.. _number-management-cooling:

Number Cooling
--------------

.. _19.3.1|VOSS-639:


Pre-requisites
..............

The Number Cooling feature must be enabled and configured in :ref:`global-settings`
before it will work.


Overview
........

If this feature is *enabled*, when a directory number used by a device or service,
e.g. phone, device profile, hunt group pilot etc. becomes unused and available by
either unassigning it from the device or service or by deleting the device or service,
then the number is automatically moved into a cooling period and marked as unavailable
for a pre-configured number of days.

During this cooling period, the number cannot be reused until either the cooling
period has elapsed, or until a provider administrator has manually removed the
number from the cooling period. Only once the number has been removed from the
cooling period will the directory number be reintroduced into the pool of available
numbers for allocation to a subscriber, phone, device etc.

The **Number Cooling** form allows a provider administrator to manually add directory
numbers to a cooling period (thereby *removing them from* the list of available numbers),
or to manually remove directory numbers from a cooling period (thereby *adding them back*
to the list of available numbers).


Apply cooling
.............

1. Navigate to the required hierarchy level (Provider or Customer) from which you
   want to add numbers to a cooling period.
#. On the **Number Cooling** form, choose **Apply cooling** from the **Select Action**
   drop-down.
#. Enter an optional cooling duration in days (max = 999) to apply to the selected
   numbers. This setting overrides the value set in their global settings. If this
   field is left blank, then the cooling duration set in the global settings for
   each number will apply.
#. Set **Filters** to determine which numbers will be included in the **Available**
   box in the **Select Numbers** area, these include:
   
   * **Include available numbers**
   * **Include cooling numbers**
   * **Contains**. Used to further refine the numbers displayed in the **Available**
     box.
   * **Show numbers at/below hierarchy**. Allows you to select a lower hierarchy
     level than the one selected on the hierarchy breadcrumb. 
     
#. Select one or more numbers in the **Available** box and click **Select** to
   move them to the **Selected** box. Note that the **Available** box will not
   display numbers that are used, i.e. it will only display numbers that are unused
   and available. 
#. Click **Save**. The selected number/s are placed into a cooling period and will
   no longer be available for use until the cooling period has elapsed or until
   they have been manually removed from cooling.
   
   
Remove from cooling
...................

1. Navigate to the required hierarchy level (Provider or Customer) from which you
   want to remove numbers from a cooling period, i.e. add them back into the list
   of available numbers.
#. On the **Number Cooling** form, choose **Remove from cooling** from the **Select
   Action** drop-down.   
#. Set **Filters** to determine which numbers will be included in the **Available**
   box in the **Select Numbers** area, these include:
   
   * **Include cooling numbers**
   * **Expires from cooling within (days)**. 
   * **Contains**. Used to further refine the numbers displayed in the *Available* box.
   * **Show numbers at/below hierarchy**. Allows you to select a lower hierarchy
     level than the one selected on the hierarchy breadcrumb. 
       
#. Select one or more numbers in the **Available** box and click **Select** to
   move them to the **Selected** box. 
#. Click **Save**. The selected number/s are removed from the cooling period and
   are available for allocation to a subscriber or phone, etc.
   
   
See also:

* :ref:`global-settings`
* :ref:`internal_number_inventory`
* :ref:`run_the_directory_number_inventory_audit_tool`