Method of creating user-defined call processing procedures

A method of creating, in response to inputs from an operator of a telecommunications system, a user-defined call processing node for a call processing record containing logically related nodes and branches, the method comprising the steps, executed by a processor of the system, of:

• receiving an instruction from the operator to construct a user-defined call processing node;
• presenting to said operator, in response to the instruction, a screen with which to construct the user-defined call processing node;
• presenting the operator with a plurality of types of predefined nodes;
• receiving from the operator selections of predetermined nodes;
• arranging said selected predefined nodes into an underlying representation of call processing procedures;
• enabling the underlying representation of call processing procedures as a single node for use in creating call processing records;
• and
• requesting the operator to specify parameters for the underlying representation of call processing procedures, said parameters defining call variables for which values can be provided at a later time.