Abstract: A telephony-based messaging system application is built for use by a particular customer. The application is stored on a computer readable medium and includes a set of modules, where each module comprises call flows, code and a Customization List. The Customization List includes one or more tables each having a list of names and a modifiable list of corresponding DTMF signal identifiers. With this architecture, the particular customer is permitted to change the mapping between caller-entered DTMF signals and the corresponding actions taken by the messaging system by modifying the list of DTMF signal identifiers, i.e., without modifying the call flows or code.

Abstract: In a computer system that has an interface to a telephone network and that executes network applications comprising one or more call flows that provide telephony services to callers who access the computer system via the telephone network, a call flow library provides an interface between the network applications and a client application to enable the client application to externally call and initiate execution of a selected call flow of one of the network applications.

Abstract: A plurality of subsets of prompt definitions associated with a particular language are stored in a memory for access by a system, such as a voice messaging system, that plays prompts according to such prompt definitions during execution of a call flow. Subsets can be created that contain prompt definitions that apply during only parts of the call flow, and different subsets can contain modified forms of the prompt definitions in other subsets. One of the subsets is designated as a base subset. During execution of a call flow, in addition to the base subset, one of the other subsets can be designated as an alternate subset. After that point in the call flow, the system responds to a request to play a particular prompt by first searching the alternate subset to determine whether it contains a prompt definition for the requested prompt, and if so, plays the prompt according to the prompt definition in that alternate subset.

Abstract: A telephony application capable of being updated while on-line is disclosed. The application supports a plurality of active dialogs with callers, and comprises functions, call flows, voice prompts, and on-line updating versions for making on-line modifications of the functions, call flows, and voice prompts. The modifications are coordinated so that selected sets of functions, call flows and voice prompts can be committed to use while one or more active dialogs are occurring without affecting the active dialog(s).