I have been using Ascendis Caller ID for 6 weeks now and it does everything I had hoped. No more telemarketer calls and a good record of my phone activity. I do have a few suggestions that would make it more "used friendly".
1. Ability to customize the toolbar. I have a few items I'd like to add and some I would never use.
2. Ability to "update" the report with newer calls rather that lose what is currently in the report.
3. "Save Tab" for reports. I can do this manually by calling up the Report Tab/click on Print Calls Report/under Print Preview save the report. I can then read or print the old reports from the Print Preview screen. How about a macro tab under File that will do this with one click. Also an "Open Report" tab to read the old reports.
I would like feedback on one other issue. The call information makes it to my computer screen a full ring cycle after my telepone caller ID identifies the call. Any way to speed it up? The reason this is an issue is that I end up with a short period of time to answer before my answering machine kicks in. The longest I can set my answering machine is 4 rings.
User Friendly Suggestions
Re: User Friendly Suggestions
Thank you for your suggestions. You have some good ideas, and I think they're all new.
I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind clarifying:
I have some suggestions:
Bill Root
Ascendis Software
I have a couple of questions, if you don't mind clarifying:
Do you delete calls in your call list, but would still like to see them in the Calls Report? Or are you hoping to speed up report generation?jpsprouse wrote:2. Ability to "update" the report with newer calls rather that lose what is currently in the report.
Are you just looking for an easy way to save and load the report settings, including the visible columns, filters, and sorting?3. "Save Tab" for reports. I can do this manually by calling up the Report Tab/click on Print Calls Report/under Print Preview save the report. I can then read or print the old reports from the Print Preview screen. How about a macro tab under File that will do this with one click. Also an "Open Report" tab to read the old reports.
That sounds unusually slow. On my development machine, I get notifications at about the same time as my telephone, and occasionally faster than it.I would like feedback on one other issue. The call information makes it to my computer screen a full ring cycle after my telepone caller ID identifies the call. Any way to speed it up? The reason this is an issue is that I end up with a short period of time to answer before my answering machine kicks in. The longest I can set my answering machine is 4 rings.
I have some suggestions:
- 1. Enable "Stop screen saver when phone rings" and "Wake up monitor when phone rings" on the Notification page of the Options window.
2. Use no screen saver or the "Blank" screen saver.
3. Use the Ascendis Caller ID notification window, or pop up the main window when the phone rings. These seem to be faster than the notification tray (which relies on Windows' notification mechanism).
4. Make sure you have enough memory so that Ascendis Caller ID does not get swapped to disk.
5. Don't use a winmodem.
6. Uninstall unused programs that run in the background, or disable the pre-load portion of some programs (like Microsoft Office, Adobe products, etc.)
7. Get a faster computer.
Bill Root
Ascendis Software
jpsprouse wrote:
2. Ability to "update" the report with newer calls rather that lose what is currently in the report.
Do you delete calls in your call list, but would still like to see them in the Calls Report? Or are you hoping to speed up report generation?
Quote:
3. "Save Tab" for reports. I can do this manually by calling up the Report Tab/click on Print Calls Report/under Print Preview save the report. I can then read or print the old reports from the Print Preview screen. How about a macro tab under File that will do this with one click. Also an "Open Report" tab to read the old reports.
Are you just looking for an easy way to save and load the report settings, including the visible columns, filters, and sorting?
Quote:
I would like feedback on one other issue. The call information makes it to my computer screen a full ring cycle after my telepone caller ID identifies the call. Any way to speed it up? The reason this is an issue is that I end up with a short period of time to answer before my answering machine kicks in. The longest I can set my answering machine is 4 rings.
That sounds unusually slow. On my development machine, I get notifications at about the same time as my telephone, and occasionally faster than it.
I have some suggestions:
1. Enable "Stop screen saver when phone rings" and "Wake up monitor when phone rings" on the Notification page of the Options window.
2. Use no screen saver or the "Blank" screen saver.
3. Use the Ascendis Caller ID notification window, or pop up the main window when the phone rings. These seem to be faster than the notification tray (which relies on Windows' notification mechanism).
4. Make sure you have enough memory so that Ascendis Caller ID does not get swapped to disk.
5. Don't use a winmodem.
6. Uninstall unused programs that run in the background, or disable the pre-load portion of some programs (like Microsoft Office, Adobe products, etc.)
7. Get a faster computer.
Reference item 2. I update the report so that my calls list is moved to that section. Then I delete my calls so I have a "clean" list. Problem is that I lose the data already in the report from the previous week. I'd like to simply update the report by adding to the previous report.
Reference item 3. I want to easily save the report (for instance Jan calls, Feb calls, etc.) and then be able to retrieve each of them at a later date.
By the way, I followed your instructions on "speeding up" the notification process and the issue is resolved. I'm pretty sure that the delay was caused by using the notification tray. I checked "do not use tray" and that took care of it. thanks.
2. Ability to "update" the report with newer calls rather that lose what is currently in the report.
Do you delete calls in your call list, but would still like to see them in the Calls Report? Or are you hoping to speed up report generation?
Quote:
3. "Save Tab" for reports. I can do this manually by calling up the Report Tab/click on Print Calls Report/under Print Preview save the report. I can then read or print the old reports from the Print Preview screen. How about a macro tab under File that will do this with one click. Also an "Open Report" tab to read the old reports.
Are you just looking for an easy way to save and load the report settings, including the visible columns, filters, and sorting?
Quote:
I would like feedback on one other issue. The call information makes it to my computer screen a full ring cycle after my telepone caller ID identifies the call. Any way to speed it up? The reason this is an issue is that I end up with a short period of time to answer before my answering machine kicks in. The longest I can set my answering machine is 4 rings.
That sounds unusually slow. On my development machine, I get notifications at about the same time as my telephone, and occasionally faster than it.
I have some suggestions:
1. Enable "Stop screen saver when phone rings" and "Wake up monitor when phone rings" on the Notification page of the Options window.
2. Use no screen saver or the "Blank" screen saver.
3. Use the Ascendis Caller ID notification window, or pop up the main window when the phone rings. These seem to be faster than the notification tray (which relies on Windows' notification mechanism).
4. Make sure you have enough memory so that Ascendis Caller ID does not get swapped to disk.
5. Don't use a winmodem.
6. Uninstall unused programs that run in the background, or disable the pre-load portion of some programs (like Microsoft Office, Adobe products, etc.)
7. Get a faster computer.
Reference item 2. I update the report so that my calls list is moved to that section. Then I delete my calls so I have a "clean" list. Problem is that I lose the data already in the report from the previous week. I'd like to simply update the report by adding to the previous report.
Reference item 3. I want to easily save the report (for instance Jan calls, Feb calls, etc.) and then be able to retrieve each of them at a later date.
By the way, I followed your instructions on "speeding up" the notification process and the issue is resolved. I'm pretty sure that the delay was caused by using the notification tray. I checked "do not use tray" and that took care of it. thanks.
I don't think we will be able to support this. The Calls Report is a report run on the calls in the Calls list, and the current contacts and actions. Mixing old and new data would cause inconsistencies in the report unless nothing ever changed, and would make it harder to change the report query in the future.jpsprouse wrote:Reference item 2. I update the report so that my calls list is moved to that section. Then I delete my calls so I have a "clean" list. Problem is that I lose the data already in the report from the previous week. I'd like to simply update the report by adding to the previous report.
I suggest not deleting the calls if you want to see them later. The Calls Report is merely a different view of the calls.
That's an interesting idea -- saving the actual report data. I added it to the requested features list, although no one else has suggested it and I'm not sure how many people would benefit from it.Reference item 3. I want to easily save the report (for instance Jan calls, Feb calls, etc.) and then be able to retrieve each of them at a later date.
Unless you have an extremely high call volume, you could probably get the same effect by not deleting your calls, and then filter the report using the "Last Month" or "This Month" filters under the "Call Began" column.
Excellent. Thank you for reporting this. Someone else may benefit from your findings.By the way, I followed your instructions on "speeding up" the notification process and the issue is resolved. I'm pretty sure that the delay was caused by using the notification tray. I checked "do not use tray" and that took care of it. thanks.
Finest regards,
Bill Root
Ascendis Software