Manage Google Voice Ring groups

Google Voice Ring Groups are a way of handling calls that come to a department phone number. If you've been assigned management rights on your department's Google Voice Ring Group, please use this Tech Guide for reference.  

Changes Ring Group managers can make:

  • Edit business hours (business hours, holiday dates, after hours/holiday voicemail)
  • Configuration (call routing, voicemail for unanswered calls during business hours)
  • Members
  • Managers of Ring Group

Do not change any service account email addresses in your Ring Group (Members Section) as these accounts are assigned to physical phones or special setups approved by your department managers.

Change settings on a ring group, including voicemail
  1. Open Google Voice.
  2. Click on settings gear icon in upper right corner.
  3. In settings, click on Ring groups in left side menu.
Depicts step 3
  1. Click View all ring groups button in the Ring groups box.
Depicts step 4
  1. Click the Pencil icon beside the Ring Group that you need to update.
Depicts step 5

Make changes to hours, voicemail configurations, members, and managers:

  • To change business hours, add dates for holiday closings or edit after hours voicemail, click Edit Business Hours button.
Depicts Edit Business Hours button
  • To edit voicemail for unanswered calls during business hours (Configuration box), make changes to Members or Managers, click on the down arrows in the upper right corner of the respective box.
Depicts down arrows in Configuration, Members, and Managers
  • To use the default automated voice for your voicemail messages, type in the message you wish to have read. If you would prefer to have your own voice recorded, skip to create a voicemail audio file directions.
  • If you are using the same voicemail for after hours and unanswered calls during business hours, voicemail will have to be updated/changed under Edit Business Hours AND the Configuration box.
  • If you want to add another announcement to the voicemail queue, please note that all announcements will be read.  It is not possible to select specific announcements for reading at this time. 
Create a voicemail audio file (optional)

You only need to follow this step if you want your personal voice recording for voicemails, the automated voice is the default.

  1. If you don’t already have Audacity downloaded on your computer, navigate to https://www.audacityteam.org; if you have Audacity downloaded already, skip to step 3.
  2. Download/install appropriate version for your computer (Windows or Mac).
Depicts step 1
  1. Use the buttons at the top of the screen to record, pause, stop and edit your recording.
Depicts step 3
  1. Click File.
  2. Click Export.
  3. Select the file format (MP3, WAV, OGG are the files accepted by Google Voice)
Depicts steps 4-6
  1. Select where you want to save the file (e.g. This PC>Google Drive (G:)>Shared Drive>Shared Drive Name, etc.); provide File name and Save as type: (should be type of file you’ve already selected)
  2. Click Save.
Depicts steps 7-8
  1. If you want to add Metadata info, you can do that on the next pop up window or just click OK.
Upload a voicemail audio file in Google Voice
  1. Again, in Google Voice Settings, click on Ring Groups.
  2. Click View All Ring Groups.
  3. Click on the Pencil button on the Ring Group you wish to edit.
  4. The drop down arrow in the Configuration box, click on the Pencil button in the Unanswered calls box. (The pencil icon will appear once you scroll your mouse over that area).
Depicts step 4
  1. Click ADD ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT.
Depicts step 5
  1. Click Upload your own audio.
Depicts step 6
  1. Click Upload audio file.
Depicts step 7
  1. Find the location where you saved the file and double click on the file; it will start to upload and this popup will appear when it’s done.
  2. Click Save; your audio file will appear in the list of voicemail greeting options.
Depicts steps 8-9
  1. Click on Options (three vertical dots) to the right of the message(s).
  2. Click Delete prompt/audio file for the corresponding message(s) you no longer want. The message or audio file left is what will become the new voicemail greeting.
  3. Click Save.
Depicts steps 10-12

If you want to add another announcement to the voicemail queue, please note that all announcements will be read.  It is not possible to select specific announcements for reading at this time.