Configuring integration with Skype for Business

You can synchronize your agents' ContactPad states with their Skype for Business presences if you have integrated your account with Skype for Business. You can integrate your account if you are using the Skype for Business Online service or the Skype for Business on-premises application (using Integrated Windows Authentication). To integrate your Vonage Contact Center account with Skype for Business, you must configure the authentication flow for the appropriate version of Skype for Business.

When you have integrated your account with Skype for Business, you can override the default state and presence mappings.

In this page

Integrating your Vonage Contact Center account with Skype for Business

How do I integrate my Vonage Contact Center account with Skype for Business?

You cannot currently integrate your account with both the Skype for Business Online service and the Skype for Business on-premises application at the same time. If you use both types in your organization, you must choose to integrate with one or the other in your Vonage Contact Center account.

To integrate your Vonage Contact Center account with Skype for Business, perform the following tasks:

  1. Log in to the VCC Admin Portal and go to Skype (within Business Apps). Skype appears. 
  2. In the Authentication Flow list, click the authentication flow used to authenticate with Skype for Business from ContactPad:

    Authentication flowDescription
    Skype for Business Online

    Select the Skype for Business Online authentication flow if your agents use the Skype for Business Online service and have Office365 accounts.

    Skype for Business Online is also referred to as Office365, AzureAD or simply SFB Cloud.

    Integrated Windows Authentication (On Premise)

    Select the Integrated Windows Authentication (On Premise) authentication flow if your agents use the Skype for Business on-premises application.

    You cannot currently use any other authentication flow for Skype for Business on-premises applications.

    Allow Vonage Contact Center URLS

    When using the Integrated Windows Authentication (On Premise) authentication flow, your Skype for Business administrator may need to configure the application to allow traffic from Vonage Contact Center. Without this additional configuration, Skype for Business may block your integration. To ensure that your integration is not blocked, add the following URLs as appropriate for your Vonage Contact Center account to the Skype for Business web service configuration settings:

    For information about adding URLs to the web service configuration settings, see Microsoft help.

  3. If you select the Integrated Windows Authentication (On Premise) authentication flow, the Windows Domain field appears. In Windows Domain, specify the domain of your Skype for Business on-premises server. Contact your Skype for Business administrator if you do not know the domain.
    If you select the Skype for Business Online authentication flow, you do not need to provide any more information.
  4. Click Update.

Your agents' states will now be synchronized with Skype for Business presences. The functionality varies slightly based on which authentication flow you selected:

  • If you selected the Skype for Business Online authentication flow:
    • If an agent is logged in to Office365, ContactPad uses their Office365 credentials to synchronize ContactPad states and Skype for Business Online presences.
    • If the agent is not logged in to Office365, a message appears in ContactPad to request that the agent logs in.
  • If you selected the Integrated Windows Authentication (On Premise) authentication flow:
    • If an agent is signed in to the domain defined in Windows Domain, Integrated Windows Authentication passes their domain credentials to their browser when they use ContactPad. The agent does not therefore need to re-enter their credentials to sign in to Skype for Business.
    • If the agent is not signed in to the domain—if they are not using their company computer, for example—a Sign in window appears requesting the agent's username and password for the domain.

For information about an agent's experience, see Synchronizing ContactPad state with Skype for Business presence.

Creating custom state and presence mappings

How do I override default state and presence mappings?

Default state and presence mappings exist for ContactPad states—major, minor and custom—and a hardcoded list of Skype for Business presences (Online, Away, Do Not Disturb, and Busy). For information about ContactPad states, see Agent states in ContactPad. If you want to override default mappings, you must create custom mappings.

You can create custom mappings for all ContactPad states—major, minor and custom—listed in Agent States in Configuration. For information about major, minor and custom agent states, see Configuring agent states.

You can override default mappings in both directions: ContactPad to Skype for Business and Skype for Business to ContactPad.

If you have not created a custom mapping for a state or presence, your account will use the default mapping when an agent changes to that state or presence.

To create custom state and presence mappings, perform the following steps:

  1. Log in to the VCC Admin Portal and go to Configuration (within Account Settings). Configuration appears. For information on accessing Configuration, see Editing Configuration (Account Settings). If enabled for your account, the Skype For Business section is available.
  2. Alongside Manage custom mappings, click Open. Skype for Business Custom Mappings appears.
  3. Before you create any custom mappings, view the default mappings. Click the Default Mappings tab. Default Mappings appears.
  4. Review the existing mappings. When you are ready to create mappings, click the Custom Mappings tab. Custom Mappings appears.
  5. Create your custom mappings:
    • In ContactPad to Skype for Business, map a ContactPad state to its target Skype for Business presence. When ContactPad's state changes to that state, Skype for Business changes to the target presence.

      No change

      If you select No change as the target presence, the Skype for Business presence does not change.

       To map additional states, click Add Custom Mapping. A new mapping appears. Repeat for all the custom mappings you want to create.

      Duplicate mappings

      You can only map a ContactPad state to one Skype for Business presence. When you have mapped a state, that state does not appear in the list of states for any new mappings.

    • In Skype for Business to ContactPad, map a Skype for Business presence to its target ContactPad state. When Skype for Business's presence changes to that presence, ContactPad's state changes to the target state.

      No change

      If you select No change as the target state, ContactPad's state does not change.

      To map additional presences, click Add Custom Mapping. A new mapping appears. Repeat for all the custom mappings you want to create.

      Duplicate mappings

      You can only map a Skype for Business presence to one ContactPad state. When you have mapped a presence, that presence does not appear in the list of presences for any new mappings.

    To delete an individual custom mapping, click the delete icon alongside the mapping in the Actions column. Your account will now use the default mapping for this state or presence.
    To delete all custom mappings, click Delete all Custom Mappings. Your account will now use default mappings for all state and presence changes.
  6. When you have created all your custom mappings, click Save Custom Mappings.

Skype for Business custom mappings

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