CPR LTT CLBING TO FL230; ACKNOWLEDGES AMENDED CLRNC TO MAINTAIN FL210. FAILED TO RESET ALT ALERTER AND CONTINUED CLB TO FL222. CTLR VECTORED ACFT TO 180 DEGS AND THEN CLRED TO FL310.

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WHILE CLBING OUT OF DSM; DSM DEP CLRED TO CLB TO FL230. THE PNF ACKNOWLEDGED CLBING TO FL230. WE WERE THEN SWITCHED TO ZAU. THE PNF CHKED ON WITH ZAU. ZAU ACKNOWLEDGED CLBING TO FL230. A CONVERSATION ENSUED BTWN THE PF AND THE PNF ABOUT THE ACFT. DURING THE CONVERSATION ZAU CALLED TO STOP CLB AT FL210. THE PNF DID NOT HEAR THE CALL BUT THE PF DID. THE PF TOLD THE PNF OF THE INSTRUCTIONS AND THE PNF READ BACK THE INSTRUCTIONS TO ATC. THE CONVERSATION CONTINUED BTWN THE PNF AND THE PF. THE ALT ALERTER WAS NEVER RESET TO ALERT FL210. THE CLB CONTINUED THROUGH FL210. AT FL222 ZAU CALLED AND INSTRUCTED THE ACFT TO TURN R TO A HDG 180 DEGS AND SAY ALT. THE PNF RESPONDED WITH THE ALT. ATC THEN INSTRUCTED TO CLB TO FL310 AND CONTACT A NEW CHICAGO CTLR. THE PNF RESPONDED. AT THAT TIME THE CREW REMEMBERED THE PREVIOUS ALT ASSIGNMENT OF FL210. A NEW PROC HAS BEEN ADOPTED FOR WHEN AN ALT IS ASSIGNED THE PNF SETS THE ALT ALERTER AND THEN CONFIRMS THAT WITH THE PF; BEFORE ANY FURTHER ACTION IS TAKEN.