Legacy PBX (Avaya, Mitel, etc.) — After-Hours Setup
How to forward after-hours calls to PupPilot on Legacy PBX (Avaya, Mitel, etc.).
IT-Assisted Setup
Legacy PBX changes require your IT vendor or telecom installer. Have your PupPilot number and business hours ready before contacting them.
How Legacy PBX (Avaya, Mitel, etc.) Works
Legacy PBX systems (Avaya, Mitel/ShoreTel, Panasonic, NEC, Cisco) are on-premise hardware installed at your clinic. All programming is done through the PBX admin interface — typically by your IT vendor or telecom installer. Key concepts: Time Conditions (day/night mode), Hunt Groups / Ring Groups, Auto Attendant, and DIDs (direct inward dial numbers). You will not be making these changes yourself.
Call Flow
Open Hours
Caller
Main Number
Auto Attendant
Desk phones ring
After Hours
Caller
Main Number
Auto Attendant
Forward
PupPilot answers
Setup Steps
1
Contact Your IT Vendor
Reach out to the company that installed and maintains your phone system. This is typically a local telecom vendor or managed IT provider.
2
Provide PupPilot Information
Tell your vendor: "We need after-hours call forwarding. Outside of business hours [SPECIFY HOURS], all inbound calls to our main number should forward to [PUPPILOT NUMBER]."
3
Vendor Configures the PBX
Your vendor will program a time condition (day/night mode) in the PBX. During business hours, calls route to your phones as usual. After hours, calls forward to PupPilot.
4
Test After-Hours Forwarding
After your vendor confirms the change, call your main number after business hours and verify PupPilot answers.
Important Notes
- You will not make these changes yourself — your IT vendor handles all PBX programming.
- Common PBX brands: Avaya IP Office, Mitel/ShoreTel, Panasonic KX-NS, NEC SL2100/SV9100, Cisco UCM.
- Have your clinic name, main number, PupPilot number, and business hours ready when you call your vendor.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Calls don't reach PupPilot | Contact your IT vendor and verify that call forwarding is configured correctly. Confirm the PupPilot number is entered correctly in the PBX. |
| Time condition not switching properly | The PBX clock may be wrong or the schedule may have incorrect hours. Ask your vendor to verify the time condition settings and the system clock. |
| Internal DID doesn't ring desk phones | The hunt group may not be configured. Ask your vendor to verify the DID is assigned to a hunt group with the correct extensions. |
| Calls loop between PupPilot and your system | The internal DID is forwarding to PupPilot on no-answer. Contact your vendor immediately and set the no-answer behavior to voicemail only. |
| Don't know who maintains your phone system | Check for stickers on your desk phones or PBX hardware (usually in a server closet). The vendor's name and phone number are typically on a service label. |