PBX / VO - Phone Numbers

Configuring Phone Numbers

A phone number in Virtual Office is not directly associated with a phone line in
contrast to a traditional telephone number which is associated with a single line at a specific location.
 

A Virtual Office phone number can be programmed to route incoming calls to an
 extension or to play the main greeting, your auto attendant. The auto attendant acts as an automated receptionist. Callers hear recordings that prompt them to choose a menu option. 

The auto attendant allows forwarding calls to extensions, dial by name in the company directory, and set up caller options during hours your business is closed.
 

Step 1: Purchase a new phone number if Phone Number is not assigned during online sign-up OR if you need additional phone number

1.1 Go to Settings ⇨ Phone Numbers. 

1.2 Click on 'Add Number'. 

1.3 Choose a number.

            Figure 21. The ‘Add Number’ modal

Step 2: Configure the main greeting and the after-hours greetings
 

By default, a phone number is configured to play the main greeting. When callers
dial your number, an auto attendant will instruct them which menu option to choose to reach a specific extension.
 

Options 0 and 8 transfer calls to extensions 0 and 8 accordingly. These extensions are created by Virtual Office during the initial setup, and cannot be deleted. Extension 0 is used as the main ‘CEO’ extension, it inherits your main number (default redirect number) that was used during signing up. Extension 8 is used for Dial by Name directory. Please refer to the ‘Dial by Name Directory’ section for more details.
 

Other numeric options, namely, from 1 to 7 and 9, are disabled by default. When
you create department extensions, they will be assigned to these options.
 

Your main greeting can include a welcome message and instructions like ‘Press 1
for Sales, press 2 for Support’. When the caller presses 2, they are redirected to a
 department extension 2.

2.1 Go to Settings ⇨ Greetings.

            Figure 22. Settings ⇨ Greetings

2.2 Click on 'New greeting'. 
                        
                        Figure 23. New greeting

2.3 Upload an audio file for your greeting file by clicking on 'Upload file' or click on 'Record' to record a new greeting.

Figure 24. Upload or record a greeting

 NOTE - The uploaded or recorded greeting gets enabled automatically

2.4 Under the 'New greeting' button, choose 'Options after greeting' (what
should be done if there is no input after your greeting has played):
 · Repeat greeting (default)
 · Transfer to extension

                        Figure 25. Options after greeting

2.5 Define business hours during which your main greeting will be active:
 · 24/7
 · M-F, 9-5
 · Sat & Sun, 9-5
 · Custom Schedule
                            

                        Figure 26. Business hours schedule
 

When the main greeting is not active, the 'After-hours greeting' will be played. By
analogy with the main greeting configuration, you can upload or record an after-
 hours greeting and define options after greeting.

                        Figure 27. After-hours greeting

Step 3: Configure a phone number

3.1 Go to Settings ⇨ Phone Numbers.

                        Figure 28. Settings ⇨ Phone Numbers

3.2 Click on 'Edit' next to the number.

                        Figure 29. Edit a phone number

 3.3 Choose 'Caller ID Display': 

• Caller's Number: you will see the caller's number on your phone screen for incoming calls. 
• Virtual Office Number: your Virtual Office phone number will be displayed on the screen so you can see which one of your numbers the caller dialed. It may be useful when you have multiple numbers in different areas and need to know where the caller calls you from.
  
   

Step 4: Configure fax options for your phone number 

If the system detects that a fax is being sent to your phone number, instead of
playing an audio greeting, the fax will be sent to your voicemail inbox. Below you
 will find the steps on how to configure phone number options related to fax. 

4.1 Go to Settings ⇨ Phone Numbers.
4.2 Click on 'Edit' next to the number. 

                        Figure 30. Phone number options

4.3 Choose 'Notification Action': 

• None: no notification about faxes will be sent to the specified email
   address. 
• Forward: all the fax documents you receive will be forwarded to the
   specified email address. 
• Notify: the notification about the received fax will be sent to the specified
   email address. 
• Copy: you will get a copy of the received fax documents.
  
   

4.4 Specify 'Notification Email'.
 

4.5 Specify the format of 'Fax File': 

• a single PDF or TIFF file; 
• one PNG or TIFF file per page. 

                        Figure 31. Download fax

Other Options: 

• Time Zone: choose the time zone in which the phone number will operate.
   That is, the schedule of the main and after-hours greetings will work according to this time zone. 
• Tag: if you have multiple phone numbers, a tag can be used to filter the
  incoming calls list. For instance, numbers X and Y are tagged as 'main',
  the other two numbers have the tag 'area'. You can use the tag on the
   'Inbound Calls' page to find calls to phone numbers tagged as 'main'.

                        Figure 32. Phone number other options

                        Figure 33. Filtering of inbound calls by tags