System information

System Administration Guide
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© 2007 InSciTek Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved. Allworx is a registered trademark of InSciTek Microsystems.
Revised: March 28, 2007
Page 66
15 Call Routing
15.1
Call Routing Concepts
15.1.1 Introduction
When we think of calling an extension, we think of the system causing a particular phone to ring. Thus, if I
tell you that my office extension is 106, you expect my office phone to ring when you dial it. Yet, we can
imagine some circumstances under which my phone will not ring when you dial 106. For example, if I’m
already on the phone, the system may send your call directly to my voicemail rather than give you a busy
signal. The Allworx
server call routing feature allows a call to an extension to be flexibly directed in this as
well as other ways. Some of these other ways are:
 Two phones might ring at the same time with either being able to answer the call.
 One phone might ring for 4 rings; then if no answer, another phone will ring.
 The call will be sent to a particular user’s voicemail.
 The call will be sent to an Auto Attendant.
 The call will be sent to a Call Queue.
 The call will be routed differently depending on who the caller is (using CallerID).
 The call will be routed differently if the person being called is in their office vs. at a meeting.
In this section, we will explain the concepts necessary to understand how to configure these capabilities.
15.1.2 Connection Attempt
Suppose that I have an administrative assistant, that I am expecting an important phone call, and that I don’t
want the caller to have to leave a voicemail message. I’d like to tell the system to first attempt to reach me by
ringing my office phone. If I don’t answer in 4 rings, then I want the system to call my assistant’s phone
(using a distinctive ring so the assistant will know it is a call for me). The Allworx
server calls each of these
attempts to reach someone a connection attempt. In this example, the system will be instructed to make two
connection attempts. The first connection attempt is to ring my office phone 4 times. If no answer, then it
should initiate a second connection attempt that will call my assistant.
One connection attempt can ring more than one phone. Suppose that during my work day, I often move back
and forth between my office and my lab. I don’t want to miss any calls, so I would like the system to ring both
phones at the same time and let me answer the call from either one. This would be set up as one connection
attempt, but with two phones in it.
15.1.3 Finally Clause
If the system can’t get someone to answer the phone in any of the connection attempts, then we might like
the call to be directed to our voicemail (or the Auto Attendant or to another dialed number or…). This last
direction for the call is called the finally clause. It tells the Allworx
server what to finally do after all connection
attempts have failed. If there are no connection attempts are defined, then the call is immediately directed to
the finally clause.