When someone calls your organization's phone number, Voice routes the call based on the rules your admin has configured. Depending on setup, that might mean ringing your extension directly, playing an IVR menu, entering a call queue, or going to voicemail if nobody answers or the office is closed.
This article explains how inbound calls are delivered and how you answer them.
How Inbound Calls Route
Every inbound call follows this sequence:
- Business hours check — Voice checks whether the call is arriving during your organization's configured open hours. If the office is closed, the call goes to the after-hours action (voicemail or a forwarding number) and skips the remaining steps.
- IVR menu — If an IVR (auto-attendant) is enabled, the caller hears the greeting and makes a selection. Each option routes to an extension, queue, or another menu. See IVR Menus.
- Queue or hunt group — If the destination is a call queue or hunt group, the system rings agents according to the configured ring strategy.
- Extension — If the call is routed directly to an extension, the user's devices ring.
- Voicemail fallback — If nobody answers, the call drops to voicemail.
Answering a Call in the Web App
When a call comes in, a notification appears in the Voice web app with the caller's number (and name, if it matches a contact). Click Answer to pick up the call. The call window opens with the same controls available for outbound calls: mute, hold, transfer, and record.
Answering a Call on the Mobile App
The mobile softphone shows an incoming call screen. Tap Answer to accept the call. If your phone is locked, the call appears as a standard incoming call notification on iOS and Android.
Answering on a Desk Phone
Physical SIP phones ring and are answered the same way as a regular phone — pick up the handset or press the answer key on the phone's display.
What Callers Hear While Waiting
- If routed to a call queue, callers hear hold music while waiting for an agent.
- If the extension is ringing but unanswered, callers hear standard ringing.
- If routed to voicemail, callers hear the extension's greeting and can leave a message.
Missed Calls
Missed calls appear in your Call History. You can see the caller's number, time, and duration (zero for missed). If the caller left a voicemail, it will appear in the Voicemail section.
FAQ
Why are calls going to voicemail even during business hours? Check that business hours in Org Settings are set correctly for your time zone. If your extension is set to Do Not Disturb, calls will follow your DND routing rules. See Do Not Disturb.
Can I answer a call that was ringing on someone else's extension? Yes, if your admin has configured a call pickup group or shared-line appearance. Ask your admin whether call pickup is enabled for your team.
Can I receive calls on my mobile phone when I'm away from the office? Yes. Sign in to the mobile softphone app and your extension will ring on your mobile device just as it would at your desk.