Types of Caller Input

A caller can enter several types of input into a WTE application, including menu selections, text, and recorded messages.

Menus

A menu is a predefined list of items that an application presents to the caller. A menu can include items for navigation or information-gathering purposes. A navigation menu item is associated with another location in the application—either an HTML page or a particular location within an HTML page. When the caller selects the item, WTE navigates to the corresponding page or location. Following are examples of navigation menu items:

"To leave a message, press 1"
"To send a fax, press 2."
"To disconnect, press *."

Information-gathering menu items are associated with an actual piece of information. When the caller selects an item, the corresponding piece of information is entered into the application. Following are examples of information-gathering menu items:

"Please select your favorite beverage:"
"For soda, press 1."
"For coffee, press 2."
"For juice, press 3."

Implementing a menu in a WTE application involves using the A, BUTTON, or SELECT element, or the INPUT element of type BUTTON, RADIO, or CHECKBOX. It also involves using the cue, cue-before, cue-after, and cut-through CSS style properties. For more information about how to implement a menu, see Using Menus.

Text

Text consists of numbers and words that you gather from the caller by using entry fields in your application. You use entry fields to get pieces of information that cannot be included in a menu, such as the caller's credit card number, account number, and so on. Implementing entry fields involves using the TEXTAREA element or the TEXT type of INPUT element to create an entry field in your WTE application. For more information, see Getting Text Input from the Caller.

Recorded Messages

A recorded message is voice input from the caller that is stored in a wave audio file on the computer. For example, a call center application would use this form of input to take a message when the intended call recipient is not available. Recording a message from the caller involves using the TEXTAREA element or the TEXT type of INPUT element with the VOICEFILE attribute. For more information, see Recording a Spoken Message.