Add answering rules

Summary

Your answering rules control what happens when someone calls your phone. You can forward calls or have multiple phones ring simultaneously, and you can control the time frame for which these happen. Each answering rule must have a time frame associate with it — this tells your phone system when to use the answering rule.

Examples of common answering rules include:

• Automatically forward all incoming calls directly to your personal cell phone during non-business hours.
• Simultaneously ring your cell phone and your office phone so you never miss a call.
• Automatically send all incoming calls to a receptionist if you do not answer.

Instructions

1. Create a time frames

!Every answering rule must have a time frame specified. If you do not already have a time frame set up that you want to use, you must create one.

Log in to the User Portal and navigate to the time frames menu. From there, click the “Add Time Frame” button to create a new time frame.

2. Configure time frame

Give your time frame a name and choose when you want it to be applied. The Portal gives you the option to select one of three types of time frames:

• Always
• Certain days of the week and times (Example: Saturdays and Sundays from 8AM to 5PM)
• Specific dates or ranges (Example: 12/24/2013 – 12/26/2013)
  

When you are finished, click save.

Example: Certain days of the week and times

Example: Specific dates and time. (Scenario: Holiday off)

!When creating a time of day forwarding rule for a holiday, make sure to create a separate time range for each day of the holiday.

3. Confirm time frame

After you save your time frame, you will see a green confirmation note on the top of your screen. Your will also see it in the list of available time frames.

4. Add answering rule

Navigate to the answering rules menu and click “Add Rule”

5. Configure answering rule

Select the time frame you wish to use (most of the time this will be the one you just created).

You have many call forwarding options that you can apply. In most cases, you will forward calls to either a 10-digit phone number, an extension within your domain (a “User”) or the voicemail of a specific user. The table below describes the different types of call forwarding:

Click save when done.

5. Confirm answering rule

Your new answering rule will be added to your list. The rule that is currently being used will say “Active” by the name. You can drag and drop answering rules to reorder them.

!You can only have one answering rule applied at a given time. The system gives precedence to rules that are higher up on the list. You can change the priority by reordering the list. If you create two or more that are active within the same time frame, the one that is higher on the list will be applied, and the rest will be ignored. If the rule does not say “Active” by the name, it is not being applied.