Learn about Configure Numbers:
- FAQ
- General
- Welcome message
- Company business hours
- Ringing one or more users
- Playing a menu to route calls
- Send to voicemail
- Forward to a number
- Receive faxes
- Additional Info
1. FAQ
What is configure numbers?
Configure Numbers is a tool designed to provide the account owner with a quick and easy way to route calls to their business. This tool is especially useful when setting up a menu to make customers think you are a bigger organization or when setting up groups of users to ring at the same time.
How can I access configure numbers?
To access the configure number flow simply find the number you wish to configure and select the Edit icon (looks like a pencil icon).
Who can access this tool?
This tool is only available for the account owner / admin. However, if your business is run by you and a business partner, both would be considered admin’s and both would access the tool using the same set of login credentials when applicable.
2. General
Navigating to configure numbers
- Log into configure.phone.com using your administrator credentials.
- Click on Numbers.
- Select My numbers on the top navigation options.
- Select the pencil icon located under the Edit column.
Number Types
Phone.com offers 3 types of numbers that can be assigned to your phone numbers: main company number, voice line, and fax line.
Main company number
You can set your primary phone number as your main company number. This number type will always take advantage of Company Business Hours.
* There can only be one main company number on the account.
Voice line
Common phone numbers can be set as voice lines meaning they are intended to make and receive phone calls.
* You can still send and receive text messages on these numbers.
Fax line
Fax lines can be assigned to any number that must be configured to receive faxes.
Clearing a number configuration
You can remove any number configuration by selecting the action menu (located on the far right of the phone number) under the My Numbers tab and select the un-assign option provided.
Doing this effectively removes any previous configuration and provides a quick way to redo a configuration, this also makes it possible for the number to show under the Unassigned phone number list within the Configure Users app. Once complete you should see a message confirming the changes.
The number will show as ‘unassigned’ once the configuration has been removed.
3. Welcome message
The Welcome message feature will allow you to play a one-time greeting to your callers right after it’s answered. Use this greeting to provide a generic welcome message and also let your callers know of any important information. This greeting message can be configured differently for every business hour – Open hours, After hours, Holidays, and Lunch. You can also use it with any of our call handling options – Ring users, Use a menu (Auto-attendant), and Send to voicemail.
* The call handling options will be covered later in this guide.
To configure the welcome message, follow the next steps:
- If business hours are enabled, make sure you’re on the correct business hour option.
- Locate the Welcome message section
- For Holidays and Lunch break, you will need to disable “Same as After hours” in order to configure a separate welcome message.
- Enable the Welcome message toggle.
- Select the option you prefer to save your audio greeting.
- For Read a text, simply type in the message and our text to speech engine will convert it to audio.
- For Record a message, (1) Click Start recording (2) Make sure you grant permission to the browser (3) Speak the message into your microphone (4) Click Stop recording. You can playback the message and click on the “X” to record a new message.
- For Upload a file, (1) Click UPLOAD A FILE (2) Select the file from your drive (3) Accept the file. You can playback the audio file and click on the “X” to upload a new file.
- If this is the only configuration change you’re making, click Save on the bottom bar, or continue with the configuration.
4. Company business hours
Company Business Hours provides the ability to route phone calls according to your business schedule such is when you are open, closed, during lunch, when observing national holidays or any custom events your company might participate in. You will only see these options after you select custom business hours within the Business Hours Tab under the Company Settings.
* Company business hours can not be enabled for numbers meant to receive faxes.
Open and After hours
Once you have set up your business hours you will have to set the number as your Main company number or voice line by accessing the number type drop-down field at the top of the page and setting where you want text messages to arrive. You will then see the business hours schedule bar – Select the Open hours option and configure your number for when your business is open. Do the same for the After hours, lunch and holiday sections.
Keep in mind that if configuring a voice line you must opt into the business hours settings by toggling the switch that appears to the right of Use company business hours to the ON position, otherwise you will not see the call option bar.
Holidays and Lunch break
The Holidays and Lunch break sections will only appear if you configured those under the Business Hours Tab. We set the call flow to be the same for them as After hours but this can be customized to your needs by toggling OFF the switch and specifying a new call flow. One you are all set simply save the configuration and your number is now configured to route calls depending on the time of day.
Note: Make sure to set your company Timezone correctly under the General Settings Tab found under the Company option using the left Navbar.
5. Ringing one or more users
Ring users can be used to have a phone number ring one or more users at the same time. By far the most common configuration for 2 or more business partners sharing the workload – This method also provides a way to direct voice messages and text messages to a single user. In addition, you may choose to ring a second set of users in case the first set of users did not pick up the call. This can be configured under the No answer section at the bottom of the number configuration page.
First select the user where you will be sending any text messages the number receives (you can only send text messages to one user per phone number)
After selecting the ‘Ring users’ option you will be asked to select the user or users to ring, simply select the drop-down option shown and select the users from the list.
If no one answers the phone call you may choose to send the call to a specific voice mailbox or you may ring a second group of users before sending the call to voicemail. Simply select the ring users option under the no answer section and select check the users you wish to ring, then select the voicemail to send the call to in case it is not picked up.
Select the ‘Save’ button to save the configuration, the application will provide a confirmation that the configuration was saved successfully on the bottom of the page.
You can always verify if the configuration was saved by viewing the number from the My Numbers tab. You should see the phone number, any label set, the call configuration and where voice messages and text messages are being forwarded to.
6. Playing a menu to route calls
Ring a menu is perfect for businesses who want to project themselves as a larger organization. The configure numbers tool provides just that with a few clicks and selections. This option provides a quick way to set up your menu greeting, menu options and how to handle the call in case the caller does not make a selection.
After selecting the ‘Play a menu’ option you will be asked to select one of three ways to assign a greeting. You can select the ‘Read a text’ option to type in your greeting, just make sure to use proper punctuation as it is sensitive to these rules.
You can also use your machine’s microphone to record the greeting with your own voice or the voice of a colleague by selecting the ‘Record a message’ option.
Once selected press the ‘Start recording’ button and begin recording your greeting, once you’re done recording simply select the ‘Stop recording’ button.
You can preview the recording by selecting the ‘Play/Pause’ button or re-record the greeting by selecting the red ‘X’ located to the right of it.
We also provide a way to upload your own audio file in case you have it. Simply select the ‘Upload audio file’ option and select the ‘Upload a file’ button.
Search for the file and select it so it can be uploaded. Make sure the file type and size is within the limits.
Menu options
Once the greeting type is selected you will be asked to set up your menu options and actions. Simply think of how many options you want to offer to your callers and add them by selecting the ‘Add menu options’ then, assign the user or users to ring and where to send the voice message in case they miss the call and repeat for all remaining menu options.
You can always remove any unwanted menu options by selecting the red ‘X’ to the right.
No option dialed
After the menu options and actions are set you have to decide on one of three options in case the caller does not make a selection after your greeting is played. You can ring a user or group of users by selecting the user drop-down list and selecting who to ring.
You can also send the call to a user’s voicemailbox, the company mailbox or your own.
Or you can simply disconnect the call entirely.
You should see a confirmation on the bottom of the page that says the configuration was saved successfully.
You can always check the number under the My Numbers tab to make sure it was saved correctly.
7. Send to voicemail
You can send callers directly to your customized greeting, this configuration is particularly important for businesses that have active marketing campaigns and just need to provide info to their callers. Simply select the ‘Send to voicemail’ option and then select the user or company inbox you wish to forward the calls to and save the configuration.
You should be able to see the configured number under the My Numbers tab.
9. Forward to a number
Entering your forwarding number
You can also forward calls to a number of your choice like your personal phone number. To do this select the Forward to a number option, enter the phone number you wish to send the calls out to and select the forward number options within the dialog box by selecting the pencil icon located next to the phone number field.
Caller ID option
Once the dialog box pops up you will see three forward number options (Caller ID, Voice Tag and Call screening) – The Caller ID section contains two options, Caller’s ID and Called Number. Caller’s ID will display the phone number of the person who called you, selecting Called Number will display whichever phone number the caller dialed.
Voice Tag
Any text entered under the voice tag field will be played as soon as you pick up the phone call (before the call is connected with the caller), this is a useful feature for customers who may have multiple numbers with different business types, this way they are prepared to answer the call accordingly.
Call Screening
The call screening feature offers the ability to connect or reject the incoming phone call by pressing 1 or 2 on their dialpad. This feature can be used concurrently with the voice tag feature to let users know what calls to answer and what calls to send to voicemail. The option to connect or reject the call will play after the voice tag text is read.
* Note: this feature also makes sure calls stay in your Phone.com voicemail.
9. Receive faxes
Setting up numbers to receive faxes through is made simple with this configuration.
Simply select the user’s fax inbox to send them to.
