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Managing external destinations


Company administrators can set up specific external call routing for situations such as queue overflow or after regular business hours. If an external destination is assigned to an agent group, it takes precedence over the next highest-priority group.

Additionally, administrators can modify, delete, or duplicate existing external destinations. Duplicating is helpful when creating a similar destination with slight adjustments. To perform these actions, administrators need the External Destinations:Modify privilege.

Add a new external destination #

  1. Click Staff > External Destinations on the menu bar.
    A list of the external destinations that have already been defined is displayed.
  2. Click Add.
    The New External Destination page is displayed.
  3. (Mandatory.) Enter the name of the external destination (up to 100 characters). Any unicode characters are allowed, including whitespace and accented letters. The name must be unique within your company.
  4. Enter a brief description of the external destination (up to 250 characters). Any unicode characters are allowed, including whitespace and accented letters.
  5. To use the external destination for call routing, tick the Enabled check box.
  6. (Mandatory.) Specify how the phone number of the external destination must be entered by selecting one of the following options:
    • The full PSTN service number
    • The prefix number followed by the last N digits of the service number
    • The prefix number followed by an unmatched part of the service number.
      Note: International numbers must be prefixed with a + symbol and a country code, for example, +493360777.
  7. To limit simultaneous calls to the external destination, click the Limit Simultaneous Calls check box and then specify the maximum number of simultaneous calls permitted in total to the external destination (calls answered + calls in process of being connected to agent). If the total maximum exceeds this number, overflow calls may be routed immediately to an additional group of agents (the next-highest priority group), if specified.
  8. For Outdial Timeout, specify the maximum number of seconds that the external destination’s phone will ring for. If the external destination does not pick up the call within this time period, the No Pickup Backoff Time begins. The call to the external destination will be cancelled and the caller will be put back on the head of the queue.
  9. For Busy Backoff Time, specify the number of seconds for which the external destination will not receive any calls, because the number is busy (for example, the agent is on a call that is out of the control of Contact). During this time period, the external destination is taken out of the pool of available external destinations. When it elapses, the external destination receives calls again.
  10. For Call Failed Backoff Time, specify the number of seconds for which the external destination will not receive any calls, because the call to the external destination failed for another reason, such as a network failure. During this time period, the external destination is taken out of the pool of available external destinations. When it elapses, the external destination receives calls again.
  11. For No Pickup Backoff Time, specify the number of seconds for which the external destination will not receive any calls, because a queued call was not picked up within the Outdial Timeout.
  12. Click Add.

Delete, copy or edit an external destination #

  1. To delete an external destination, select the name of the external destination in the list and click Delete, then confirm that you want to delete the external destination.
  2. To create an exact copy of an external destination:
    • Select the appropriate external destination in the list.
    • Click Copy.
    • Enter the name of the copy (up to 100 characters) then click OK.
  3. To edit parameters for an external destination, select the appropriate external destination name in the list, reconfigure the parameters as appropriate, then click Save Changes.

Definitions #

  • Name: The name of the external destination.
  • Description: A brief description of the external destination.
  • Enabled: Whether or not the external destination is used for call routing.
  • Provide full number: The full PSTN service number must be entered.
    • PSTN Number – The full PSTN number of the external destination. International numbers are prefixed with a + symbol and a country code.
  • Prefix followed by last N digits of service number: The prefix plus at least a specified number of digits from the end of the service number must be entered.
    • Prefix – The prefix number of the external destination. International numbers are prefixed with a + symbol and a country code.
    • Number of digits from service number – The minimum number of digits from the end of the service number that must be entered.
  • Prefix followed by unmatched part of service number: If the service number prefix that is entered is matched, it is replaced with the specified Prefix value, with the rest of the digits staying the same.
    • Prefix – The replacement prefix. International numbers are prefixed with a + symbol and a country code.
    • Service number prefix to match – The service number prefix to match. International numbers are prefixed with a + symbol and a country code.
  • Limit Simultaneous Calls: Whether or not simultaneous calls to the external destination are limited.
  • Maximum Simultaneous Calls: The maximum number of simultaneous calls permitted in total to the external destination (calls answered + calls in process of being connected to agent). If the total maximum exceeds this number, overflow calls may be routed immediately to an additional group of agents (the next-highest priority group), if specified.
  • Outdial Timeout: The maximum number of seconds that the external destination’s phone will ring for. If the external destination does not pick up the call within this time period, the No Pickup Backoff Time begins. The call to the external destination will be cancelled and the caller will be put back on the head of the queue.
  • Busy Backoff Time: The number of seconds for which the external destination will not receive any calls, because the number is busy. During this time period, the selected external destination is taken out of the pool of available external destinations. When it elapses, the external destination receives calls again.
  • Call Failed Backoff Time: The number of seconds for which the selected external destination will not receive any calls, because the call to the external destination failed for another reason, such as a network failure. During this time period, the selected external destination is taken out of the pool of available external destinations. When it elapses, the external destination receives calls again.
  • No Pickup Backoff Time: The number of seconds for which the selected external destination will not receive any calls, because a queued call was not picked up within the Outdial Timeout.
    • Note: This setting only applies when presenting calls to an external destination from a queue and not when using the Route To External Destination node.

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