Set Call Forwarding options in Skype for Business

Call forwarding lets you choose how you want Skype for Business to handle incoming calls when you're away from your work phone or when you want someone else to take your calls.

Note: Call forwarding is not available in Lync Basic.

Turn Call Forwarding on or off

You can turn Call Forwarding on or off a couple of ways.

Option 1: The Options button

1. At the top of the Skype for Business main window, click the arrow next to the Options button.

   

2. Select Tools > Call Forwarding Settings.

   

3. Select Forward my calls to or Simultaneously ring, and then choose an option.

   

   If you've set delegates or a team-call group, your calls will ring at their phones. To learn more, see Edit team-call members and Edit delegates below.

   To turn off Call Forwarding, select Turn Off Call Forwarding.

Option 2: The Call Forwarding button

1. At the bottom of the Skype for Business main window, click the Call Forwarding button.

   

2. In the drop-down menu, select Forward my calls to or Simultaneously ring, and choose an option.

   If you've set delegates or a team-call group, your calls will ring at their phones. To learn more, see Edit team-call members and Edit delegates below.

   

   To turn off Call Forwarding, select Turn Off Call Forwarding.

Notes: 

• If you make an emergency services call, any call forwarding rules you have set are turned off for 120 minutes so that response personnel can reach you back. You can reset Call Forwarding options at any time by clicking the call forwarding menu at the lower-left corner of the Skype for Business main window.

• When you set up Call Forwarding in Skype for Business, the number you set your calls to be forwarded to will be displayed to the person who called you. This applies to Skype for Business-to-Skype for Business calls only.

• Some settings might not be available to you because your administrator has blocked you from making changes.

Change your Call Forwarding options

To change your Call Forwarding options, click the arrow next to the Options button and select Tools > Call Forwarding Settings.

Choose where unanswered calls go

1. In the Call Forwarding Settings menu, under Your current call forwarding settings, click the link next to Unanswered calls will go to.

   

2. Choose the phone number you want the call to go to. For example, Voice Mail, or New Number or Contact.

   

3. Click OK to go back to the Skype for Business – Options > Call Forwarding window.

Choose how long until unanswered calls are redirected

1. In the Call Forwarding Settings menu, under Your current call forwarding settings, click the link next to Unanswered calls will go to.

   

2. In the Ring for this many seconds before redirecting menu, select a delay time before the call will be redirected.

   

3. Click OK to go back to the Skype for Business – Options > Call Forwarding window.

Choose when Call Forwarding is active

1. In the Call Forwarding Settings menu, under Your current call forwarding settings, click the link next to These settings will apply.

   

2. Choose one of the following:

   • All the time When calls come in, they are forwarded no matter what schedule, including your work hours, is set up in Outlook.

   • During work hours set in Outlook When calls come in, they are forwarded during the hours that you have set up for work hours. To set up your calendar schedule including work hours, see Change your work hours and days in Outlook or Change your Calendar work days and the start of your week.

Edit team-call members

A team-call group is a set of people who can answer your work calls, as long as your administrator enables this feature and your team supports it. You can add or remove members, and select which members can receive calls on your behalf.

1. In the Call Forwarding Settings menu, click Edit my team-call group members.

   

2. Do any of the following:

   • To add members, click Add, and then double-click the contact you want.

   • To delete a member, select the contact, and then click Remove.

   • To specify the delay before the group's phones ring, select a time in the Ring your team-call group after this many seconds.

     Important:  Setting up team-call group doesn't automatically forward your calls to them. Make sure to choose an option under Simultaneously ring or Forward my calls to, in the call forwarding section.

Edit delegates

You can add delegates and choose if you want them to receive calls on your behalf. Skype for Business creates a Delegates group in your Contacts list automatically when you add delegates.

1. In the Call Forwarding Settings menu, click Edit my delegate members.

   

2. Do any of the following:

   • Click Add, then double-click the contact you want to add as a delegate.

   • To enable your delegates to take your calls, check the box next to Receive Calls.

   • To specify the delay before your delegates' phones ring, select a time in the Ring your delegates after this many seconds menu.

   • To delete a delegate, select the name, then click Remove.

     Important:  Setting up delegates doesn't automatically forward your calls to them. Make sure to choose an option under Simultaneously ring or Forward my calls to, in the call forwarding section.

Note: You can designate up to 25 delegates, and you can act as a delegate for up to 25 delegators.

See Also

Call forwarding and simultaneously ring

Set up your voice mail