Overview
The Date/Time Rule streamlines call routing by customizing schedules and exceptions. It lets you define main business hours, set exceptions for holidays or closures, and apply fallback rules for any other unspecified times, ensuring seamless operations and optimal resource management.
Who uses this feature
Administrators
Applies to all business types
Feature configuration
This feature is currently in Early Access and is subject to change. Reach out to your Pro Account Manager for more information.
This feature requires an Enterprise Hub network. Contact your Customer Success Manager or Pro Account Manager to request a network.
The Edit Routing Workflows permission is required to use this feature. Please contact the account administrator on your team. For more, see Manage Contact Center Pro permissions.
Things to know
Date/Time Rules are created when configuring the routing workflows for your contact center. To create or edit a routing workflow, go to Settings
> Routing Workflows. For more, see Set call routing rules in Contact Center Pro. 
You can save the routing workflow editor at any stage, even if the flow isn't complete. You can return later to complete your edits.
Benefits
With the Date/Time Rule, you can ensure customer interactions are only routed to available agents during your defined operating hours.
By setting up exceptions for holidays or special closed hours, you can avoid routing customers to unavailable agents. Provide automated messages or alternative contact options, ensuring customers are informed about your availability without additional effort on your part.
The Any other time setting acts as a safety net for times when your contact center isn't configured, allowing you to maintain a consistent customer experience by redirecting interactions to voicemail, automated systems, or other fallback options.
If your business operates across multiple time zones, the Date/Time Rule helps align routing with agent availability. This enables continuous support by routing interactions to the right teams based on the schedule, ensuring seamless service for customers regardless of location or time.
Create a Date/Time Rule within a routing workflow
Date/Time Rules are created when configuring the routing workflows for your contact center. For more information, see Set call routing workflows in Contact Center Pro.
To create a Date/Time Rule within a routing workflow:
Create a routing workflow or click Edit
next to an existing workflow.Click Add
to select a routing module, if you need to split your workflow by date or time. 
On the new pop-up that opens, click Date/Time Rule.
Branch types
After you select the Date/Time Rule option, you can configure the rules based on your business schedule.
The three branch options—Main Branch, Exceptions, and Any Other Time—allow you to customize your call handling to align with your operational schedule.
Main Branch
The Main Branch is designed for managing customer interactions during standard business hours. It allows you to determine call-handling processes aligned with your regular operating schedule.
Primary use case:
Open hours: Set the time frames for regular business hours, and then specify the routing rules, such as transferring calls to specific queues or forwarding numbers.
To set up your Main Branch rules, click Add Days/Times in the Main Branch section.
Exceptions
The Exceptions branch allows you to specify time periods that differ from your regular business schedule, such as holidays, early closures, or team training sessions. This branch lets you override standard hours with customized rules.
Primary use cases:
Public holidays: For holidays such as Christmas or Thanksgiving, configure an automated message to inform callers about the closure and redirect calls to voicemail.
Special events: During a company-wide meeting, redirect calls to voicemail or an off-site answering service.
Unplanned closures: Handle emergencies or unexpected shutdowns by setting up an emergency notification for customers.
To set up your Exceptions rules, click Add Days/Times in the Exceptions section.
Any other time
The Any other time branch is a fallback option for managing customer interactions outside the defined Main Branch hours or Exceptions. It ensures no customer query is left unaddressed.
Primary use cases:
24/7 support: Implement rules for managing interactions outside your defined business hours or exceptions, such as routing calls to a night-shift team or an external call center.
After hours: Trigger an automated message that shares business hours and encourages callers to leave a voicemail.
Branch rule types
Both Main Branch and Exceptions have the same rule types – Custom Day/Time rule and Preset Day/Time rule.
Custom Day/Time
Configure specific days and times that apply exclusively to the current workflow. This rule is ideal for handling unique or non-recurring scheduling needs in a particular scenario.
To configure this, select Custom Day/Time in the Day/Time section and select your rule recurrence type.
Preset Day/Time
Create reusable time groups that you can use across multiple workflows. This rule is best suited for managing recurring holidays, annual events, or regularly scheduled special days.
To create Preset Day/Time groups:
Go to Settings
> Routing Workflows > Preset Days/Times.On the Preset Days/Times screen, click Create Group.
On the Create Group pop-up that opens, enter your Preset Day/Time group name.
In the new box that opens, click Add Item.
Enter a name in the Item Name field.
Select your rule recurrence type from the Repeats dropdown.
After setting up the Preset Day/Time rule, you can use it in your routing workflows.
Note: These rules don't have a specific timezone assigned, as they automatically adopt the timezone of any workflow they are applied to. This flexibility allows the same rule grouping to function seamlessly across multiple timezones and workflows.
Rule recurrence types
When configuring your Custom or Preset Day/Time rule types, you're prompted to select the recurrence type.
The Repeats dropdown lets you define how often a rule should recur.
You can select the following options:
Weekly
Monthly
Yearly
Weekly
Select Weekly to specify the days of the week and the start/end time the Day/Time rule should repeat.
Select the days of the week you want to include.
Enter the From and To time.
Tip: You can also select All Day for the rules to always take calls during the specified weekdays.
Monthly
Select Monthly to set a specific date or day of the week for the month, along with the start and end times, for the Day/Time rule to repeat. Specify how the rule should reoccur:
Select On specific date to choose a specific day of the month.
Select the specific day of the month from the Date dropdown.
Enter the From and To time.
Select On day of week to set the rule to repeat on a specific day of the week within a particular week of the month.
Select the Week of month (First, Second, Third, Fourth, Last) and the Day of week (Monday, Wednesday, etc.).
Enter the From and To time.
Yearly
Select Yearly to set a specific date or day of the week for the specified month, along with the start and end times, for the Day/Time rule to repeat. Specify how the rule should reoccur:
Select the month of the year from the Select Month dropdown.
Select On specific date to choose a specific day of the year.
Select the specific day of the month from the Date dropdown.
Enter the From and To time.
Select On day of week to set the rule to repeat on a specific day of the week within a particular week of the month.
Select the Week of month (First, Second, Third, Fourth, Last) and the Day of week (Monday, Wednesday, etc.).
Enter the From and To time.
Note: When configuring your Main Branch or Exceptions, you can add multiple schedules by clicking Add Another Day/Time. This allows you to include several business or closed hours in a single workflow.
Check our Set up your Date/Time Rule: Recommended workflow article for a detailed guide on configuring your Date/Time rules effectively.