Historical Data Sources

Administrators only

Overview

At the end of an event in storm (for example, a caller-to-agent interaction), the applications that handled the event write data records for the interaction to designated historical data sources. A data source stores the details of an event in one or several data records. A record is a row of data made up of a number of data fields containing values, which appear in the historical reports you create. Examples of data fields are Talk Time and Wrap Time amongst many.

Historical data source		containing		Data record for an interaction Data field 1 Data field 2 Data field 2 Further data fields Value Value Value ... In some data sources, and depending on the type of interaction, there can be more than one data record per interaction.

Each data source is entirely self-contained with a unique set of data fields, which are invisible to the other data sources. The CONTACT Data Records is the largest data source with support for approximately 300 data fields. In contrast, the Licence Usage data source is much smaller with 20 data fields. Any report that you create may draw on data from one data source only. For example, a report on licence usage may not report on agent activity.

In a record pertaining to an event, not every field in a data source is necessarily populated with a value. This depends on the data source and the type of event. For example, if a data source has a field for storing an interaction’s talk duration, then this field will clearly be populated for a voice interaction only and be blank for an email interaction.

The following table shows the size of each data source by the number of data fields (excluding deprecated fields) with information on how each works and when to use it. Historical data is stored for a rolling 13-month period.

Historical Data Source	Fields	Application	Recommended Use
CONTACT Data Records	304	Applies to all calls. A data record is written for each part (communication leg) of an interaction.	For reporting on internal calls, IVR performance, incoming non-voice communications, all outgoing communications, OUTBOUND dialler calls (non-Preview).
CONTACT Actions	24	Applies to incoming calls to queues only. A data record is written for each queue-related action such as a queued call disconnecting or an actioned queue callback request.	For reporting on incoming voice calls to queues.
OUTBOUND Status Change	28	Applies to storm OUTBOUND calls. A data record is written for each status change to a DATA MANAGEMENT row used in an OUTBOUND campaign.	For reporting on storm OUTBOUND campaigns.
CONTACT Agent Activity	20	Applies to all calls. A data record is written for each change to an agent's availability status.	For reporting on agent availability (presence) states, OUTBOUND preview dialler calls.
FLOW Action Cell Log	12	Applies to all calls. A data record is written for each execution of an action cell in a FLOW script (including the Start action cell) and each time execution exits a script.	For troubleshooting IVRs and other services created in storm FLOW.
LOCK Transactions	44	Applies to calls using storm LOCK and PADLOCK. A data record is written for each payment transaction attempt (such as 'Authorised') that is received from the payment service provider.	For reporting on storm LOCK and PADLOCK secure payment transactions.
Licence Usage	20	Applies to all calls. A data record is written for each user acquisition or release of a storm licence.	For reporting on Licence consumption per site and user group in your organisation
Organisation Licence Usage	6	Applies to all calls. A data record is written every 5 minutes for organisation-wide storm licence usage. Records are written even if no licences are consumed.	For reporting on Licence consumption across your entire organisation
CKS Export	4	Applies to data exported from storm CKS. Information about a storm CKS record is written whenever export criteria are matched during CKS scheduled exports.	For reporting on the CKS records that matched criteria defined in CKS data exports.

Example Call Scenario

In this example, two users were set up as 'Inbound Agent' and assigned to handle calls only.

Consider an external incoming call that entered a FLOW script and was then routed to a queue (Queue 01). The call was subsequently handled by an agent (Agent 01) who transferred the call (using the storm DTA agent desktop) to another queue (Queue 02). The second agent (Agent02) then took a secure payment from the caller through the storm PADLOCK interface in the agent desktop. The caller's first payment of £153.25 was refused by the payment provider but the second was authorised.

 

 

What Was Written to the CONTACT Data Records Data Source?

Three data records capturing data for each part (leg) of the communication. The table shows how user-selected data export fields may have been populated:

Call Date/Time	Call Direction	Destination address	Queue	Local Agent	Talk Time	Agent Completion Code
2020-03-16 12:01:37	I	01614960654	Queue 02		201.41
2020-03-16 12:02:00	O	00156531972e	Queue 01	Agent 01	52.73	Other
2020-03-16 12:02:59	O	BCC3424BB6C8	Queue 02	Agent 02	183.06	Payment

 

Record	Contains
1	Data for the first part of the call from the caller to storm (an inbound leg into storm), such as the caller's talk time and the number dialled by the caller.
2	Data for the second part of the call from storm to the first agent (an outbound leg). This stores data for this agent's part of the interaction, such as the agent's talk time and their submitted completion code.
3	Data for the third part of the call from storm to the second agent (the second outbound leg). This stores similar data for the transfer-receiving agent.

What Was Written to the CONTACT Actions Data Source?

Three data records, one for each queue-related action.

Call ID	Action Date/Time	Start Reason	End Reason	Talk Time
2077285628783435464	2020-03-16 12:03:20	consultation	transfer_complete	13.94
2077285628783435392	2018-07-30 12:03:21	initial	transfer	32.84
2077285628783435392	2018-07-30 12:06:10	transfer	disconnect	169.23

 

Record	Contains
1	Data for the action where the first agent spoke to the second agent up to the point of committing the transfer. This contains information such as the talk time between the two agents.
2	Data for the action where the queued caller spoke to the first agent up to the point of committing the transfer to the second agent. This contains information such as the talk time between the caller and the agent.
3	Data for the action where the caller spoke to the second agent up to the point of call disconnection. This contains information such as the talk time between the caller and the second agent.

What Was Written to the OUTBOUND Status Change Data Source?

Nothing. The call scenario was not part of a storm OUTBOUND campaign.

What Was Written to the CONTACT Agent Activity Data Source?

Twelve data records recording both agents' status changes throughout the entire call. The table shows how user-selected data export fields may have been populated:

Status	Status Start Date and Time	Status Duration	Agent
Incoming Call Setup	2020-03-16 12:02:00	0.61	Agent 01
Incoming Call Ringback	2020-03-16 12:02:01	7.844	Agent 01
Inbound	2020-03-16 12:02:09	0.171	Agent 01
Inbound	2020-03-16 12:02:09	32.016	Agent 01
Inbound Hold	2020-03-16 12:02:41	25.737	Agent 01
Incoming Call Setup	2020-03-16 12:02:59	0.984	Agent 02
Incoming Call Ringback	2020-03-16 12:03:00	6.609	Agent 02
Inbound	2020-03-16 12:03:07	0.219	Agent 02
Inbound	2020-03-16 12:03:07	183.181	Agent 02
Outbound	2020-03-16 12:03:07	13.797	Agent 01
Wrapup	2020-03-16 12:03:21	6.312	Agent 01
Wrapup	2020-03-16 12:06:10	8.891	Agent 02

 

Record	Contains
1	Data for the first agent's status change to 'Incoming Call Setup' (call setup just before ringing).
2	Data for the first agent's status change to 'Incoming Call Ringback' (phone ringing).
3	Data for the first agent's status change to an initial 'Inbound' status (agent answering call).
4	Data for the first agent's status change to the main 'Inbound' status (agent on call).
5	Data for the first agent's status change to 'Inbound Hold' (agent on consultation with second agent during transfer).
6	Data for the second agent's status change to 'Incoming Call Setup (call setup just before ringing)'.
7	Data for the second agent's status change to 'Incoming Call Ringback' (phone ringing).
8	Data for the second agent's status change to an initial 'Inbound' status (agent answering call).
9	Data for the second agent's status change to the main 'Inbound' status (agent on call).
10	Data for the first's agent's change to 'Outbound' (consultation between the two agents during transfer).
11	Data for the first agent's status change to 'Wrapup' (in wrap).
12	Data for the second agent's status change to 'Wrapup' (in wrap).

What Was Written to the FLOW Action Cell Log Data Source?

In any interaction, the number of action cells executed in the FLOW script determines the number of data records in the data export report. There is an additional data record for when the call exits the script. In this particular example, the call passed through three action cells causing four data records to be written.

Call Start Date/Time	Initial Script	Previous Action Cell ID	Entered Action Cell ID
2020-03-16 12:01:37	Script Main	0	1
2020-03-16 12:01:37	Script Main	1	6
2020-03-16 12:01:37	Script Main	6	3
2020-03-16 12:01:37	Script Main	3	-2

 

Record	Contains
1	Data for the call flow executing the action cell with an ID of 1 (the 'Start' action cell has an ID of 0).
2	Data for the call flow executing the action cell with an ID of 6.
3	Data for the call flow executing the action cell with an ID of 3.
4	Data for the call flow exiting the FLOW script.

What Was Written to the LOCK Transactions Data Source?

Two data records, one for each payment transaction attempt:

Call Reference Number	Call Start Date/Time	Payment Provider Reference	Payment Value	Transaction Attempt	Transaction Result
1948369831761909444	2020-03-16 12:01:37	10.2107565218122	15325	1	Refused
1948369831761909444	2020-03-16 12:01:37	10.2107565218123	15325	2	Authorised

 

Record	Contains
1	Data for the payment refusal. This record is marked as 'Refused' and contains information such as the card type and the payment value attempted.
2	Data for the payment authorisation. This record is marked as 'Authorised' and contains similar information.

Note: LOCK/PADLOCK payment transaction data is also written to the Contact Data Records data. Here, data is displaying on a communication-leg basis rather than a payment-transaction basis.

What Was Written to the Licence Usage Data Source?

Six data records. The table shows how user-selected data export fields may have been populated:

Usage Type	Logged Date Time	Licence Type	User	Logon Source
Acquired	2020-03-06  13:30:28	Inbound Agent	agent01	Agent Desktop
Acquired	2020-03-06  13:34:38	Inbound Agent	agent01	Paired Device
Acquired	2020-03-02  13:34:38	Agent Calls	agent01	Paired Device
Acquired	2020-03-06  13:30:28	Inbound Agent	agent02	Agent Desktop
Acquired	2020-03-06  13:34:38	Inbound Agent	agent02	Paired Device
Acquired	2020-03-02  13:34:38	Agent Calls	agent02	Paired Device

 

Record	Contains
1	Data for when the first agent logged in to the agent desktop to handle calls.
2 and 3	Data for when the first agent logged in to a paired deskphone.
4 to 6	As above for agent 2.

What Was Written to the Organisation Licence Usage Data Source

This data source records licence usage across the entire organisation. It therefore includes data pertaining to licence consumption for all users. See The Organisation Licence Usage data source for details.

Remarks

In some cases, field values may look inconsistent across the data sources. For example, the way in which Talk Time is reported is different across the 'Contact Data Records' data source and the 'Contact Actions' data source. It is recommended that you refer to the field reference topics for such fields to understand the differences. Field reference documentation is available in the following sections of the storm VIEW Historical Data Source Reference Guide.

Explore Further

The following topics are available in the storm VIEW Historical Data Source Reference Guide.