Configuring TotalMail

2.Configuring TotalMail

The Configuration utility is the key to making TotalMail operate most efficiently for your company. It allows you to organize resources and dispatchers into groups, manage your security settings, define groups of MCTs, and set some basic operating parameters for your TotalMail system. Use the following procedures to open, set up, and close the TotalMail Configuration utility.

Note: Step-by-step instructions for many administrative tasks can be found in the TotalMail Configuration Utility Quick Reference.

Opening the Configuration utility

Setting general TotalMail options in the Options category

General

Security

Changing administrative passwords

Connection

Messages

Proximity

Groups

Time Zones

Language

Configuration

Managing TotalMail resources

Creating TotalMail user logins in TMWSuite

Creating TotalMail assets in TMWSuite

Specifying which TotalMail assets can be created in TMWSuite

[Misc] EnableTMAssetCreation

TotalMail Logins

Adding and modifying logins

Changing a login ID password

Using the Login Properties window

Dispatch Groups

Email

Settings

NT Login

Trucks

Adding and modifying trucks

Using the Truck Properties window

Quick View

Dispatch Group

Mobile Comm Units

Assigned Drivers

Email

Settings

Accessing the Trucks folder using a restricted access password

MCU Edit Configuration password

Truck and Group Defs password

Truck Dispatch Group password

Trailers

Adding and modifying trailers

Using the Trailer Properties window

Quick View

Dispatch Groups

Mobile Comm Units

Settings

Drivers

Adding and modifying drivers

Using the Driver Properties window

Dispatch Group

Assigned Truck

Email

Settings

Truck Mobile Units

Adding and modifying truck mobile units

Using the Truck Mobile Communication Unit Properties window

Quick View

Mobile Comm Type

Assigned Truck

Settings

Trailer Mobile Units

Adding and modifying trailer mobile units

Using the Trailer Mobile Communication Unit Properties window

Quick View

Mobile Comm Type

Assigned Trailer

Settings

Managing dispatch and member groups in the Groupscategory

Dispatch groups

Adding and modifying dispatch groups

Using the Dispatch Group Properties window

Quick View

Included Trucks

Monitored Logins

Included Trailers

Settings

Member groups

Adding and modifying member groups

Using the Member Group Properties window

Included Trucks

Settings

Accessing the Member folder using a restricted access password

Truck and Group Defs password

Non-Mobile Comm Group Defs Password

Using folders in the Other category

Special Messages

Adding and modifying special messages

Using the Special Message Properties window

Description

Test

Settings

Short Cuts

Retiring and deleting resources

Retiring a resource through the Properties window

Retiring a resource through the Delete window

Deleting retired resources

Setting Internet e-mail settings

Navigating the windows of the Configuration Utility

Using the main Configuration window

Using Resources and Groups folder windows

Using filters

Adding a filter

Enabling and disabling a filter

Modifying and deleting a filter

Finding resources

Using Properties windows

TotalMail Configuration Utility Quick Reference

Opening the Configuration utility

You must provide a valid password to open the Configuration utility.

  1. From the Windows Start menu, go to TotalMail > Configuration.

The TotalMail Configuration login window displays:

Note: If this is your first time opening the Configuration utility, or if no password has been set, this window does not appear. The Configuration utility opens immediately.

  1. Enter the password for the desired level of access and click OK.

Note: Separate passwords are maintained different levels of access to the Configuration utility. For more information, see Security.

If the password is accepted, the TotalMail 2000 Configuration Utility window displays.

Note:The appearance, available features, and use of the Configuration utility changes significantly depending on the task you are performing. For a complete description of the windows available in the Configuration utility, see Navigating the windows of the Configuration Utility.

Setting general TotalMail options in the Options category

The folders in the Options category contain settings that control general TotalMail functionality.

General

The General folder allows you to set basic parameters for TotalMail usage in your company:

The following table describes the settings the General folder's contents pane.

How to address mobile communication messages? / This section determines whether the TotalMail is configured for driver-based or truck-based addressing.
For example, a dispatcher wants to send a load assignment form message to a driver with the DRIVER1 ID and a truck with the TRUCK1 ID.
  • If the Driver radio button is selected in this area, the dispatcher must enter DRIVER1 in the To field of the TotalMail message.
  • If the Truck radio button is selected, TRUCK1 must be entered.
Notes:
  1. If you are using D2Link Host with TotalMail, TMW recommends that you set up TotalMail to be driver-based.
  2. The Truck option is selected by default, meaning that, by default, TotalMail is configured for truck-based addressing.

General Options / Options in this section are:
  • Keep history of mobile comm messages
When activated, this option enables TotalMail to keep a history of all messages. This option is selected by default.
  • Disable Viewer History
Select this option to block users from accessing History folders in the TotalMail Viewer.
Notes:
  1. Users may still access History by right-clicking a message and choosing the History command.
  2. This option has no impact on the Admin login.

Mobile Communication Vendor / This section allows you to select the number of mobile communications vendors used by your company.
  • Multiple Mobile Communication Vendors
Select this option if your company uses more than one mobile communications vendor.
Note: If you select this option, you do not need to select which vendors your company uses.
  • Single Mobile Communication Vendors
Select this option if your company uses only one mobile communications vendor. If you select this option, you must specify which vendor your company uses.
When you select this option, two check boxes display under it:
  • Omnitracs
Select this option if your company uses Omnitracs as its mobile communications vendor.
  • Show all vendors
Select this option if your company uses a single mobile communications vendor other than Omnitracs. When you select this check box, a list of all supported mobile communications vendors displays. Select your company's mobile communications vendor from this list.
Security

The Security folder allows you to assign passwords for six different administrative tasks.

Notes:

  1. Passwords in the Security folder do not allow access to the TotalMail Viewer. To allow a dispatcher or other user access to the Viewer, create a TotalMail login ID in the Logins folder.
  2. When TotalMail is first installed, no passwords are assigned to any task listed in the Security folder. To ensure that only authorized personnel perform these tasks, TMW suggests entering a separate password for each task.

You can set up six different passwords in the Security folder's contents pane.

Full Configuration Password / Allows the user full access to all options in the Configuration utility. Only system administrators should have access to this password.
MCU Edit Configuration Password / Opens the Trucks folder in the Configuration utility, and allows the user to change a truck's assigned MCT.
Note: For more details on this option, see Accessing the Trucks folder using a restricted access password.
Truck and Group Defs Password / Allows the user to access only the Trucks and Member folders in the Configuration utility, and allows the user to modify truck and member group resources only.
Note: For more details on this option, see the Accessing the Trucks folder using a restricted access password and Accessing the Member folder using a restricted access password.
Non-Mobile Comm Group Defs Password / Opens the Member folder of the Configuration utility, and allows the user to modify member group resources only.
Note: For more details on this option, see Accessing the Member folder using a restricted access password.
Truck Dispatch Group Password / Opens the Trucks folder in the Configuration utility, and allows the user to change a truck's assigned dispatch group only.
Note: For more details on this option, see Accessing the Trucks folder using a restricted access password.
Form Definition Password / Allows the user to edit Form Definitions in the TotalMail Viewer. Only system administrators should have access to this password.
Note: This password does not provide any access to the Configuration utility.
Changing administrative passwords

Follow the procedure below to assign passwords for performing administrative tasks such as creating form definitions, adding and editing mobile communications units, etc.

  1. In the folder list, select the Security folder.
  2. In the contents pane, select the password field for the desired administrative task.
  3. Enter a new password for the administrative task.
  4. Click Apply to save your changes.

Connection

To increase performance, TotalMail saves form and member group definitions in memory after they have been used. The form and member group caches eliminate the need for TotalMail to retrieve definitions from the database each time one is used. Since both form and member group definitions can change, you should configure TotalMail to check the database for new definitions periodically.

The settings in the Connection folder determine how frequently TotalMail checks for new form and member group definitions.

The following settings are available in the Connection folder's contents pane.

Refresh Form Cache every / Specify the time, in seconds, TotalMail will check the database for new form definitions. The default setting is 10 seconds. When new definitions are found, TotalMail purges the form definition cache and retrieves the new definitions.
Refresh Member Group Cache every / Specify the time, in seconds, TotalMail will check the database for new member group. The default setting is blank, i.e., TotalMail will not automatically refresh member group definitions. If a setting is entered in this field and new member group definitions are found, TotalMail purges the member group definition cache and retrieves the new definitions.

Messages

Settings in the Messages folder affect general message properties.

The contents pane of the Messages folder is divided into several sections.

The top section contains one setting that affects the warning message TotalMail displays when an agent is not available.

Text to display in Viewer when agents appear to be down / When an agent is not available, the text entered in this field will display in the TotalMail System Warning message window of the TotalMail Viewer.
Note: Only TotalMail agents configured to display a warning message when down will display this warning.

The settings in the MessageSettings section affect the use of each login ID's Inbox in the TotalMail Viewer.

Reply from truck goes to dispatch group / By default, a reply sent from a truck is sent to the sender of the original message. Select to specify that replies be sent to the truck's dispatch group.
Set auto reply when creating a message in Viewer / Add the AutoReply submenu to the Options menu of a form or text message created in the TotalMail Viewer. This allows you to specify a default form and message priority to be used when replying to the message currently being composed.
Note: This option is not supported by all mobile communications vendors.
Take ownership upon reading message / By default, incoming messages from a truck are delivered to the inbox of the dispatch group assigned to monitor the truck that sent the message.
If you select the check box, TotalMail moves messages from dispatch group inboxes to the inbox of the dispatcher who reads it. Once the message is moved, no other members of the dispatch group will see the message once they have refreshed their inboxes.
When the check box is cleared, any message a dispatcher reads in a dispatch group's inbox will remain in that group's inbox.
Note: You must double-click a message to mark it as Read. Simply looking at a message in the preview window will not mark it as Read or allow you to take ownership.

The settings in the Text Message Settings section set the default values for new message properties.

Priority / Specify the default priority for outgoing text messages. The options are:
  • Low
  • med
  • high
  • panic
These priorities are internal to TotalMail and must be mapped to the mobile communications vendor's priorities, which is done in either the Omnitracs agent or the Generic Poller.
The default priority for form messages is set within each form's definition.
Receipt / Specify the default receipt request for outgoing text messages. The options are:
  • Note Delivery
Applicable when the message is sent to the mobile communications vendor, this setting changes the message status to Sent.
  • Note Delivery/Read
Applicable when the message is sent to the mobile communications vendor, this setting changes the message status to Sent when the message is sent. The status changes to Read when the driver presses the Read Next button on his MCT. The DateRead field in the Additional Information window is also set to the date/time the message was read.
Note: Not all mobile communications vendors support all receipt types.
The default receipt request for form messages is set within each form's definition.

The settings in the Use Text Message Processing Forms section only become available if you select the check box at the top of the section.

Use Text Message Processing Forms / Use form processing for text messages. When this feature is selected, processing options usually available only to form messages can also be applied to text messages.
Inbound Form ID / Specify the form that is used to process inbound text messages.
Note: This field is available only if the Use Text Message Processing Forms check box has been selected.
Outbound Form ID / Specify the form that is used to process outbound text messages.
Note: This field is available only if the Use Text Message Processing Forms check box has been selected.

Proximity

If TotalMail is configured to generate descriptions for proximity reports, settings in the Proximity folder control how the description is generated. If TotalMail uses the mobile communication vendor's description for proximity reports, the settings in this folder is ignored.

The following table describes the settings available in the Proximity folder's contents pane.

Use kilometers in proximity distance / Calculate proximity distance in kilometers rather than miles.
Digits after decimal in proximity remark / Enter the number of decimal places to use in proximity calculations.

Groups

Settings in the Groups folder determine restrictions on dispatch and member groups.

Notes:

  1. If the label for the Groups folder is bold in the folder list, an invalid entry has been made in one or both of the two fields in the MemberGroups section of the contents pane. See the descriptions for these fields for more information.
  2. For more information on dispatch and member groups, see Managing dispatch and member groups in the Groups category.

The contents pane of the Groups folder is divided into two sections:

  • Member Groups

Two settings in this section allow you to set restrictions on member groups.

Max # of trucks in a Non-Mobile Comm Group / Specify the maximum number of trucks that can be included in any one Non-Mobile Comm Group. By default, this field is blank, meaning there is no limit on the number of trucks in Non-Mobile Comm Groups.
Note: If you enter a number in this field that is less than the number of trucks in any current Non-Mobile Comm Group, the label for the Groups folder in the folder list is bold.
Max # of Mobile Comm Groups a truck can be in / Specify the maximum number of Mobile Comm Groups to which one truck can belong. The default setting is 2.
Notes:
  1. Currently, Omnitracs is the only mobile communications vendor that supports Mobile Comm groups.
  2. Omnitracs limits each truck or driver to a maximum of three Mobile Comm groups. This field allows you to enter a lower maximum number. You cannot increase the maximum number through this field.
If you enter a number in this field that is less than the number of Mobile Comm Groups to which any truck currently belongs, the label for the Groups folder in the folder list is bold.
  • Dispatch Groups

The setting in this section sets restrictions on dispatch groups.

Allow dispatchers to add/remove themselves from dispatch groups / Allow dispatchers to add or remove themselves from dispatch groups.

Time Zones

Settings in the TimeZones folder determine the time zone and Daylight Savings Time settings of the TotalMail agent machine.

Note: The label for the TimeZones folder in the folder list is bold if you select the Localize viewer timezones check box in the contents pane.