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Setting Business Hours & Holiday Schedules in 3CX

Configure when your phones are "open," set holiday closures, and control how calls are routed outside business hours — all from the 3CX Admin Console.

Before You Start

This guide is for 3CX administrators. You'll need access to your 3CX Admin Console (web browser login with admin credentials). If you're not sure whether you have admin access, contact DVGVoIP — we can check or grant access as needed.

DVGVoIP configures your initial office hours and routing when your system is set up. Use this guide when you need to make changes going forward.

Step 1 — Verify Your Timezone

Before setting any hours, confirm your timezone is correct. An incorrect timezone will cause calls to route incorrectly, even if your hours look right on screen.

  1. Log into the 3CX Admin Console in your web browser.
  2. Go to Admin › General.
  3. Under the General tab, find the Timezone field.
  4. Set it to America/Toronto for Northwestern Ontario businesses (or the appropriate zone for your location).
  5. Click Save.

Step 2 — Set Default Office Hours

Office hours tell 3CX when your business is open. Calls during these hours follow your normal inbound routing. Calls outside these hours are treated as "out of hours" and follow your night-mode rules.

  1. In the Admin Console, go to Admin › Office Hours.
  2. For each day of the week, use the toggles to mark it as open or closed.
  3. For open days, set the From and To times. You can set different hours per day — for example, shorter hours on Friday or closed on weekends.
  4. If your business has a lunch break or split shift, you can add a second time range for the same day.
  5. Click Save when done.

Changes take effect immediately. No restart required.

Step 3 — Configure After-Hours Routing

What happens to calls that arrive outside your office hours is controlled by your Inbound Rules, not the Office Hours page itself. Each inbound rule has an "Out of office hours" destination.

  1. Go to Admin › Inbound Rules.
  2. Click on the rule for your main DID (phone number).
  3. Find the Out of Office Hours section.
  4. Set the destination — common options are: a night-mode IVR, a specific voicemail extension, or an external number (such as an on-call mobile).
  5. Click Save.

Step 4 — Add Holiday Dates

Holidays are separate from office hours. On a designated holiday date, 3CX treats all calls as out-of-hours regardless of the time, so your normal office hours schedule is bypassed.

  1. Go to Admin › Holidays.
  2. Click Add Holiday.
  3. Enter a name (e.g., "Christmas Day") and select the date.
  4. Repeat for each holiday you want to close. Canadian statutory holidays to consider: New Year's Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Boxing Day.
  5. Click Save after adding all dates.

Holiday dates must be added each year — they don't auto-repeat. We recommend reviewing your holiday list each January.

Per-Extension Forwarding Rules

Individual extensions can have their own forwarding rules that differ from the company office hours. For example, a manager might forward calls to their mobile after 5 PM while the main number routes to voicemail.

  1. Go to Admin › Users.
  2. Click on the extension you want to configure.
  3. Select the Forwarding Rules tab.
  4. Configure rules for "During office hours," "Outside office hours," and "When not available."
  5. Click Save.

IVR Message Changes

If you need to update your after-hours greeting message or change how calls route during holidays, contact DVGVoIP — some prompt and routing changes require admin access or audio file uploads. We're happy to handle these for you.

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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