User Scope of Office Manager is required to adjust Inbound Call Routing
This guide will go through all the steps and options for routing inbound calls to numbers on your Stratus account. This is a guide is primarily for how to route Main Business Phone Numbers to different destinations based on the Time Of Day.
Inbound Call routing in Stratus is done utilizing Phone Numbers, Routing Users, and Answering Rules.
Inbound Call routing can be based on the Time Of Day.
For example, inbound calls can be routed to a Call Queue during a company's business hours and then routed to an out of office message otherwise.
Overview:
- Inbound calls to a Phone Number will be routed to a Routing User.
- The Routing User will forward the calls based on the Time Of Day.
- The time of day forwarding will be determined using the Routing User's Answering Rules.
Setting Up Inbound Call Routing
Time Frame
You may want a time frame in order to route calls based off of the time of day.
- To create a Timeframe select the Timeframe button on the top section of the web portal.
- Select the "Add Time Frame" button to create a new time frame.
- In the pop-up menu, give the time frame a name you can remember as the desired time frame.
- Then select from the option on when you would like your time frame to be Active.
- Always - This option will set the time frame to be active always. Time Frames can be Enabled or Disabled manually under the Routing User's Answering Rules.
- Days of the week and times - This option will set routing on a weekly schedule.
Use the checkboxes to enable specific days of the week.
Use the slider bars to adjust start and end times.
Use the Green Plus Button to add a split in the middle of the day. - Specific Dates Or Ranges - This option will set routing for specific date ranges.
Click on the calendar icons to select specific dates and times for when the time frame with start and when the time frame will end.
Multiple date ranges can be added by clicking on the Green Plus button.
Date ranges can be deleted after they have been created by clicking on the Red X.
NOTE: After saving, if you go back to view the date ranges, you may see that your date ranges appear differently. The system will split date ranges into partial and full days, but the ranges will be the same as what you set them.
- Always - This option will set the time frame to be active always. Time Frames can be Enabled or Disabled manually under the Routing User's Answering Rules.
Phone Number Settings
- After the Time Frame is created or edited then we will track down where calls route. You can do this by selecting the inventory button shown below.
- In the "Phone Numbers" section we can see where the numbers on the account are routed to.
- From the Phone Numbers tab, either: click a phone number or hover over a phone number's row, and then click the edit icon at the far right.
- The pop-up window will have editable fields for the number you selected.
- Treatment - This will determine the Type od destination we want the number to be routed to if someone calls it.
- Available number - an unassigned telephone number.
- User - routes to a specified user.
- Fax - routes to a fax number. Not all accounts will have this option.
- Conference - routes to a conference bridge specified.
- Call queue - routes to a specified call queue.
- Voicemail - routes to the specified user’s voicemail box.
- PSTN - routes calls to an off-net 10-digit phone number.
- Caller ID Prefix - This will add text to the beginning of the caller id name for all calls that route through this phone number.
- Notes - This is where you can add information about the use of the phone number, such a location or business name.
- Forwarding Number - In the case of a catastrophic event on our (SpectrumVoIP's) network, numbers can be forwarded to this fallback number. Other call forward options are available if you are experiencing a local network or power issue.
- Treatment - This will determine the Type od destination we want the number to be routed to if someone calls it.
- We will NOT be utilizing the Enable Time Frames Option.
We will be utilizing Routing Users and their Answering Rules. You may already have a Routing User on your account (typically user 8900).
If a Routing User is not on your account, or if you need a new routing user, please contact Technical Support.
Direct Dial Numbers can be routed to specific Users.
"Main Numbers" will want to be routed to a Routing User where time frames can be applied.
Answering Rules
- To get to Inbound Routing User select the Users button.
- In the Users section, we will search for the Routing User in the search bar. Then select the Inbound Routing User shown below.
- Navigate to the "Answering Rules" section to see the current call routing rules.
- If you need to add a new Time Frame Rule, then select the "Add Rule" button shown below.
- In the Add Rule window, select the drop-down for Time Frame and select the desired Time Frame that was created or edited earlier.
- Check the Enabled checkbox to turn the rule on.
- Then check the Always section in Call Forwarding and in the field directly next to it, select where you would like calls to while the selected Time Frame is Active.
Possible destinations include:- Call Queues
- Auto Attendants
- Voicemails
- Conference Bridges
- Users
- Off-Net 10-Digit Phone Numbers
- Click Save.
- You will then see the Time Frame and its rules appear in the answering rules for the User.
You will need to make sure that the Time Frame prioritized correctly.
The Time Frames take priority from Top to Bottom in the case of multiple Time Frame being active at the same time.
You can move Time Frames around by clicking and dragging the triangles on the left-hand side of the answering rules. - You can utilize the Default Time Frame in the same way, to route calls any time another time frame is not active (Afterhours).
- There will be a Blue Active sticker next to the currently active time frame.