Call routing for Groups
There are many options for creating your desired call routing:
- which Users should receive the call
- when should the group voicemail kick in
- what happens when all Users are busy or offline
- time-based routing (ex. out of hours)
- multiple telephone numbers and extensions (ex. 222)
- add a call queue (please see below!)
- add a Greeting
Sometimes this is also called "call hunting" or "call forwarding".
After you have set up a Group, you can edit the call routing for the Group.
1. Adding phone numbers, extensions, greetings and/or call queues, members, and call forwarding
First, click the "Edit Routing" button to get started.
You'll have many options and we recommend simply adding each option from left to right as you see them.
When you click an option, you'll get a pop-up to fill in the details. Once you click Save, you'll see it in your routing table.
In the end, it should look something like this:
Then click "Finish Editing", and your settings will immediately come into effect.
To edit your routing in the future, follow the same steps.
Please note that if you forward your calls off the sipgate network, i.e. to a different telephone number not on your sipgate account, you will be charged our standard per-minute call rates. If you wish to transfer a call within the sipgate network, please see here.
2. Adding a schedule to your routing table (time-based routing)
To set up when your specific call routing is enabled, first click "Edit Routing" and then the small cog/gear symbol next to the timeframe. You will first view the Graph schedule, but you can also change this to a table view if preferred:
If using the graph schedule, first highlight all the times you'd like your current call routing set up to be active. You'll notice these are now blue. This is "Time Profile 1", which you can rename.
To set up your out-of-hours, or simply a secondary set of routing rules, please highlight a different section of the routing schedule. Then click your new highlights, and change the time profile to "Time Profile 2". These sections should now be pink. Then click save.
If using the table schedule view, you may edit both Time Profiles at the same time. First click the days you want "Time Profile 1" to be active, and then add time-spans. Then do the same for Time Profile 2 and click Save.
After you've saved, you'll have the option to edit "Time Profile 2" which can have a completely different set up than Time Profile 1.
Don't forget to click "Finish Editing" to save your new routing timeframes.
3. Additional Group functionality settings
Just above the routing table, you'll find icons for additional features of your group. Specifically:
- The Group's voicemail settings
- a Greeting that callers will hear before the call is sent to your routing
- a Call Queue (for business L/XL) (if using the call queue, your above call routing settings will not be activated as calls will ring until someone is available to pick them up!)
Group Voicemail settings:
- Edit name of group voicemail
- Change the voicemail's announcement or upload your own MP3
- Edit transcription settings
Greeting settings:
- Upload a new greeting or choose from existing options
Call Queue settings:
- Upload on-hold music, or choose from existing options
Additional technical notes:
- Many VoIP phones offer their own call hunting/forwarding/diversion options. These can be used instead of, or in conjunction with, your online sipgate account's call forwarding options (though for the best results, make sure your sipgate settings are correct). More information about using a phone's internal forwarding is available here.
- 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.