Time Controls
- Josh Daugherty (Deactivated)
Time Controls allow for configuration of call flow options based on a designated time frame.
Hours of operation can be configured through Time Controls, including emergency and holiday routing. Interactions can be rerouted, or customers can be presented with different messaging as configured.
Time Controls allow you to limit or expand call flow options based on a designated time frame. For example, you may want to customize your Auto Attendant options based on weekday or weekend hours.
Time Controls Interface
Name
The name (and summary) of your time control. Choose a name that makes the timeframe as clear as possible (e.g., M-F 8am-5:30pm, Holiday Hours, etc.).
Time Zone
Set the Time Zone for this particular instance. If you have multiple locations, you can create duplicate time zones controls.
Time Settings
Break down your Time Control by hours, months, and days.
Time Conditions
Determine next steps depending on whether your specified conditions are met (or not). For instance, after specifying business hours, you can determine how calls are routing during, and outside of, those hours.
Building a Time Control Instance
By default, the selected timeframe is 12:00am - 11:59pm, with no months or days selected. This means that any time conditions applied would be for any day, any week, and any time. In our example, we are going to set specific time controls for business hours (M-F, 8am-5pm).
After naming your Time Control and selecting the Time Zone, a bulk of the configuration occurs within the Time Settings.
Moving from left to right, we’ll first select our hourly timeframe.
When selecting specific hours, you can either type your specified time-frame, click and drag the endpoints, or click on the hourly links to the right.
Note: In the example above, we have 8:00am-5:00pm selected. If you need to switch the AM-PM designation (e.g., 5:00pm-8:00am), click the light teal space between your two endpoints to alternate the time wrapping.
The next step is to select the applicable months and/or weekdays for your Time Control.
In designating business hours, we want it to run, regardless of month. This means months aren’t necessary to define—so we won’t select anything in the month column.
In order to select weekdays instead of a specific calendar day, click the Pick By Weekday button above the calendar dates.
Click and drag the specific days you wish to select (M-F). You can use this click to drag method within the calendar and month selections as well.
Finally, enter a Time Name, and click Add. This will allow you to see a basic preview of your Time Control. Once you’ve confirmed that that Time Settings are correct, you’re ready to move to Time Conditions.
Time Conditions contain two options—what to do if your Time Controls are met and what to do if they aren’t (e.g., during business hours, or outside of business hours). Determine the routes for both options, then, click Save.
Test your Time Controls by clicking the Test Button at the top of the Time Control window. Input specific criteria for an inbound call, then click test. In the example below, a call coming in on a Thursday, during the month of August, at 11:08am would meet the criteria for Business Hours.
Note: If you link multiple time controls together, it is best to start with the most specific controls (e.g. Holidays) and transition to standard time controls (e.g. Business Hours). This ensures that the call is routed in the most efficient manner.
For more information, please contact your Client Success Manager.
This is one article in a series covering Admin Configuration topics.