# Emergency Groups

**Navigation:** Admin → Routing → Emergency Groups
**Used by:** Call Routing configurations

---

## What Are Emergency Groups?

An Emergency Group is a switch that **overrides all normal schedule-based call routing** when activated. When an emergency group is active, inbound calls bypass the schedule group entirely and route directly to a designated emergency call flow.

Use cases: office closures, power outages, network failures, natural disasters, building evacuations, planned maintenance requiring full call redirection.

> ⚠️ **Emergency Groups have the highest routing priority.** They override Open / Closed / Holiday schedule logic. An active emergency group = all calls go to the emergency flow, regardless of time of day.

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## Emergency Group Components

| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| **Name** | Unique identifier for the group |
| **Division** | Administrative ownership and access scoping |
| **Activation Status** | On = emergency routing active; Off = normal routing |
| **Usages** | Shows which call routes and flows reference this group — critical for impact assessment |

---

## Creating an Emergency Group

1. Admin → Routing → **Emergency Groups**
2. Click **Add**
3. Enter a unique **Emergency Group Name**
4. Select **Division**
5. Click **Save**


> The group is created in a **deactivated state** — it has no routing impact until activated.

[![](https://wiki.tinod.net/uploads/images/gallery/2026-03/scaled-1680-/ERGG7YDCaOMWTJOz-image-1773358803572.png)](https://wiki.tinod.net/uploads/images/gallery/2026-03/ERGG7YDCaOMWTJOz-image-1773358803572.png)

[![](https://wiki.tinod.net/uploads/images/gallery/2026-03/scaled-1680-/BGr4cUN7JgCfuNb9-image-1773358809462.png)](https://wiki.tinod.net/uploads/images/gallery/2026-03/BGr4cUN7JgCfuNb9-image-1773358809462.png)

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## Connecting an Emergency Group to a Call Route

Creating the group alone does nothing. It must be assigned to a Call Route:

1. Admin → Routing → **Call Routing** → open the target route
2. Enable **Emergency** toggle
3. In the **Emergency Group** field, select the group you created
4. In the **Emergency Flow** field, select the published Architect flow to use during emergencies
5. Click **Save**

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## Activating an Emergency Group

When an incident occurs:

1. Admin → Routing → **Emergency Groups**
2. Find the group
3. Toggle **Activation** to **On**
4. Calls immediately begin routing to the emergency flow

To restore normal routing:
1. Return to Emergency Groups
2. Toggle **Activation** to **Off**

> ✅ **Best practice:** Test activation/deactivation during a low-traffic window before a real incident occurs. Know exactly where to find this toggle under pressure.

---

## Routing Priority Diagram

```
Incoming Call
      ↓
Call Route
      ↓
Emergency Group active?
      ↓
┌──── YES ─────────────────────┐
│  Emergency Flow executes     │
│  (schedule ignored entirely) │
└──────────────────────────────┘
      ↓ NO
Schedule Group evaluated
      ↓
Open / Closed / Holiday → respective flow
```

---

## Common Emergency Flow Designs

### Simple Closure Announcement
```
Start
  ↓
Play Emergency Announcement
  ↓
Disconnect
```

### Redirect to Backup Location
```
Start
  ↓
Play Brief Message ("We are experiencing an outage...")
  ↓
Transfer to backup contact center DID
```

### Alternate Contact Information
```
Start
  ↓
Play Emergency Message
  ↓
Provide website / email / alternate number
  ↓
Disconnect
```

> ✅ **Keep emergency flows simple.** Complex logic is a liability during an outage. The goal is: play a clear message, offer an alternative, end the call.

---

## The Usages Field

The **Usages** field on an emergency group shows every call route and Architect flow that references it. Always check this before making changes — it tells you the blast radius of any modification or activation.

---

## Naming Convention

| Format | Example |
|---|---|
| `<Region>_<Dept>_Emergency` | `US_Support_Emergency` |
| `<Site>_<Function>_Emergency` | `Monterrey_IVR_Emergency` |

---

## Troubleshooting

| Issue | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency routing not activating | Group not assigned to the call route | Edit call route → assign emergency group |
| Group is active but calls still follow normal schedule | Emergency flow not assigned to the route | Assign the emergency flow on the call route |
| Emergency flow errors out | Flow has unpublished changes or broken logic | Open Architect, validate, publish latest version |
| Wrong routes affected | Unexpected routes also reference the group | Check **Usages** field; scope the group correctly |
| Normal routing not restoring after deactivation | Underlying schedule or call route was already misconfigured | Test non-emergency routing path separately |
| Admin cannot modify group | Division permission issue | Verify division assignment and admin role permissions |

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## Troubleshooting Checklist

| Check | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Emergency group created | ☐ |
| Correct division selected | ☐ |
| Emergency group assigned to all relevant call routes | ☐ |
| Emergency flow is published in Architect | ☐ |
| Emergency flow assigned to call route | ☐ |
| Tested activation in non-production or low-traffic window | ☐ |
| Verified Usages field — no unexpected routes affected | ☐ |
| Confirmed normal routing works when group is deactivated | ☐ |

---

## Key Facts for Exam / Interview

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where are emergency groups configured? | Admin → Routing → Emergency Groups |
| What does activating an emergency group do? | Overrides all schedule-based routing — all calls go to the emergency flow |
| What must be done after creating an emergency group? | Assign it to a call route AND assign an emergency flow on that route |
| How do you check what a group affects? | The **Usages** field on the group |
| What is the routing priority order? | Emergency Group → Schedule Group → Open/Closed/Holiday flows |
| What is the most common implementation mistake? | Creating the group but forgetting to assign it to the call route, or not assigning an emergency flow |

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## See Also

- **Scheduling & Schedule Groups** — the routing layer that emergency groups override
- **Call Routing** — where emergency groups are assigned to inbound numbers
- **Architect Overview** — building the emergency call flow that gets executed