Agent Routing Rules for Queues

This article covers detailed queue settings information. We recommend you start by following the instructions in this article before proceeding. 

These features are available in the Sales Engage, Enterprise, Growth, and Connect plans.

Agent routing rules allow you to customize when agents are dialed in a queue. With these rules, you can:

• Set Agent Order
• Assign queue-specific schedules to an agent
• Assign caller locations (by area code) to be routed to an agent
• Limit an agent's calls by hour, day, week, or month
• Assign weights to determine the order in which agents are dialed
• Route calls to an agent based on tags
• Customize recording and agent prompt settings
• Set which device types can be used to answer queue calls
• Allow agents to toggle availability in specific queues

The same settings page is used for all agent routing rules settings. This page can be accessed from the call queues list page or a specific queue's settings page.

From the queue list page:

1. Navigate to Flows → Queues.
2. Locate the Agents column in your list of existing queues.
3. Click edit agent routing rules for the queue you wish to edit.

From a specific queue:

1. Navigate to Flows → Queues.
2. Click Edit next to the queue you wish to edit.
3. Click or scroll down to the Agents section of the settings page.
4. Click Edit Agent Routing Rules.

Agent Order

This is the active state of the call queue round robin list. You can adjust the order of the queue by adjusting the weighting for each agent. The list is rebuilt when you modify the call queue.

To change the order of the agents, click on Edit Order Manually. Please note that when manual mode is set, if an agent is deleted from the account, they can show up as Not Set within manual mode, so you will want to delete them from the list here as well. Otherwise, it can cause calls not to route properly. To turn off manual mode, click Disable Manual Mode. 

Scheduled Routing

Scheduled routing applies a schedule specific to this agent for this queue. Even if the queue is currently active and able to route calls to agents, the agent will only be dialed in this queue during the times defined by the schedule set here.

Agents in multiple queues may have a different schedule for each queue they are in.

To apply a schedule for an agent, click the drop-down menu under Scheduled Routing and select the schedule you wish to use. If necessary, click new schedule to create a schedule first.

Location-Based Routing

Location-based routing will route calls to this agent only if the caller's number matches geo rules that you define. This option works well if you have multiple agents in the same queue, but each agent handles callers from different areas.

To apply location-based routing, scroll to the Location-based routing section of the page, and in the geo rules box, enter your rule. Then save your changes.

Limit-Based Routing

Limit-based routing sets specific limits on the number of calls this agent can receive from this queue. Limits can be set for a sliding window of time (so that the agent never receives more than three calls during any 24-hour period, for example) or for a set calendar day or month. You can customize which calls will count toward this limit by setting a required call length or a required reporting tag that must be applied to the call (such as "appointment booked").

To set a sliding window limit, use the fields and the drop-down menu to set the allowed number of calls per hour, day, week, or month.

To set a limit based on calendar days, use the fields and the drop-down menu to set the allowed number of calls per calendar day or month.

Weighting-Based Routing

Weighting-based routing allows you to set a tiered order in which the agents will be dialed. Agents with higher weights will be rung first when multiple agents are available. For example, set the agents you wish to be dialed to first at a weight of 10, set the next agents to be dialed at a weight of 9, and so on. Agents with the same weight will be dialed simultaneously.

It is recommended to use simultaneous routing when using Weighting-Based Routing. 

Note: Click the Activity Type drop-down to select Calls Only or Chats Only

Max Concurrent Calls

By default, the maximum number of simultaneous calls an agent can receive is set to unlimited. If needed, this setting can be changed to set a specific limit. Agents answering calls on the softphone can receive one call at a time. If the call is being routed to a receiving number, such as a cell phone or another phone system, then that system's behavior will determine how concurrent calls are handled. Sending two concurrent calls to a cell phone will most likely result in one of those calls going to voicemail.

Max concurrent calls are set in the Weighting-Based Routing section of the agent routing rules.

Tag-Based Routing

If you are using a smart router or a trigger to apply tags to live calls, you can assign tag-based routing so that certain agents will receive calls with certain tags. Tag-based routing can be set up for positive or negative matching (calls that do have the specified tags or calls that do not have the specified tags).

To set tag-based routing, click the toggle to enable the matching type or types you wish to use, then enter the applicable list of tags.

Skill Based Routing

This is a call-assignment strategy used to assign incoming calls to the most suitable agent instead of simply choosing the next available agent. It is an enhancement to the automatic call routing like round-robin and longest waiting. Each caller can be routed to an agent that fits their particular needs. 

Connection Options

The Connection Options section contains features that allow you to customize call recordings and agent prompts for individual agents.

Call Recording

By default, call recording is set in the call settings configuration and applied to the tracking number that is dialed. The call recordings feature in agent routing rules allows you to override those settings on a per-agent basis.

To set recording preferences for this agent, use the drop-down menu to select one of the following options:

• Use Default Setting: records or does not record based on the tracking number's call settings configuration
• Record Single Channel: recording will be on, regardless of the call settings (single channel audio)
• Record Dual Channel: recording will be on, regardless of the call settings (dual channel audio)
• Turn Recording Off: recording will be off, regardless of the call settings

Agent Prompts

By default, prompting agents to enter a keypress to accept a call is controlled on the queue settings and applies to all agents in that queue. The "prompt agent to accept" feature in agent routing rules allows you to override that setting on a per-agent basis.

To set agent prompt preferences for this agent, use the drop-down menu to select one of the following options:

• Use Default Setting: the agent is prompted or not prompted based on the queue's settings
• No Prompt to Answer: agent will not be prompted to make a keypress, regardless of the queue settings
• Prompt to Answer: agent will be prompted, regardless of the queue settings

Allowed Devices

These toggles can be used to allow or disallow specific device types that agents can use to answer calls for this queue. The following devices can be toggled:

• Browser phone
• SIP/VOIP
• Outside line
• iOS and Android app
• SIM mobile

By default, all device types are allowed.

Toggling Queue Availability

The "allow log out" toggle will enable this agent to toggle whether they are available for calls in this queue. Availability can only be toggled for this agent in queues that have this option enabled for them.

When this option is enabled in at least one queue, a queues button will appear in the agent's softphone window. Clicking this button will open a menu of queues that have this option enabled. A checkmark will appear next to the queues for which the agent is currently available to accept calls. The agent can click the name of the queue to set their availability at any time.

Note: this list does not show all queues that the agent is assigned to; it will only list queues that have the "allow log out" toggle enabled for the agent.

Editing Multiple Agents

To update preferences for multiple agents at once, use the Edit All button found in the queue's agent list. This in-line edit feature allows you to quickly update each agent's weighting, schedule, sliding limits, calendar limits, the call length condition for limits, and max concurrent calls.

To use the in-line editor:

1. From the agent list page, click Edit All.
2. Several fields in the list view will now become editable. Type in the blank fields or use drop-down menus as needed to update any agents whose settings need to be changed.
3. Click Save Changes.
4. The list page will update to reflect your changes. Review all changes and continue to edit as needed.