Groups
RingRx Groups are used for routing communications to teams of users.
Group Features
Call Routing
Groups operate in one of three modes
Basic Call Routing
Calls placed to the extension of the group will:
If calls are recorded and play recording announcement is true a recording announcement will be played
If an entry media file is specified it will be played to callers
Members will be rung for call timeout seconds Each users Call behavior will be evaluated and followed
- Ring My Phone:
The users desk phone and mobile app will be tried
- Simultaneous Ring:
The users desk phone and mobile app will be tried as well as their Mobile number at the same time
- Sequential:
The users desk phone and mobile app will be tried THEN their mobile number
- Forward:
The users mobile number will be tried
If an exit media file is specified it will be played to callers
If a forward destination has been set, it will be tried
The call will go to the groups mailbox
Announcement Call Routing
Announcement groups are used to create an ad-hoc PA system using the speakers of desk phones in the office. There are two kinds of announcement groups
- Announcement:
There will be a tone after each member device joins to indicate when to begin speaking
- Announcement Mode B:
Tones are suppressed for member device joins. Use this for groups with many member devices
Calls placed to the extension of the group will:
If calls are recorded and play recording announcement is true a recording announcement will be played
If an entry media file is specified it will be played to callers
All members will be rung with the auto-answer flag set which will cause their phones to go off-hook on speaker. They will be muted so they will only receive audio from the caller like a PA system.
Any dialed party may press 2 on their phone to end the call and begin a 2-way conversation with the original caller
Note
If your facility includes an integrated announcement speaker, that device may be included in an announcement group to simultaneously announce from both
Queue Call Routing
Queue groups are used to create a more flexible and intelligent method of call distribution as there would be in a call center.
Full details are here: Queues
SMS Routing
If a phone number has their incoming SMS messages routed to a group, any received messages will be sent simultaneously to all group members. In this arrangement the group effectively becomes the person the phone number is having a text message conversation with.
When a message is received to a group:
A group message chat will start for all members of the group.
The off-network phone number will see replies as coming from the groups outbound SMS number
Note
Take care to make sure that the outbound SMS number routes back to the group to avoid confusion
When a group member responds to an inbound group message
All other members of the group will get that message sent to them
That message is sent to the outside phone number from the groups SMS number
The outside party has no visibility into which member of the group sent the reply keeping the appearance of a single presence.
Note
Copies of all group messages will exist in each group members mailbox. IF a user is removed from a group, they will retain group messages from the time they were a member. Newly added members will only receive group messages going forward.
Group Parameters
group type
- Default:
basic
- Description:
The behavior of the group (Basic, Announcement, Queue)
name
- Default:
empty
- Description:
The name of the group. Mostly descriptive but it can be used
extension
- Default:
empty
- Description:
The dialable extension of the group
group enable login
- Default:
false
- Description:
Enables the dynamic login/logout of members of this group using *91 / *92 star codes
call timeout
- Default:
24
- Description:
Number of seconds for call legs in the group to timeout
sequential
- Default:
false
- Description:
Indicates that group users should be rung sequentially. This only is used for basic groups
cnam prefix
- Default:
empty
- Description:
A string of text to pre-pend to the callerID name to be passed to the users. Can be used to add information to the call.
distinctive ring
- Default:
empty
- Description:
For Polycom phones only Will cause calls passing through the group to ring with a special cadence
entry media file
- Default:
empty
- Description:
A media file from the accounts media library that will be played to callers before users are tried. A key press by the caller will terminate the media file and skip to ringing the users.
exit media file
- Default:
empty
- Description:
A media file from the accounts media library that will be played to callers after all users have been tried without the call being answered. A key press by the caller will terminate the media file and skip to ringing the users. If a forward destination is specified or a mailbox, this file will be played before engaging either of those features.
forward destination
- Default:
empty
- Description:
An extension or phone number that the call will be offered to after all users have been tried. This destination will be tried for call timeout seconds
mailbox
- Default:
empty
- Description:
The voicemail box associated with the group. Calls that are not answered will end up in this voicemail box.
record calls
- Default:
false
- Description:
Will record calls to this group. Recorded calls will be found attached to the CDRs
play recording announcement
- Default:
false
- Description:
Incoming calls will have an announcement played (before the entry media file) to indicate that calls will be recorded.
Queue Group Parameters
These parameters only apply to queue mode groups
q_max_callers
- Default:
20
- Description:
The maximum number of callers that can be waiting in queue
q_max_callers_dest
- Default:
empty
- Description:
The destination extension new callers are sent to when the queue already has the maximum number of callers waiting
q_max_wait
- Default:
1800
- Description:
The maximum number of seconds a caller will be permitted to sit in queue. Defaults to 30min
q_max_wait_dest
- Default:
empty
- Description:
The destination extension callers in queue will be sent to when their hold time exceeds the max wait
q_moh
- Default:
empty
- Description:
Music on hold to be played while users are in queue
q_alarm_on_max_wait
- Default:
false
- Description:
Send alarm to all moderators and the queue alarm destination when a call reaches the max wait time
q_alarm_on_max_callers
- Default:
false
- Description:
Send alarm to all moderators and the queue alarm destination when a call is rejected because the queue is at max callers
q_alarm_email
- Default:
empty
- Description:
Comma separated list of additional emails to receive queue alarms (in addition to moderators)
q_alarm_wrapup
- Default:
0
- Description:
How many seconds to allow an agent for post-call activities before making them eligable for another call from the queue
q_alarm_holddown
- Default:
30
- Description:
How many seconds to suppress offering an agent a call after they failed to answer one (minimum is 10)
q_agent_dist_alg
- Default:
Round-Robin
- Description:
How calls should be assigned from the queue to users
Round-Robin: Each user is assigned calls in equal rotation
Longest Idle: The agent who has been idle the longest is assigned the next call