Routes Guide

The Schedule route allows users to set their phone system to direct incoming calls to different destinations depending on when they call in, such as business hours, lunch hours, holidays, after-hours, etc. The option to create a new schedule is available when adding a new auto-attendant or editing an existing one.

A schedule requires at least one rule, but you can add as many as you need. Calls will be routed to the first rule that matches the time of the incoming call, based on the priority order in which the rules are set. To change the order of your rules, click the icon to the right of the rule and drag it to the correct position.

Weekly	Custom

Delete a Rule

To delete a rule, click the trash icon. The rule will be crossed out, but if you change your mind, it can still be restored or edited until the schedule is saved. Once you save the schedule, though, any deleted rules will be deleted permanently.

Save

After you set up and save your schedule, the routes are added to the auto-attendant builder canvas. Click the Add icon to add another route to the route.

By default, an "All other times" route will be added to determine where calls are routed during times that aren't specified by a rule.

Using the Message route, the caller will hear a prerecorded message.

Enter a name or description for the message that will be displayed in the auto-attendant editor, then click the drop-down menu and select a media file from the library.

A Group route, also known as a hunt group, allows a call to ring to multiple users (not devices). Rather than following each user's call handling rules, the group follows its own ring strategy: Simultaneous, Sequential, or Round Robin. The first user to answer will get the call. If no one answers, the call will follow the group's failure route.

Use Group Name in Caller ID

This feature prepends the Group name to the caller ID, so the user who receives the call can identify where it originated. This is especially helpful for users who are part of multiple auto-attendant groups.

For example, if a caller listens to the auto-attendant menu and presses 2 for Sales, when the call is delivered to a user, the caller ID will show the group name before the caller's name and phone number: From: Sales JANE SMITH 18015551234.

If a call is routed through multiple groups, only the most recent group name will be displayed. There are no character limitations for the Group name, but a shorter name will allow more to be shown on the device screen.

1. Log in to the account and go to Auto-Attendant.

2. Create a new auto-attendant or edit an existing one.

3. Add or edit a Group route in the auto-attendant path.

4. Enable Use Group Name in Caller ID.

5. Make any other changes to the route as needed, then scroll down and press [Save].

Night Forwarding

Night Forwarding, also known as Night Mode, allows users in an auto-attendant group to turn their calls on in the morning and off at night by dialing a star code.

When enabled, incoming calls to the auto-attendant group are redirected to a preconfigured phone number, which can be to another group, a voicemail box, a user, or an off-net number (like the night manager's cell phone). And because it's controlled by a star code, each group can manage it independently.

1. Log in to the portal and go to Auto-Attendant.

2. Create a new auto-attendant or edit an existing one.

3. Add or edit a Group route in the auto-attendant path.

4. Under Night Forwarding, enter the following:

   • Forwarding Number. The on- or off-net phone number calls will be redirected to.

   • Description. A description to identify the phone number (optional).

   • Group Number. A three-digit identifier that will be used with the star code to enable or disable Night Forwarding.

5. Scroll down and click [Save].

6. Finish customizing the auto-attendant, then activate it to make it live.

Now users assigned to the group can dial the star code to enable or disable forwarding to this group.

Shared Group Numbers

The group number does not have to be unique. When the same number is assigned to multiple groups, enabling/disabling Night Forwarding for one will enable/disable it for them all. This strategy is useful when multiple teams are on the same schedule, or one team is assigned to answer calls for multiple groups. However, to allow each group to manage their Night Forwarding setting independently, all auto-attendant groups must have a unique group number.

Enable or Disable Forwarding

Only a user assigned to the auto-attendant group can enable or disable Night Forwarding for that group. However, if multiple groups are assigned the same group number, the user who enables/disables it only has to belong to one of the groups.

1. A user in the auto-attendant group will dial the Group Forwarding star code + the group number.

   • For example, if the star code is 65 and the group number is 102, the user will dial *65102.

2. Follow the audio prompts:

   • Press 1 to turn on Night Forwarding.

   • Press 2 to turn off Night Forwarding.

   • Press 3 to set the Night Forwarding number.

Note

If calls are in the queue when Night Forwarding is enabled, those calls will remain in the queue until answered, and all new calls to the queue will be forwarded.

Change Forwarding Number

A group user can change the forwarding number by dialing the star code and pressing 3. Alternatively, an Admin user can change the forwarding number in the editor:

1. Open the Auto-Attendant editor for the one you need to modify.

2. Edit the Group route and change the Night Forwarding phone number.

3. Click [Save] to apply the new number.

Check Forwarding Status

To find out if Night Forwarding is currently enabled for a group, open the auto-attendant in View Only mode, then go to the Group route. The Night Forwarding flag will say either Inactive or Active.

Tip

If you're looking for a way to customize call routing rules for specific days and hours of operation, try the Scheduling route instead.

User Ring Strategy

Choose if how incoming calls will ring to users in the group:

• Simultaneous: Rings all devices for users in the group at the same time; the first user to answer gets it. Additional settings are required.

• Sequential: Rings one device in the group at a time in a specified order until the call is answered.

• Round Robin: Rings the next user in the group based on which user received the last call. This ensures that all users in the group receive an equal number of calls.

• Longest Idle. Rings the user who has been idle (not on a call) the longest, to evenly distribute incoming calls among users in the group.

Simultaneous Ring

After selecting Simultaneous as your ring strategy, remember to configure these additional settings:

1. Ring Timeout: Enter the number of seconds for the call to ring before the unanswered call follows the failure route.

2. Ring next available line when user is busy: Toggle on or off.

   • Enabled: Incoming calls will ring all users, regardless of their call status.

     • If the user has a single line with Call Waiting enabled, they will hear the Call Waiting tone for the call on the same line as the existing call.

     • If they have multiple lines for their number and are busy, the call will ring on an idle line.

   • Disabled: Incoming calls to the group will not ring to users who are busy.

User Log In/Out

Enter your group users, their ring timeout settings, and specify whether they can log in or out of the group by dialing a star code.

Keep Users Logged In (or Don't)

Groups can function in two ways: keep users always logged in or allow users log in and out as needed. Choose the option that works best for this group:

• Enabled: Users will remain logged in to the group and will receive calls according to the auto-attendant's schedule. They cannot use the star code to log out.

• Disabled: Users assigned to this group can log in and out by dialing the Group Log In/Out star code + group number from their device. Additionally, you can open the auto-attendant editor to see who's logged in or out, and even change the user's status on their behalf.

Note

Ask Customer Support about getting the Group Log In/Out star code, so you can take advantage of this feature.

Add Users

To add a user to the group, click the User menu and select their name from the list. To add additional users, click [+ Add User]. Add as many users as required.

• Group Filter. To narrow the list of options to users in a specific User Group , select the group name in the filter above (optional).

• Timeout. For each user in a sequential or round robin ring strategy, also specify the number of seconds calls will ring each user before moving on to the next.

• Logged In. The checkmark indicates the user's login status. To log a user in, check the box. To log a user out, uncheck the box.

• Delete. To remove a user from the list, click the icon on the right.

When you're done, click [Save].

The User route directs calls to a single user, whose personal call handling settings will then apply as normal (unless "Send calls directly to voicemail" is selected).

The Forward to Phone Number route directs calls to an on- or off-net phone number. Select the country code from the menu on the left, then enter the phone number and a description (optional) in the fields to the right.

The Directory route allows the caller to dial a user in the directory using text to speech. When the caller reaches this point, they will hear, “Dial by last name” or “Dial by first name.” The caller will dial 3 or more characters of the user’s name and press #. If there is more than one matching user, the caller will select a user from a list of options.

Dial by…

Choose if callers will dial by the user's last name or first name.

Custom Audio

Optionally, select custom audio prompts to give callers custom guidance in the directory. For Intro Prompt and/or Invalid Selection, click the drop-down menu and select a media file from the library.

• To confirm you have the right one, you can play the file in your browser or download it to your computer.

• If the file you need isn't listed, you can upload or record a new one in Media Files.

If custom audio is not used, the caller will hear the default "Dial by" prompts.

Failure Routing

A failure route is required in case the caller is unable reach the user they were looking for.

Field	Description
Timeout (Seconds)	Enter the number of seconds the call can be in the directory. (5–30)
Max Invalid Selections	Enter the number of invalid selections the caller can try before the call is redirected to the failure route. (1–10)

The Hang Up route terminates any call that reaches this point. Remember to click [Save] to keep this route.

A Reference route redirects the call to another route. When a change is made in the original route, any references that use it will also be updated.

Choose which route a caller will be redirected to once they reach this point in the route, then click [Save].