Call Queues – Fortis

Overview

A Call Queue holds inbound callers in line until an available agent picks up. Queues are typical in call-center, support, and sales contexts where call volume can outpace agent availability. Each queue has its own extension number, a roster of agents, a ring strategy that decides who is dialed next, music or announcements for waiting callers, and a fallback destination for calls that exceed the wait limit.

In the Web Portal, navigate to Call Manager → Call Queues:

https://pbx.fortis-tele.com:8887

Creating a Call Queue

Step 1 — Add a new queue

Call Manager → Call Queues
Click Add

Step 2 — Basic settings

Field	Description	Example
Name	A descriptive name for the queue	`Support`
Extension	The internal extension callers reach the queue on	`6000`
Ring Strategy	How calls are distributed (see below)	Cyclic Hunt
Ring Timeout	Seconds to ring each agent before moving on	`20`
Max Queue Time	Maximum total seconds a caller can wait	`300`
Max Callers	Maximum number of waiting callers	`10`

The queue extension must not collide with any existing extension, ring group, or virtual receptionist.

Step 3 — Add agents

In the Agents tab:

Click Add Agent
Select an extension from the list
Repeat for every agent you want in this queue

Queue Agents list with Extension Number, Display Name and Status columns — Fig. 1 — The Agents tab of a queue. **Mouse long-press for drag-and-drop sorting** — long-press an agent and drag to reorder them. Order matters most for **Linear Hunt**, where the queue always tries agents top-to-bottom. The **Status** column shows **Ready** (green) when the agent is registered and accepting calls, and **Offline** (grey) when the agent is not registered. The trash icon on the right removes the agent from this queue (the extension itself is not deleted).

Step 4 — Ring strategy

Strategy	Description
Ring Simultaneous	All agents ring at the same time
Cyclic Hunt	Round-robin — the agent who rang least recently is tried next
Least Worked Hunt	The agent who has answered the fewest queue calls
Linear Hunt (Prioritized Hunt)	Always start with the first agent in the list
Skills-Based Routing	Route by agent skill level — highest skill first

Skills-Based Routing — agent Skill Level configuration — Fig. 2 — When **Skills-Based Routing** is selected the agent list adds a **Skill Level** column. Lower numbers mean higher priority (`1` is the top tier). In the example, extensions `101` and `102` have skill level `1`, `103` is at level `2`, and `104` is at level `3`. Calls go first to the level-1 agents; only if all of them are busy does the queue try level 2, then level 3.

Step 5 — Music on hold

Setting	Description
Hold Music	Audio file (MP3) played to waiting callers
Periodic Announcement	Optional recurring announcement played during the wait
Announcement Interval	How often the announcement repeats (seconds, e.g. `60`)

Step 6 — Timeout destination

Setting	Description
Max Queue Time exceeded	Where to send the caller if they exceed the wait limit (Voicemail, IVR, another extension, etc.)
Max Callers exceeded	Where to send a new caller when the queue is already full

If no agents are logged in and you have not enabled “keep waiting if no members online”, the queue routes the caller straight to this destination.

Step 7 — Agent auto-ready

Setting	Description
Auto Ready on Login	Agent is automatically set to Ready when their device registers
Auto Ready after Call	Agent returns to Ready automatically when a call ends
Wrap-up Time	Seconds the agent stays in Wrap-Up after a call before going Ready (e.g. `30`)

When auto-ready is off, agents must change their status to Ready manually from their phone or client.

Step 8 — Outbound caller ID

When the queue places an outbound call (for example, returning a missed-call callback), you can override the caller ID so the customer sees your main company number rather than the agent’s personal DID.

Open the queue’s edit page
Switch to the Outbound Caller ID tab
Click + Add
Select the Outbound Caller ID number (from the DID pool), the Trunk the call should leave through, and the matching DID/DDI Pool
Click OK

Queue Outbound Caller ID configuration tab — Fig. 3 — The **Advanced Services → Call Queue → OUTBOUND CALLER ID** tab. The list shows one caller-ID record — number `334110626`, sent through the `test` trunk, tied to DID/DDI Pool `334110626`. The pencil icon edits the entry; the trash icon removes it. The OK button commits the change.

Linking the Queue to an Inbound Rule

Until you point inbound traffic at the queue, the queue extension can only be reached internally. To answer external calls with the queue:

Call Manager → Inbound Rules
Route to → Queue
Destination → select your queue
Save

Tips

Start with Cyclic Hunt — it spreads load fairly across agents and is the most natural default for support teams.
Set Max Queue Time generously enough that callers don’t drop early, but short enough that they don’t sit forever — 3 to 5 minutes is a common starting point.
Always set a timeout destination. Voicemail (or a “leave a callback number” IVR) is far better than dropping the caller.
Use Wrap-up Time to give agents a few seconds between calls for note-taking — 15 to 30 seconds is typical.

Next Step

→ Voicemail

Last updated: 2026-05-01