---
title: "Business hours rules"
slug: "business-hour-rules"
description: "How to manage inbound calls during business hours, outside business hours, and on holidays."
tags: ["business hours", "voicemail", "Flow Builder", "business hours rules", "holidays", "Inbound", "day off"]
updated: 2025-09-22T14:03:16Z
published: 2025-09-22T14:03:16Z
canonical: "docs.voiso.com/business-hour-rules"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.voiso.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Business hours rules

**Who should read this article**: Administrators

How to manage inbound interactions during business hours, outside business hours, and on holidays.

## User story

As an administrator, I want to create a single call flow that routes interactions according to my business hours, outside business hours, and holiday schedules.

## Flows

The Voiso **[Flows](/v1/docs/inbound-flows)** feature enables you to create both simple and complex inbound interaction routing flows to suit your business needs.

Flows are associated with a channel, such as a phone number or webchat, that your contacts use to connect with your contact center.

To view and manage your interaction flows, in the Voiso navigation bar, select **Inbound > Flows**. The **Flows** page contains a searchable table of the flows that you have created. It displays the name of the flow and associated channels.

- To create a new flow, click **Add flow**.
- To update an existing flow, click its name in the **Flows** table.

The following screenshot and table describe the main features of the **Edit flow** page.

![Business%20Flow%20Window%20Description](https://cdn.document360.io/44ae307a-3737-4fbf-98e0-9b888deb90dc/Images/Documentation/Business%20Flow%20Window%20Description.png)

| # | Section | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [General](/v1/docs/inbound-flows#general) | Specify the name of your flow, its type, and the channels (phone numbers) the flow handles. |
| 2 | [Launch builder](/v1/docs/inbound-flows#flow-builder) | After you set up and save the flow, open the **[Flow builder](/v1/docs/inbound-flow-builder-overview)** to design the interaction flow. |
| 3 | [Busines hours](/v1/docs/inbound-flows#business-hours) | The days and times that the flow is active. |
| 4 | [Outside business hours](/v1/docs/inbound-flows#day-off-menu) | Interactions that arrive on the channel (phone number) outside of the specified hours are handled by the flow selected in the **Outside business hours**. |
| 5 | [Assigned numbers](/v1/docs/inbound-inbound-numbers) | Calls to these inbound phone numbers are handled by this flow. |
| 6 | [Assigned supervisors](/v1/docs/inbound-flows#assigned-supervisors) | [Supervisors](/v1/docs/users-users#adding-a-user) assigned to the flow can access interactions that pass through the flow by using the [CDR page](/v1/docs/reporting-cdr). |

          Note

          

There is no limit to the number of flows that can be chained together using the **Outside business hours** in each flow.

          Tip

          

You do not need to configure a phone number for each flow specified in the **Outside business hours**. These flows automatically use the same phone number as the entry point flow.

When an interaction is received by the first flow (entry point), the day and time are checked against the specified business hours. If there is no match, the interaction is passed to the flow specified in the **Outside business hours** section.

If there is no match again, the interaction is passed to the flow specified in the **Outside business hours** section of the second flow, and so on.

          Tip

          

Using the **Conditions** node in a flow allows even greater flexibility, enabling you to specify actions based on specific calendar days, such as local holidays. Refer to [Add conditions to cover holiday closure](/v1/docs/business-hour-rules#add-conditions-to-cover-holiday-closure).

## Use Case: Creating a flow based on business hours rules

          Important

          

[Business hours](/v1/docs/inbound-flows#business-hours) in a flow use the contact center’s time zone as specified in [System Settings](/v1/docs/administration-system-settings). This may differ from the time zone set for individual users in their [profile](/v1/docs/users-users). When configuring business hours, be sure to account for any difference between the contact center time zone and your agents’ time zones.

You can use the **[Conditions](/v1/docs/conditions)** node in **[Flow Builder](/v1/docs/inbound-flow-builder-overview)** to test the `start-time`, `dnis`, or `ani` of a call and [route it to](/v1/docs/flow-builder-route) different queues, agents, or other targets (such as voicemail) based on the time zone of the contact or agent.

The Voiso **[Flow](/v1/docs/inbound-flows)** and **[Flow Builder](/v1/docs/inbound-flow-builder-overview)** features enable you to build a single flow that handles regular business hours, off hours, and holidays with just two flows.

![Business%20Hours%20Flow%20Flows%20Table](https://cdn.document360.io/44ae307a-3737-4fbf-98e0-9b888deb90dc/Images/Documentation/Business%20Hours%20Flow%20Flows%20Table.png)

### Prep your contact center resources

First, create an [inbound queue](/v1/docs/inbound-queues) and assign agents to the queue. Next, obtain an [inbound phone number](/v1/docs/inbound-inbound-numbers) for your contact center.

          Tip

          

For more details, refer to the [How to start receiving calls with Voiso](/v1/docs/how-to-start-receiving-calls) article.

IVRs rely on recorded messages (media files) to explain the keypress selections available to callers.

Create a recorded message as a media file (for example, an MP3). The message can be quite simple. For example, the message could be:

```
Welcome to Our Organization. Press 1 to be connected to an agent, press 2 to leave a voicemail, or press any other number to hear this message again.
```

Upload your audio message to your contact center [media](/v1/docs/administration-media) collection (navigate to **Administration > Media** in the main navigation bar).

### Adding media

To upload a new audio file to your media library, follow these steps:

1. Click **Add media**.
2. In the **Add media** panel, enter a name for the file. This name appears in the **Media** table and in selection menus throughout the application.
3. From the **Type** dropdown, select the [media type](/v1/docs/administration-media#introduction) that matches how the audio will be used (e.g., MOH, Voice Message, or Ringtone).
4. In the **Media** section, either drag and drop an audio file from your computer or click **browse** to select a file.
5. Click **Save** to upload the file.

![Media Add Media](https://cdn.document360.io/44ae307a-3737-4fbf-98e0-9b888deb90dc/Images/Documentation/Media%20Add%20Media.png)

          Tip

          

For supported audio formats and file size limits, refer to [Supported file formats](/v1/docs/supported-file-formats#media-files).

### Create a flow for your off hours

The first step is to create a flow for the hours and days (nights and weekends) that are *not* your primary business hours, such as this example:

![Business%20Flow%20Weekend%20Flow%20Setup](https://cdn.document360.io/44ae307a-3737-4fbf-98e0-9b888deb90dc/Images/Documentation/Business%20Flow%20Weekend%20Flow%20Setup.png)

1. In the Voiso navigation bar, select **Inbound > Flows**, then click **Add flow**.
2. In the **General** section of the **Add flow** page, give your flow a name (1), and select **Voice** as the type of flow (2).
3. In the **Business hours** section, select the days of the week that correspond to your *non-business hours* and days. For each day, specify your *non-business hours*. For example:
  1. Monday (4) – **00:00 - 07:59** (midnight to one minute before the start time of 8 a.m.) and **18:00 - 23:59** (the end of the shift, 6 p.m., to one minute before midnight).
  2. Saturday (5) – **00:00 to 23:59** (midnight to one minute before midnight).
4. It is not necessary to specify a [phone number](/v1/docs/inbound-inbound-numbers) in the **Assigned numbers** section because this will be inherited from your regular business hour flow.
5. Optionally assign one or more users as supervisors for the flow in the **Assigned supervisors** section.
6. Save the flow.
7. On the **Flows** page, click the **Launch builder** icon on the right side of the flow row and create your after-hours flow. For information on using **Flow Builder** refer to the [Flow Builder Overview](/v1/docs/inbound-flow-builder-overview) article.

### Create a flow for your main business hours

The second step is to create a flow for your *main business hours*, such as this example:

![Business%20Flow%20Main%20Flow%20Setup](https://cdn.document360.io/44ae307a-3737-4fbf-98e0-9b888deb90dc/Images/Documentation/Business%20Flow%20Main%20Flow%20Setup.png)

1. In the Voiso navigation bar, select **Inbound > Flows**, then click **Add flow**.
2. In the **General** section of the **Add flow** page, give your flow a name (1), select **Voice** as the type of flow (2).
3. In the **Business hours** section, select the days of the week that correspond to your business week, such as Monday (3) through Friday. Do not select your non-business days – for example, Saturday and Sunday.
4. Specify your regular business hours for each business day – for example, **08:00 - 17:59** (8 a.m. to one minute before the end of the business hours, such as 6 p.m.).
5. In the **Outside business hours** section, select the off-business hours flow [that you previously created](/v1/docs/business-hour-rules#create-a-flow-for-your-off-hours) (4).
6. In the **Assigned numbers** section (5), click **Manage** to select one or more inbound [phone numbers](/v1/docs/inbound-inbound-numbers) from the **Number assignment** panel.
7. Optionally assign one or more users as supervisors for the flow in the **Assigned supervisors** section (6).
8. Save the flow.
9. On the **Flows** page, click the **Launch builder** icon on the right side of the flow row and create your business-hours flow. For information on using **Flow Builder** refer to the [Flow Builder Overview](/v1/docs/inbound-flow-builder-overview) article.

### Add conditions to cover holiday closure

Now that your main business hours flow is saved, you can use **[Flow builder](/v1/docs/inbound-flow-builder)** to create alternative flows for special days, such as holidays or other exceptions to your normal business hours that occur outside of your usual days off, such as this example:

![Business%20Hours%20Configuring%20Holidays](https://cdn.document360.io/44ae307a-3737-4fbf-98e0-9b888deb90dc/Images/Documentation/Business%20Hours%20Configuring%20Holidays.png)

1. In the Voiso navigation bar, select **Inbound > Flows**, then click the name of your regular business hours flow.
2. In the row for your business hours flow, click the **Launch Builder** icon. The **Flow builder** opens in a new browser tab.
3. Add a **[Conditions](/v1/docs/conditions)** node (2) and connect the **[Start](/v1/docs/flow-builder-start)** node (1) to it.
4. Click the **Conditions** node to display the **Conditions** configuration panel.
  1. Click **Any rule** (3) so that you can specify multiple days for **Condition 1**. If any of them are met, the condition is met, and the holiday routing is used.
  2. Create a rule (4) for the first holiday, for example, New Year's Eve. Select **start_time** as the variable, **between** as the operator, and the dates and times you want the holiday hours to be active as the value.
  3. Click **Add rule** to create a rule for the next holiday, for example, a national independence day.  Alternatively, you could create one condition for each holiday, each with a different action or recording.

[Video](https://cdn.document360.io/44ae307a-3737-4fbf-98e0-9b888deb90dc/Images/Documentation/Business%20Hours%20Flow%20Flows%20Create%20Holliday%20Conditions.mp4)

1. Decide where you want calls routed if the holiday conditions are met. For example, add a **[Voicemail](/v1/docs/flow-builder-voicemail)** node (5) that directs all holiday call traffic to Voicemail. Add a link from the condition or conditions to the holiday routing.
2. Create the rest of your regular business hours call routing, for example, by adding a **[DTMF](/v1/docs/flow-builder-dtmf)** node as an IVR. Add a link from the **Conditions** node to the **DTMF** node.
3. Save the flow.

For the [weekend and off hours flow](/v1/docs/business-hour-rules#create-a-flow-for-your-off-hours), use the **Flow Builder** to create your call flow and repeat the use of the **Conditions** node to add specific days that are exceptions to the main flow.

![Business%20Hours%20Weekend%20Flow%20Configuring%20Holidays](https://cdn.document360.io/44ae307a-3737-4fbf-98e0-9b888deb90dc/Images/Documentation/Business%20Hours%20Weekend%20Flow%20Configuring%20Holidays.png)

### Rename the node

Beginning with the [September 15 - 19, 2025 release](/v1/docs/september-15-19-2025), you may name nodes in **Flow Builder**. Click a node in the node palette to add it to the flow. The node is added to the flow and is named **Node N**, where **N** represents the number of the node; for example, **Node 6**. Below the node name is the node type, such as **Play Audio**. Click the node to open the node configuration panel, then click the name of the node to edit it. Enter a new name, then the check mark to save your change.

[Video](https://cdn.document360.io/44ae307a-3737-4fbf-98e0-9b888deb90dc/Images/Documentation/Flow%20Builder%20Renaming%20Nodes.mp4)

An area of the world that observes a uniform standard time for legal, commercial, and social purposes. Time zones commonly follow the boundaries between countries and their subdivisions instead of following evenly spaced divisions on the globe for the convenience of keeping a consistent time.

## Related

- [Flow Builder](/inbound-flow-builder.md)
- [Flow Builder Overview](/inbound-flow-builder-overview.md)
- [Creating a simple IVR with Flow Builder](/creating-a-simple-ivr.md)
- [Play Audio](/flow-builder-play-audio.md)
- [Start](/flow-builder-start.md)
- [Route](/flow-builder-route.md)
- [Conditions](/conditions.md)
- [Voicemail](/flow-builder-voicemail.md)