Set up your Date/Time Rule: Recommended workflow

Overview

The Date/Time Rule ensures customer interactions are routed to available agents during business hours, optimizing staffing and aligning availability with customer needs. To understand the basics of the Date/Time Rule, see Date and time rules overview.

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 workflows 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.

Primary use cases

• Standard business hours: Use the Main Branch with Custom Day/Time rules to set weekly operating hours. Add separate schedules for specific needs like lunch breaks.

• Holidays, closures and recurring events: Configure Exceptions using Preset Day/Time rules for recurring events (e.g., holidays) or Custom Day/Time rules for one-time events (e.g., emergencies). Redirect calls to voicemail or automated messages.        

  • Holidays: If you usually close at 5 PM but plan to close at noon on Christmas Eve, create an exception from 12 PM–5 PM and route calls to your answering service. Use the Yearly option to make it recur annually.

  • Closures and recurring events: If you're normally open Tuesdays from 7 AM–5 PM, but have a team meeting every first Tuesday of the month from 7–9 AM, create a Monthly exception for that time and route calls to the appropriate forwarding number.

• After-hours management: Leverage the Any Other Time branch to handle calls outside business hours. Route to voicemail, night-shift teams, or external call centers.

Tip: Use Preset Day/Time rules for commonly recurring schedules and Custom Day/Time rules for specific or ad-hoc needs to streamline setup and ensure flexibility.

Set up your Date/Time Rule

The Date/Time rule feature offers complete flexibility, allowing you to customize settings to your preferences. Follow these recommended steps to configure it:

1. Step 1: Add the Date/Time Rule module to your workflow

2. Step 2: Set your Main Branch rules

3. Step 3: Set your Exceptions rules

Step 1: Add the Date/Time Rule module to your workflow

1. In a routing workflow, click Add to select a routing module. 

2. On the new pop-up that opens, click Date/Time Rule. 

3. On the Date/Time Rule flyout that opens, enter the Date/Time Rule Name (optional).

4. Click the Time Zone dropdown to specify your time zone. 

5. Configure your Main and Exceptions branches. For more, see Step 2: Set your Main Branch rules.

Step 2: Set your Main Branch rules

1. In the Main Branch section, click Add Days/Times. 

   Tip: Click Add Custom Label to name your branch.

2. In the Day/Time 1 section, select Custom Day/Time to configure your Weekly business hours. For more information about the available rule options, see Branch rule types in Date/Time Rules.

3. From the Repeats dropdown, select Weekly.        

   1. Select the days of the week you want to include.

   2. Enter the From and To time. 

4. (Optional) Click Add Another Day/Time to include different sets of business hours.
   Example: You can create a separate rule to route calls during your CSR's lunch break and then revert to the main rule once they return.

5. When finished, click Done, and then Save. 

Tip: After configuring your Main Branch rules, hover over the branch to view its schedule.

Step 3: Set your Exceptions rules

Exceptions should be used when you want the rules to route differently during particular days and/or times. For example, if you close early on Christmas Eve or have a monthly staff meeting, use Exceptions. They take priority over Main Branch and Any Other Time settings.

To add exceptions:

1. In the Date/Time section, click Add Exceptions. 

2. In the new Exceptions box that opens, click Add Days/Times.        

   Note: You can name your branch by clicking Add Custom Label.

   

3. In the Day/Time 1 section, select Preset Day/Time to add the holiday hours that you pre-configured in settings. 

4. When finished, click Done, and then Save. 

Tip: After configuring your Exceptions, hover over the branch to view its schedule.

Edit or delete Date/Time rules

You can edit or delete the Date/Time rules you created at any time within a routing workflow.

1. Navigate to your routing workflow screen and click Date/Time Rule.

2. In the flyout that opens, view your branches and their respective Days/Times rules. 

3. Click Edit Days/Times to adjust the schedule.

4. Click Delete to remove it.

Want to learn more?

• See Contact Center Pro

• See Set call routing rules in Contact Center Pro