Rapid Response Integration Guide

Overview

Cornerstone integrates with Rapid Response to make it easy for dealers to set up accounts in one location and either push or pull the account information including customer, site, contact list, and zones.

Recommendation: Continue to create the accounts at Rapid Response and then pull the account information including customer, site, contact list, and zones into Cornerstone.

The integration is sensitive to the required data fields by Rapid Response (e.g., at least one contact and phone number) and provides validated lists of selections for other fields (e.g., devices). You can sync data so that changes in Cornerstone go to Rapid Response immediately, and if you allow changes in Rapid Response directly, you can pull the updated info into Cornerstone.

Getting Started

Contact Cornerstone for assistance setting up the connection with you and Rapid Response.

Step 1: Verify Central Station Numbers

Make sure that you have your Central Station numbers in your accounts that include the dealer code before the assigned central account number, preferably without hyphens. This is the "linking" field between Cornerstone and Rapid Response.

If it needs to be tweaked, Cornerstone can help.

Step 2: Provide Credentials

• Give Cornerstone your Rapid Response Dealer Site Account number
• Provide your representative's email address
• Cornerstone will set up the handshake

Step 3: Determine Edit Protocol

Cornerstone has built the ability to push (new accounts or edits to the accounts) and pull the data (one-time pull for new accounts set up by Rapid Response or existing accounts in Cornerstone).

It can also push fields edited in Cornerstone to Rapid Response, or pull/synchronize updated data from Rapid Response. You need to determine if edits need to flow only through your office/Cornerstone or if the subscriber can call Rapid Response directly.

Recommended Approach: Treat Cornerstone as the Main Record Keeper for the customer site, contacts, and zones.

How Edits Work:

• Edits to any of the Rapid Response required fields in Cornerstone will immediately push the new field values to Rapid Response
• If you allow edits to be made at Rapid Response, it does not automatically communicate the change back to Cornerstone
• You can set the protocol for Rapid Response to notify you of changes so you can use the Get from Central Station button to pull information to update the record in Cornerstone

Example: A subscriber calls Rapid Response with a new codeword or contact. They simply need to let you know what field(s) was changed so you can synchronize the records with Cornerstone.

Life Safety Priority: If Rapid Response changes a code word and you do not, Rapid Response will have that new code word and not you. This errs on the side of life safety, where the correct record is with Rapid Response.

Step 4: Tasks to Complete Directly in Rapid Response

Some things need to be done directly in/with Rapid Response:

Close Accounts / Take Them Off-Line

• Closing an account in Cornerstone will only stop the recurring billing
• Cancellations must be handled directly with Rapid Response in whatever is the established protocol
• There is a Central Station Notice function in Cornerstone where you can email your request and have it recorded in the Correspondence log

Special Protocol Instructions

• Some accounts may require special instructions that need to be handled/recorded directly with Rapid Response

Review of or Changes to the Responding Authority

• When Cornerstone pushes the subscriber's site address (street, city, and zip code), Rapid Response produces GPS coordinates and the responding authority is automatically selected and stored at Rapid Response
• If a valid GPS coordinate is not returned, you will get a warning that you need to review it with Rapid Response

Setup and Data Fields

System Configuration

Cornerstone will enter your Dealer/Site Account Number in two places:

• System Header
• Central Station List

User Defined fields 18 and 20 will be set to Rapid Response Device and Dispatch Type respectively.

Note: Multiple Central Station prefix numbers can be accommodated.

Accounts Monitored Elsewhere

If you have accounts that are monitored elsewhere or not at all, choose a Central Station option on the list other than Rapid Response so data changes to the account do not try to communicate with Rapid Response.

Creating an Account in Cornerstone

Accounts can be created in Cornerstone and pushed to Rapid Response, or if Rapid Response created the account, you can download the customer record from Rapid Response.

Recommended Approach: We highly recommend Option A where the accounts continue to get created in Rapid Response and then download the info to Cornerstone. This way, the information for responding authorities is complete and any special protocols are established properly.

Option A: If Rapid Response Created the Account (Recommended)

This is the easiest method and does not change current processes for many dealers.

1. Enter the Cornerstone Account number you want (if not auto-generated) or pull up your Prospect account
2. Select Rapid as the Central Station
3. Enter the Central Account # (number assigned when Rapid Response created the account)
4. Click on the Download Customer button to pull the data from Rapid Response into Cornerstone

What Gets Downloaded: Download Customer will fill in the account information from what was entered in Rapid Response and will also download the contacts and zones.

Get From Central Station Button: Once the information is downloaded, you will see a Get From Central Station button that allows you to pull into Cornerstone any changes that are made directly at the Central.

Option B: Creating Account in Cornerstone to Push to Rapid Response

1. Use auto-numbering or enter a Cornerstone Account number
2. Leave the Central Acct # BLANK
3. Enter all of the customer data
4. Clicking OK communicates with Rapid Response to assign the next available Central ID number, records it, and then creates the account in Rapid Response

Multiple Prefixes: If you have been assigned more than 1 prefix for your central station numbers by Rapid Response, you will be prompted to select the appropriate prefix. These additional central station number prefixes are device types and will require the appropriate device selection.

Important Notes About Multiple Prefixes

The communication link between Cornerstone and Rapid Response is the number in the 1st Central Station # Field.

If you have multiple prefixes for your Rapid Response Central station number, that means you have been assigned different numbers based upon the devices.

While the site info and contacts are shared between devices, the devices may have different zones. Cornerstone's system only records 1 set of zones per site.

Solution for Different Zones:

If you need to keep different zones for each device for a subscriber in Cornerstone, you will need to have a customer record with the communicating device/Rapid Response # in the 1st Central Station Number field for each device.

If you do not need the zones for that second or third central station number, they can be stored in the 2nd and 3rd Central Account# fields.

Note: The 1st Central Acct# communicates with Rapid Response. You can put additional device numbers in fields 2 and 3 to keep track of devices for that customer without needing their zone info stored in Cornerstone.

Separate Accounts for Different Services

Most dealers create two separate accounts in Cornerstone when the same customer has both Burglary and Fire services. This allows for:

• Recording different equipment installed
• Separate service tickets
• Different reminders for each service

Billing can always be consolidated in one account.

Data Fields for Push to Rapid Response

Note: After customer information is downloaded or submitted, there is a Synchronize Customer button that allows you to pull in information that was updated at the Central (if you allow edits to be made directly at Rapid Response).

Required Fields to Enter in Cornerstone

Account - Your 2 letters will appear and you enter the remaining digits

Central Acct# - Leave Blank - The Rapid Response ID number is assigned by Rapid Response

Customer - Company name or last name

First Name - First name if residential customer

Address - Address line 1 is the street address

City, State - Fill in

Zip - Enter the zip code (allows for USPS address validation)

TaxCty - Select the list box and choose the city (does not get submitted to Rapid Response but is needed for billing; you will need to enter this if you download from Rapid Response as they do not ask for the Taxing County)

TZ - Time Zone automatically fills in from Zip Code and is communicated to Rapid Response

Type - Select RES or COMM (sends R or C)

Equipment - You can enter the panel type if you wish. The Rapid Response required Device type selection is later.

Code Word - Enter the password. If there isn't any, enter NoPCRequired so the operators know. Leave blank if there are individual pass codes for individual contacts.

Site/Premise - Contact 1 - Enter a name (Recommended, not required)

Phone - Premise phone number (Recommended, not required)

User Defined Tab Fields

Click on the User Defined Tab to enter:

Device Type - Choose type from the dropdown list (Required)

Dispatch Type - Choose type from the dropdown list (Required for 2 Way Devices and recommended for all other devices). The device number is assigned Event Codes and Event Types at Rapid Response.

Tip: Click on the green list box for the validated options. If you know your option is on the list, you can type it in to save time.

Address Validation

Click OK and you will be prompted to validate the address as a USPS recognizable mailing address. If recognized, the Zip+4 will be available. Select 'Update' to update the Cornerstone entry. The envelope icon will also call the USPS API lookup for the mailing address.

Contacts

The customer record has a space for the premise contact name and phone number. The Contacts list provides the call list for the account.

Entering Contacts

If you are entering data in Cornerstone to push to Rapid Response, you will need to enter the required data. Clicking OK will submit it to Rapid Response.

Download Contacts will pull in the contact information if it already exists in Rapid Response and is not in Cornerstone.

If contacts have been either downloaded or submitted to Rapid Response, a Synchronize Contacts button will be available to pull updates that were made directly with Rapid Response.

Required Contact Fields

Priority Sequence - Enter the priority sequence for the contacts. Additional contacts need to be numbered in increasing values.

Person to Contact - Enter first and last name. Anything before the 1st space will be treated as the first name. Anything after the space will be considered a last name.

Phone 1 - Fills in the first phone number field in Rapid Response for the contact

Phone 2 - Fills in the second phone number field in Rapid Response for the contact

Contact Updates

If you allow contacts to be changed at Rapid Response, then once you receive notification of changes, the Get From Central Station button will pull from Rapid Response the available contacts and update the information in Cornerstone.

If a contact was deleted at Rapid Response, you will be notified of the deletion and instructed to delete that contact in Cornerstone.

Zone Lists

Zone lists are device specific and the get data links to the Central Station number in the 1st field.

If you have multiple devices installed for the same site, they share the site and contact information. If you need to record the different zone information in Cornerstone, then you will need to create a second account so that the second device is recorded in an account in the 1st Central Station field.

Entering Zones

If you are pushing information to Rapid Response, enter the data.

If the account was originally created by Rapid Response, Download Zones will pull the zones from Rapid Response (if the data is already there and does not exist in Cornerstone).

Once downloaded, the Get From Central Station button is available should a change in zones be made directly with Rapid Response.

Required Zone Fields

Zone ID - Enter the zone number in the Zone ID

Zone Description - Enter the zone description (tells operators type and location)

Service Type - Use the list box to select the Service Type

Location - Use the list box to select the Location

Important Reminders

Please keep in mind there are a few things that must be done directly in/with Rapid Response:

Close Accounts / Take Them Off-Line

• Closing an account in Cornerstone will only stop the recurring billing
• Cancellations must be handled directly with Rapid Response in whatever is the established protocol
• There is a Central Station Notice function in Cornerstone where you can email your request and have it recorded in the Correspondence log

Special Protocol Instructions

• Some accounts may require special instructions that need to be handled/recorded directly with Rapid Response

Review of or Changes to the Responding Authority

• When Cornerstone pushes the subscriber's site address (street, city, and zip code), Rapid Response produces GPS coordinates and the responding authority is automatically selected and stored at Rapid Response
• If a valid GPS coordinate is not returned, you will get a warning that you need to review it with Rapid Response
• You must also set the medical and fire responding authority

Need Help?

Still have questions? Contact Cornerstone Holding Co. 847-405-9517 or email us customer.success@alarmbills.com