Priorities determine which schedule or call routing rule takes precedence when multiple conditions could apply at the same time. The system processes the highest-priority rule first, then evaluates lower-priority rules if the higher one does not apply.
Example Scenario:
Priority 1 (Highest): Route all calls received during business hours (Monday-Friday, 9 AM-5 PM) to a live receptionist.
Priority 2: Route after-hours calls (Monday-Friday, 5 PM-9 AM, weekends) to voicemail.
Priority 3: For specific holidays, route all calls to a pre-recorded message informing callers that the office is closed.
How the System Processes the Rules:
During business hours (Priority 1): Calls will be routed to the receptionist, ignoring the other two rules because Priority 1 has been activated.
After hours (Priority 2): Calls will be routed to voicemail, as Priority 1 is no longer active.
During holidays (Priority 3): Calls will be routed to the holiday message even if it’s during business hours or after-hours. This happens because the holiday rule is the highest priority for that day.
Setting Up Call Flow Priorities
Step 1: Define Call Entry Points
Assign a phone number, extension, or call group as the entry point for the call flow.
Make sure the phone number or extension is active and correctly linked to a specific individual or department.
Step 2: Configure Call Routing and Assign Priorities
In the "Schedules and Call Flows" section, create schedules for each condition (e.g., business hours, after hours, holidays).
Assign priorities to each schedule. The lower the priority number (e.g., 1), the higher the rule’s priority.
Ensure that higher-priority rules cover special cases, such as holidays or emergencies, while lower-priority rules apply to general conditions (e.g., business hours).
Step 3: Set Up Actions for Each Priority
Forward to Extension: During high-priority conditions, route calls to the designated extensions or groups.
Play Pre-Recorded Greeting: Set up greetings for lower-priority conditions, like after-hours messages.
Send to Voicemail: For lower-priority cases, such as weekends or after-hours, send calls to voicemail.
External Number Forwarding: For critical after-hours or holiday scenarios, forward calls to a manager’s cell phone or an external answering service.
Troubleshooting Priorities in Call Flows
If your call flow isn't functioning as expected, the priority settings may be the issue. Here are common problems and their solutions:
1. Incorrect Call Routing (Priorities Not Working):
Issue: Calls aren’t being routed to the intended destination despite being within the set schedule.
Possible Cause: The priority for the schedule is incorrectly assigned, or a lower-priority rule is overriding the correct one.
Solution:
Verify that the highest-priority rule (with the lowest priority number) applies during the desired time frame.
Review all schedules to ensure there are no overlapping rules with the same priority that could create conflicts.
Make sure that no time conflicts occur between schedules with the same priority.
2. Time-Based Rules Not Activating Properly:
Issue: Time-based routing isn't working as expected (e.g., after-hours calls are not being forwarded to voicemail).
Possible Cause: The system time zone may be incorrectly set, or the time-based priority rule has a lower priority than another active rule.
Solution:
Check that the system’s time zone matches your local time zone.
Ensure that time-based rules are assigned the correct priority. For example, after-hours rules should have a higher priority (lower number) than general business hour rules.
3. Call Looping or Dropping:
Issue: Calls keep looping back to the main menu or are dropped unexpectedly.
Possible Cause: A misconfigured call flow with an incorrect priority is causing a loop, or the system doesn’t know how to handle a specific condition.
Solution:
Review each step in the call flow to ensure there are no circular references (e.g., forwarding a call back to the entry point).
Check that final actions (such as sending calls to voicemail) are correctly configured as fallback options for when no other rule applies.
4. Voicemail Not Activating:
Issue: Calls are not going to voicemail, even when no one is available to answer the call.
Possible Cause: The voicemail rule may have a lower priority than another active call routing rule, causing the system to ignore it.
Solution:
Ensure that the voicemail rule has the lowest priority for that time slot or condition.
Verify that the voicemail is properly linked to the correct mailbox, and the mailbox isn’t full or disabled.
5. External Call Forwarding Not Working:
Issue: Calls aren't being forwarded to an external number during after-hours or emergency situations.
Possible Cause: The external forwarding rule may have a priority that is too low, or the number may be incorrectly formatted.
Solution:
Ensure that the external forwarding rule is set to the appropriate priority.
Check the formatting of the external number, including the country code, and verify that it is allowed by the VoIP provider.
Best Practices for Using Priorities in Call Flows
Test Priority Rules Thoroughly: After setting up each rule, test how the system behaves for different times and conditions. Confirm that higher-priority rules override lower ones as expected.
Use Simple Priorities Where Possible: Overcomplicating priority levels can lead to confusion and routing errors. Start with simple, logical priorities and increase complexity only when necessary.
Monitor Call Logs: Review call logs regularly to see how the system is routing calls based on priorities. This can help catch issues early and give insights into how callers are navigating the system.
Document Priority Rules: Keep a document or internal guide on how your organization’s call flows are prioritized. This ensures that future changes don’t inadvertently disrupt the call flow.