Answering Rules

Answering Rules

After you set up your time frames, you can create different answering rules for your time frames. You configure answering rules using the Answering Rules page. To display this page, click the Answering Rules icon at the top of the User Account page:


The left side of the Answering page has a Rings for n seconds drop-down list that allows you to specify the maximum ring time (one ring is generally 5 seconds). When that time expires, the caller will be forwarded to the Call Forward When Unanswered rule if defined; otherwise, the caller will be forwarded to voicemail if enabled.


The right side of the Answering Rules page has buttons for adding answering rules, and specifying allowed and blocked numbers. 

Figure 2-10 shows examples of answering rules. In this figure:

  • The extension has a rule to simultaneously ring (Ring All) several desk phones during Open Hours. 

  • Cell Forward rings many desk phones and a cell phone simultaneously (Ring All).

  • Holiday and closed hour rules go straight to voicemail.

Figure 2-10

The active rule is the topmost rule that matches the conditions in the corresponding time frame. In Figure 2-11, for example, is using the default answering rules by sending all calls to the extension directly.

Figure 2-11. Sample Answering Rules

  • To add an answering rule

  1. From the Answering Rules page, click Add Rule. 

  2. The Add an Answering Rule page appears. From this page, you can create rules to screen callers, forward calls, and ring multiple numbers simultaneously.


Figure 2-12. Add an Answering Rule Page

2. Complete the fields in the Add an Answering Rule page (see Table 2-3).

3. Click Save.

Table 2-3. Fields in the Add an Answering Rule Page

Field
Description
Time Frame
Select the time frame when this answering rule will apply.
Do not disturb
No phone rings, goes straight to voicemail if available.
Call screening
Prompts caller to say their name, lets you screen the call before accepting.
Call Forwarding Always
Immediately forwards to the number specified. See “Call Forward Drop-down Options” below.
Call Forwarding On Active
Forward calls to the number specified when you have one or more calls active. See “Call Forward Drop-down Options” below.
Call Forwarding When Busy
Forwards calls to the number specified when your extension has used all available call paths. See “Call Forward Drop-down Options” below.
Call Forwarding When Unanswered
Forwards calls to the number specified if the call is not answered after the specified ring timeout. See “Call Forward Drop-down Options” below.
Call Forwarding When Offline
Automatically forwards if your desk phone loses communication (such as during a power outage). See “Call Forward Drop-down Options” below.
Simultaneous ring

Rings many phones at once. Check box options allow you to:

  • Include the user’s extension.

  • Ring all your user’s phones.

  • Use the option “Answer confirmation for offnet numbers” to ensure that a person — and not voicemail — answers simrings to a cell/landline by prompting the answering party to press 1 to accept the call. An icon to the right of this option allows you to specify a ring delay.

Note: A simring rings handsets, not users. So, for example, if 111 is listed, the simring will ring handset 111. If user 111 has a call forward set to their cell, however, the simring will not occur at the cell since simring rings handsets, not users. 

Just ring user’s extension
Rings just your phone.



Call Forward Drop-down Options

When entering an extension as a call forward option, a drop-down list allows you to forward the call to specific resources associated with that extension. Table 2-4 describes the options. Some options may not appear, depending on the features associated with the extension.

Table 2-4. Call Forward Drop-down Options on the Add an Answering Rule Page

  

Field

Description

Handset

Bypasses the user answering rules and forwards to the handset associated with the specified user.

User

Forwards to the user at that extension and follows the user’s answering rules.

Voicemail

Forwards to voicemail at the specified extension.

Queue

Forwards to the queue associated with that user.

Autoattendant

Forwards to the auto attendant associated with that user.

Conference

Forwards to a Conference bridge

Ring Timeout

At the top of the page is the ring timeout selection. This option specifies the number of seconds that your phones will ring or forwarding rule before going to voicemail (when available). 


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