One method of setting up call forwarding is through Answering Rules. Answering rules determine where calls are directed during a specific period of time. Many users and businesses have multiple answering rules for different call forwarding scenarios. These answering rules are listed by priority to determine which rule is active when time frames overlap. 

The Reorder setting found in your app's User Settings menu can reprioritize these rules. This feature is best used to reorder enabled answering rules that use “Always” time frames that need to be prioritized to be active. 

Step 1: Create Always Time Frames

Before answering rules can be added for the Reorder setting to use, "Always" time frames will need to be created. A time frame determines when an answering rule should be active. For our purposes, these time frames will need to be enabled at all times so that when the Reorder feature is used, swapping the answering rules will redirect calls as intended. 

To create an “Always” time frame…

1. Navigate to the Time Frames page.
   
2. Click the Add Time Frame button.
   
3. In the Add a Time Frame menu, give this time frame a descriptive Name.
   
4. In the When section, select Always.
   
   

   Note: This will ensure the answering rule that uses this time frame is constantly enabled so that when you use the Reorder setting in the Stratus mobile app, swapping to this answering rule will work as intended.

    
5. Click the Save button.
6. To add more time frames, repeat steps 2-5
   

   ✔ You should now have a list of time frames that you can use for answering rules.

   

    

Step 2: Add Answering Rules

Now that time frames have been created, answering rules can be added that use these time frames. 

To create an answering rule…

1. Navigate to the Answering Rules page of your portal.

   Quick Tip: If you are an Office Manager or Site Manager, you can edit a user's answering rules by finding the user in the Users page and going to the Answering Rules tab of their settings.

   

    
2. Click the Add Rule button.
   
3. In the Add an Answering Rule menu, use the Time Frame dropdown to select one of the “Always” time frames. 
   
4. Make sure the Enabled checkbox is selected.
   
5. Use the module below to explore the three different sections you can use to route calls for your extension number:
   

   For example… If you would need this answering rule to only route calls to your Stratus mobile app, you would select Always and type your extension number. Select the option that has either an “a” (Android app) or “i” (iOS app) at the end. 

   

    

   Call Forwarding Rules

   If you need to send your calls to a different destination (e.g., a phone number, a different user, etc.) you would use the Call Forwarding section to select where the calls will be forwarded.

   Destination Options for Forwarding

   When the destination field is being filled with text, Stratus will show possible destinations based on the input.
   

   Destination	Description
   User	Forward calls to the user at the specified extension and follow their answering rules.
   Phone	Bypass a user's answering rules and forward calls directly to the device associated with the specified user.
   Voicemail	Forward calls to voicemailbox of this user.
   Queue	Forward calls to a call queue associated with that extension.
   Auto Attendant	Forward calls to an auto attendant associated with that extension number.
   Off-Net Number	Forward calls to a 10-digit Phone Number, such as the phone number of a cellphone, answering service, etc.

    

    

   In the Call Forwarding section, you will see the following options for how to forward calls:
   

   Option	Description
   Always	Send all calls to a phone number or the extension number of a user, call queue, auto attendant, or voicemailbox.  This is the most commonly selected forwarding option.
   On Active	Forward calls to the destination if your phone is already on a call.
   When busy	Forward a call to this destination if the reject button is pressed.
   When unanswered	Forward a call to this destination if the call is not answered after your set Ring Timeout.
   When offline	Automatically forward calls this destination when all devices registered to your extension (e.g., your desk phone, the Stratus mobile app, the StratusHUB desktop app, etc.) are offline or unregistered.

    

    

   Simultaneous Ring

   With the Simultaneous Ring section, you can set multiple devices registered to your extension number to ring together for calls.
   

   Option	Description
   Include user’s extension	Select this to ring your desk phone that uses your extension number.
   Ring all user’s phones	Ring all devices registered to your extension number at the same time (i.e., mobile apps, softphones, and desk phones).
   Answer confirmation for Offnet Numbers	When conducting a simring to a cell/landline, this feature ensures that the answering party is a person instead of voicemail by requesting the answering agent to press 1 to accept the call.
   Extension, number or phone	Type the extension or phone number of another telephone you want to ring.      •  To add additional phones to the simring, click the Add icon.     •  If there should be a delay before this destination rings, use the Ring Delay button to set how long the delay should last.

    

    

   Just Ring

   If only your main desk phone should ring for calls, you can select Just ring user's extension.

   

    

    
6. Click the Save button.
7. Repeat steps 2-5 for any other answering rules that are needed.
   

   ✔ You should now have a list of answering rules, which are sorted by priority. The rule at the top will be the currently active rule. 

   

   You can have multiple answering rules, but only one rule can be active at a time. The active rule is the top-most rule with an active time frame. This can be seen with an Active tag next to the active answering rule.

   

    
8. To make sure the right rule is active for how you need calls routed at this moment, click and drag the rule that should be in use to the top of the list. Be sure to click the Save button on the warning that appears.
   

Step 3: Use the Reorder Feature

The Reorder setting found in your Stratus mobile app's User Settings can be used to reprioritize your own extension's answering rules in a similar way to how you can by clicking and dragging your answering rules in the Stratus web portal.

When the Reorder feature is used to prioritize answering rules, it moves the answering rule selected to the top of your list of answering rules, like the gif above. 

To use the Reorder feature to reprioritize your answering rules…

1. Navigate to the Tools tab.
   
2. Select User Settings.
   
3. In the Answering Rules section, use the Reorder dropdown to select the answering rule that should be active and prioritized.
   
4. Press the SAVE button.