Answering rules: forwarding, simultaneous ring and do not disturb

Answering rules decide what happens when someone calls a user’s extension. Should it ring their desk phone and cell phone together? Forward to a coworker when they’re busy? Go straight to voicemail during lunch? Answering rules handle all of that.

How answering rules work

• Each rule is tied to a time frame, such as business hours, after hours, or a holiday. See Time frames: business hours, holidays and more.
• A user can have several rules. The portal checks them from the top of the list down. The first rule whose time frame is active right now is the one that’s used.
• There is a Default rule that covers all other times. It always stays at the bottom as your catch-all, and it can be edited but not deleted.
• The rule in use right now is marked Active.

Tip: Put your most specific rules at the top. For example: Holiday first, then After Hours, then the default rule at the bottom.

Set how long the phone rings

At the top of the page, Ring for sets how many seconds the extension rings before the call moves on (usually to voicemail). You can enter 5 to 7200 seconds. Each ring is about 5 seconds.

• About 30 seconds (6 rings) is a good standard.
• If you forward or simultaneously ring a cell phone or other outside number, use 45 to 60 seconds. Some mobile carriers take a while to connect, and a short ring time can send the call to voicemail before the cell phone even rings.

Add or edit a rule

1. Open the user’s Answering Rules tab.
2. Select Add Rule, or the pencil icon on an existing rule. To delete a rule, select the red x on its row.
3. Choose a Time Frame. The rule only applies during this time. The list shows your company’s time frames and the user’s own.
4. Pick the options you want (see the list below).
5. Select Save.
6. To change the order, drag a rule up or down by the arrow handle at the left of its row.

What each option does

• Enabled — Turns the rule on or off without deleting it.
• Do not disturb — Phones don’t ring. Calls go straight to voicemail.
• Call screening — Callers are asked to say their name. You hear it and decide whether to take the call.
• Call Forwarding: Always — Every call forwards to the extension or number you enter. Phones don’t ring.
• Call Forwarding: On Active — Forwards new calls while the user is already on a call.
• Call Forwarding: When Busy — Forwards if the user’s phone reports that it’s busy. It’s grayed out when it doesn’t apply.
• Call Forwarding: When Unanswered — Forwards if no one answers within the Ring for time. Without it, unanswered calls go to voicemail.
• Call Forwarding: When Offline — Forwards if the user’s phones can’t be reached, for example during a power or internet outage. This is a great safety net.
• Simultaneous Ring — Check Enabled to ring several places at once, such as the desk phone, the ConnectUC app, and a cell phone.
• Just ring user’s extension — Rings only the user’s own extension, with no forwarding or extra numbers.

Choosing a forwarding destination

When you type an extension into a forwarding box, a list appears so you can pick exactly what to send the call to:

• User — The person at that extension, following their own answering rules.
• Handset — Only that person’s phone, skipping their answering rules.
• Voicemail — Straight to that extension’s voicemail box.
• Queue, Auto Attendant, or Conference — The queue, menu, or bridge at that extension.

Always pick both the extension and the type. An extension with no type selected usually means the forwarding won’t work as expected.

Simultaneous Ring options

Inside Simultaneous Ring you’ll also see:

• Include user’s extension — Rings the user’s own phone along with the other destinations.
• Ring all user’s phones (all registered devices of this current user) — Rings every phone and app the user is signed in to.
• Answer confirmation for offnet numbers — When a call rings an outside number like a cell phone, the person must press 1 to accept. This stops the cell phone’s own voicemail from grabbing the call.
• A number box — Enter an extension or phone number to ring. Select the clock button to add a ring delay (in seconds) for that number, and the green + button to add another number.

Note: Simultaneous Ring rings phones, not people. If you add a coworker’s extension, their phone rings, but their own forwarding rules don’t kick in. To ring someone’s ConnectUC mobile app, add their extension followed by m, such as 101m.

Heads up: Always turn on Answer confirmation for offnet numbers when you ring a cell phone. Without it, a missed call can end up in the cell phone’s voicemail instead of your office voicemail.

Block unwanted callers

Select Allow / Block at the top of the Answering Rules tab to add Allowed Numbers and Blocked Numbers for this user. You can also check Block anonymous or unknown to stop calls that hide their caller ID.

• Blocked callers hear a fast busy or a “not in service” message.
• Allowed callers skip call screening and the portal’s do not disturb, so they always get through. Do not disturb set on the desk phone itself still applies.

Find-me/follow-me

“Find-me/follow-me” means trying the desk phone first, then reaching the person somewhere else. You can build it two ways:

• Use Simultaneous Ring with a delay on the cell phone, so the desk phone rings first and the cell joins a few seconds later.
• Or use Call Forwarding: When Unanswered to send the call to the cell phone after the desk phone rings out.

Example: a typical setup

• Holidays time frame: Do not disturb (straight to voicemail).
• Business Hours time frame: Simultaneous Ring on the desk phone and a cell phone (with a 10-second delay), and Call Forwarding: When Unanswered to the front desk.
• Default rule (all other times, including after hours): Call Forwarding: Always to the on-call phone, or voicemail.

Common questions

My rule isn’t working. What should I check?

Make sure the rule’s Enabled box is checked, that its time frame covers the current time, and that no rule above it is also active. Only the first matching rule is used. Also check that the time frame still exists. If a time frame is deleted, rules that used it stop working until you pick a new one.

What happens if no one answers and voicemail is off?

The call ends. If you turn voicemail off for a user, give them a When Unanswered forward so callers always reach someone.

Can I forward calls to an international number?

Forwarding to international numbers isn’t supported. Contact support if you need a workaround.

What’s the difference between Do Not Disturb here and on my phone?

The answering rule sends calls to voicemail on every device you use. A desk phone’s own DND button usually affects only that phone.

Related articles

• Time frames: business hours, holidays and more
• Set up voicemail
• How a call travels through your phone system
• ConnectUC overview