Server-side phone books are supported from CTI Server version 1.3.000 - in connection with CTI Clients from version 3.0.021.

Basic configuration

The basic configuration contains two telephone books:

• "Global.Phonebook" (Access database)

• "Global.LocalNumbers" for local phone numbers of users.

Creation/Linking of new telephone books

Telephone books can be created or integrated via the "New..." button:

• Create a new phone book based on an Access database template:
  • Allows shared write access and shared notes.
• Integration of external data sources (beta status; from CTI Server 1.3.010):
  • ODBC:
    • Allows shared write access and shared notes.
    • Hints to Shared Notes.
  • CSV:
    • Normally, external CSV files should only be integrated as read-only, as the CSV may later be regenerated/exported by an external source/application and your own changes will therefore be overwritten.
    • If you are sure that the CSV file is only modified by the CTI Server: In this case, you can remove write protection in the phone book properties.
  • Only shared read access is supported for the following data sources:
    • ODBC with SQL query
    • OLEDB
    • LDAP

UNC paths / mapped drives:

• Mapped drives should not be used for integrating data sources!
  The CTI Server runs as a background service, and in this context, the mapped drive letters are likely unavailable.
  • UNC paths must be used instead.
• If a phonebook data source is connected via the network using a UNC path, the CTI Server service must run under the "Network Service" Windows account. In the default installation, the CTI Server runs in the context of the "System account," which, however, does not allow network access.
  Proceed as follows:
  • Open the Windows Services management console.
  • Locate the "xtelsio CTI Server" entry and double-click it to open the properties dialog.
  • On the "Log On" tab, select "This account:" and enter "NetworkService". The password entries must be deleted.

Additional restrictions and notes for external data sources:

• It is not recognized live when a record has been modified, newly created or deleted in the external data source.
  Thus, the integration of external data sources should rather be used for relatively static contacts/data.
• External data sources include, for example, phonebooks integrated via ODBC or LDAP, or CSV files regularly exported by another application.
• Under [Phonebooks > PHONEBOOK > Settings... > Cache], the "Settings for updating the data cache" should be set as follows:
  • Warning: The settings button is only activated from CTI Server version 1.3.013.
  • For extensive address data: "Update only changed and new records"
  • Interval: 1 day
  • Time: at program start
    • Synchronization with the data source only takes place when the CTI Server is started for the first time of the day.
    • If you want to force synchronization again:
      • To do this, you can set the following parameter to "empty": [CTI Server > Status > Open configuration directory > "folders\PHONEBOOK NAME\cfg\folder_cfg.ini" > LastSync=]. The CTI Server service must be stopped.
      • Or you can mark the phone book in the CTI Server under [PhoneBooks] and click "Update".
• The "daily CTI Server restart" should be activated under [CTI Server > Control] so that the data is read from the original sources when it is started for the first time of the day. As long as the cache settings are set accordingly.
• If a data record is opened in the data mask in the CTI Client, it is first read from the original data source and should therefore display the current data. Exception: CSV files.

Integration of the telephone books on the Client side

The phone books are automatically integrated on the Client side as soon as they have read permissions for a phone book in the CTI Server.

• In the CTI Client application, you may need to execute [File > Restart application] so that newly configured phone books become visible.
• See also the following section "Permissions".

Permissions

The Clients receive permissions for a telephone book exclusively via groups. So at least one group with clients has to be created. One or more phone books can then be assigned to the group using the "Resources..." button. The button "Resources..." you will find under "Groups" on the right side top area.

If the authorization for "offline cache" is set, the phone book entries are saved in the CTI Client working directory and are therefore also available offline (without a connection to the CTI Server). This can be useful for laptops. Another advantage is that the data does not have to be transferred to the clients each time the program is started.

Shared notes

Shared contact notes are supported for:

• For telephone books that were created using the CTI Server database template.
  • This includes the pre-installed "Global.Phonebook".
• For externally integrated ODBC phone books, provided they contain a "Memo" column that can hold more than 16KB of data.
  • This column must also be assigned to the memo field under [Telephone books > Settings > Tab "Properties"].
• Regardless of the integrated phone book type, the CTI Server can also manage the shared contact notes (from version 1.3.014).
  • Condition: The phone book provides an ID column (permanent record ID).
  • Configuration in CTI Server Management:
    Under [Phonebooks > Settings > tab "Properties"], select the entry "SharedNotesOnCtiSrv" for the note field.
  • The notes are then saved in the CTI Server configuration directory in "folders\PhoneBookName\notes".
  • If a phone book has been deleted via CTI Server Management, previously created notes will be moved to: "trash\folders\".
• Hint:
  • In the CTI Client you can also configure a central directory for phone number-based notes under [Options > Notes].