Multiple Users on 'phantom' extensions share one real phone 1

[djbutler]

My second post...

I have a set of four users who are peers, all co-managers of an operating area. They share a desk and office, on a shift basis. They share physical extension 6130.

I'd like them to each have a virtual extension, example: Joe 6200, Sally 6201, Tom 6202, and Mary 6203.

The idea being that if an exec dials 6200 for Joe, the call tries to ring at extension 6130... and if no answer or whatever, caller can leave voicemail for JUST Joe and not Sally or Tom or Mary.

Should be simple enough to do with Users right? Set the user to ForwardUnconditional to 6130? But... can I make it so when Joe goes home, he can set it so that his calls don't bother ringing 6130 any more, they just go straight to VM?

This is a kind of unique case in the business, so I don't want to set up everyone for like hot desking or whatever.

 

[mforrence]

Hotdesking was made for a situation like yours. Set these four users as hotdesk users and have them log into the physical phone (none should have 6130 extension). One area where IPO really shines
Mike

 

[ronromano]

What version of software are you running?

 

[aramsay]

And if you want the people to be able to dial the manager on duty always on 6130 then set up a group (6130), which all the hot-desking managers are part of, that way only the one which is logged in will ring - on occasions when two are logged in, they will both ring.

 

[djbutler]

Thanks folks for the direction to go to HotDesk but the problem is there is only one phone in one office, and there are multiple managers on duty at any one time.

The idea was to have all the flow to the USERS go to the shared physical extension; not for individual users to time-share the physical extension.

Any ideas?

 

[sizbut]

Follow Me

 

[aramsay]

Can't help but thinking that the whole working practice is a little strange, and possibly a limitation of an old system; what would happen if there are two managers on duty, and two people needed a manager at the same time, only one would be able to use the phone; perhaps the real solution is to increase the number of phones to cover the maximum number of managers on duty at any one time, implement hot-desking and and group.

 

[djbutler]

In a perfect world, each person would have his or her own office, computer, phone, and filing cabinet.

That will not be so.

Appreciate the suggestions, everyone, but what I have is this situation where multiple users on duty share one desk. I just want calls from each to ring to the one desk, and for each to be able to get voicemail. The latter is easy (in fact trivial). The former is not hard, just what is the best way?

Thanks everyone!

 

[mforrence]

Assign each of the users their own hunt group. Put four buttons on the phone, to put each hunt group out of service. When a user is there, put the hunt group into service. When they leave for the day, put their hunt group out of service (w/fwd to vm).
Mike

 

[djbutler]

Another good suggestion. Thanks, really, I mean it in spite of what I'm about to say.

It seems that there must not be an easy way for one physical extension to receive the calls of users from four virtual extensions? All of the suggestions received so far seem to be saying that the users would have to log in and log out and basically "do stuff" to tell the system they're there. I just want it so that all the assigned numbers ring at the one phone, and each user can get his/her voicemail.

The part about the phone not ringing any more when Joe goes home for the day, that's optional, and not at the cost of making them log in and out. Two users at one time; what if exec calls Joe while Joe and Sally are both working but Sally is the only one logged into the phone.

Maybe that's where the hunt group comes in. Except if they forget to put the hunt group out of service, no problem, it just keeps ringing.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I really appreciate it! These forums are great.

 

[mforrence]

We used the hunt group thing at a private school with phones in dorm rooms. One phone, multiple users. If you don't care about immediate forward to VM, the phone can be a constant member of each user's hunt group - and the hunt group is the user's only published "extension". No one calls the extension number associated with the phone. I don't really see a downfall of this method.
Mike

 

[ronromano]

If you are using a 4412 phone you can get creative. Set each person who is sharing this phone as a group. Then put the base phone as the only member in all the groups. Now you can use the message feature of the 4412, by enabling H plus the group (or in this case persons) name in the source number field in the base phone. Now the light will light on the phone for each group(person) who has a message on the base phone. The user can then scroll through the menus to see who has the message.

 

[ShayneK]

I may have an answer for you but it depends on if you are using VoiceMail Pro or not? Let me know, if you are I'll find the time to post a solution that may help for the most part.

 

[djbutler]

Yes, Am using Voicemail Pro.

Interested in your potential solution... Thanks!

 

[ShayneK]

JDoe and PSmith Share Phone Extension 156

Create the Phantom Extensions

Example: JDoe Ext 401 & PSmith 402 in Phone Manager

In Voicemail Pro create the following under "Users":

JDoe
Starting Point(Next)--> Assisted Transfer
Assisted Transfer (No Answer and Busy)--> Leave Mail

In The Properties of Assisted Transfer "Specific Tab"
Mailbox = "Shared Extension" (156 for this example)
Source of Trans = "Phanton Extension" (401)
Description = "Text Display" (JDoe)
In The Properties of Leave Mail "Specific Tab"
Mailbox = 401

PSmith
Starting Point(Next)--> Assisted Transfer
Assisted Transfer (No Answer and Busy)--> Leave Mail

In The Properties of Assisted Transfer "Specific Tab"
Mailbox = "Shared Extension" (156 for this example)
Source of Trans = "Phanton Extension" (402)
Description = "Text Display" (PSmith)
In The Properties of Leave Mail "Specific Tab"
Mailbox = 402

Now when if someone dials Extension 401 it will ring Extension 156 and display "JDoe". If JDoe doesn't pickup or if the line is busy it will go to his voicemail. Works the same if someone dials PSmith at Extension 402.

We have a few departments that share a phone and I had to do this. It seems to work like a charm. I haven't found a way to have the extension stop ringing the calls through if the person isn't in but it didn't seem to be a problem if the users knew who the call was for. I don't think I missed any steps. Hope this helps a little.

 

[IPGuru]

Create a group for each manager with VM enabled & include Ext 6130

Add a SourceNumber of H<GroupName> to 6130 for each manager to light the msg lamp.
enable Voicemail ringback on extn 6130 if req.
Create a short code for access to each on the mailboxes.

now ringing the manager will call 6130 & then go to the managers individual mailbox

If no managers are available then setting 6130 to DND will send the calls direct to VM.

 

[onsetcomp]

I have the same problem (multiple users sharing a phone on 3.1) and performed ShayneK's VMpro procedure - Worked great - thank you!

 

[briancad]

What about the simple old fashioned "Cover" feature. Under each of the 4 users put the shared extension in the cover tab. The display on the shared extension will show who the call is for and the call will go to the users voice mail if not answered. Don't need voice mail pro for this to work.