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Setting Up Call Forwarding

Configure your 3CX extension to forward calls to another extension, your mobile, or voicemail — with separate rules for business hours and after hours.

Forwarding Rule Types

3CX supports three independent forwarding conditions. You can configure each one separately, or leave some disabled:

  • Always Forward — Every incoming call is forwarded immediately, regardless of whether you are available. Your phone does not ring.
  • Forward on Busy — Calls are forwarded when your extension is already on a call or when Do Not Disturb is active.
  • Forward on No Answer — Calls are forwarded if you do not answer within the configured ring timeout (typically 20–30 seconds).

Most users configure Forward on No Answer to route to voicemail, and Forward on Busy to ring a colleague or ring group. Always Forward is best used temporarily — for example, when you are out of the office for the day.

Setting Forwarding Rules via the Web Client

  1. Open the 3CX web client and click your profile icon or name in the top-right corner.
  2. Select Forwarding Rules from the dropdown menu.
  3. Choose the forwarding condition you want to configure: Always, Busy, or No Answer.
  4. Set the destination: an internal extension, an external number, or voicemail (*2[ext]).
  5. Click Save. The rule takes effect immediately.

Forwarding to Your Mobile Phone

To forward calls to an external mobile number, enter the full number including the country code and area code in the destination field. For Canadian numbers, enter 1 followed by the 10-digit number — for example, 18077001234. Do not use dashes or spaces. Some 3CX configurations allow you to save your mobile number in your extension profile, which makes it available as a quick-select destination in the forwarding rules panel.

Forwarding to a mobile uses your outbound call capacity. If you are on a plan with limited concurrent calls, a forwarded call counts as one of them.

Forwarding to Voicemail

To forward callers directly to a voicemail box, enter *2[ext] as the destination. To route to your own voicemail, use *2 followed by your extension number — for example, if your extension is 101, enter *2101. This works for both the Busy and No Answer conditions and is the most common setup for after-hours coverage.

Using Do Not Disturb with Forwarding

Enabling Do Not Disturb (*62) causes your extension to behave as if it is busy. If you have a Forward on Busy rule configured, incoming calls will immediately follow that rule when DND is active — routing to a colleague, ring group, or voicemail without ringing your phone at all. Dial *62 again to disable DND and restore normal ringing. The DND toggle is also available in the status menu of the web client and mobile app.

Office Hours Forwarding

3CX allows different forwarding rules to apply during business hours versus outside business hours. Your administrator configures the office hours schedule at the system level. Within the Forwarding Rules panel, you may see separate tabs or sections for "In Office Hours" and "Out of Office Hours." This means you can have calls go to a ring group during the day and route directly to voicemail in the evening — without manually changing anything at the end of each workday.

If you are unsure how your office hours are configured, contact DVGVoIP. Incorrect office hours settings are a common cause of calls not routing as expected after 5 PM.

Forwarding via a Desk Phone

Most desk phones supported by DVGVoIP allow forwarding to be set directly on the device. The path varies by model but is typically found under Settings > Features > Call Forwarding or via a dedicated Forward hard key. Because the 3CX web client provides more control and visibility, configuring forwarding there is generally preferred. Changes made on the phone and in the web client are synchronized — you do not need to set them in both places.

Disabling Call Forwarding

To turn off forwarding, return to the Forwarding Rules panel in the web client and clear the destination fields for each active rule, or switch the rule to No Forwarding. Save the changes. Forwarding rules set to "No Forwarding" are disabled but retained, so you can re-enable them quickly later without re-entering the destination each time.

Need Help?

Open a support ticket by emailing support@dvgvoip.com before calling — this helps us resolve your issue faster. Or call (807) 700-7111.

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