The Messaging Assistant web tool lets you customize how you and your callers interact with the voicemail system. You can personalize recorded greetings, message delivery options, notification devices, and create Private Lists.

Note: Hovering over an icon displays its information. If working off-campus, you must be connected to the VPN.

 

Logging In

1. Log in to the Personal Communications Assistant with your Unity ID and password.
2. Select Messaging Assistant. 
   • Or log into Web Inbox and click the Settings tab. 

 

User Preferences

User preferences control how you are identified in the voicemail system and how the system interacts with you. 

Adding Alternate Spellings of Your Name

Alternate spellings improve voice recognition accuracy.  For example, you can use the characters A-Z, a-z, and 0-9.

1. Click Preferences > Personal.
2. Under Name, enter alternate spelling in:
   • Alternate Spelling of First Name
   • Alternate Spelling of Last Name
3. Click Save.

 

Changing Your Recorded Name

Your recorded name:

• Plays when you leave messages
• Identifies you in the directory
• Plays when system greetings are used
  • Callers do not hear your alternate greeting when they call you. Whenever you enable your alternate greeting, consider changing your recorded name to include information that you are out of the office.

1. Click Preferences > Personal.
2. Select Play/Record.
3. In the Media Master window, click Record.
4. Record your name.
5. Click Stop, then Save.

 

Adding Alternate Names

Use alternate names when:

• You use an uncommon nickname. 
• You use a middle or maiden name.
• Your name pronunciation differs from its spelling.

1. Click Preferences > Personal.
2. Under Alternate Names, enter your alternate name.
3. Click Add Row to enter additional names.
4. Click Save.

 

Adding Alternate Devices

Alternate devices allow the voicemail system to recognize calls from other numbers (mobile, home, pager, etc.).

1. Click Preferences > Personal.
2. Under Alternate Devices, click Add Row.
3. Enter:
   • Name (device description)
   • Number or URI (up to 30 characters)
4. Select Add Row and repeat Steps 3 and 4 to add another device.
5. Click Save.

Important Notes:

• Each number or URI must be unique. 
• Use digits 0-9.
•  To confirm the format, call your work phone from the alternate device and note the caller ID format.

 

Changing Advanced Settings for Alternate Devices

1. Click Preferences > Personal.
2. In Alternate Devices, click Edit in the Advanced Settings column.
3. Check the settings you want to modify.
   
4. Adjust values in the Primary  / Alternate Device Value columns.
5. Click Save and Close. 

 

Back to Top

 

PIN Settings

You use your PIN to sign in by phone.

This PIN is NOT your Unity password.

 

PIN Requirements

• Cannot contain your primary extension or its reverse.
• Must contain at least three different digits.
• Cannot use all consecutive ascending or descending digits (12345 or 54321).
• Cannot repeat a digit more than twice consecutively (14777).
• Cannot contain repeated groups of three digits (408510408).
• Cannot represent your name numerically.

 

Changing Your PIN

1. Click Passwords > Change PIN.
2.  EnterNew PIN and Confirm New PIN.
3.  Click Save.
   

 

Back to Top

 

Conversation Preferences

These settings control how voicemail prompts sound when interacting by phone. 

 

Changing Menu Style

1. Click Preferences > Phone Menu.
2. Select: 
   • Full (detailed prompts)
   • Brief (short prompts)
3. Click Save.

 

Changing Conversation Volume

1. Click Preferences > Phone Menu.
2. Adjust the Conversation Volume list.
3. Click Save.

 

Changing Conversation Speed

1. Click Preferences > Phone Menu.
2. Adjust the Conversation Speed list.
3. Click Save.

 

Changing Time Format

1. Click Preferences > Phone Menu.
2. Select:
   • 12-Hour Clock (e.g., 1:00 p.m.)
   • 24-Hour Clock  (e.g., 1300)
3. Click Save.

 

Changing Sign-In Announcements

You can control:

• Whether your recorded name plays
• Message count announcements
• Saved message totals

1. Click Preferences > Phone Menu.
2. Configure settings under: 
   • After Signing In-Play 
     • Play My Recorded Name 
   • For New Messages Play
     • Message Count Totals
     • Voice Message Counts
     • Email Message Counts (emails are only played for users who have the text-to-speech option)
     • Fax Counts
     • Receipt Counts
   • For Saved Messages Play
     • Message Count Totals 
3. Click Save.

 

Back to Top

 

Message Playback Preferences

These settings control how messages are played when checking voicemail.

 

Playback Volume and Speed (Phone)

The procedure in this section changes the playback volume you hear when checking messages by phone. The volume you set here does not affect the volume of the Voicemail conversation, recorded names, or user greetings.

1. Click Preferences > Message Playback.
2. Adjust Message Volume.
3. Click Save.

 

Playback Volume and Speed (Computer)

1. Click Preferences > Personal.
2. Click the Play/Record.
3. Adjust the Volume slider.
4. Save changes.

 

Message Playback Order

You can customize the order in which your new, saved, and deleted messages are played.

For new and saved messages, you can sort by:

• Message type (voice, fax, email, receipts)
• Urgency (urgent before normal)
• Date (newest or oldest first)

Default Playback Order

For new and saved messages, the default order is: 

• Voice messages - urgent then normal
• Fax messages - urgent then normal
• Email messages - urgent then normal
• Receipts and notices

By default, new messages play first. For saved and deleted messages, the oldest message plays first by default.

Deleted messages are not sorted by type. You can only choose whether the newest or oldest deleted messages play first.

 

To Change the Playback Order

1. Click Preferences > Message Playback.
2. In the New Message Play Order section:
   • Use Move Up and Move Down to reorder message types.
   • Select Newest First or Oldest First.
3. In the Saved Message Play Order section:
   • Use Move Up and Move Down to reorder message types.
   • Select Newest First or Oldest First.
4. In the Deleted Message Play Order section:
   • Select Newest First or Oldest First.
5. Click Save.

 

Before & After Message Settings

Message properties are pieces of information about a message. You can choose to play all, none, or selected message properties when listening by phone.

Default settings play:

• Sender information
• Message number
• The time the message was sent

 For receipts:

• If there is more than one recipient, the timestamp and reason play before the recipient list.
• If there is only one recipient, the timestamp and reason play after the recipient's name.

 

Change What Plays Before or After Messages

1. Click Preferences > Message Playback.
2. In the Before Playing Each Message Play section, check or uncheck:
   • Sender’s Information options
3. In Messaging Assistant, select Message Playback.
4.  In the Before Playing Each Message Play section, check or uncheck:
   • What information Connection plays before each message:
     
5. In the After Playing Each Message Play section, check or uncheck:
   • Time the Message Was Sent check box 
6. Select Save.

 

Confirm Message Deletions

1. Click Preferences > Message Playback.
2. Check or uncheck Confirm Deletions of New and Saved Messages.
3.  Click Save.

 

Back to Top

 

Call Transfer Preferences

Call transfer rules determine whether calls:

• Ring your extension
• Transfer to another number
• Go directly to voicemail

1. Click Preferences > Transfer and Screening.
2. Select the rule to modify.
3. Choose:
   • Enabled / Disabled
   • Transfer destination
     
4.  Click Save.

Note: Call transfers to the number shown in the text box only if its radio button is selected.

 

Back to Top