We’ve covered Response Group Queues and Groups in previous posts, and we’re on the final component: The Response Group Workflow. Workflows aren’t as magical as Queues, but they are chock full of configuration options. Let’s jump in a have a look.

The first thing you’ll notice about RG Workflows is that they’re not edited in the Skype for Business Control Panel. Instead, when you click the “Create or edit a workflow” link

You’re first asked to Select a Service, which selects the pool to build the RG Workflow on. You need to build your Workflow, Queue, and Group on the same pool. In my case, my lab only has one pool so I select it and hit Okay.

And that opens a web browser and prompts for credentials. Enter your Skype for Business credentials that you used to logon on to the Control Panel, and you’ll be at the home page of the Response Group Configuration Tool

You’ll see here that there are two options: Hunt Group and Interactive. The difference between the two is simple: Interactive allows you build one of those annoying call trees where you hit buttons to try and describe why you’re calling, and wind up in the wrong department anyway. Okay, I’m kidding – Interactive allows you to ask your caller a few questions in order to direct them to the appropriate Queue.

A great place to start is with the simpler Hunt Group configuration. Clicking Create (or, once you have a Workflow, clicking Edit) brings you to a configuration page with 7 Steps: Activate and Name the Workflow, Select a Language, Configure a Welcome Message, Specify Your Business Hours, Specify Your Holidays, Configure a Queue, and Configure Music on Hold.

In the remainder of this post, we’ll cover the essentials that you need to get a Workflow (and your Response Group) up and running. In the next post, I’ll swing back and cover these seven steps more fully.

Your first task is to provide a SIP address for the Workflow. Pick a name that’s descriptive and user friendly. Your users will likely see this name. You’ll also need to enter a Display Name, and your users will definitely see this name.

Surprise! You don’t need to configure a Telephone number. You don’t actually need to configure a phone number for anything in Skype for Business unless you want to communicate with the PSTN. With a phone number, you can still reach the Workflow from a Skype for Business client, including from a federated organization.

The very last requirement is to scroll down to step 6 and select the Queue that you want calls handled by.

Click Save, and now you have a functioning, though basic, Response Group!