Use the Phone Numbers tab to define phone number formats for U.S. and non-U.S.implementations. Phone number functionality is flexible and supports multiple formats at a site. You can also apply regional settings for installations where the majority of the customers for a site have the same area code.

Phone Numbers tab

Group Bar: Settings

These options define the default telephone number type for new customer records, and if a telephone number is mandatory.

Default phone type — Designates the type of telephone number to use as the default for new customer records. Select None, Home, Cell, or Business from the drop-down list. Recommended Configuration: Depends on the site location: Downtown locations may use ‘Business’ for the default, while suburban sites may use ‘Home.’ The ‘Cell’ default could be appropriate for sites located near commuter centers, such as freeway exits, train stations, or bus terminals.

Require phone number — Requires a telephone number for new customer records.

Number phone digits — Designates the number of phone digits entered before ATO automatically searches for a match in the customer database.

Minimum extension digits — Specifies the minimum number of digits you allow for a phone extension. The default value is four.

Maximum extension digits — Specifies the maximum number of digits you allow for a phone extension. The default value is four. The number must be greater than, or equal to, the value in ‘Minimum extension digits.’

Require extension for guest office phone numbers — Requires an extension for office phone numbers for new and edited customer records.

Default area code — Defines the default area code. This feature reduces user entry in small communities that have one area code. Recommended Configuration: Cleared, unless the site is located in a small community with one area code.

Pre-populate default area code — Uses the digits in ‘Default area code’ to pre-populate the area code when adding a new phone number. The area code may be edited by the user by selecting this area on the screen. Recommended Configuration: Cleared, unless the site is located in a small community with one area code.

Hide area code if equal to default — Hides the area code when displaying the phone number in ATO if it matches the default area code. Phone numbers with area codes different from the default, display the area code. This is helpful with mobile phone numbers. Recommended Configuration: Cleared, unless the site is located in a small community with one area code.

Use default U.S. phone format — Forces a 10-digit phone number format, consisting of a 3-digit area code and a 7-digit phone number in a (AAA) LLL-LLLL syntax. This option disables the ability to define additional phone formats. Recommended Configuration: Select for most sites in the U.S.

Area code must start with — Intended for countries where all area codes start with a given number or sequence of numbers by convention. This mandatory area code start will not be editable in the phone number control. This option only appears when you clear ‘Use Default U.S. phone format.’ Recommended Configuration: Cleared.

Group Bar: Phone Number Layouts

Allows installations outside the U.S. to create regional specific phone formats to match local telephone infrastructure. The Add button is only active when ‘Use default U.S. phone format’ is cleared. Multiple phone number layouts can be defined to address mobile or other phone formats that may call the site. The Phone Number Layouts frame allows the addition, editing, and deletion of phone formats. Use Add to create additional phone formats. Use the Remove button to delete previously added phone formats.

Name — Using the Add button, additional formats may be defined. Naming each format can help identify possible differences.

Area code prefix — Sets the number of digits in the area code. Use the capital letter ‘A’ to designate the number of digits. For example, for a three digit area code, type ‘(AAA).’

Layout base — Sets the number of digits in the phone number. You may use symbols, such as a hyphen, to separate digits for user identification when the phone number appears in ATO. For example, ‘LLL-LLLL.’

Enabled — Uses the selected phone number format when doing phone number searches. You may also use the phone format when adding or editing existing customers.

Primary format — Uses the selected phone number format as the default when adding new or editing existing customers.

Preview — Displays a preview of the phone format.