Cascade Outbound Rules?

[MucCX]

Hi,

I need to address various issues with outbound rules:

- Format the phone number entered (4 rules)
- Choose different provider depending on destination number (using call-by-call prefix) or block number (2 rules)
- Choose one of several outgoing lines (depending on custom prefix dialled) (4 different lines)

If I want to provide for every combination, I have to create 32 (4x4x2) rules.

Is there a way to cascade the outbound rules, so that I have to create only 10 rules?

1. Determine outgoing line (4 rules)
2. Format the number (4 rules)
3. Block certain outgoing numbers or choose provider on call-by-call basis (2 rules)

Thanks

 

[JohnS_3CX]

Hi @MucCX

The way the rules are cascaded, is simply by reordering them up or down the list (since they are checked in a top-down fashion).

You will have have to create separate rules depending on what you want and then order them accordingly, so if you need to have multiple validations, you will necessarily need multiple rules.

 

[MucCX]

Thanks for your quick reply.

Based on your answer, I am uncertain whether I expressed my problem correctly...

I do understand the ordering of the rules. Maybe 'cascading' is wrong or misleading.

I have to provide for (at least) 32 combinations but I want to avoid creating 32 different rules, as this would become difficult to manage (and understand).

So what I am hoping to achieve is that, for example,
- At a first stage, the formatting rules are applied but no number is yet dialed.
- Then, in a second stage, the number is checked and either blocked or a certain provider prefix is added but still no number is dialed.
- Then, in a third stage, the outgoing line is chosen and only then the number (formatted and with provider prefix) is dialed on the line chosen.

So maybe a better way to describe this would be multi-pass or iterative application of the outbound rules.

That way, I would only create 10 rules instead of 32.

So, is there a way for me to only create 10 rules but provide for all 32 combinations?

Thanks

 

[JohnS_3CX]

Understood. The way 3CX works, the steps are "all-in-one" per rule so you can't break it down to multi-stage rules in the way you describe.

You will have to create 32 rules in this case (or as many as needed)

 

[leejor]

In SIP, unlike many older systems, The digits are all sent at once to be analysed, not collected one at a time, until a pattern is matched. So 3CX has to work with the entire number as dialled. However, as mentioned, 3CX compares the digits dialled, to the outbound rules, from the top down, using the first match, even if there is another, further down the list.