Receiving Numbers

A receiving number is a phone number that we will forward calls to when someone calls your tracking number. It can be a mobile number, a landline, or the number for your call center. If you have a phone number that people are calling today, it can be a receiving number.

Receiving numbers can be used in a few different ways in your call routing:

• Forward your tracking number directly to one or more receiving numbers
• Use a receiving number as a no-answer routing option for another feature (such as a queue)
• Assign receiving numbers to one or more zip codes within a geo router

Click here to watch the Receiving Number video tutorial.

Adding a New Receiving Number

This initial setup guide will create a receiving number in your account that you can use in your call routing.  If you wish to configure additional options, review the Advanced Settings section below after saving your receiving number.

If you wish to have this receiving number dial a SIP client, please see this article for more information.

1. Navigate to Numbers → Receiving Numbers.
2. If you do not have a receiving number in your account, you'll be directed to create a new receiving number.  Otherwise, click New Receiving Number in the upper right corner of the page.
3. Enter your receiving number and optional description in the fields provided (use the drop-down menu to change the country code, if needed).
4. Click Save Changes.

Another way to add new receiving numbers is to create them from the tracking number settings page.  If you wish to route your tracking numbers directly to one or more receiving numbers, you can use this method for easy setup.  See this article for more information on routing your tracking numbers to receiving numbers.

1. Navigate to Numbers → Tracking Numbers and click edit next to the tracking number you want to route to a new receiving number.
2. Click or scroll to the Call Routing section of the page.
3. Use the drop-down menu to select Dial Receiving Numbers.
4. Click + Add Receiving Number to add a new row to the list.
5. Enter the number you wish to route calls to.  If needed, you can add more receiving numbers to be dialed.  Each number you enter here will create a new receiving number in your account.
6. Click Save Changes.

Advanced Settings

Dialing an Extension

If your receiving number allows you to dial directly to an extension, you can configure that extension as part of the receiving number in your CTM account.  

If your phone system requires pauses between extension digits (for example, to navigate multiple menu options), enter a w character for each half second of wait time needed.  For example, if you want to first enter a menu option of 3 and then dial the 1928 extension,  you would enter 3ww1928 in the extension field.  If you only need a pause before dialing the entire extension, you can use the "Dial Pause" drop-down instead.

To configure an extension:

1. Navigate to Numbers → Receiving Numbers and click edit next to the number you wish to edit.
2. In the General section on the settings page, click "click to add a custom dial extension."
3. Enter the extension to dial in the field and configure any Dial Pause needed.
   • Note: if you're not sure whether you need a Dial Pause, try some test calls once your number has been configured.  You may need to consult a phone systems expert for the receiving number if you experience issues.

 

Advanced Whisper Settings

This section allows you to configure a whisper message specifically for this number.  If there is a whisper message set up on the call settings configuration associated with the tracking number that routed calls to this receiving number, the message you set up here will override the message on the call settings.

 

Prevent Recording

Turning on this option will automatically turn off recordings for calls routed to this phone number. NOTE: this does not apply to calls routed via a queue or transferred via the softphone at this time. 

 

Enhanced Forwarding

In this section, you can add additional features to forwarded phone lines, including the ability to stop and start recording, as well as redirecting to a call scoring IVR after disconnecting from an incoming caller. 

 

Scheduled Routing

You can apply a schedule to this receiving number to control what will happen to your call route outside of the schedule's specified hours. 

Note: if you have a tracking number routing to multiple receiving numbers, schedules assigned in the receiving number's settings will not apply.

For more information about schedules, see the full article here.

 

No-Answer Routing

Configuring no-answer routing allows you to control what happens to the call if the receiving number is busy or isn't answered.  

To configure no-answer routing on your receiving number:

1. Navigate to Numbers → Receiving Numbers and click edit next to the number you wish to edit.
2. Scroll to the No-Answer Routing section of the page.
3. Use the drop-down menu to select where you want the call to go if this receiving number is busy.  The following options are available:
   • Hangup / Busy signal (default)
   • Phone Number
   • Voice Menu
   • Queue
   • Smart Router
   • Virtual Agent
4. Select a specific receiving number, menu, queue, smart router, or virtual agent that you wish to route to.  If you haven't created the routing feature you want to use, you'll need to do that and refresh the page to select it here.
5. Next, choose how long you want the call to ring to this receiving number before the no-answer route is used.  By default, this is set to 45 seconds.
6. Click Save Changes.

By default, no-answer routing is not configured (calls will hang up if the receiving number is busy or unanswered unless the receiving number has its own voicemail that answers the call).

 

Forwarding Rules

When forwarding phone calls to this phone number you may use this option to adjust the outbound Caller ID set on the forwarded phone call directed to this receiving number. This will only work when forwarding to one number.

Agent 

This section allows you to assign an agent to calls that are routed to this receiving number.  If you are using the Salesforce integration, you can also use this section to assign a default Salesforce lead owner if an agent does not answer the call.

By default, calls are only routed to agents when they answer a call from a queue or a call that is routed directly to the agent.

 

Tagging Hours

If you are using automatic call tagging rules, you can set tagging hours by receiving number to have tags applied only during the hours you define in a schedule. 

You can also use the "after-hours time limit" field in this section to set a maximum duration for calls that are received outside of the specified scheduled times.  (This option can be used to help combat spam calls, but other options—such as voice menus—are more effective.  See this article for more information.)

To configure tagging hours:

1. Navigate to Numbers → Receiving Numbers and click edit next to the number you wish to edit.
2. Click or scroll to the Tagging Hours section of the page.
3. Use the drop-down to select the schedule you wish to apply.
4. Click Save Changes.

 

Settings 

The source tag field in this section allows you to append extra data to this receiving number for use with the CallTrackingMetrics API.  If you are an API user and need to attach an additional field, such as an ID number, to individual receiving numbers, use this field to enter that information.

By default, the source tag is not configured.  This feature is only for use with the API.