Answering rules decide what happens to your calls during each time frame. For example: ring your desk phone during open hours, ring your desk phone and cell phone together, or send calls straight to voicemail on holidays.
Add an answering rule
- Log in to the Voice Portal. (Office managers: first click your name in the top-right corner, then My Account.)
- Click the Answering Rules icon at the top of the page.
- Click Add Rule.
- Choose a Time Frame for the rule.
- Pick what should happen to calls (see the options below).
- Click Save.
Options
- Do not disturb – your phone doesn't ring. Calls go straight to voicemail, if you have it.
- Call screening – callers are asked to say their name, so you can decide whether to take the call.
- Call Forwarding Always – sends every call to another number right away.
- Call Forwarding When Busy – forwards calls when you're already using all your lines.
- Call Forwarding When Unanswered – forwards calls you don't answer in time.
- Call Forwarding If Device Offline – forwards calls if your desk phone loses its connection, like during a power outage.
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Simultaneous ring – rings several phones at once. You can:
- include your own extension
- ring all of your phones
- turn on Answer confirmation for offnet numbers, so a cell phone or landline has to press 1 to take the call. This keeps a cell phone's voicemail from grabbing your calls. You can also set a ring delay with the clock icon.
- Just ring user's extension – rings only your phone.
Good to know: Simultaneous ring rings phones, not people. If you add extension 111 and that person forwards their calls to a cell phone, only their desk phone rings, not their cell.
Forwarding to a co-worker
When you forward to an extension, a drop-down list lets you choose exactly where the call goes:
- User – to that person, following their own answering rules
- Handset – straight to their phone, skipping their answering rules
- Voicemail – straight to their voicemail
- Queue, Autoattendant, or Conference – to the queue, phone menu, or conference tied to that extension
Some choices may not show up, depending on that extension.
Which rule is active?
When no answering rule is in effect, calls simply ring your extension.
The active rule is the highest rule on the list whose time frame matches right now. If two rules match, like "Open Hours" and "Cell Forward" at 1 PM on a Friday, the one on top wins. Drag the arrows on the left of each rule to change the order.
Tip: Put your most specific rules, like Holidays, at the top.
Need a hand? Call UnaDial support at 833-651-DIAL (833-651-3425) or email support@unadial.com.