# Handle calls outside business hours

> Set your hours in Settings › Hours. Hours change how calls are handled only through a Time Rule step in the call workflow of the number.

Source: https://useline.io/help/calls/business-hours  
Section: Calls and numbers  
Last updated: 2026-11-06  
Roles: Owner, Admin

Your hours are a schedule that you save in **Settings** › **Hours**. The schedule alone does not change what happens to a call. To send calls a different way outside your hours, add a **Time Rule** step to the call workflow of your number.

> **Important:** The default call workflow of a new number has no Time Rule. It rings Available team members at all hours.

## Before you start

You need the **Owner** or **Admin** role. Every member can see the hours.

## Set your hours

1. Open **Settings**.
2. Select **Hours**.
3. Under **Schedules**, select **Business Hours**.
4. Check the **Timezone**.
5. Under **Weekly hours**, turn each day on or off. Set the start and end time for each open day.
6. Optional: select **24 hours** for a day that is open all day. Select **Open 24 hours, every day** to do this for every day.
7. Optional: type a start and end time next to **Set all open days to**, then select **Apply**.
8. Select **Save changes**.

A new workspace starts with **Business Hours**, open 08:00 to 17:00 from Monday to Friday. If Line found your hours on your website during setup, it uses those hours.

### Add another schedule

You can keep more than one schedule, for example "Call receiving hours".

1. Select **New schedule**.
2. Type a **Name**.
3. Select **Create hours set**.
4. Set the days and times, then select **Save changes**.

You cannot delete **Business Hours**. You cannot delete a schedule that a workflow uses.

## Send calls a different way outside your hours

Start from a workflow template.

1. Open **Workflows**.
2. Select **New workflow**.
3. Select **Business Hours Call Routing**. It rings your team during open hours and takes a voicemail outside them. **Agent for After-Hour Calls** sends calls outside your hours to an AI agent.
4. Type a **Workflow Name**.
5. Select **Create workflow**.
6. Open the first step of the workflow (**Call received**). Select **Add Phone Numbers** and select your number.
7. Open the **Time Rule** step. In **Hours set**, select the schedule.
8. Select **Publish**.
9. Select **Publish & Activate**.

The Time Rule has two branches: **Open hours** and **Outside hours**. Each branch can lead to other steps, for example **Ring Members/Groups**, **Voicemail**, **Forward Calls** or **Agent**.

The workflow reads the schedule when each call arrives. If you change your hours later, you do not need to publish the workflow again.

For more about the step, see [Route by business hours with a Time Rule](https://useline.io/help/workflows/time-rule).

## Hours and your status

Your hours are for the business. Your own status (Available, Busy, Away or Offline) decides if Line rings you. See [Set your availability and active hours](https://useline.io/help/team/availability).

## Common problems

**Calls still ring after closing time.** The call workflow of the number has no Time Rule, or the workflow is not published. Open **Workflows** and check which workflow handles the number.

**The hours are one hour wrong.** Check the **Timezone** of the schedule.

## Related articles

- [Route by business hours with a Time Rule](https://useline.io/help/workflows/time-rule.md): Add a Time Rule step to a workflow. It splits calls and messages into Open hours and Outside hours, using an hours set from Settings > Hours.
- [Set up what happens when someone calls](https://useline.io/help/workflows/call-workflows.md): A call workflow starts with Call received and lists your numbers. It rings your team, forwards the call, runs your agent or takes a voicemail.
- [Set up voicemail](https://useline.io/help/calls/voicemail.md): Set the voicemail greeting in Channels › Calls › Voicemail. Listen to voicemails in Inbox › Calls.
- [Set your availability and active hours](https://useline.io/help/team/availability.md): Your status decides if calls ring you. Only Available people ring. Active hours in the mobile app set you to Away outside your working hours.