Extensions and devices
An extension is a short number like 101. A user extension rings one person's phones; a system extension runs a call flow. How to create one, add phones to it, and choose what happens when nobody answers.
An extension is a short number, like 101 or 200, that callers and teammates can reach. There are two kinds:
- User extension: one person's phones. It can ring their softphone, a desk phone and a forward to their cell, in any mix.
- System extension: a call flow at a short number, such as a main menu at 200. It runs the flow instead of ringing phones.
A device is one phone that an extension rings: a desk phone, or a forward to a cell or other outside number. A person's softphone (in the browser or the desktop app) comes with their extension. You don't add it separately.
Seats
A user extension counts as one seat once it has at least one device. A system extension is never a seat. If someone shouldn't count, open their extension and tick the box to leave them out of the seat count.
Create an extension
- Open Extensions and click New extension. To add many at once, click Bulk add.
- Type the Extension number: 2 to 6 digits.
- Type the Display name, for example "Alice" or "Main menu".
- Choose the kind:
- User — a person's phones. Pick a Primary device: Browser softphone or Desk phone (SIP). This is only a starting point; you can add other phones later. You can also set the Ring timeout (s) and an optional Voicemail greeting.
- System — a call flow. Pick the flow to run.
- Click Create extension.
Choose what rings, and in what order
Open the extension and go to the Ring order tab.
- Add a phone. Use + Assign a phone… to add a desk phone or forward you've already set up. To set up a new one, click Add a new device.
- When each phone starts. Set Starts to At the start, After the previous device, or Custom: +N sec after start. Phones set to start at the start ring together.
- Maximum ring time. How long the extension rings before it gives up.
- If no one answers. Choose Voicemail, Forward to number, Forward to extension or Hang up.
- After hours. You can send callers straight to voicemail outside your hours. See Business hours.
Click Save changes. To check a softphone rings, click Send a test ring.
Add a forward to a cell or outside number
- Open Devices and click Add phone.
- Set Kind to PSTN forward (cell, external #).
- Give it a label and type the number to forward to.
- Under Assign to extension (optional), pick the person's extension.
- Click Create phone.
A forward is a good backup for someone who isn't always at a computer.
Add a desk phone
Desk phones are added on Devices too. See Desk phones for the steps and a quick start for each model.
The extension list
Use the Users & phones and System & call flows tabs to switch between the two kinds. Each extension shows who owns it and whether it's Active or Disabled. User extensions also show:
- Online, Ringing, On a call or Offline: whether that person's softphone is signed in.
- 1 device ready or No device ready: whether any of their phones can ring right now.
Sending calls to an extension
- Straight from a number. On Phone numbers, set the number's Routing to Ring an extension. See Buy a phone number.
- From a queue. Add the person to a queue so they get calls with their team. See Build a call queue.
- From a call flow. Use the Request agent node. See Call flow how-tos.
Common problems
- The extension doesn't ring. Check that the Ring order tab has at least one phone and that it doesn't say No device ready. A browser softphone only rings while that person is signed in with a tab open. The desktop app rings even with the browser closed.
- Calls go straight to voicemail. The person may already be on a call, or it may be after hours.
- Moving someone to a new extension. Open the new extension and choose them as the owner. Hey Quad asks you to confirm the move and takes them off their old extension.
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