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If your line uses a call flow, the flow decides who rings, and the controls in this section step aside. Set the members, the ring order and the ring time in the flow’s Ring this line step. See ring your team.

What is call routing

Call routing controls how incoming calls are distributed to you and your team members. Choose between ringing everyone at once, ringing one after another, or holding callers in a queue. Available routing methods:
  • Simultaneous: ring everyone at once
  • Cascade: ring one after another, in the order you set
  • Queue: callers wait in line and available users ring one at a time
Routing rings users (people with Allo accounts), not phone lines. If you’re new to how numbers and users work together, start here →

Routing methods

Ring everyone at once

All team members ring simultaneously. First person to answer gets the call, others stop ringing automatically.Best for:
  • Small teams (2-5 people)
  • Fast response needed
  • Customer support
  • Sales teams
How it works:
  1. Call comes to your Allo number
  2. All assigned team members ring
  3. First to tap “Answer” gets the call
  4. Their phones stop ringing
Setup:
  1. Desktop > Settings > Call routing
  2. Select “Simultaneous Ringing”
  3. Choose who to include
  4. Select what happens if no one answers
  5. Save settings
Perfect for ensuring no call goes unanswered during business hours.

Combine with other features

Routing + IVR

Route based on menu selection: Press 1 (Sales) → Sales team (simultaneous)
Press 2 (Support) → Support team (cascade)
Press 3 (Billing) → Billing person
Setup:
  1. Create IVR menu
  2. Assign each option to team or person
  3. Configure routing per destination
Setup IVR menu

Routing + Business Hours

Different routing by time: During hours:
  • Simultaneous to full team
After hours:
  • Cascade to on-call only
  • Or voicemail
  • Or AI Receptionist
Setup:
  1. Configure business hours
  2. Set “during hours” routing
  3. Set “outside hours” routing
  4. Test both scenarios

For teams

Assign team members to numbers

Multiple numbers, different routing: Main line (555-0100):
  • Ring all sales reps simultaneously
  • 9 AM - 6 PM
Support line (555-0200):
  • Ring support team in cascade
  • 8 AM - 8 PM
Direct lines:
  • Each rep has own number
  • Personal business hours
Setup:
Configure routing separately for each number.

Best practices

Optimize response time

Goals:
  • Answer within 3 rings (15 seconds)
  • Maximum 30 seconds before voicemail
  • No more than 2 handoffs
Tips:
  • Use simultaneous for small teams
  • Keep cascade lists short (max 3 people)
  • Set realistic ring durations

Test your setup

Before going live:
  1. Call during business hours
  2. Call outside business hours
  3. Test with busy team members
  4. Verify voicemail fallback
  5. Check notifications work
Monthly:
  • Review routing efficiency
  • Update team member order
  • Adjust ring times
  • Optimize rules

Communicate with team

Everyone should know:
  • How routing works
  • Their position in sequence
  • Expected response time
  • What to do if unavailable
Best practice:
Document routing rules and share with team.

Troubleshooting

If the line has a call flow, check the flow first. Open the line’s Call flow section, then the Ring this line step: only the members named there ring, and access to the line is not enough. See ring your team.Check:
  • Team members are added to number
  • Routing is enabled
  • Team members have active Allo accounts
  • They’re not all on Do Not Disturb
Test: Call the number while monitoring team devices.
If the line has a call flow, the order, the ring time and the destination all live in the flow’s Ring this line step, not in this section. See ring your team.Verify:
  • Team members are in correct order
  • Ring duration is set
  • Final destination is configured
  • Each person has valid number
Common issue:
A cascade waits out the full ring duration on each person, whether their app is running or not. Four people at 30 seconds keeps a caller waiting two minutes. Keep the list to two or three people and the duration short.
If the line has a call flow, check the flow first. Open the line’s Call flow section, then the Ring this line step: only the members named there ring, and access to the line is not enough. See ring your team.Check:
  • All team members are selected in routing settings
  • They have notifications enabled
  • Their app is up to date
  • They’re logged in
Solution:
Have missing team members log out and back in.
If the line has a call flow, the ring time and what happens next are set on the flow’s Ring this line step and its If missed branch, not here. See ring your team.Adjust:
  • Increase ring duration
  • Add more team members to sequence
  • Check business hours aren’t closing early
Recommended:
Minimum 20 seconds per person in cascade.
Start with the ring step. On a line with a call flow, a teammate who has access to the line but is not in the Ring this line step never rings on it. That is the most common cause. See ring your team.Verify their setup:
  • Allo app is installed and logged in
  • Notifications are enabled
  • Not on Do Not Disturb
  • Internet connection active
  • They’re included in routing rules
Connection troubleshooting

IVR menu

Route by menu selection

Business hours

Time-based routing

Call transfer

Transfer live calls

Team management

Add and manage team members