Time Schedule Basics
Configure different routing rules for business hours, after hours, and holidays
Understanding Time Schedules
Time schedules allow you to configure different routing rules for different days of the week and times of the day. This enables sophisticated call handling that adapts to your business needs.
Key Principle:
The Default schedule should be considered as your After Hours schedule. Create specific time schedules for business hours and let all calls outside those times flow through the Default.
Step 1: Understanding the Default Schedule
Every phone number has a Default schedule that exists automatically. This schedule handles all calls that don't match any other time rules you've defined.
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Best Practice: Use the Default schedule for your after-hours routing. This ensures callers always reach voicemail or an after-hours message when your office is closed.
Step 2: Creating a Business Hours Schedule
Let's add a business hours schedule. Click the [+Add] button in the top right of the Time Schedules panel.
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Give your new schedule a descriptive name like "Office Hours" and choose the Weekly type for regular business hours. We'll look at overrides for holidays in another tutorial.
Step 3: Understanding the Interface
After creating the Office Hours schedule, notice these 3 very important key differences:
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Schedule Button
Office Hours schedule selection button
Right Panel
Office Hours highlighted in the right panel
Active Label
Active schedule label shows "Office Hours"
Important: These indicators show which schedule you're currently managing. Always check these before attaching profiles to ensure you're working with the correct schedule.
Step 4: Configure After Hours (Default Schedule)
First, let's set up the after-hours routing. Click on the Default schedule selection button and attach the After Hours VM.
Attaching voicemail
Voicemail attached
Step 5: Adding Time Rules to Office Hours
Click the Office Hours selection button to switch to that schedule. You'll see there are no profiles or time rules yet.
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There are 2 steps to creating time rules:
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1
Select days and times
Choose the days and time range, then add the rule to the Time Rules block
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2
Save the changes
Click Save to apply the time rules to the schedule
Step 1: Add rule
Step 2: Save changes
If the rules have been added successfully, you'll see them displayed in the schedule listing on the right panel:
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Step 6: Attach Business Hours Profiles
Finally, add the main ring group and business hours voicemail to the Office Hours schedule:
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Notice: The selections and label clearly identify that you're managing the Office Hours schedule. Always verify these indicators before making changes.
How It All Works Together
During Business Hours (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
The Office Hours schedule is active. Calls route through the business ring group and overflow to business voicemail if unanswered.
After Business Hours (Evenings & Weekends)
The Default schedule takes over. Calls go directly to the after-hours voicemail with appropriate greeting.
Automatic Switching
The system automatically switches between schedules based on the current time - no manual intervention needed!
Best Practices
- • Use descriptive names for schedules (e.g., "Office Hours", "Lunch Break", "Public Holidays")
- • Always configure the Default schedule first as your safety net
- • Test your schedules by checking what's active at different times
- • Consider time zones if you serve customers in different locations
- • Create holiday schedules using the override type for special dates
- • Document your schedule logic for team members to understand
Common Schedule Examples
Standard Business
- • Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm
- • Lunch (optional): Mon-Fri, 12pm-1pm
- • Default: All other times
Extended Support
- • Primary: Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm
- • Weekend: Sat, 9am-2pm
- • Default: Evenings & Sunday
24/7 Operations
- • Day Shift: 7am-3pm
- • Evening Shift: 3pm-11pm
- • Night Shift: 11pm-7am
Retail Hours
- • Weekdays: Mon-Fri, 10am-7pm
- • Saturday: 10am-6pm
- • Sunday: 11am-5pm
You Can Now:
Create multiple time schedules and attach different profiles from the available profiles list. Each schedule can have its own unique routing configuration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a time schedule in phone routing?
A time schedule allows you to route calls differently based on the day of the week and time of day. For example, business hours calls can go to a ring group while after-hours calls go to voicemail.
What is the Default schedule?
The Default schedule is your fallback routing that handles all calls outside of any defined time rules. It's typically used as your after-hours schedule.
Can I have multiple time schedules active?
Yes, you can create multiple schedules with different time rules. The system automatically determines which schedule is active based on the current time and applies the appropriate routing.
How do I set up business hours routing?
Create a new schedule named "Office Hours", add time rules for your business days/hours, then attach your business routing profiles (like ring groups) to that schedule.
What happens if time schedules overlap?
The most specific schedule takes precedence. Custom schedules override the Default schedule during their defined time periods.
Can I create holiday schedules?
Yes, you can create special schedules for holidays using the override type, which takes precedence over regular weekly schedules.