If the call is from another NexTalk user, you will see the user's name in the Caller box. If your NTS system supports ANI then you will see the originating number and perhaps Caller ID information, if the call is from an outside party.

If you want to and are able to take the call, hit Answer and begin the conversation. If you don't answer within 10 seconds (or 5 rings--this is changeable in the Preferences screen), a message will be displayed on the caller's screen that you "didn't answer...would you like to leave a message".

If you don't want to, or are otherwise unable to take the call, hit Don't Answer or Take a Message and the caller will get the "didn't answer" message.

You can choose to have No Greeting display after you answer. Just select No Greeting from the drop-down box before you answer. The default is that the caller will be greeted with your Department Greeting which is set up by your NTS Administrator and usually consists of Hello, this is <your-full-name> in the <department-name> Department GA You can also choose to use your Personal Greeting (changeable in the Preferences screen, but the default is Hello, this is <your-first-name>GA).

In case you are wondering... the Outside Ring and Department Ring button need no actions from you. If the call rang from outside your organization, the Outside Ring box would be filled in. If the call rang to an entire department, the Department Ring box would be filled in.

In the Nextalk for Networks version there is the concept of departments. If you are a part of a department, and a call comes in to that department, everyone in the department will get a Ring Box at their individual desktops. If you choose to not answer, then your ring box will go away, but the call will continue to ring at the desktops of the other members of the department. If you hit the Take a Message button, the call will cease to ring on everyone's desktop and the caller will be asked if he/she would like to leave a message.

Next we will take a look at the various buttons on the conversation window.