BCM Call Logger: call recording and reporting

BCM Call Logger has been discontinued and is no longer sold or developed. The final release, its user guide and the CdrPuller utility remain available below for existing customers.

What is BCM Call Logger?

BCM Call Logger processes Call Detail Recording (CDR) log files from Nortel / Avaya Business Communications Manager telephone systems. The resulting information is stored in a database which can then be queried to run reports showing what calls have been made or received, allowing users to either run standard BCM Call Logger reports or query the database directly for advanced reporting. It can retrieve and report on call information from any BCM telephone system.

BCM Call Logger has a number of features, including:

• Can process logs in a variety of formats including Norstar Standard, Norstar All, Meridian and SL-1
• Built-in reporting capabilities, or use your own reporting tools
• Ability to automate log processing using scheduled tasks
• Supports both CDR Pull and CDR Push log file access methods

Which devices does BCM Call Logger support?

Support for further devices depends on the device supporting the Norstar Standard or CLID reporting format. The Norstar Real Time format is supported for incoming calls only. Experimental support for the SL-1 log format has been in place since version 1.1.4 but is not guaranteed to be stable.

We recommend setting your BCM to use the Norstar All reporting format, as this includes the most information when processing your call log data.

What does it look like?

Download

• BCM Call Logger 1.3.5 (61 MB MSI, 16 April 2016)
• CdrPuller, a free utility that pulls log files from your BCM system without setting up an FTP server
• BCM Call Logger User Guide (PDF)

BCM Call Logger needs the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0. Without a licence it runs as a 30-day evaluation: a notice screen appears when the program starts, and reports carry a demo watermark.

To enter your licence, start BCM Call Logger and go to the "Settings" tab. Click "Change licence details", enter your licence information, then click "Update licence details". Once the details are accepted, the demo restrictions are removed.

How do I make it work?

Run the MSI file to start the setup process. This installs the app into a folder of your choice and creates Start Menu shortcuts to both the program and the User Guide.

The first time the program runs (other than after an upgrade) it prompts you to create a new database or select an existing one, and asks for the location of your BCM logs.

Once in the main program, use the Process Call Data tab to get call data into the system, then generate reports or view call data from the Reporting tab.

Some helpful tips:

• Right-click an entry in the Display Calls screen for more call options.
• Hover over a column header in the Display Calls screen for an explanation of the data in that column.
• Use the Display Report button to generate professional reports which can be printed or exported in a range of formats.

More help is in the BCM Call Logger support articles.

Can I use BCM Call Logger with SQL Server or MySQL?

Since version 1.3.1, BCM Call Logger supports SQL Server or MySQL databases as a storage backend for your processed log data. Instructions on setting up and using alternative databases are in the User Guide.

Be sure you know what you are doing before you change any advanced database settings: if you are not careful you can render your BCM Call Logger installation unusable.

If you're using SQL Server and get an error about the "SQLNCLI" provider not being registered, make sure you've installed the latest SQL Native Client drivers and used the correct provider name in your connection string. The provider name varies with the version of the SQL Native Client drivers installed: SQLNCLI for SQL 2005, SQLNCLI10 for SQL 2008, SQLNCLI10.1 for SQL 2008 R2 and SQLNCLI11 for SQL 2012. See the User Guide for further details.

Contributors

• Gilberto Tunon (help with the SL-1 log format)
• Stéphane Roggero (support for French-language log files)