What are Answering Rules?

Answering Rules can be configured by each user through the Primecall Web Portal. Once logged in, users can navigate to the Answering Rules Tab. 

Users with Office Manager access are able to adjust other user’s answering rules on their account. 
Once logged in as an Office Manager, navigate to the Users tab. Select the User whose rule need to be adjusted. Then click on the Answering Rules Tab.  

Here users can adjust their ring time, allow/block phone numbers, and add and adjust time frame answering rules.

Ring Time Adjustment

The Ring Time for the user can be adjusted using the drop-down menu. This is the amount of time that the user’s phone(s) will ring for on an incoming call. 

Ring Time Options

• 5 second intervals from 5 to 90 seconds
• 30 second intervals from 90 to 300 seconds
• 1200 seconds
• Unlimited

The Allow/Block Tool

The Allow/Block button will allow users to modify which numbers are allowed or blocked for the user.

Allowed Numbers

Calls from allowed numbers bypass call screening and server side Do Not Disturb (not phone DND). 

To allow numbers for this user, 

1. In the ALLOWED NUMBERS section, type in a telephone number in the Enter a number box.
2. Click the Add  button.
3. Repeats steps 1 and 2 as needed for additional numbers.
4. Click Done.

Blocked Numbers

Calls from blocked numbers receive a fast busy or number disconnected message. 

To block numbers for this user…

1. In the BLOCKED NUMBERS section, type in a telephone number in the Enter a number box.
2. Click the Add  button.
3. Repeats steps 1 and 2 as needed for additional numbers.
4. If you would like to block anonymous or unknown numbers, select Block anonymous or unknown.
5. Click Done.

Spam Calls

Calls that are identified as Spam can be routed in a variety of ways using the Spam Calls section of the Allow/Block tool.

• Notify – Let spam calls through like a normal call.
• Send To Voicemail – Send spam calls directly to the your voicemail.
• Drop Call – Disconnect the spam call immediately.
• Screen Call – Screen the spam call by asking the caller for their name before sending the call through.

Add an Answering Rules

Adding additional answering rules allows you specify alternate call answering rules in a different time frame (e.g., separate call routing for weekends). To add an answering rule for this user:

1. Click the Add Rule button.
   
   

   ✔ The Add an Answering Rulemodal will appear.

   

2. Use the Time Frame drop-down to select a time frame. 
   
   

   Quick Tip: Choices shown are the ones that have previously configured in the Time Frames page.

3. If this answering rule should not yet be active, uncheck the Enabled box to disable this rule.
   
4. If necessary, select Do not disturb to send all calls to your voicemail when this answering rule is active.
   
5. If needed, select Call screening to have callers say their name when they call to allow the call to be screened when answered.
   
6. If calls should be forwarded elsewhere for this answering rule, use the Call Forwarding section to select when and where calls should be sent:
   
   • Always - immediately forward calls to the number specified in the text field. No other forward rules will be followed.
   • On Active - forward calls to the destination if the user's phone is already on a call.
   • When busy - will forward calls to the destination if the reject button is pressed on an incoming call.
   • When unanswered - forward calls to the number specified in the text field if the call is not answered after the specified ring timeout.
   • When offline - automatically forward calls to the number specified in the text field when no devices are registered. This means that no devices, physical or virtual, are registered to Primecall. (for example, during a power outage).
     

     Destination Options for Forwarding

      
7. If multiple phones you own should ring for this answering rule, use the Simultaneous ring checkbox and its other options to fine-tune how these phones ring:
   • Include user’s extension- Check to ring the phone that shares your extension number.
   • Ring all user’s phones - Ring all of your phones at the same time (softphones and desk phones).
   • Answer confirmation for Offnet Numbers - When conducting a simring to a cell/landline, this feature ensures that the answering party is a person instead of voicemail by requesting the answering agent to press 1 to accept the call.
     
      
   • In the field for entering an extension, number, or phone, you can enter the extension or phone number of another telephone you want to ring.
   • Click the clock icon to specify a ring delay. A ring delay allows you to enter the amount of time before the call rings at the destination. 
   • To add additional phones to the simring, click the Add  icon.
8. To only ring your main phone that has your extension, select Just ring user’s extension.
9. Once the answering rule has been configured, click the Save button.
   

Change Your Active Answering Rule

You can define multiple answering rules, but only one rule can be active at a time. The active rule is the top-most rule with an active time frame.

Best practices dictate that you order answering rules according to how specific they are and their priority, with the highest priority time frames (for example, Temporary Forwards and Holidays) at the top. The default time frame can be used as a ‘catch all’ or ‘after hours’ timeframe if other timeframes are applied.

Reprioritize Answering Rules

1. In the Answering Rules page, find the rule you want to adjust the priority for.
2. On the left side of an answering rule, hover the mouse over the up/down arrows for that rule.
   
3. Click and drag the answering rule to where it should be in the list. 
   

   ✔ A message should appear letting you know that the answering rules have been reprioritized before prompting you to click Save like so:

   

4. Click the Save button. 
   

   ✔ The Active tag will appear next to the top-most time frame that is currently active.

   

   
   
   
    

• User - Forward calls to the user at the specified extension and follow their user-answering rules.
• Phone - Bypass the user-answering rules and forward calls to the handset associated with the specified user.
• Voicemail - Forward calls to voicemail at the specified extension.
• Queue - Forward calls to the queue associated with this user.
• Auto Attendant - Forward calls to the auto-attendant associated with this user.
• Off-Net-Number – a 10-digit Phone Number can be entered as a destination.