Return to Main Menu

Audix changeover to join voicemail, e-mail by George Spain Information Services On July 25, voicemail and e-mail will conjoin when the old Audix system morphs into Modular Messaging (MM) and voice messages will be delivered to Exchange Inbox folders where they can be retrieved by phone or computer. Audix users who have not migrated to Exchange need not worry, however; voicemail accounts can be managed via the phone.   To prepare for the upgrade, University Communications mailed letters to everyone with an Audix account, asking to verify their account information. If wrong, there’s a button on the main MUSC webpage to help register the changes.   In addition, Vince Dibble, manager of Telecommunications and Network Services for the Office of the CIO, and co-worker Lori Solado have produced a number of documents to help users through the transition.   Dibble has established an informational Web site at http://uctwiki.mdc.musc.edu/index.php/Voice_Mail_Upgrade, also accessible via the front page button. This site contains the latest information on the project and it is from here that you can link to pdf files, phone numbers and other documentation.   All Audix users will need to gear up for some talking early Friday, July 25, because the first time they use the updated voicemail system, they’ll have to run through a short set-up program to establish a password and record a name, a greeting, and an “on hold” message. This process cannot be bypassed: when left incomplete, the system will prompt the user until the service is established. Fortunately, it won’t take long to complete.   First thing to look out for is the different number combinations to retrieve, delete, and save messages. Remember the new numbers: 1-retrieve , 7-delete, 9-save.   Any computer or PDA capable of playing a .wav (Waveform Audio) file can play a voice message (e.g., QuickTime on a Macintosh). Be warned, however, that if you aren’t in a room by yourself, you should use a set of earphones or turn your volume down low so that your voicemail won’t be  overheard by others. Later this year, a plug-in for Outlook that will give users the ability to manage their voicemail accounts solely from their computers will be made available.   “It will take some people a little time to get used to the new system,” said Solado. “We are here to help them through it. Once they get familiar with all of the features, we think they will like what they see.”   Dibble noted since each voice message will now land in an Exchange Inbox, there’s a need to be vigilant about retrieving, deleting, and moving files. “Audix users are used to voice messages going away after five days. That isn’t the case in Exchange; a voice message is treated the same way as an e-mail message so it’ll sit in the Inbox for 180 days.   “Our information shows that a one-minute phone message takes up about 468k of memory. Since there’s a quota on e-mail storage space, anyone who gets a lot of voicemail messages can quickly run up a sizable folder full of messages,” said Dibble. “The best way to deal with this is to listen to the message then delete it, but remember deleted voicemails, just like deleted e-mails, go to the Deleted Items folder; they aren’t instantly purged from the system. If you must hold onto voicemail messages, you can download them but please be aware of the space you're using in there, too.”   Solado said she wanted to remind everyone to check their messages before they leave on Thursday, July 24. “Because when they return after 8 a.m. that Friday, all of their old messages and greetings will be gone for good.”  Friday, July 11, 2008 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.