How do I set up Call Forwarding for a Group?
Call Forwarding can be set up to send incoming Group calls to voicemail or to another phone number either after a delay or immediately.
Many VoIP phones offer their own call forwarding/diversion options. These can be used instead of, or in conjunction with, your online sipgate account's call forwarding options. More information about using a phone's internal forwarding is available here.
Please Note:
- Calls forwarded to non-sipgate phone numbers will be charged according to the outbound call rate to that destination.
- Calls received through a Queue will not follow the Group's Call Forwarding rules.
Create Routing Schedules for Groups
As an Admin, you can set up call forwarding for Groups.
Start by selecting the group in your account under Accountmanagement ➔ Groups. Here, you can configure forwarding options using the routing diagram. You can set up time-based forwarding by clicking the gear icon to adjust by day and time, useful for regular group unavailability like meetings. There are three time profiles available for configuring forwards based on business hours.
You can also set up forwarding when the group line is busy or unanswered for a specific time. Specify these scenarios in group routing and set the forwarding target, which can be any other number or voicemail. Alternatively, you can place calls in a waiting queue.
Important: When forwarding to another User or Group, forwarding rules also apply. For example, if User A forwards to User B after 20 seconds and then to User C after another 20 seconds, User B's own forwarding rules might interrupt this sequence if set for less than 20 seconds. All forwarding rules are disabled if a queue is active, except for direct forwarding, which remains active.
Setting Up Automatic Holiday Forwarding for Groups
You can set up automatic holiday forwarding that pauses your regular time-based routing and resumes it afterward. Use the holiday profile to select pre-set templates for your region’s holidays, sending calls directly to voicemail with a custom greeting.
As an Admin, set up a holiday profile for a Group by navigating to Groups ➔ Group routing ➔ Holidays ➔ + Holiday profile. Choose your region from the drop-down menu to display and auto-update holidays for the next year. To keep the group reachable on certain holidays, uncheck the relevant dates. Click Next to save your settings.
Next, you can set a voicemail greeting by using pre-made templates or uploading your own. Save the greeting and finish editing. The holiday profile will be automatically activated, working all day without further adjustments.
Note: The holiday profile can currently only be set for groups, not individual users.
Setting Up Calendar-Based Absences for Groups
You can also set up time-based forwarding for planned absences, like company holidays or conferences. This keeps your usual routing and automatically returns to it once the absence period is over.
Admins can create an absence profile for any group by navigating to Groups ➔ Edit Routing ➔ Absences ➔ + Absence Profile. Name your profile and set the timeframe using the calendar, then click Next to save.
Next, choose a voicemail greeting from the templates or upload your own, then save it. The absence profile will activate automatically and work all day, with no extra settings needed.
Tip: You can define multiple timeframes within one absence profile if using the same greeting. For different greetings, create separate profiles.