end in .txt or .csv
Now that the end user can browse to the files, then need a program to open the "record.20141024xxx" files. Since the extension is the date of push, it will not open automatically and the extension will always change.
Solution: - Notepad++ and Scheduled Task to the rescue.
Notepad++ will open the "record.20141024xxx" files but if the end user doesn't have Notepad++ or just wants to open the txt file with another program here's a batch file that renames them to "record.20141024xxx.txt"
REM Location Cleanup
cd C:\FTP root\Reports\Location
REM copy all date files into one txt file
copy /y record.20* records.*.txt
REM delete the original date file
del record.* /q
Create scheduled task on FTP server to convert the date files to TXT files. Runs 1/2 hour after BCM Push schedule.
For the end users with notepad++
Create a new shortcut for Notepad++ then change the properties of that new shortcut.
Add the share path to the end of the existing the target path.
i.e. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Notepad++\notepad++.exe" "\\server name\Call History Reports\School\"
This will start Notepad++ and open any file that is in that folder.
Staff now press "Ctrl+F" and type in "Digits Dialed" and click "Find All in All opened Documents"
To see more information about that call...
The end user double clicks on the phone number in the "Find result" window.
Notepad++ will jump to that line in that file and show you the Line # and the STN (aka extension number)
Problem: Too many log files can cause Notepad++ to start "Not Responding" especially when using remote network locations.
Solution: Create a scheduled task that runs batch files to merge and overwrite files on the FTP server. (Or monthly depending on your record keeping needs)
Sample Cleanup batch file
- Run every Sunday night
- overwrites the existing weekly.txt file
cd C:\FTP root\Reports\Location
REM merges previous records into a one txt file
copy /y records.20*.txt Weekly.txt
REM delete previous txt files
del records.*.txt /q
