What are Adjustable Toggles
An adjustable toggle gives the user a virtual on/off toggle switch which can be used to modify the direction of call routing based on its position. Once Adjustable Toggles are created they can be set using the inbound behavior of an extension, allowing the user to dial an extension to change the toggle’s status. The state of the toggle can then be used to determine call flow in additional extensions.
One example where toggles could be used are in instances where the user wants to have manual control over call routing without using the control panel or schedules.
For the purpose of this guide, we will be creating a toggle for "night mode". The user wants to have the ability to switch the call routing from its usual hunt group ring when the office is open, to a night mode where calls are directed to voicemail. This guide will cover creating an Adjustable Toggle, assigning it to an extension where it can be adjusted from an account phone, and using the status of the toggle to direct call flow.
Creating a toggle
- Login to the NocTel control panel and click Account Preferences in the left-hand menu to expand the section.
- Click Adjustable Toggles.
- The Adjustable Toggles page will display any previously made toggle in the list. To create a new toggle, click the “Add a Toggle” link above the list.
- In the Edit Toggle Page’s Description box enter a name for the toggle.
- Set the Toggle to the current status you want. For our example, we are setting the Toggle to off.
- Click Submit.
Creating Extensions to Set the Toggle via a Phone
Now that the toggle is made, two virtual extensions need to be built. One to set the toggle to on status and one to set the toggle to off status. This will allow the user to dial the extension and set the toggle’s state.
- Login to the NocTel control panel and click Extensions in the left-hand menu.
- Above the list of existing extension, click the “Add a New Extension” link.
- On the following page locate the Virtual Extension area and click “Add Virtual” to be taken to a new extension page where its details can be edited.
- Click on the pencil icon next to Untitled Extension at the top of the page to give the extension a number and a name.
- Click Save at the end of the text box to save the new number and name.
- Click the “Edit” link inside the Inbound Behavior widget.
If the Inbound Behavior widget is not visible click the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the page to show it.
- In the inbound behavior set Step #1 to Adjustable Toggle using the drop-down list.
- In the drop-down list, next to “Which toggle?” select the toggle made previously. Night mode in our example.
- Make sure that the radio button next to “Set Toggle” is selected.
- Select On or Off in the drop-down list next to Set Toggle to reflect what the toggle should be set to when this extension is dialed. In our example our first extension sets the toggle to off, so Off is selected here.
- Click Submit.
- Repeat the above steps to create the extension that will set the toggle to its other status. For our example, we would create extension “4002: Set Night Mode ON” with the action to adjust the Night Mode Toggle to ON.
Using Adjustable Toggles in Call Routing
Now that the toggle has been created and controlling extensions are made to set the toggle to off and on by dialing the extension numbers; we can use the toggle as a variable in the inbound behavior of a call. In our example, we want calls to ring a hunt group when the night mode toggle is off, and go to directly voicemail when the toggle is on. The following steps will guide you through creating this example:
- If the primary routing is not already created, create a virtual extension using steps 1 – 5 in the previous section and use the Numbers menu in the control panel to route a number to the extension.
- Click Edit in the Inbound Behavior widget of the extension.
- For Step #1 select Adjustable Toggle from the drop-down list.
- For Which Toggle? Select the pre-made toggle. Night Mode in our example.
Click the radio button next to “Load the toggle into a variable:“ and assign the variable a name, for our example we will be using Night as the variable.
Important Note
When using variables it is important to note the case and limit the variable to one word without spaces.
Variables are limited to a MAX of 8 characters.- For Step #2 select “Perform Next Step Only If…" from the drop-down list.
Inside the actions for “Perform Next Step Only If…” locate the option box after AND Variable. For the first box enter the toggle variable that was entered in Step #1. Make sure that capitalization matches. In our example this is Night.
Important Note
When using variables in the "Preform Next Step Only If.." action make sure that the case matches with the variable in the Adjustable Toggle step.
- Use the next two drop-down lists to select the best choices to match with the logic of the routing you are creating. For our example, if the variable does equal Off we want the routing to perform the task ring a hunt group. So we set the two drop-down list boxes to DOES and EQUAL.
For the last box in the AND variable line type in the status that the toggle should be in to perform the subsequent tasks. This should be either On or Off. For this example, we are looking to see if the night mode toggle is Off.
Important Note
The "Off" or "On" variable much be capitalized ("on" or "off" will not work).
- Set Step #3 to the action that the call should perform if the outcome to the setting created in Step #2 is true. In this example, we are having the call ring a Hung Group for 24 seconds. You can use the “and also” action to link together several actions the routing should perform if the criteria is true.
- Once the steps for what happens if the criteria in Step #2 is true are set, use the “…Else" action to direct what should occur if the statement is false. In the example shown this is to send the call to voicemail.
- Once the call routing actions are completed click Submit to save.
With the Toggle created, extensions made to control the toggle’s state, and the toggle used as a variable in the inbound routing of a call, the calls direction in the routing can be changed by dialing the On/Off extensions for the toggle. Simply dial the On or Off extension numbers to set the toggle status and direct calls. These extensions can also be assigned to buttons on Polycom phones using the Speed Dial Directory feature, as well.
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