How to forward a Hunt Group to other number by Time of Day

[markmose1]

New to CUCM, I need to configure the following- I need to redirect our IT Support Hunt group to an alternate offsite telephone number over an afterhours period.

Right now the Huntgroup is configured and working. I have a Time-of-day CSS Time Schedule for the "afterhour period". Following other found resources I also have a "IT_After_hours" partition created (though I don't want to assign the users end devices to this partition). This is where I get lost.

It appears there is no way to divert the dial-peer for the IT Support Huntgroup based on Time of Day....... CUCM is not allowing the Dial-peer number to be inserted in the IT_after_hours partition. 

Is there another way, or am I missing something simple?

[Richard Simmons · Accepted solution]

Hi,

The best way to do this would be with a Unity Connection Call Handler, you can easily create a holiday and time schedule for this.

However if you want to use time of day routing in CUCM then you need to do the following;

Create the Hunt Pilot DN in both Time of Day partitions

For the open hours Hunt Pilot will have the Hunt Group associated to it, which is probably what you already have

The closed house Hunt Pilot you will put a call forward on to the external phone number, ensuring the DN has a CSS which can dial that number.

You then will need to add the out of ours partition to all devices so they are able to dial the out of hours hunt pilot.

Guides on completing this can be found on this forum

https://supportforums.cisco.com/document/54501/how-configure-time-day-routing-communications-manager

Hope this helps,

Richard

[Jason Pennell · Accepted solution]

Hey Mark,

I try to avoid using CUCM Time of Day routing if I can just because it can get messy but it is definitely doable.  One thing to consider before going down this path is if it makes sense for you is to give your Hunt Group users the HLog softkey and just have them log out of the hunt group before they go home for the day and then set the call forward no answer on your Hunt Pilot to go to your after hours support number.  This may or may not work depending on your business requirements and how you want to handle calls during business hours when all of your hunt members are on the phone or don't answer in the time allotted but I wanted to throw it out there.  

If you want to proceed with the time of day routing then please try the following:

1. Create a Time Period or multiple Time Periods that contain the time when you want to forward to the after hours support number.
2. Create and Time Schedule and add your Time Periods you just created.
3. Apply this Time Schedule to your "IT_After_hours" partition.
4. Create a Translation pattern in the "IT_After_hours" partition that matches the same number as your Hunt Pilot.  For example, if your Hunt Pilot is extension 1000 in the "Internal" partition then create a Translation pattern of 1000 in the "IT_After_hours" partition.  Make sure the CSS configured in the Translation pattern is allowed to call your after hours support number and add your after hours support number in the "Called Party Transform Mask".
5. Add the "IT_After_hours" partition BEFORE the partition that the hunt pilot belongs to for any Calling Search Spaces that belong to devices that should follow this call flow.  For example, if this hunt group is only accessed via a DID number that comes in on a gateway then the CSS assigned to the Gateway will need to have this "IT_After_hours" partition configured above the partition that the hunt pilot is in.  If internal phones/users need to follow this same flow when calling the hunt pilot then their Calling Search Spaces will need to be modified as well.

Remember that when there are two identical numbers in the system then the CUCM will match the pattern based on the order of Partitions in the Calling Search Space so if you have a CSS configured with the "IT_After hours" partition first and say the "Internal" partition second and a phone tries to dial your hunt pilot during business hours then it will match your translation pattern first but since your translation pattern is assigned a time schedule which doesn't have a time period for your business hours it will be ignored and the hunt pilot in your "Internal" partition will be used instead.  After business hours if your hunt pilot is dialed then it will match the translation pattern and this time since the call will fall within the time period you have specified, the translation pattern will be used and will translate the call your IT support number and send the call.

I hope you find this helpful! 

[markmose1]

Jason:

Thank you for the guidance and the detailed steps. Your step 5 clarified where I was lost. With your help I accomplished the task. Your help made my day, thanks!

Mark M.

[Jason Pennell]

My pleasure Mark.  I'm glad I was able to help you out.  

[markmose1]

Richard:

Your answer helped, but Jason clarified the insight I  didn't  have (being a CUCM newbie) on ordering the CSS correctly to have the "after-hours partition on the head of the list. I do appreciate that you were willing to assist, and the link to the TOD write-up. Thanks!

Mark M.