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Setting up Hunt Groups

Note: The video may be out of date – refer to the text below for more details.

Hunt Groups allow incoming calls to a specific number (pilot number) to be directed to a defined group of extension numbers. Incoming calls are redirected from the pilot number to the first extension number as defined in the configuration. If the first number is busy or does not answer, the call is redirected to the next phone in the list. A call remains redirected on busy or no answer from number to number in the list until it is answered or until the call reaches the number that is defined as the final number.

A Hunt Group can have static and dynamic members.

  • Static Members—Permanent members belonging to the Hunt Group.
  • Dynamic Members—Not the permanent members, but they can join or unjoin a Hunt Group on a need basis using the softkeys available on the phone.

Note

  • The total number of members in a Hunt Group, including static and dynamic members cannot exceed 32.
  • If you check the “Allow dynamic members” check box on the Hunt Groups page, ensure that you check the “Hunt Group Login” check box for each dynamic member extension under Manage Site > Extensions > Basic Info page.

 

Step 1: Enter a unique name for the hunt list. To easily identify the hunt list, consider appending the pilot extension to the name; for example, hl5001. Group name must contain a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 12 characters.

Step 2: Enter a number to access the Hunt Group that serves as the pilot for the hunt list. This number serves as the trigger for hunting to begin. Pilot number must contain a minimum of four digits and be within the range of 1000 to 9999.

Step 3: Click Add to add members to this hunt group from the Stations page (Show Member Directory). You can also search for the users by entering member name or extension. All extensions that are assigned to users or departments can be included as members of a Hunt Group. You must add a minimum of two members for a hunt group.

Step 4: Dynamic members allow members that are not part of the Hunt Group to join and unjoin the Hunt Group on a need basis using the softkeys displayed on the screen. If enabled, the field called Max dynamic members becomes available, here you can set the number of dynamic members allowed for a hunt group (minimum of one and maximum of 32).

Step 5: From the list of extensions that display, select which extensions must be included in the hunt list. Click Show Member Directory, to select the list of extensions for the hunt list. Check the respective member’s name and click OK.

Step 6: Select how BE4000 distributes the calls to members of the hunt list based on one of the following hunt methods:

  • Longest-idle—BE4000 only distributes a call to idle members, starting from the longest idle member to the least idle member of a hunt list.
  • Parallel—Calls ring all numbers in that hunt group simultaneously. The extension to first answer the call is connected.
  • Sequential—Call hunting always starts with the first member in the hunt group. Continues to reach number in the group in the order in which they are listed, from top to bottom, in the hunt group.
  • Peer—Call hunting starts with the extension immediately after the one that just took the last call. Ringing proceeds in a circular manner, that is from left to right. That is, BE4000 distributes a call to idle or available members starting from the (n+1)th member of a hunt list, where the nth member is the member to which BE4000 most recently extended a call. If the nth member is the last member of a hunt list, BE4000 distributes a call starting from the top of the hunt list.

Step 7: Enter the maximum time to wait before disconnecting the call when the queue is busy or full. The range is from 0 to 100 seconds.

Step 8: If no members of the hunt list are available to answer a call, you can choose to perform one of the following:

  • Disconnect—the call is disconnected.
  • Route to Group Mailbox—the call is forwarded to a group mailbox. Enter the email address and extension associated with the group mailbox.
  • Route to Number—the call is forwarded to an extension. Choose the desired extension from the drop-down list.

Step 9: Save your hunt group configuration settings.