> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.limecall.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.limecall.com/virtual-numbers/call-forwarding-and-routing.md).

# Call forwarding & routing

Decide who answers each number, and what happens when they do not.

Open **Phone Numbers** and, on any number, set **Who answers your calls**.

## Destinations

| Destination             | Behaviour                                                  |
| ----------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Team member**         | Rings one person, wherever they have chosen to take calls. |
| **Team**                | Rings a group, in that group's configured order.           |
| **Forward to a number** | Rings an external number — a mobile, an existing landline. |
| **Voicemail**           | Straight to a greeting.                                    |
| **AI receptionist**     | Your AI answers, around the clock.                         |

## Routing rules

Two rules can be set per number:

**All inbound calls** — the primary destination.

**When busy** — where calls go if the primary destination is engaged or does not answer.

The busy destination is the one people forget. Setting it to your AI receptionist means overflow gets answered instead of abandoned, which is usually the single highest-value routing change available to you.

## How a team rings

A team destination rings its members according to how that team is configured under **Settings → Team**. Common patterns are ringing everyone at once, ringing in a fixed order, or distributing evenly.

Ringing everyone connects fastest. A fixed order is better where seniority or specialism matters.

## Availability

Two layers decide whether there is anyone to ring:

**Business hours** (**Settings → Business hours**) — whether the company is open.

**Personal hours** (**Settings → My hours**) — whether that individual is available.

A call during business hours when every individual is outside their own hours has nobody to ring, and falls through to your busy or fallback destination. When routing behaves unexpectedly, check both layers.

## Where a person actually answers

Each team member chooses under **Settings → My calls** and **Settings → Devices** — in the browser, on a desk phone, on a softphone, or by forwarding to their mobile. See [Devices](/virtual-numbers/devices.md).

## Ring duration

Set how long to ring before moving on. Too short and people cannot reach their phone; too long and the caller gives up. Around 20–25 seconds suits most teams.

## When nobody answers

Set the fallback explicitly. Options are voicemail, the AI receptionist, or forwarding elsewhere.

{% hint style="warning" %}
A number whose destination does not answer and which has no fallback simply drops the call. The caller hears ringing and then nothing, and you have no record of who it was.
{% endhint %}

## Combining with the AI

Common arrangements:

* **Team first, AI on busy** — humans answer what they can, AI catches the rest.
* **AI first, transfer to team** — AI screens and qualifies, passes on the good ones.
* **Team in hours, AI outside** — driven by business hours.

## Testing

Test every path, not just the main one: answer normally; let it ring out; call while the line is busy; call outside business hours. Each should land where you expect.