Telephone exchange manual

Installation and configuration

Download the manual, read the basic instructions to configure your Forum communication system or consult the list of programming codes for telephone sets.

Changing the configuration may affect the operation of your telephone exchange. Contact us for a training or to remotely adapt your configuration.

​Forum 500 and 5000 manuals

If you encounter certain terms you are unfamiliar with when consulting your manual, this glossary might be useful.

Forum 500 series:

• Forum 512, 514, 516 and 518
• Forum 522
• Forum 523 and 524
• Forum 525 and 526
• Forum 550 and 560

Forum 5000 series:

• Forum 5004, 5008 and 5012 
• Forum 5500

​Changing the configuration

To change the configuration, follow the steps below:

1. Turn off the computer and remove all network cables.
2. Connect the network card of the computer to the LAN connection of your telephone exchange via a crossed Ethernet cable.
3. Turn on the computer and log in with administrator privileges. If your computer is not automatically assigned an IP address via DHCP, reactivate DHCP and restart your computer. Find more help on microsoft.com or apple.com.
4. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/.
5. Enter as username Administrator. Enter your password and click Ok.
   During first use, leave the password blank. For security reasons you will need to choose a new password and new system pin. The default setting is 0000. Click Apply.
6. Click Configurator in the left menu to change your configuration. Save your configuration after every change.

If you have changed the IP address or the subnet mask, want to change it or if you want to restart the system, enter the codes below on a system phone:

• To find the IP address: *182
• To change the IP address: If your system pin is 0000 and you want to change the IP address to 192.168.99.254, enter *182*0000*192*168*99*254#.
• To find the subnet mask: *183
• To change the subnet mask: If your system pin is 0000 and you want to change the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0, enter *183*0000*255*255*255*0#.
• To restart the system: *185*0000# (replace 0000 by your system pin)
  It can take up to 20 minutes before the system is operational again.

For more information, consult the Help function on the upper right or the complete manual. Contact us to have the configuration changed remotely.

​Programming codes

Download the default programming codes . Enter the code on your phone to activate or deactivate a function.

Are you using an analogue Maestro, Twist or a phone from a different brand? Download the manual for default devices .

Options

For the communication systems Forum 500 and 5000 options exist that are tailored to your business: Forum Voicemail, Forum Conference, Forum Auto Attendant, Forum ACD, Forum Count & Forum Hotel.

​Forum Voicemail

Download de Forum Voicemail manual or read the basic instructions.

​Configure Forum Voicemail

The administrator sets a Forum Voicemail phone number and informs the users. To configure Forum Voicemail, follow the steps below:

1. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/ or the IP address for access to your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone.
2. Log in with the username Administrator and your password. Upon first use, leave the password field empty.
3. Click Configurator, System and Licenses. Load the Forum Voicemail license.
4. If you own a Forum 523, 524, 525, 526, 550 or 560 communication system: Click Configurator, System and Components. Load an audio file.
5. Click Applications, Forum Voicemail and Settings. Set a phone number for Forum Voicemail.
6. Click Voice Boxes. Here you can configure the number of voice boxes allowed by your license:
   • Add or remove voice boxes. Up to 20 internal numbers can be assigned to a voice box. For every number you determine when (immediately, after Time, busy or busy & after Time ) and how (only for internal, external or all calls) calls are deferred to your voicemail.
   • Choose the language of the voice menu for calls and the maximum duration of messages (by default 60 seconds).
   • Remote Control gives the user access to their voicemail from another location (or internal device).
   • Central welcome track changeable offers users the possibility to change the welcome message. To configure a Courtesy service for a group of users, click User manager, User groups, Telephony en Call distribution.
   • You can reset the pin code for every voice box: the default setting is 0000.

​Use Forum Voicemail

To consult your voicemail, follow the steps below:

• Through the internal voicemail number: if asked, enter your pin. If you no longer know your pin, your administrator can reset it to 0000. Are you calling from a different device? Enter your voicemail number. You now have several options:
  1. New messages: listen to your new messages. Press 7 to call back the sender of the message.
  2. Existing messages: enter the message number you want to listen to and press *.
  3. Central settings: manage your voicemail settings.
  4. Central welcoming texts: if your administrator has given your the privilege to change the welcoming text, configure a new welcoming text.
  5. Changing a voice box: enter the voicemail number and pin of the voice box you want to consult.
  6. Recording and sending a message: record and send a message to another voice box.
• Through the info button on your Forum phone: Choose Voicebox mess if you do not see a list of messages immediately and confirm with Ok. You now have different options:
  • Play: play the message.
  • Delete: delete the message.
  • Dial: dials the sender of the message.
  • Phone book: press 1 New entry to add the sender to your phone book or 2 Add to edit the details. Press Save.
  • Forward: forward the message to another voice box.
  • Mark as new: mark the message as unread.

​Forum Conference

Download the Forum Conference manual or read the basic instructions.

​Authorise access to users

The administrator needs to give users the permission to use the Forum Conference tab in the Forum CTI application and for them to be able to send invitations themselves. This can be done as follows:

1. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/ or to the IP address for access to your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone.
2. Log in with the username Administrator and your password. Upon first use, leave the password field empty.
3. Click Configurator and User manager.
4. Select a user or a user group.
5. Under Applications, enable Forum CTI and under Forum Conference, enable User may make invitations.

Repeat this process for all of the users or user groups.

​Configure conference systems

You can configure up to 10 conference systems, with 5-10 participants, depending on your licence. Each system has it's own dial-in number, announcements and settings.

1. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/ or to the IP address for access to your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone.
2. Log in with the username Administrator and your password. Upon first use, leave the password field empty.
3. Click Configurator, Applications, Forum Conference and Systems.
4. Click New to create a new conference system. To modify an existing conference system, just click on the name of the conference system.
5. Enter the settings:
   • Based on: you can reuse the settings of a previously configured conference system here.
   • Name: choose a name for your conference system (up to 20 characters long).
   • Phone No.: enter the internal call number (1 to 5 digits long). To make conferences available for external users, the number must also be entered in the Configurator under Call distribution and Incoming or Incoming DDI.
   • Welcome track: select an audio file that is played when participants join the conference. You must set up an audio file for the welcome track and PIN input wrong in the Audio menu of Forum Conference or the configuration won't be complete. If you haven't done this, start by doing this first.
   • PIN input wrong: select an audio file that is played when a participant enters a wrong PIN or when he enters the PIN too late.
   • Beep when in and out: when activated, this will play a beep tone when participants enter or leave conference rooms.
   • Timeout for PIN input: indicates the number of seconds a participant has to enter his PIN code.
   • Auto answer delay: indicates the number of seconds a participant hears a dial tone before entering a conference.
   • Phone number for invitation e-mail: enter the complete call number which the caller should dial to join the conference. This will be sent in the invitation e-mail. For international participants, the number should be in international format (e.g. +32 2 2001234).
   • Send an e-mail at invitation or cancellation: when activated, sends the participant an e-mail upon invitation or cancellation.
   • Send an e-mail before the beginning of the audio conference: when activated, sends a reminder e-mail when the conference starts.
   • Send an e-mail at the end of the audio conference: when activated, sends a reminder e-mail when the conference ends.
   • Number of languages: you can configure up to 3 languages for announcements.
   • Language for announcements: enter the name of the languages used for announcements. You will need to use the same names when creating the conference rooms.
   • Room is closed: plays an audio file when the conference room is closed.
   • Room is full: plays an audio file when the maximum number of participants has been reached.
   • Entering the empty room: plays an audio file when the first participant enters the room.
   • Entering the non-empty room: plays an audio file to inform a new participant that other participants are already present.
   • Participant has been removed from the room: plays an audio file to inform a participant he has been removed from the conference room by the conference manager.
6. Click on Apply.

Your conference system is now created. Please note: a conference system cannot be changed or removed as long as there are still fixed rooms assigned to it or a conference is still in progress.

​Create conference rooms

The administrator can configure fixed conference rooms or users can create temporary conference rooms themselves:

​Fixed conference rooms

Fixed conference rooms are protected by an access PIN that never changes. This PIN should be communicated to the employees using the fixed conference rooms. Appointments for fixed conference rooms should be coordinated to avoid it being occupied twice.

The administrator appoints a conference manager to the fixed conference room, which is responsible for opening and closing the room. This can be a single user or a user group.

To create a fixed conference room, follow the steps below:

1. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/ or to the IP address for access to your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone.
2. Log in with the username Administrator and your password. Upon first use, leave the password field empty.
3. Click Configurator, Applications, Forum Conference and Rooms.
4. Click New to create a new conference room. To modify an existing conference room, just click on the name of the conference room.
5. Enter the settings:
   • Status: when activated, the conference room is opened. Participants can only join the conference room when it is opened. Rooms can also be opened or closed in the Forum CTI application.
   • Name: choose a name for your conference room (up to 20 characters long).
   • System: select the conference system that is assigned to this room.
   • User: select a user who will be the conference manager for this room.
   • User group: select a user group in addition to a single conference manager. The conference manager does not need to be a member of this group. All user group members can initiate conferences in this room.
   • Maximum size: determine the maximum number of participants for this room. 0 represents an unlimited number of participants, but is not recommended if you want to reserve voice channels for other conferences.
   • PIN: the system automatically generates one PIN per language which is the same for all participants, which you can change.
   • Welcome track: select the welcome message that should be played when a participant enters the room.
6. Click on Apply.

Your fixed conference room is now created.

​Temporary conference rooms

When a user creates a conference invitation in the Forum CTI application, a temporary conference room is created. The communication system generates a PIN for each individual user which is no longer valid when the conference date has expired.

The user who created the invitation is the conference manager. A temporary conference room is automatically opened and closed. The participants of the temporary conference room receive a calendar invitation (in Outlook and ICS format) with the required information (dial-in number, date and time and their individual access PIN) and an e-mail reminder when a conference has started, finished or cancelled.

To create a temporary conference room:

1. Surf to http://ip-address/app-cti.asp and replace ip-address by the IP address of your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone. For example, if the IP address of your Forum communication system is 192.168.99.254, you type http://192.168.99.254/app-cti.asp in your browser.
2. Enter your username and password and click Login.
3. Click on Forum CTI.
4. Click on the Forum Conference tab and select Invitations from the dropdown menu next to Forum Conference.
5. Click the Add invitation button and fill out the fields:
   • Subject: enter the conference theme.
   • Language of conference: enter the language in which the conference will be held.
   • System: select a conference system from the list (if multiple are configured by your administrator).
   • Begin and End: select the timeslot for your conference.
   • Opened before begin: specify the number of minutes the conference room should be opened before the conference start.
   • Language for invitation e-mail: select the language in which the invitation e-mail should be sent.
   • Recording: check this option if you want the conference to be recorded.
6. Click on Apply.
7. Click the Add participant button and fill out the fields:
   • Name: enter the name of the participant. The system proposes participants from the user list, internal phone book or on an LDAP server. If the participant is recognized, the e-mail address is added automatically.
   • E-mail: enter the e-mail address of the participant (if needed). Seperate several e-mail addresses by comma or semicolon and without spaces.
   • System: select a conference system from the list (if multiple are configured by your administrator).
   • Language for announcements: select the language for the audio menu in which the participant will be guided.
   • Just listen: when activated, the participant is muted during the conference (e.g. for webinars).
8. Click on Apply.

To remove participants, press the Remove participant button. To modify a conference, just double-click the conference and follow the steps above. To cancel a conference, press the Cancel conference button.

​Forum Auto Attendant

Create menus or voicemail systems. Download de Forum Auto Attendant manual or read the basic instructions.

​Install KDA Manager

With KDA Manager you can create audio files or convert existing files to the correct format. If you have not yet installed the KDA Manager application, install it from the \Forum folder on the Forum 500 or 5000 product CD or record files using a system phone through the Configurator without installing KDA Manager.

​Create menus

1. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/ or to the IP address for access to your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone.
2. Log in with the username Administrator and your password. Upon first use, leave the password field empty.
3. Click Configurator, Applications and Auto Attendant.
4. Load the audio files you want to use in the menu Audio or record them with a system phone.
5. Menu allows you to create menus. When planning your menu, use short, understandable messages that the caller can easily remember. Do not add unnecessary choices. Allow the caller to repeat messages, return to the previous menu and confirm selected choices (eg "Your installation will take place on ...").
6. In the Systems menu, configure at least one system (voice portal) and assign the menus to it. Consult the Help function on the upper right for more information.
7. Click System and Data backup. Save your configuration.

​Forum ACD

Forum ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) is an application for automatically distributing calls. ACD systems are used when a high volume of calls is expected and needs to be automatically distributed to the agents of your contact centres with call queues and individual announcements. It also enables your supervisors to monitor agents working for your contact centres.

Download the Forum ACD manual .

​Forum Count

Consult the connection details (date, time, duration, cost, etc.) of your calls easily. Download the Forum Count manual or read the basic instructions.

​Save connection details

To save the connection details, follow the steps below:

1. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/ or to the IP address for access to your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone.
2. Log in with the username Administrator and your password. Upon first use, leave the password field empty.
3. Click Configurator, User manager and User groups. Select incoming or outgoing calls for your user groups.

More details can be found in the Help function in the upper right or the glossary .

You can create up to 20 profiles. Forum count saves a maximum of 6000 records (for Forum 523, 524, 525, 526, 550 and 560) or 10000 records (for Forum 5004, 5008 and 5012). Regularly create a backup in the System menu by clicking Data backup.

To use an external cost program, a computer must be connected to the Forum 525, 526, 550 or 560 via the COM terminal. For more information, please refer to the Help function on the upper right or in the manual for your Forum communication system. Alternatively, you can also forward costs to an external program via CSTA: install the converter on the product CD of your communication system.

​Configure profiles

By default, no profiles are created, follow the steps below:

1. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/ or to the IP address for access to your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone.
2. Log in with the username Administrator and your password. Upon first use, leave the password field empty.
3. Click Configurator and Forum Count.
4. Click Profile. Create one or more (maximum 20) profiles.
5. Click System and Data backup to save your configuration.

​Export or delete connection details

1. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/ or to the IP address for access to your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone.
2. Log in with the username Administrator and your password. Upon first use, leave the password field empty.
3. Click Configurator and Forum Count.
4. Choose the profile for which you want to show, export, print or delete the connection details.

The information is saved in .csv file (Windows, Unix or Mac) or if preferred, in a .zip file.

Delete the connection details you no longer need. At 6000 records (for Forum 523,524,525, 526,550 and 560) or 10000 records (for Forum 5004, 5008 and 5012) your connection details will be automatically deleted by the system. At 80% capacity you will receive a warning.

​Forum Hotel

Manage your hotel with your Forum communication system. Download the Forum Hotel manual  or read the basic instructions.

​Configure Forum Hotel

To configure Forum Hotel, you have to create user profiles and configure privileges:

1. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/ or to the IP address for access to your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone.
2. Log in with the username Administrator and your password. Upon first use, leave the password field empty.
3. Click Configurator, System and Licenses. Load the Forum Hotel license.
4. Click User manager and User groups. Create 2 new user groups: a group for staff and a group for guests. To the staff group, authorise the use of Forum Hotel and/or Forum Count. For the guest group, activate All keys locked.
5. Click User. Create a user account for every staff member and assign it to the staff group. Assign the 'guests' group to the group for (hotel) guests, since it has limited rights. Choose the setting International for external. Other relevant information for these user groups is found under System phones and Connection data. Use the Help function on the upper right for more details.
6. Click Forum Hotel and Rooms. Configure (a maximum of 200) rooms based on the room number and assign a phone number for every room. For a clear allocation, the room number is the same as the phone number.
7. Connect a reception phone to a free upn connection, preferably a Forum Phone 530 or 535. A Forum Phone 520 or 525 can also be used.
8. Click Configurator, System, Ports and Upn. Configure the phone:
   • Type: Select the type of phone, ex. Forum Phone 535.
   • Extensions: Select the number of keypads, ex. 1 for a Forum Phone 535.
   • Description: Enter a description for this device, ex. Reception.
   • Phone No.: Choose a phone number, ex. 900.
9. Click Forum Hotel and Settings. Enter the reception phone number (ex. 900) in the field Reception phone. In the Applicationsmenu of the reception phone, you will now find the Hotel option. Configure shortcut keys for the reception phone (and other phones) in the Telephony, Devices and System phones. To the Check-in, Check-out and Clean room functions, assign the guest group.
10. Click User manager and User. Assign a user from the staff group to the reception phone. If more than one person needs to operate the reception phone, create teams under Telephony, Groups and Team members.
11. Click Call distribution and Incoming or Incoming DDI. Assign one of the external phone numbers to the reception phone.

You have configured Forum Hotel.

​Configure restrictions

You can block certain phone numbers for hotel guests by adding them to a black list as follows:

1. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/ or to the IP address for access to your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone.
2. Log in with the username Administrator and your password. Upon first use, leave the password field empty.
3. Click Configurator, Telephony Lists and Call filter. Add the numbers you want to block.
4. Click User manager and User groups. Assign the black list to the guest group.

To avoid expensive and insignificant calls, it is recommended to divert all calls hotel guests to the reception as follows:

1. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/ or to the IP address for access to your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone.
2. Log in with the username Administrator and your password. Upon first use, leave the password field empty.
3. Click Configurator, Telephony Call distribution and Incoming DDI. Assign the internal reception number to each of the rooms in the field Ph.No. (Time group).
4. Click Outgoing DDI. Assign the internal reception number to each of the rooms.

​Create invoices

Calls made by hotel guests can be settled by cost zones per minute (ex. domestic or foreign calls) and automatically added to the invoice as follows:

1. Surf to http://192.168.99.254/ or to the IP address for access to your Forum communication system. If you don't know it, enter *128 on a system phone.
2. Log in with the username Administrator and your password. Upon first use, leave the password field empty.
3. Click Configurator, Telephony, LCR and Zones or Telephony, Extended and Cost zones. Configure your rates here.
4. Click Trunks and Bundle. Select Create costs for all bundles and SIP lines.
5. Click Forum Hotel and Settings. Set the Value Added Tax (VAT).
6. Click User manager and User. For the guest group, select recording incoming connections and/or recording outgoing connections. Under User groups, enter the factors for calculating charges:
   • The outgoing basic amount
   • The incoming basic amount
   • The cost factor or multiplying factor with which the total costs are multiplied (ex. 200%).
   • Select Create costs.
7. To create a template for your invoice, click Forum Hotel and Invoice header.

​Use the Forum Hotel program

For day-to-day management by hotel staff, the administrator can install a custom Internet browser from the Forum product CD. The program can be called through the symbol in the info section of the taskbar.

1. Open the program that was installed by your administrator or surf to the address you have been given by your administrator.
2. Log in with the username and password your administrator has given you.
3. Click on the Forum Hotel program symbol on the homepage. You will see an overview of all rooms with icons:

   Icon	Meaning
   	The room is free.
   	The room is occupied.
   	The room needs to be cleaned.
   	The are no messages for this guest.
   	There are new messages for this guest.
   	The wakeup call is not active.
   	The wakeup call is active.

   To perform actions:

   • Check in a guest (): enter the name, first name, language, check out date and optional remarks and click Ok. The room will now be displayed as occupied. The guest is added to the central phone book and telephone charges will automatically be settled on his invoice upon departure.
   • Check out a guest (): choose connection data, check-out or connection data & check-out and click Ok. Connection data will generate and invoice and check-out will mark the room as 'to clean'.
   • Change the status of the room (): After cleaning you can change the status of the room by clicking Ok.
   • Set a wakeup call (): Choose a time and click Ok.
   • Alert the guest of new messages (): Click Ok to alert the guest of new messages.

​Use the reception phone

With the reception phone you can perform certain actions as follows:

• In the main menu, press Applications and Hotel. If your administrator has configured a shortcut, press that button.
• Enter the room number. Dependant on the status of the room, the menu contains several options:
  1. Check-in: Press OK to confirm. Enter the name, first name and language of the guest and press Save.
  2. Check-out + Invoice: Press OK to read the invoice balance and to check out the guest. The invoice can only be printed with the Forum Hotel program. The status of the room changes to 'to clean'. If you confirm the option Clean with the OK button, the room changes to 'free'. The cleaning staff can also change the status of the room to 'free' by pressing *170 on the phone situated in the room.
  3. Charges: Press OK to consult the invoice balance.
  4. Messages: Select On to alert the guest of new messages. Select Off to no longer alert the guest of new messages.
  5. Wakeup call: Press OK and enter the desired time in hours and minutes. Confirm with the OK button and activate the wakeup call with On. With the Off option you can deactivate the wakeup call.

Software

Download software that lets you control your Forum communication system from your computer.

​Windows TAPI-driver

Integrate the functions of your telephone exchange in external applications (ex. Outlook, Cisco, Avaya, CRM systems, etc.).

Download TAPI-driver for Windows​

Download TAPI-driver for Windows 8​

​Forum Softphone

Download Forum Softphone and the Forum Softphone manual to call or be called on your computer without using external applications or fixed devices. You can also use Forum Softphone combined with a Forum Phone 525 or 535.

Download Forum Softphone​