Overview
Conditional call forwarding allows you to automatically route calls based on your business schedule. This ensures callers always reach someone - whether it’s your team during business hours or your Recepta.ai AI assistant outside of them. Common use cases:- Forward calls to Recepta.ai outside business hours
- Route weekend and holiday calls to your AI receptionist
- Set up overflow handling when your team can’t answer
- Create hybrid schedules with different routing per day
Business Hours
Calls go to your business line during working hours
After Hours
Calls automatically forward to Recepta.ai when you’re closed
Weekends & Holidays
AI handles all calls on non-business days
Overflow
Forward to Recepta.ai when lines are busy or unanswered
Getting Your Recepta.ai Phone Number
Before configuring conditional forwarding, you’ll need your Recepta.ai phone number.1
Access Your Dashboard
Navigate to your Recepta.ai dashboard at https://app.recepta.ai
2
Go to Settings
Click on Settings in the navigation menu
3
Copy Your Phone Number
Your assigned Recepta.ai phone number is displayed under Your Assigned Number. Copy this number for use in your forwarding configuration.
Your Recepta.ai number is a dedicated line for your business. All calls to this number are handled by your AI receptionist with your custom configuration.
Setup by Carrier Type
Choose your phone system type below for specific instructions:- AT&T
- Verizon
- T-Mobile
- Landline
AT&T Conditional Call Forwarding
AT&T supports three types of conditional forwarding:Forward when busy (line in use):How to Disable
How to Disable
- Disable busy forwarding:
#67# - Disable no-answer forwarding:
#61# - Disable unreachable forwarding:
#62#
VoIP & Business Phone Systems
For VoIP and PBX systems, you can configure sophisticated time-based routing rules directly in your admin portal.RingCentral
1
Access Admin Portal
Log in to your RingCentral Admin Portal
2
Navigate to Call Handling
Go to Phone System → Auto-Receptionist → Call Handling
3
Configure Business Hours
Set your business hours schedule under the Business Hours section
4
Set After-Hours Routing
Under After Hours, select Forward calls to and enter your Recepta.ai number
5
Save Configuration
Click Save and test by calling outside business hours
For detailed RingCentral instructions, see our RingCentral Call Forwarding Guide.
8x8
1
Log in to Admin Console
Access your 8x8 Admin Console
2
Open Call Handling Rules
Navigate to Call Handling → Time-Based Routing
3
Create After-Hours Rule
Create a new rule for calls received outside business hours
4
Set Destination
Configure the destination as your Recepta.ai phone number
For detailed 8x8 instructions, see our 8x8 Call Forwarding Guide.
Dialpad
1
Access Settings
Log in to Dialpad and go to Admin Settings
2
Configure Office Hours
Set your office hours under Office → Business Hours
3
Set After-Hours Routing
Configure after-hours call routing to forward to your Recepta.ai number
For detailed Dialpad instructions, see our Dialpad Call Forwarding Guide.
Google Voice
1
Open Google Voice Settings
Go to voice.google.com and click the gear icon
2
Navigate to Calls
Select Calls from the settings menu
3
Enable Call Forwarding
Under Call forwarding, add your Recepta.ai number
4
Configure Schedule
Use the scheduling options to set when forwarding is active
For detailed Google Voice instructions, see our Google Voice Call Forwarding Guide.
Schedule-Based Routing Examples
Example 1: Standard Business Hours
Forward all calls outside 9am-5pm Monday-Friday to Recepta.ai.| Time | Destination |
|---|---|
| Mon-Fri 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Your Business Line |
| Mon-Fri 5:00 PM - 9:00 AM | Recepta.ai |
| Saturday - Sunday (All Day) | Recepta.ai |
Example 2: Extended Hours with Evening Coverage
Business handles calls during peak hours; Recepta.ai covers early morning and evening.| Time | Destination |
|---|---|
| Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM | Your Business Line |
| Mon-Fri 8:00 PM - 8:00 AM | Recepta.ai |
| Weekends | Recepta.ai |
Example 3: Overflow + After-Hours
Recepta.ai handles overflow during business hours AND all after-hours calls.| Condition | Destination |
|---|---|
| During business hours (answered) | Your Business Line |
| During business hours (busy/no answer) | Recepta.ai |
| After business hours | Recepta.ai |
Example 4: Holiday Coverage
Special routing for holidays when your office is closed.| Date | Destination |
|---|---|
| Regular business days | Normal routing |
| New Year’s Day | Recepta.ai |
| Memorial Day | Recepta.ai |
| July 4th | Recepta.ai |
| Labor Day | Recepta.ai |
| Thanksgiving | Recepta.ai |
| Christmas | Recepta.ai |
| Custom holidays | Recepta.ai |
Best Practices
Test Your Configuration
Test Your Configuration
After setting up conditional forwarding:
- Call your business number during business hours - verify it rings your team
- Call your business number after hours - verify Recepta.ai answers
- Test the “busy” scenario by keeping your line occupied
- Test the “no answer” scenario by not picking up within the ring limit
Customize Your AI Greeting for After-Hours
Customize Your AI Greeting for After-Hours
Update your Recepta.ai greeting to acknowledge after-hours calls:“Thank you for calling [Business Name]. Our office is currently closed. Our regular hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm Eastern. I’m an AI assistant and I’d be happy to help you, take a message, or schedule a callback.”
Enable Notifications
Enable Notifications
In your Recepta.ai dashboard, enable notifications to stay informed about after-hours activity:
- Email notifications - Receive summaries of calls handled
- SMS alerts - Get instant alerts for urgent messages
- Daily digest - Review all AI-handled calls each morning
Review and Update Seasonally
Review and Update Seasonally
Revisit your forwarding rules:
- Before holiday seasons (update holiday schedule)
- When business hours change (daylight saving, seasonal hours)
- During vacation periods (may want full forwarding)
- For special events or temporary closures
Inform Your Callers
Inform Your Callers
Update your voicemail greeting and website to let callers know they can reach assistance 24/7 through your AI receptionist.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Forwarding not activating | Try deactivating first (# codes), then reactivating |
| Calls going to voicemail instead | Disable voicemail or set call forwarding to take priority |
| Forwarding with delay | Reduce the ring count before forward triggers |
| Intermittent forwarding | Check your carrier’s network status |
| Wrong number forwarding | Verify Recepta.ai number includes country code (+1 for US) |
Still Having Issues?
Contact Support
Email our support team for help with configuration
Check Platform Guides
See our platform-specific guides for detailed instructions: