One of the most common questions from users of Workflow Builder happens when they setup a workflow for the first time, and then try to trigger the workflow by placing a phone call. They observe that their workflow is not getting triggered, and they want to understand why. This is especially true for workflows that are triggered in some way by a phone call.
In most cases, the trick to solving this problem rests in understanding how phone calls are routed through an account based on the account's call handling rules. That is because workflows must be associated with where a call ultimately terminates in order for those workflows to be triggered. Let's look at a common example in which one wants to send an SMS when a call is missed from a call queue.
First, let's look at what the customer experiences and how this is typically configured in RingCentral.
- A customer calls your main company number, typically extension 101.
- The customer hears an IVR prompt, "press one if you are an existing client, or press two for sales."
- The customer presses "2" and the call is transferred to a new extension of type "Call Queue," say extension 105.
- The customer waits at extension 105 for someone to become available.
- The customer waits a while, grows impatient, and hangs up. The call has now been missed.
When looking at this flow, many will create a workflow associated with the main company number, because that is what the customer dialed to contact them. This is a very logical conclusion to make. However, if you want to send an SMS when a call is missed while waiting for a member of the sales team to answer the phone, then in actuality, one needs to associate the workflow with extension 105, the call queue extension that ultimately received the call, and where that call was ultimately terminated.