Reassign user services#

Overview#

Reassign user services simplifies and automates the transfer of existing user services from a source user to a target user.

Reassign services high level workflow

@startuml 'Reassign Services High Level Workflow !include style.iuml start :[[../src/user/concepts-reassign-services-overview.html#reassign-services-profile Reassign Services Profile ]]; note right Set up your profiles before proceeding. end note if (Do you want to reassign or update user services?) then (reassign) :[[../src/user/concepts-reassign-services-overview.html#reassign-a-user-s-service Reassign User Services ]]; else (update) :[[../src/user/concepts-reassign-services-overview.html#update-a-user-s-details Update User Services ]]; endif stop @enduml

This utility is for example useful when an employee leaves an organization and a new employee starts the same role. Instead of removing the old user and configuring a new user with the same settings and standards, the services and settings can be moved from the old user to the new user.

These services can include:

  • Fixed phones

  • Device Profile(s)

  • Remote Destination Profile(s). Remote destination needs to be set up for the target user separately

  • Voicemail user with related services including alternate extension and message handle (action)

Note

Webex (Meetings and App) and CCX services are not currently supported by this feature.

Custom settings can be applied to these services during the reassignment. A Reassign Services Profile setting is available to choose the configuration templates that will be used to update services during reassignment. These allow you to customize most settings on any of the above devices, including Line Alerting Name, Line Label, DisplayASCII values, and so on.

Example templates are provided that contain macro variables for fields that are likely to differ between users. The field values then resolve with input from existing target user details. In this way the templates are not limited by for example a Site and Phone Model.

When reassigning services from existing source users to existing target users, the latter are moved to the same site as the source user, if these differ.

It is also possible to create a new target user as part of the “reassign services” process instead of selecting an existing user without services. This user will be created at the same site as the source user.

Other features included are:

  • Change User Details (modified Reassign Services) that updates the services of an existing user using custom templates referenced in a Reassign Services Profile.

Related topics

Reassign a user’s service#

The Reassign Services functionality requires that you select a customer hierarchy (if you are not already there) since it supports target users that are on a different site to the source user.

@startuml !include style.iuml start :Choose Reassign Services Profile; :Choose Source User; :Add or choose Target User; note right You can create a new target user at the same hierarchy as the source user. end note :Add Target User credentials; stop @enduml

Field Name

Comment

Reassign Service Profile

This field will pre-populate with the first profile. You can select a different profile if required. If no profile option is available, then a reassign service profile needs to be added in the system.

Source User

Choose the user to be reassigned. This provides a list of usernames of users in the system. It will list local or CUCM-LDAP Synced users only (not Automate-LDAP synced) Once a user is selected, the Source User Services tab is updated to show services currently assigned and that will be reassigned to the target user. This is a good way to validate that all the services are shown or that there are not services that you do not want reassigned.

Source User Hierarchy

Once a user is selected the Source User Hierarchy will be populated - this is a read-only informational field.

Add A New Target User

Select this option if you need to add a new local user to the system as the target user. Once selected, the form updates to reflect this choice.

Target User

To reassign to an existing user: select the username from the dropdown. This will show local or CUCM-LDAP synced users at the customer level or lower. Once a user is selected, the Target User Services tab is updated to reflect any services currently assigned to the user. If the user has any entries on this tab then the transaction will be blocked. So this provides an option to check before submitting.

To create a new target user: enter the username for the new user to be created. The user will be added to the same hierarchy as the source user.

Target User Hierarchy

Shown only if add new target user is not selected - read-only informational field.

Shows the hierarchy of the selected target user. Can be different to the source user and the feature will move the target user to the same hierarchy as the selected source user.

First Name

First Name of the Target user. Will be read only if the target user is a LDAP synced user.

Last Name

Last Name of the Target user. Will be read only if the target user is a LDAP synced user.

Email Address

Email Address of the Target user. Will be read only if the target user is a LDAP synced user.

Password

Visible if the target user is not a LDAP synced user. Enter the password for the target user.

Pin

Enter the PIN for the target user (used for device profile and voicemail).

Notes:

  • The feature requires that source user services should all be at the same site hierarchy.

  • Target user and hierarchy:

    • New target user - will be added to the hierarchy of the source user.

    • Existing target user - If the target user is in a different hierarchy to the source user, the target user will be moved to the same hierarchy as the source user as part of the reassign of services.

      Note

      It is not possible to reassign services to a user who is on a different CUCM Cluster than the source user. The target user drop-down will currently not show users on a different cluster.

  • The Source User Services tab will populate once a source user has been selected. This shows the services currently assigned to that user and the services that will be reassigned. This is a good way to validate the services that will be reassigned and to check if there are any services missing or that should not be reassigned. This can then be corrected as needed before reassigning the services.

  • The Target User Services tabs will populate once a target user is populated. This is a good way to validate that the target user does not currently have any services assigned, as this will cause the transaction to fail with an error message indicating the target user has services. This can be resolved by choosing a different target user or by removing the services currently configured for the target user.

  • Based on the setting in the reassign profile, the source user will either be left in the system (without any services) or removed from the system entirely.

Most of the services are updated to be associated to the target user and have settings updated according to the Configuration Templates (CFTs) in the reassign profiles.

There are some considerations:

  • Single Number Reach (SNR) - Any existing remote destinations configured for the source user are deleted. The Remote Destination Profile (RDP) is then associated to the target user and updated per the CFT in the reassign services profile.

  • Voicemail - the existing voicemail service for the source user is deleted to ensure a clean voicemail service. The voicemail service is then rebuilt for the target user based on the CFT in the reassign service profile. This means that any personalized settings, messages, greetings, and so on are cleared.

  • Shared lines - Shared lines associated to the source user will only be updated if the shared line is the source user’s primary extension.

The feature includes the optional ability to update shared line appearances of the source user’s lines on other users’ phones to reflect the destination user’s details. For example:

  • Bob.Smith has a phone with the following:

    • Line1: 55210 - Label: Bob Smith 55210

  • Mary Smith has a phone with the following:

    • Line 1: 55220 - Label: Mary Smith 55220

    • Line 2: 55210 (shared line appear of Bob) - Label: Bob Smith 55210

In this case, when Bob’s service is reassigned to a new user, Mary’s Line 2 appearance will need to be updated to reflect the new user (e.g display name, label, etc.). This is supported for line appearances on Phones, Device Profiles, and Remote Destination Profiles. See the reassign services profiles section for more details on the controls.

Related topics

Update a user’s service#

The Update User Services tab/panel displays a simplified form of Reassign Services where only one source user is selected, and that user’s services are updated using custom configuration templates referenced in a reassign services profile. The input fields allow for an easy update of basic details such as First Name, Last Name, Email, Password and PIN. User services that use any of the updated user details will automatically get updated.

The Reassign Services Profile drop-down list is available to select a profile to be used to also update the user’s services details.

Similar to Reassign Services, selecting a Username auto-populates the Hierarchy of the selected user and the Current User Services tab/panel displays the services that will be updated.

Reassign User Services (Update user services workflow)

@startuml 'Reassign User Services Update User Services Flowchart !include style.iuml start :Choose Reassign Services Profile; :Choose User; :Modify user credentials; note right User services that use any of the updated user details will automatically get updated. end note stop @enduml

Reassign services profile#

Tip

Use the Action search to navigate Automate

The Reassign Services Profile page allows for a set of configuration settings and additional settings to apply when using reassign services functionality.

Reassign services profile configuration workflow

The flowchart describes the configuration settings to apply. If no configuration template is defined for a service, it is still moved to the new user. However, existing settings are left in place.

@startuml 'Reassign Services Profile Workflow !include style.iuml start if (Do you have the required CFTs?) then (Yes) else (No) :Create required CFTs; note right You can clone CFTs from the ""RS Example Profile"" to your hierarchy and modify them. end note endif :Choose required CFTs; :Select additional services options; :Enter Profile name, description and save; @enduml

Configuration templates and reassign services profile#

Configuration templates (CFTs) selected in the profile determine how many of the detailed settings of the various services are updated as part of the reassign. This will allow you to re-align settings to your baseline service deployment logic and update any settings that incorporate the user’s name - for example descriptions, alerting/display names, labels, and so on.

If no CFT is defined for a service, it is still moved to the new user. However, existing settings will be left in place. There are a few cases where the feature will make updates to specific service settings regardless of the CFT (i.e. when these settings are required to associate the user and service - owner of a phone, associated devices on the UCM user, etc). If the source user does not have a given service (e.g voicemail) then any CFT in the profile is ignored as the feature does not add new services that did not exist on the source user.

Automate ships with a collection of sample CFTs (prefixed RS), which provide examples of common settings and logic.

This profile and templates for configuration settings can be maintained per hierarchy as needed. The reassign services feature is similar to Quick Add User, allowing re-use of macros/logic from your Quick Add Group CFTs in the reassign services profiles. In many cases you could even use the same CFT to ease maintaining multiple sets of CFTs that define the baseline user and service configuration.

Note

At least one reassign services profile must be added to use the reassign user services functionality.

Reassign services profile settings#

Go to Reassign Services Profile, then choose an existing profile to view its settings, or to add a new profile.

Field

Description

Profile Name

Name for the Profile - recommended to make it meaningful to the user’s that will be using the feature if you need more than one profile.

Profile Description

Description for the profile

Remove Source User

If selected the feature will fully remove the source user after moving all the services. If not selected then the base user and user will be left when the feature completes however no services will be enabled.

User CFT

This CFT defines Automate user settings to apply to the target user - e.g. role

CUCM User CFT

This CFT defines the UCM User settings to apply for the target user - e.g Department, Service Profile, etc.

Line CFT

This CFT defines the UCM Line settings to apply for the target user - e.g. Description, Alerting Name, Pickup Group, Call Forwarding, etc

Phone CFT

This CFT defines the Phone settings to apply to the devices being moved - e.g. Line Label, display name, device pool, CSS, etc. This same CFT applies to all phones (hardphones, soft-clients, etc) so typically relate to line appearance settings or other non-phone type specific settings. ownerID, mobility user (for soft clients) as set via the workflow irrespective of the CFT.

Device Profile CFT

This CFT defines the Device Profile (extension mobility) service for the user - e.g Line label, display name, etc. As with the Phone this is typically for line appearance settings on the device profile.

Remote Destination Profile CFT

This CFT defines the Remote Destination Profile (Single Number Reach - SNR) settings to apply to the service being moved - e.g line label, display name, CSSs, etc. Again typically for updating line appearance settings but can also edit other base RDP settings.

CUC User CFT

This CFT defines the CUC User (Voicemail) settings to apply when setting up voicemail for the user.

Add CUC User Alternate Extension

This setting determines if the feature will add a voicemail alternate extension for the user if voicemail exists on the source user. This can be used to add a standard alternate extension (e.g short extension version of the user’s number) if needed as part of your standard deployment.

Field

Description

CUC Alternate Extension CFT

This setting is visible if the add alternate extension setting above is true. This CFT determines the settings for the alternate extension that will be added. This is where you would define the alternate extension to be added as standard.

Update CUC User Message Handler (Action)

This setting determines if the feature will configure the message handler settings for voicemail (form of single inbox).

CUC Message Handler (Action) CFT

This setting is visible if the message handler setting above is true. This CFT determines the settings that will be configured for the message handler. So this will need to include the email address for example of the user as well as the message actions.

Update shared lines (for unassociated Phones, Device profiles, RDP)

This setting determines if the feature will update line appearances of the source user’s lines on other user’s devices. This can be used to update the display names or labels for instance on those remote devices to reflect the new user’s details.

These CFTs only apply to line appearance settings on those devices (not general phone settings) and only for the line appearances that are shared with the source user. Other line appearances on the devices will not be updated. For example, the other user’s phone had 3 lines, only 1 of which was shared with the source user. Only that 1 line appearance will be updated and the other 2 will be left untouched.

Shared Line (unassociated Phone) CFT

This setting is visible if the Update Shared Line setting is true. This CFT determines the settings on the other users’ Phones that have the line appearance.

Shared Line (unassociated Profile) CFT

This setting is visible if the Update Shared Line setting is true. This CFT determines the settings on the other users’ Device Profiles that have the line appearance.

Shared Line (unassociated RDP) CFT

This setting is visible if the Update Shared Line setting is true. This CFT determines the settings on the other users’ RDP that have the line appearance.

Typically, configuration templates similar to your current Quick Add User templates can be used. Example configuration templates are also available for each drop-down, with naming convention RS Example <service> CFT. The templates shown on the Configuration Templates menu can be cloned, renamed and modified per hierarchy as required.

Configuration examples:

  • Template Name: RS Example CUCMPhone CFT

    Field: Line > Display Ascii

    Value:

    ((input.firstName == fn.null ))
<{{input.lastName}}>
<{{input.firstName}} {{input.lastName}}>

  • Template Name: RS Example CUCMLine CFT

    Field: ASCII Alerting Name

    Value:

    {{fn.sub_string input.lastName, 0, 30}}

Additional optional settings available:

  • Add CUC User Alternate Extension:

    If checked, a drop-down is enabled to select a template that updates the alternate extension.

    Example template: RS Example CUCAlternateExtension CFT

    Field: DisplayName

    Value:

    {{ input.firstName }} {{ input.lastName }} Alt

  • Update CUC User Message Handler (Action):

    If checked, a drop-down is enabled to select a template that updates the email address for single inbox.

    Example template: RS Example CUCMessageHandler CFT

    Field: RelayAddres

    Value: if no input email address is available, a dummy address is added

  • Update shared lines (for unassociated Phones, Device profiles, RDP):

    If checked, a drop-down is enabled to select a template so that for any shared line instances from the source user, line label details can optionally be updated with those of the target user. The Line CFT template updates do not apply to shared lines.