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Call Forwarding Rules

What are call forwarding rules?

The call forwarding rules feature allows you to configure what 3CX Phone System should do with an incoming call that you are unable to take. Depending on your current status, the callers caller ID and the time, you can forward calls to voice mail, to another extension or your mobile. You can set specific call forwarding rules based on your current status. For example, if you are unable to take a call whilst your status is ‘Available’, you can forward the call to voice mail, whilst if your status is set to ‘Out of Office’ you could forward it to your mobile. Call forwarding needs to be configured for each status and the options available can differ.

It is possible to have your status set to out of office and back to available based on your working hours. This can be done from the ‘Office Hours’ tab in the ‘Extension Settings’ tab.

Call forwarding when available

If your status is set to available, calls can be treated differently based on whether you’re on the phone or simply unable to answer the call (no answer).

No Answer

To configure what 3CX should do when you are unable to answer the call

1. First you need to define what constitutes ‘No Answer’. At the top, specify the time in seconds that you want the system to wait before it considers the call unanswered.

2. Now select one of the following options

  • Send call to Voice Mail (of that extension)
  • Send call to my mobile
  • Send call to another extension
  • Disconnect

3. You can define different behaviour for internal calls if you wish

Phone is Busy

To configure what 3CX should do if you are already on a call

1. Select one of the following options
  • Send call to Voice Mail (of that extension)
  • Send call to mobile number
  • Send call to extension
  • Give busy tone to caller

2. Decide whether you want to be able to receive a second call. If you want to take a second call when you are already on the phone, you will need to tick the “I want to be able to accept more then 1 call at the same time” option. Note that your phone needs to be able to support more then 1 call, and that in this case your ‘Phone is Busy’ options will rarely kick in.

3. You can define different behaviors for internal calls if you wish.

4. Click OK to save your configuration!

Call forwarding when away

If your status is set to away, calls will be forwarded based on whether they are internal or external. This option will override any other rules and forward ALL calls to the configured destination. To configure it:

1. Select one of the following options for both internal and external calls

  • Send calls to your Voice Mail
  • Send calls to your mobile
  • Send calls to another extension
  • Send calls to an external number using 302 diversion header – this an advanced option that requires a direct DID. In this case, the call will be forwarded using the temporarily moved SIP response. This requires support from your VoIP provider or VoIP Gateway. Use only after consultation with your administrator.
  • An external number or Skype ID

2. If you selected forwarding to an external number, you can specify whether you wish to use the option ‘Offer option to confirm to accept’ feature. This feature allows you to reject the call and send it to the company voice mail system. This avoids the call being sent to your mobile voice mailbox. How this works:

  • 3CX Phone System informs the caller “Please hold while we locate” “John” (user’s ID message) and puts the caller on hold (hold music).
  • 3CX now calls the specified external number and announces to you “You have a call from “0123456789″ “Press 1 to take call, press 2 or hang-up to send to voicemail”. If you don’t pick up within 30 seconds it goes to voicemail.

3. You can also decide whether you want calls received outside of the company office hours to be redirected as well. If you do not select this option, calls outside office hours will be forwarded to voice mail.

4. Click OK to save your configuration!

Note: forwarding calls to a Skype ID requires the Skype gateway to be installed and running.

Call forwarding when Out Of Office

If your status is set to Out Of Office, then calls can be forwarded based on whether they are internal or external. Configuration is identical to the away setting, however typically you would want calls to be treated differently depending on whether you are away (i.e. at a meeting) our out of the office (working from home for example).

Call forwarding for Custom #1 and Custom #2 status

In addition to the available, away and out of office statuses, 3CX has two additional statuses that can be used. The Custom #1 status call forwarding is identical to the available status, and the Custom #2 status call forwarding is identical to the away status. The additional statuses are there so that you can quickly switch to a status that should behave differently from the standard statuses.

Exceptions

It is possible to configure a number of exceptions to the call forwarding rules. For example, you could configure a rule so that a call of an important customer will always be forwarded to your mobile, independent of the global setting. To do this:

1.Go to the ‘Exceptions’ tab and click ‘Add Rule’

2. Enter the Caller ID of the person in question.

3. Now specify whether this rule will be applied during or outside office hours, or even specific hours

4. Specify where the call should be forwarded and click OK

Note: There is a maximum of 15 call forwarding exceptions per extension.