Home Inbound Numbers (13/1300/1800 & Routing) Time & Day Call Routing Explained

Time & Day Call Routing Explained

Last updated on Dec 14, 2025

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Time and day call routing controls where inbound calls go based on when the call is made.

This allows your business to handle calls differently during business hours, after hours, weekends, and public holidays.


How Time & Day Routing Works

When a call is made to your inbound number:

  1. The system checks the current date and time

  2. Your routing schedule is applied

  3. The call is sent to the correct destination

These rules are checked for every call, in real time.


Common Time & Day Routing Scenarios

Business hours vs after hours

  • Calls during business hours route to your main team

  • After-hours calls can route to voicemail, mobiles, or an answering service

Weekdays vs weekends

  • Different handling for Monday–Friday and weekends

  • Useful for offices with limited weekend coverage

Public holidays

  • Calls can follow special holiday rules

  • Prevents calls ringing unattended during closures


Multiple Time Windows

Time & day routing supports:

  • Multiple business hour ranges in a day

  • Split shifts or staggered coverage

  • Different schedules for different destinations

This is useful for businesses operating across time zones.


Time Zones and National Businesses

For national businesses:

  • Routing can account for local business hours

  • Calls can be redirected to open offices in other states

  • Trading hours can effectively be extended


How Time & Day Routing Works with Other Rules

Time & day routing can be combined with:

  • Geographic routing

  • IVR menus

  • Call overflow and failover

For example, calls may first follow time-based rules, then geographic rules.


Making Changes to Time & Day Routing

You can update routing to:

  • Change business hours

  • Add temporary schedules

  • Adjust coverage during busy periods

  • Prepare for holidays or events

Most changes can be made without downtime.


When to Contact Pickle

Contact Pickle if you:

  • Want to review your current schedules

  • Are missing calls outside business hours

  • Need help covering holidays or extended hours

  • Want to simplify complex routing rules

We can help design schedules that match how your business actually operates.