In a recent Office Hours session, ISI’s Adam Vicencio and Veronica Boudreau took a deep dive into one of the most foundational—but often overlooked—components of ISI Analytics: the Directory. While many admins focus on dashboards, call activity, or alarms, it’s the directory that quietly powers the accuracy and structure of all reporting across the platform.
A clean, well‑maintained directory ensures that your organization’s people, departments, locations, extensions, and devices are represented correctly inside ISI Analytics. In other words: good reporting starts with good directory data.
⏱ Key Moments
- 00:04 — Welcome & housekeeping (Q&A vs chat, recording notes)
- 00:10–00:18 — Today’s topic: Directory (what it is, why it matters)
- 00:45–01:08 — Clean directory ⇒ accurate reporting; inputs drive dashboards/alarms
- 01:45–02:11 — How to access Directory (Classic → Administration → Directory)
- 02:21–03:05 — Access & permissions (why you may not see Directory; role gating)
- 03:34–04:41 — Roles granting access: Admin, Full Access, Custom Role (differences)
- 05:11–06:03 — Hierarchy overview & navigation pane (levels; demo data caveat)
- 06:32–07:11 — Typical hierarchies & renaming levels to match your business
- 07:52–09:15 — Person record: editing, extensions (add/expire), devices, login IDs
- 09:51–11:11 — Required vs optional fields; reporting needs an extension mapped
- 12:21–13:26 — Configure Directory: enable/disable/rename fields; user‑defined flexibility
- 14:48–16:44 — Move people & “move call history” option; effective‑date tips
- 17:14–19:03 — Expire vs Deactivate vs Delete (keep history, free license, last resort)
- 20:59–22:05 — Manual maintenance vs Automated import: avoid “fighting” the nightly job
- 22:21–26:34 — Import options & Knowledge Base: Entra ID, Webex, UCM/LDAP, flat file, Cloud Connect notes
- 27:22–29:04 — Clean source systems first; imports can expose cleanup needs
- 29:44–30:26 — Self‑service setup is possible; Support can help if you get stuck
- 31:00–32:06 — Future session: live directory import from scratch (file/Webex/UCM)
- 32:20–33:36 — Closing: Directory is the lifeblood of reporting; clean + automated ⇒ clean outputs
Why the Directory Matters
Adam opened the session by emphasizing a core principle: the directory is the “source of truth” that informs how calls, devices, and users are matched to reports. A clean directory provides clarity and consistency across:
- Call reports
- Dashboard rollups
- Alarms and triggers
- Queue visibility
- Filters and constraints across all modules
If the data going in is clear, the insights coming out are clear too.
Permissions & Access
Not every user will see the Directory option in the menu — access depends on assigned roles.
Directory access is granted when a user is configured as:
- Admin
- Full Access
- Custom Role with Directory permissions
This ensures organizations maintain control over who can add, move, update, or deactivate directory entries.
Understanding the Directory Structure
Every organization can define a hierarchy that matches their business. Common structures include:
- Company → Division → Department → Person
- Company → Location → Team → Person
- Or simplified: Company → Department → Person
These levels can be renamed, expanded, or reduced. ISI Analytics builds reporting based on these hierarchy layers, so the directory becomes the backbone of how organizational units appear in filters and reports.
Maintaining People, Extensions & Devices
Inside each person record, admins can update:
- Name and profile information
- Extensions (including old/expired numbers)
- Devices (desk phones, softphones, Jabber/Webex endpoints)
- Optional fields like Cisco login IDs or custom attributes
Adam also reviewed the difference between:
- Moving a user
- Expiring their old department
- Deactivating vs Deleting users
Deactivation keeps historical call data intact, while deletion should only be used in very specific cases.
Manual vs Automated Directory Imports
For organizations with large, fast‑changing environments, manual updates can become time‑consuming. That’s where Directory Imports shine.
ISI supports automated imports from:
- Azure / Entra ID
- Webex
- UCM
- LDAP
- Flat‑file imports (CSV/SFTP)
Using automated imports ensures daily updates and reduces the risk of data drift, mismatched extensions, or outdated reporting.
Final Thoughts
Directory management may not be the flashiest topic, but it’s essential for keeping reports accurate, aligned, and usable across your organization. Clean directory data means cleaner dashboards, better insights, and a simpler experience for managers and admins alike.
If you rely on reporting for decision‑making, the directory is where that accuracy begins.
Watch the Full Office Hours Session
Want to see Adam and Veronica work through real directory scenarios—end‑to‑end? Watch the full session to learn practical workflows you can apply today.
What you’ll learn
- How hierarchy (Company → Division/Location → Department → Person) powers filters, dashboards, and queue visibility
- When to move, expire, deactivate, or delete users (and why it matters for historical reporting)
- Best practices for automated imports (Azure/Entra ID, Webex, UCM, LDAP, CSV/SFTP)
- Cleanup techniques to prevent mismatched extensions, stale devices, and drift
▶️ Watch the full session on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pArxWKyevb0
📚 Browse more Office Hours