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Action Plans are driven by the steps created as Action Plans Items. The Item describes the action to be taken at this step in the dispatch process. Each item is given an Action Type and is set up differently according to the type. The main Actions that can be taken in an Action Plan are Dialing (Phone List), Verifying Contacts (Code Word), Asking Questions (Decision) and Dispatching (Operator Action). In addition, checks can be made for other available action plans based on other alarm signals (Check Additional Action Plans), the action plan can 'jump' back to a previous step (Retry Loop), or Dialing and Verification can be done in one step (Phone Verify Code Word).
Action Plan Items are organized in an expandable/collapsible tree. The first step created will be at the beginning of the tree. Subsequent steps are created by selecting the item for the previous step from the tree and pressing the add button on the Action Plan Item pane. This will create a step with the selected step as the previous action. Multiple 'branches' can be created by returning to the previous step in the tree and creating a new step.
Depending on the Action Type of the previous step, a step may require a Action Outcome or Outcome Prompt to tell the Dispatch Action Wizard how to proceed.
Select action type as Check Additional Action Plans (B).
During a Check Additional Action Plans step, the Dispatch Wizard will check if any other points have been tripped that call action plans. If other action plans have been called, they will display in a list. The operator has the choice to continue on the action plan they are on or to switch over to a different action plan. If no other plans apply, the wizard will automatically load the next step.
No additional setup is needed for B Type Steps.
**It is recommended that a Check Additional Action Plans step is setup before any full or partial clear.**
The wizard will automatically go to the next step. There are no choices made in the Check Additional Action Plans Step.
When the B type step is complete, one of three possible Operator Actions will be logged to History:
Select action type as Code Word (C).
During a Code Word step, the Dispatch Wizard will execute the Verify Contact method defined in the stages™ Options window. (Utilities | stages™ | stages™ Options).
No additional etup are needed for C Type Steps.
Steps following a code word step use the Action Outcome field to link back to the code word step.
When the code word is verified, the step with the corresponding outcome code will be triggered. Multiple outcome codes can be entered separated by a comma.
In addition to the below codes, an 'AllElse' code can be used. For instance, one following step can have an outcome code of 'VCWORD,VPIN' and another step of 'AllElse'. A NOCWPIN will trigger the step with the outcome code 'AllElse'.
Select action type as Decision (D).
During a Decision step, the Dispatch Wizard displays a list of possible outcomes for an operator to select from. There can be as many possible outcomes as are required.
No additional setup is needed for D Type Steps.
Steps following a decision step use the Outcome Prompt field to link back to the decision step.
Select action type as Evaluation (E).
During an Evaluation Step, the Dispatch Wizard will check for a piece of information to determine how to proceed in the Action Plan. The Evaluation Step does not display to the operator.
An Auto Evaluation Type is selected from the drop down.
Steps following an evaluation step use the Auto Evaluation Result drop down.
Example: '2-Way Voice Alarm?' In this Evaluation, the system will check for an event code reporting a 2-way voice connection. Result Options include 'Alarm is 2-way Voice' and 'Alarm is not 2-way Voice'.
Select action type as Hours (H).
During an Hours Step, the Dispatch Wizard will check the Hours assigned to a Site or Site Group to determine if the Site is Within Hours or Outside Hours.
An Hours Type is selected from the drop down, and either 'Site' or the Site Group Type is selected.
Steps following an hours step will be defined as 'WithinHours', 'OutsideHours', 'NoHours', or 'AllElse'.
Select action type as Jump to (J).
Jump to steps are configured with a Jump to Target. Any step can be configured with a Jump to Label. The Jump step will move the action plan to the step with the corresponding Label.
In the setup, the Jump to steps will display in the step list like:
[StepDescription]--[JumptoTarget]
Steps with a Jump to Label will display in the step like:
[#JumptoLabel]: [StepDescription]
When the Action Plan is activated, an audit of the Jump to Labels will occur to find:
There are no following steps. The action plan will move to another step in the action plan.
Select action type as Module (M).
Action Plan Modules contain a series of steps leading to outcomes that will snap back into the action plan.
A Module is selected from the look up.
Steps following a module step use the Module Return Label drop down.
Select action type as Operator Action (O).
During an Operator Action step, the Dispatch Wizard will, by default, log an Operator Action. The Operator Action can be forced to be confirmed by the operator by enabling the Confirm OpAct flag. Certain Operator Actions may not require operator confirmation, such as an action to record Dispatched Police after a successful call to a Police Agency. Other Operator Actions such as 'Full Clear' and 'Partial Clear' may need confirmation to enter comments.
**If the step is a Full or Partial Clear, it is recommended to have a Check Additional Action Plan step before this to ensure all signals are being dispatched.**
The wizard will automatically go to the next step (if dispatch continues). There are no choices made in the Operator Action Step.
Select action type as Phone List (P).
During a Phone List step, the Dispatch Wizard will create a list of phone numbers from the Call List that match the Recipient Type and ID (if available) and prompt the operator to Dial the first number in the list. The Action step utilizes a Call Routine to interpret the outcome of the operator entered Call Disposition. If no numbers match the Recipient Type/ID then a disposition of 'No-Number-Listed' will automatically be entered.
'Call recipient type' refers to the category assigned to the call list such as agency, premise, ECV… Call Recipient Types are hard-coded into stages™. Some recipient types also require a call recipient id, which are user-defined.
'Call Routine' refers to the list in the Call Routine window (Setup | Phone Setup | Call Routine). Call Routines dictate how many attempts to get an outcome of 'ContactMade', which outcome the call dispositions generate, when to end the phone list step, and what numbers to retry.
'Confirm no phone' will require operator action when a premise/agency/contact has no phone number listed. When this flag is not checked, a premise/agency/contact that has no phone number listed will automatically call and give a disposition of 'no-phone-listed' with an outcome code of ContactNotMade (see below), proceeding to the next step.
Steps following a phone list step use the Action Outcome field to link back to the phone list step.
**Jump To (J) steps can be used instead of Retry Loop (R) steps**
Select action type as Retry Loop (R).
A 'loop' can be put in the action plan to return to a previous step by using the Retry Loop action type. This may be used in a situation where a contact is called and a series of steps follow ending in a wrong code word. The retry point can go back to the call contact step. The retry point lookup only returns steps that led down the tree to the current step.
The wizard will automatically go to the next step. There are no choices made in the Retry Loop Step.
Select action type as Phone Verify Code Word (V).
During a Phone Verify Code Word step, the Phone List and Code Word steps are combined into one step. The Dispatch Wizard will display both a dial pane and a verify contact pane. A call disposition is only required to be entered if contact is not made. Entering a code word verification will assume a contact made disposition.
Phone Verify Code Word steps are set up the same way as Phone steps.
Possibilities for a Phone Verify Code Word step include ContactNotMade or the Code Word Action Outcomes. When a Code Word Action Outcome is entered, it is given that Contact has been made. Multiple outcome codes can be entered separated by a comma. In addition to the below codes, an 'AllElse' code can be used. For instance, one following step can have an outcome code of 'VCWORD,VPIN', a second step of 'ContactNotMade', and third step of 'AllElse'. A NOCWPIN will trigger the step with the outcome code 'AllElse'.