Using engagement distribution methods in Zoom Contact Center

Requirements for using the engagement distribution methods

• Account owner or admin privileges
• A Zoom Contact Center license
• At least one queue created in the Zoom Contact Center admin web portal

How to access engagement distribution settings

To configure engagement distribution:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin.
2. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture or initials, then click Admin Center.
3. In the side menu, click CX Management .
4. Click Contact Center then Queues.
5. Select the desired queue.
6. In the General tab, under Inbound Settings, click the Engagement distribution drop-down menu.
7. Select the desired distribution method below.

Available distribution methods

Longest idle (Offer-based)

This routes engagements to the agent who has gone the longest since they were last offered (routed or ringed) an engagement regardless of whether they answered it. Each agent has a last-idle timestamp that updates whenever they are offered an engagement. This includes cases where the agent is notified (ringed) but doesn’t answer due to timeout, rejection, or backend failure. Over time, this method provides a round-robin–like balance across agents.

Notes:

• This is shared across all channels.
• Idle timer resets when an engagement is offered, not when it ends.
• This is recommended for balanced general routing, where each agent should have roughly equal opportunity to receive engagements based on offer (ring) time, not completion.

Timer logic example:

Longest idle (Offer-based) for this queue

Longest Idle (Post-engagement)

This routes engagements to the agent who has been idle the longest since they ended their last engagement. Unlike Longest Idle (Offer-Based), this method measures idle time based on when an engagement ended, not when it was offered. It also differs from Longest Idle While Ready because toggling between Not Ready and Ready does not reset the timer. This is best for support or service environments where fairness and workload balance are key, and where agents should not be able to manipulate availability by toggling readiness.

Longest Idle (Post-engagement) for this queue

This is the same logic as Longest Idle (Post-engagement) but only considers engagements handled in this specific queue. Engagements from other queues do not affect the idle time tracking for this queue. This is ideal for multi-queue support centers where agents handle multiple queues and fairness must remain isolated per queue.

Timer logic example:

Longest Idle while ready

This routes engagements to the agent who has been in Ready status the longest since last changing from Not Ready. The timestamp resets every time an agent enters Ready. This is ideal for sales or lead distribution environments where staying Ready is rewarded and ensures fair opportunity.

Timer logic example:

Longest Idle while ready (for this queue)

This is same as Longest Idle While Ready, but the timer only tracks engagements handled within this queue. Engagements from other queues do not affect the timer. This is recommended for multi-queue environments where each queue should have independent fairness logic such as shared service/sales teams supporting multiple product lines.

Timer logic example:

Sequential

This routes engagements in a fixed, pre-defined order (for example, Agent 1 → Agent 2 → Agent 3). The order repeats once the list completes. This is ideal for predictable or structured routing where agents receive calls in a consistent order.

Example:

Simultaneous

All available agents (up to 50) are notified or ringed at once, and the first to accept receives the engagement. This is recommended for high-priority or real-time response scenarios, such as escalation teams or emergency hotlines.

Timer logic example:

Do Not Distribute

This disables automatic routing. Agents or supervisors must manually assign engagements from the Active Engagements panel. This mode is often used for cherry-pick workflows in asynchronous messaging channels such as email or social messaging, where agents select which engagements to handle manually based on context or priority. This is recommended for email or messaging queues where manual triage, prioritization, or selective engagement handling is required.

Example:

Most Available

Used for messaging and email channels only. Engagements are distributed based on agent workload capacity rather than idle time. Agents with the lowest rate (most available capacity) are prioritized. This is ideal for asynchronous channels (email or messaging) where fairness depends on available capacity instead of idle time.

Formula:

Availability rate (r) = total engagement weight / agent total capacity

Example:

Common use cases

• Longest Idle (Offer-Based): Balanced general routing based on last offer (ring).
• Longest Idle (Post-engagement): Fair workload routing based on engagement completion (support).
• Longest Idle While Ready: Fair lead distribution for sales/active Ready agents.
• Longest Idle (Post-engagement for this queue): Queue-specific fairness in multi-queue setups.
• Sequential / Rotating: Predictable or ordered distribution patterns.
• Simultaneous: Fastest-response routing for urgent queues.
• Most Available: Capacity-based routing for asynchronous channels.
• Do Not Distribute: Manual cherry-pick routing for messaging or email.