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Call Handling Rules |
Call Handling Rules give you advanced scheduling options to route calls. Using Call Handling Rules you can direct all incoming calls or calls received during your schedule to single or multiple destinations.
Call Handling Rule Options
Advanced Forward Call Features
- Caller ID to Show Me
- Voice Tag
- Call Screening
- Leave Voicemail
- Go to Queue
- Go to Menu
- Dial by Name Directory
- Play Recording
- Play Hold Music
- Disconnect
How to Use Call Handling Rules
- All Call Based Routing
Example using All Calls - Schedule Based Routing
Example using Schedule Based Routing - Caller ID Based Routing
Example using Caller ID Based Routing
Call Handling Rule Options
This section will provide a brief explanation of each Call Handling Rule and it’s purpose.
Forward Call
Forward your incoming calls to multiple numbers or extensions. Use Advanced Call Forwarding options to customize the phone system to your needs.
Step 1: Select Operation
Step 2: Select Forward Call
Step 3: Enter the telephone number or extension number to which you will forward your call.
Telephone Number
Extension
Select the Add an Extension button located to the right of the Forward Call Number field.
The list of extensions on your account will display.
Select the extension to add to the list.
When ready, click the Save Rule Settings.
Ring Time
The Ring Time determines how long Phone.com will connect (in seconds) to your outside number or extension. This may or may not be the amount of time the phone actually rings.
NOTE: This does not determine the amount of rings but rather the amount of seconds it takes Phone.com to connect to your outside destination.
Play Hold Music While Waiting
Similar to a ring back tone, hold music will play in place of the standard ringing. Select from our hold music or create your own to add. For more details on creating your own Music/Message on Hold, please reference the Greetings User Guide.
Advanced Call Forwarding Features
Caller ID to Show Me
When Phone.com is forwarding your number to an outside number, select the Caller ID that will display on the phone.
Called Number: The number the party originally dialed to reach you (i.e. your Phone.com number).
Caller’s ID: The caller ID of the party that dialed to your number.
Voice Tag
The Voice Tag allows you to “tag” or “label” your incoming calls with a unique word or phrase that will help you identify the incoming call.
Example
To identify the call is for your Sales Department, type “Sales” into the Voice Tag field.
Call Screening
Call Screening provides the option to preview who is calling before accepting the call. After hearing the initial operator stating, “You have a call from…” the option to then press “1″ to accept the call or “2″ to reject is available.
Leave Voicemail
Selecting this option will direct incoming calls straight to the voicemail for the extension.
Step 1: Select Operation
Step 2: Select Voicemail
Step 3: Select the Extension to leave the Voicemail Message
Step 4: Save Rule Settings
Go to Queue
Queues route incoming calls to a specific group of phones & extensions within your system. To learn more about creating a Queue, please reference the Queues User Guide.
Step 1: Select Operation
Step 2: Select Go To Queue
Step 3: Select your Queue
Step 4: Save Rule Settings
Go to Menu
Menus give callers an audio list of possible options. (“Press 1 for Customer Service, press 2 for Sales…”)
A menu is generally the first thing incoming callers will hear when they dial your number. Your system will play your custom audio message telling callers which key to press. (“Press 1 for Customer Service, press 2 for Sales.”).
To learn how to create a Menu, please reference the Menus User Guide.
Step 1: Select Operation
Step 2: Select Go to Menu
Step 3: Select the Menu name
Step 4: Select the Save Rule Settings button.
Dial by Name Directory
Step 1: Select Operation
Step 2: Select Dial by Name Directory
Step 3: Save Rule Settings
Play Recording
Play a pre-made recording for your callers.
Step 1: Select Operation
Step 2: Select Play Recording
Step 3: Select Recording
To listen to your recording, press the Play button.
NOTE: When selecting Play Recording, the system will ONLY play your recording.
Play Hold Music
Play Hold Music before forwarding your calls.
Step 1: Select Operation
Step 2: Select to Play Hold Music
Step 3: Select the Hold Music recording
Step 4: Select the amount of seconds to play the hold music.
Step 5: Select the Add Next Action button
Step 6: Select your next operation
Step 7: After your selection has been made, Save Rule Settings.
Disconnect
Direct your incoming calls to disconnect. Please note, using the disconnect option will deduct minutes from your plan.
Step 1: Select Operation
Step 2: Select option to Disconnect
Step 3: Save Rule Settings
How to Use Call Handling Rules
Call Handling Rules can be added within the Numbers section, Extensions section, or Menu’s section of your account.
Number Call Handling Rules
How to add call handling rules on the number level.
Select the Numbers option from the navigation bar.
Select the Edit button to the right of your number.
Select the Edit button located next to Number Action to display the Call Handling Rules.
Extension Call Handling Rules
How to add call handling rules on the extension level.
Select the Extensions option from the navigation bar.
Select the Settings icon to the right of the extension.
Select the link for Call Handling Rules.
Menu Call Handling Rules
How to modify call handling rules on the Menu level. To learn more about creating a Menu, please reference the Menus User Guide.
Select the Menus option from the navigation bar.
Select the Edit button to the right of the Menu.
Select the Edit button to the right of the Menu options. To learn how to modify your Caller Selections and Actions, please reference the Menus User Guide.
All Call Based Routing
If you select the option for All Calls from the incoming call type, you will be routing every single call made to your Phone.com number to the destination(s) of your choice. Keep in mind that this option will not take your schedules into effect.
Multiple rules are only necessary during the use of a schedule(s). The option for All Calls works with the addition of Actions.
Example using All Calls
You are typically in one of three places—home, office or the car. When a caller dials your Phone.com number, you would like to have the call routed to your three locations. If you do not answer, you would like the call routed to your Personal Assistant. If she does not answer, you would like the call routed to your Phone.com voicemail.
Here’s how the Call Handling Rules will appear when we’re done:
Incoming Call Type: All Calls
Select how calls should be handled: Forward Call
Enter your first phone number into the box.
To add an additional number, select the option to Add Another Number.
Select the amount of seconds you would like the system to ring your numbers.
Select the Caller ID you would prefer to show on your phone. Callers ID will display the number the caller dialed from. Called Number will display your Phone.com number.
We have now constructed the system to ring the first three numbers simultaneously.
Now, select the Add Next Action button.
Select Forward Call.
To select an extension, select the Extensions button.
Select the extension from the list by clicking on the link.
Select Add Next Action.
Select the operation to Leave Voicemail. Then, select the extension to leave the voicemail on.
When ready, click the Save Rule Settings button.
Schedule Based Routing
If you select the option to route incoming calls received during your schedule, you will first need to make sure you have a schedule set up. To learn how to create a schedule, please reference the Schedules User Guide.
If you already have a schedule created, when it is selected for use with incoming calls, it will route calls made to your Phone.com number to the specified destinations based on the hours selected in your schedule.
Example using Schedule Based Routing
Your business is open 5 days a week from 9am to 5pm; any calls made after 5pm but before 9am are routed using the After Hours schedule. Incoming calls made during your working hours will be routed to your Business Menu. Calls made during After Hours will be routed to a recording then to Voicemail.
Here’s how your Call Handling Rules will appear when we’re done:
Create your After Hours rule first:
Incoming Call Type: Received during After Hours
Select the incoming call type as Received During.
A list of your schedules will appear. Select the appropriate schedule.
>Select how calls should be handled: Leave Voicemail
Select the Add New Rule button to create your All Calls rule to direct all calls outside of your After Hours.
Select the Incoming Call Type as All Calls.
Select the operation as Go To Menu. Then, select the appropriate Menu from the list.
Click the Save Rule Settings button to save your Call Handling Rules.
Caller ID Based Routing
If you select the option to route incoming calls received from a contact stored in your Phone.com Address Book to a specific destination, you will first need to ensure that the contact exists within your account. For more assistance with your Address Book, please reference the Address Book User Guide.
If the contact has already been added to your Address Book, you can then configure your system to recognize that contact therefore when that individual calls your Phone.com number, they will have their own special rule set up to route them to a destination of your choice.
Example using Caller ID Based Routing
You have two phones—your home based business phone line and your personal cell phone. You only want to provide others with one general number. When non-clients call your line, they are routed to your Menu. When your actual clients dial your Phone.com number, a rule directs them to your business line or if you cannot answer, to your business voicemail. When your children call from their cell phones, their numbers are recognized through the system and their calls are routed to your personal cell phone.
Here’s how the Call Handling Rules will appear when we’re done:
Incoming Call Type: Received from Contact or Groups
Select the group Family from the drop down menu.
Select to Forward Call to your personal cell phone.
Now, create a new rule by selecting the Add New Rule button.
Incoming Call Type: Received from Contact or Groups
Select the group Clients from the drop down menu.
Select to Forward Call to your business extension.
If you cannot answer your business line, the calls will be routed to your Phone.com voicemail. Select Add Next Action then select the operation for Leave Voicemail.
Now, create a new rule by selecting the Add New Rule button.
Incoming Call Type: All Calls
Select All Calls as your incoming call type to route calls outside of your Received From calls.
Select operation as Go To Menu.
When ready, click the Save Rule Settings button.
