> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://aipro.placetel.de/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Assistant by schedule

> Have calls on one number answered by a different voice assistant depending on the day and time -- evenings, weekends or public holidays.

## What is "Assistant by schedule"?

Normally the same voice assistant answers every call that comes in on a number. With **Assistant by schedule** you decide that at certain times a **different voice assistant** picks up -- without changing the number or telling your callers anything new.

An example: during the day your standard assistant handles every enquiry. From 6 p.m. and at weekends an on-call assistant takes over, recording only emergencies and pointing everything else to the next working day.

<Info>
  **Not to be confused with call forwarding or warm transfer.** With call forwarding and with [warm transfer](/docs/en/warm-transfer), a call is handed over to a **member of staff mid-conversation**. With *Assistant by schedule* the call stays with the AI: only **which voice assistant** answers it changes -- and that is decided **before** the conversation starts.
</Info>

## When should I use this?

* **Outside business hours:** a shorter assistant in the evening and at night that only takes callback requests
* **Weekends and public holidays:** an assistant with a different greeting and different expectations
* **On-call duty:** an assistant that handles emergencies only
* **Lunch break:** an assistant that points to the time after the break
* **Company holidays:** a holiday assistant for a fixed period

## How it works

As soon as a call comes in on the number, the platform checks your schedule:

1. If a rule matches the current day and time, the voice assistant selected in that rule answers the call -- with its own instructions, its own tools and its own voice.
2. If no rule matches, the call is answered by the assistant the number is assigned to -- exactly as it would be without a schedule.

Callers notice none of this: the same number rings, and someone picks up straight away.

## Setting up a schedule

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the section">
    Open the assistant whose number you want to control and switch to the **Advanced** tab. Expand the **Assistant by schedule** section at the bottom.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose the time zone">
    Click **Configure** and first choose the **time zone**. Every time in the schedule refers to this time zone.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a rule">
    Click **Add rule** and choose the voice assistant that should answer during these times. Below, under **Weekly hours**, enter the times the rule should apply for each day of the week. Confirm the rule with **Add**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check the preview">
    Before saving, look at the **weekly preview** below the rules: it shows, day by day, which assistant answers at which time. Check that this matches what you expect -- gaps and overlaps stand out immediately here.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save**. The schedule is now active.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The **Schedule active** switch lets you temporarily turn the whole schedule off later without deleting your rules.

## Special days: holidays and exceptions

Within a rule you can treat individual days differently from the weekly plan -- public holidays, for example. Add an entry under **Special days**.

First choose which day the entry applies to:

* **Exact date** -- applies on that single day only, e.g. 24 December 2026
* **Every year** -- applies every year on the same day, e.g. every 1 May

Then decide with the **Skip this rule on this special day** switch what should happen on that day:

* **Switch on:** the rule does not apply on this date. If no other rule applies, the call is answered by the assistant the number is assigned to.
* **Switch off:** the rule's weekly hours are **ignored** on this date. Only the times you enter for the special day itself apply.

<Tip>
  **Set holidays up once, use them every year.** For recurring holidays such as 1 May or 3 October choose **Every year** -- then you do not have to adjust the schedule annually. For moveable holidays such as Easter, add an **exact date**.
</Tip>

## Good to know

<Warning>
  **Rules must not overlap in time.** Two rules that would apply at the same time cannot be saved -- the affected rules are highlighted. Otherwise it would be unclear which assistant answers. Adjust the times so they do not overlap.
</Warning>

* **With no matching rule, nothing changes.** Times you do not cover are still answered by the assistant the number is assigned to, so you do not have to cover the whole week.
* **The selected assistant answers with its own configuration** -- its own instructions, tools and voice. Set it up fully before adding it to a schedule.
* **Overnight times are possible.** A time such as *22:00-06:00* runs past midnight and belongs to the day on which it **starts**.
* **Changes take effect immediately** -- for every call that comes in after you save.