We will see the general configurations for our extensions on the General tab. Here we can create the extension number and its devices.

With VitalPBX, we use a multi-device technology so you can have multiple devices for the same extension number.

This is why the extensions module general tab is divided into the extension number and the devices section.
Let’s begin by adding an Extension Number in the Extension Number Section. This number can be any set of numbers of the length you desire.

Then, add a Name to identify this extension and select a Class of Service. We will go more into classes of service in a later section.

Next, you can add an Email Address. This email address is used to notify the extension user or users, send them a Welcome Email, and use the Voicemail to Email feature. We will see later how to modify the welcome email.

You then have the Internal, External, and Emergency caller IDs. You can leave these blank. The Internal CID will populate with the extension name and number. You can customize the External and Emergency CIDs for outgoing calls through a Trunk. Later on, we will go more into how Emergency CIDs work. Finally, you can set the Language for the voice prompts for this extension.

Now, we can move over to the Device Section. Here we can create the user and password to register to our PBX. This device will be associated with the extension number above. So, whenever the extension number is dialed, this device will ring.

Note…
With VitalPBX 4 and onward, we have moved entirely into a PJSIP
environment instead of SIP. This is due to SIP being deprecated from the
latest Asterisk versions and no longer supported.
This means that PJSIP uses port 5060 with every VitalPBX 4 installation by
default.
Every SIP-based device will work with a PJSIP device created in VitalPBX. So
there is no need to worry about compatibility with your existing or newer
devices.

IAX2 is another classic device type for Asterisk. Virtual devices can be any destination number, i.e., a cellphone number, that will be dialed when the extension number is called. None is when you want to create an extension with no device. This is useful when you want to make a Virtual Extension that is used as a common Voicemail destination, for example.

Once we have selected our preferred technology, we can enter our User Device and Password. This is the username and password we will use to register our device. By default, a random password is generated. We can then add a Description to identify the device.

Next, we can select a Device Profile. We will go more into what this is later on.

We can also choose the number of Max Contacts that can register using the same user device and password we created previously. With PJSIP, you can have multiple registrations for the same user device.

You can then choose specific Codecs for your device. All available codecs will be used if you leave this blank.

Then, you can change the DTMF Mode on the right side if necessary.

It is possible to assign a device-specific Emergency CID and a Dispatchable Location. We will go further into these options in the Emergency Calls section.

Next, we have the Deny and Permit fields. Here, you can enter specific IP addresses or network segments where you can or cannot register to this User Device.

And finally, we can enable or disable Ring Device. This is a Multi-Device PBX system, so you might have multiple devices with the same extension number. So, you can choose which ones can ring.

With everything entered, click Save, and don’t forget to Apply Changes.

You don’t need to complete every single field to create an extension. By simply entering an extension number and name, the rest of the areas are populated and can be left by default.

You can return to the extension from the list in the top right-hand corner with the extension and device created.

While editing the extension, you will see that there is now a device drop-down menu.

Click on New to add another device to the same extension number.

You will also see a Remove Device button in the lower left-hand corner. This will remove a device from the extension. The device will now appear on the Hot Desking module, but we will see more about Hot Desking later.

Now that you have an extension number, whenever you create a new extension, you will see that the Extension field is populated with the following sequential number based on the extension number based on the extension number you have used.

If you enter an existing extension number, you will be taken to the edit page for that extension.

With this, you have created your first extension. Congratulations! We can configure some other features to make them more complex.

To do so, let’s return to our extensions under PBX > Extensions > Extensions. Select an extension we have already created or create a new one.

Go to the Voicemail tab next to General.

The first option is to Enable or Disable voicemail for this extension. By default, this comes on for all extensions. Later on, we will see how we can turn this off by default.

Next, there’s the voicemail password. If this is set to the same number as the extension number, the user must follow the initial setup process when entering their voicemail box. This is useful if you wish to reset the voicemail box for a user.

It is possible to choose a Zone Message; this will dictate how the voicemail envelope is read with the time format. Later on, we will see how you can create a zone message.

You can change the alias for the Dial by Name feature and have custom Busy and Unavailable voicemail prompts.

You can then Enable or Disable the Attach Voicemail and Delete options, which are part of the Voicemail to Email feature. So you can attach a .wav file to the email and delete it from the system once it is sent.

Then, you have multiple permissions to

• Allow to Call Back the voicemail sender.
• Ask for the Password when entering this extension’s voicemail box.
• Skip Instructions, so the caller won’t hear the instructions for leaving a message.
• Say CID before the voicemail message.
• Say the Duration of the voicemail message.
• Enable or disable the Envelope playback before a message.
• Hide from the Directory so the extension cannot be found with the Dial by Name
  feature.
• Allow to Dial Out from the voicemail box.
• Generate Hint so other users can monitor this extension’s voicemail box.

Ultimately, you have the Operator Destination, the destination when the caller dials “0” after leaving a message.

Remember to Save/Update and then Apply Changes.

Here, you can enable and disable call recordings for this extension. Outgoing and Incoming recordings are for calls coming in and out of the PBX through a trunk. Internal is for an extension to an extension call. On-Demand Recording allows you to use the *3 feature code to record calls on demand.

The Dictation section concerns the dictation feature, *93. This is a voice note reminder feature in VitalPBX. This allows you to record an audio file in the Format you choose here and Auto-Send it to your Email. This is the perfect tool to create quick notes directly from your registered device.

Once you have enabled the call recording types you want, you can click Save/Update and Apply Changes.

We will look into how you can listen to these recordings later.

In this section, you can modify the following options.

• Change the Ring Time, so you can select how long the extension rings before going
  to voicemail or hanging up.
• Change the Call Limit of the extension’s number of calls at once.
• Do an Internal Auto Answer to answer internal calls in the speaker automatically.
• Change the Dial Profile for transfer and ringback properties.
• Change the Music on Hold Class that plays when the user places a call on hold.
• Assign the Secretary Extension. We will see more about this feature later.
• You can also select the Caller ID sent on Diversions. This allows you to choose
  whether you send the caller’s CID or the extension number when you have a call
  forward active.
• Notify Missed Calls using the Missed Calls email template. You can choose to send
  External, Internal, Queue, and/or Ring Group calls.
• Enable Diversion Hints if you need to monitor the diversion status from another
  extension. This comes set to No by default, as it adds a load to the system.
• You can Block Spy Me if you don’t want anyone to use the Spy feature with this
  extension. This is useful for administrative extensions in a Call Center environment.
• Enable or Disable Send Caller ID if you wish to keep your extension anonymous
  within the company.
• Enable or Disable Call Waiting if you want to send an incoming call while the
  extension is busy to voicemail or hangup.
• Pinless will allow you to use various features with a PIN without entering any PIN.
• The Dynamic Routing feature allows you to automatically route calls with callers you
  were conversing with. For example, if you are on a call with a client and the call ends,
  the next time the caller calls, they will be routed back to the extension instead of
  going to a predefined destination, like an IVR or an operator.
• Lastly, you can enable or disable a Dynamic External ID. This is useful when you use
  the extension as a trunk from a third-party system—using the incoming call’s CID as
  the Caller ID

Next, you have Call Center Settings. This allows you to easily add the extension to multiple queues as a Dynamic or Static agent.

Finally, there’s the User Portal section. Here you can define a username, password, and profile picture so the user can access the User Portal and manage their extension options. We will be taking a look into this User Portal later. You can enable and disable this feature at any time.

To configure the Follow Me options for an extension, we must go to PBX > Extensions >
Extensions, and in the extension, go to the Follow Me tab at the top.

Here, you can establish your Follow Me List, which is the list of numbers to which the incoming call will be forwarded. When you are entering a number here, be sure to press the Enter key to add it to the list.

Then, you can set up the Ring Time, which is the amount of time in seconds the call will ring the extension before going through the Follow Me List.

You can also change the Ring Strategy, which is how the application will ring the Follow Me List. This can be done One by One or Ring All.

It is possible to set the Music on Hold Class that will play to the Caller while they wait for the call to connect with any number in the Follow Me List.

Next, you can change the audio prompts that will play back to the Caller and the Callee throughout the Follow Me operations.

• Call-From Prompt – This prompt will play back to the Callee before announcing the
  Caller’s name if they have recorded it.
• No Recording Prompt – This prompt will play back to the Callee with a generic
  message announcing an incoming call.
• Please Hold Prompt – This prompt will play back to the Caller, asking them to hold
  while the application tries to connect them with the Callee.
• Status Prompt – This prompt will play back to the Caller, informing them that the
  Callee is not within reach of their extension. So, the application will try to reach them
  through the Follow Me List.
• Sorry Prompt – This prompt will play back to the Caller if the Callee is not reachable
  on any number from the Follow Me List.

Finally, you can Enable or Disable Follow Me for this extension. This can also be done through Feature Codes, which we will see later.

Now, underneath these configurations, we have more Follow Me options. Here, you can enable or disable the ability to Record the Caller’s Name. As well as to enable or disable the ability to prompt Internal or External Callees to accept the incoming call. When you allow the Callees to be prompted, they can take or reject the incoming call.

With this, you will have a complete system to guide a call to multiple destinations in case where the user is unavailable to answer their extension. Remember to click on Save and then apply changes.

To do this, we will go to PBX > Extensions > Extensions, and then in the extension, go to the
Incoming Routes tab.

The configuration of the incoming route is straightforward. You must add a Description to identify this route and enter the DID and CID Pattern. The DID pattern is the number assigned to this user, and the CID pattern is used so that only specific Caller IDs are routed through this incoming route. We will go deeper into incoming routes later. Once you Save or Update, you will see the assigned Incoming Routes in the table below. Here you can see the information and also have an Action button. This will take you to the Inbound Routes module so you can make any changes to the route.

To use this feature, you must have at least two extensions created. Next, in the Boss Extension, go to the Advanced Tab. There, under Secretary Extension select an extension to fulfill this function.

Then, remember to Update and Apply Changes. Next, from the Boss Extension, use the feature code, *36. This toggle code allows you to turn the feature on and off.

When the feature is on, you will notice that the Boss Extension cannot receive calls directly from any extension, but the Secretary Extension. Instead, all calls will go to the Secretary Extension. The Secretary Extension can then filter the calls and transfer them to the Boss Extension.

The Boss user can also create a Whitelist of numbers that can surpass the Secretary Extension and reach them directly. We will see more of this when we reach the User Portal lesson.

First, you need to set Enable Portal to Yes. Then, add a Portal User and Password. Optionally, you can add a User Image to identify the user. This image must be a square image in PNG or JPEG format. Then you can Save/Update and Apply Changes.

By enabling the User Portal and adding a Portal User and Password, the user will also appear in the Users module under Admin > Admin > Users. They will have the Portal User Profile assigned.

Here, you can add additional features or modifications by making changes to the User Profile and changing the settings of the user if needed.

We can now log out as the Administrator and Log back in using the Portal User and Password we created.

Once you log in with the Portal User and Password, you will be greeted with the My Extension module. This is located under Portal > Configure > My Extension. The My Extension module is where you can perform various actions over your assigned extension as an end-user portal user.

First, you have the General Tab. Here you can change the following options.

• Email Address – This is the email address associated with the portal user’s extension
  for the different notifications sent by the system.
• Voicemail Password – This is the password used to access the portal user’s
  voicemail box using the *97 feature code.
• Language – This is the language used for the different voice prompts for the various
  features in VitalPBX.
• Timezone – This is the time zone associated with the voicemails and CDR call history
  for this portal user.
• Ring Time – This is the ring time for the portal user’s extension before going to
  voicemail or hanging up.
• Enable Voicemail – This feature will enable or disable voicemail for this extension.
• Attach Voicemail – This is whether or not the extension will attach the voicemail
  recording file with the voicemail to email feature.
• Delete Voicemail – This will delete the voicemail recording file after the voicemail is
  sent using the voicemail-to-email feature.
• Play Envelope – This is whether or not the system will add the voicemail information
  at the beginning of the voicemail recording file.
• Say CID – This is whether or not the system will add the Caller ID information to the
  voicemail recording file.

After any changes to these configuration options, you can press the green Update button in the lower right-hand corner.

Next, we have the Dictation Tab. The dictation tab will have a graphical way to view any dictations recorded by the portal user. Remember, for this to work, you need to enable dictation to the portal user’s extension. Then, whenever the portal user records a dictation using the feature code *93 these dictation recordings can be played back from the Dictation Tab.

The Dictations table will show you the dictation’s number, the date when it was recorded, and the dictation name. In the Actions column, you can edit the file name, playback the dictation, and delete the dictation.

Remember, dictations are voice notes you can record, so you can listen back to them at any time from your User Portal.

Next, we have the Features Tab. Here portal users can see the different feature codes they can dial from their extensions.
This is a simple cheat sheet they can use to know what a feature code does.

Afterward, we have the Follow Me Tab. Here, the portal user can configure their Follow Me Settings.
The settings include the following options.

• Initial Ring Time – This is the time in seconds the extension devices will ring before
  going to the Follow Me List.
• Ring Time – This is the time in seconds the module will call the numbers in the Follow
  Me List.
• Ring Strategy – This is the strategy the module will use to call the numbers in the
  Follow Me List. This can be Ring All or One-by-One.
• Follow Me List – This is the list of numbers the module will contact if the extension
  does not answer within the Initial Ring Time

The end-user is able to enable Follow Me using the feature code *67 afterward.
Finally, there’s the Phone Diversions Tab. Here the portal user is able to manage their phone diversions.

Similar to what we saw in the Extension Status module, here the end-user is able to manage the different diversions. They can Enable and Disable their Boss/Secretary, Follow Me, Do Not Disturb, Call Completion, and Multiple Call Forwards.
Portal users can create their own Time Groups by going to Portal > Configure > My Time Groups. These are created in the same way we did as the super administrator.

The portal user can then associate their time groups with their diversions to automate their activation.

If the portal user is using the Boss/Secretary feature, they are able to add a white list in the Phone Diversions tab as well. This way, the numbers added to this white list will skip the Boss/Secretary and be able to reach the extension directly. You can add as many numbers as you need by clicking the green Add button.

Lastly, you have the Personal Assistant configurations. We will see this in more detail in the next lesson.
Continuing with the User Portal, the next module is My Voicemail under Portal > Configure > My Voicemail. This is a visual way for the end-user to see their voicemail box.

The end-user can see detailed information about the voicemail messages, play them back, and delete multiple records.
Finally, with the User Portal, end-users can see their call history under Portal > Configure > CDR.

Here, the portal user is able to see their full call history and listen to their call recordings.

To use the Personal Assistant, the end user first needs to record the sound file that will playback, this is called the Personal Assistant Message. They can do this by dialing the *94 feature code. Once they have recorded a personal assistant message, they can head over to Portal > Configure > My Extension > Phone Diversions.

The portal user can now configure the personal assistant options. The personal assistant feature can have up to 4 options callers can press. If they don’t enter any option, callers will be taken to the Default option.

The personal assistant can also have a Time Group assigned to automate the activation. End-users can also activate the Personal Assistant feature with the *96 feature code.

Once the personal assistant is activated if you call the extension, you will be greeted by the personal assistant message. You can press any option and be taken to the assigned destination.

There is only one exception when it comes to Emergency calls, but we will see more about this later.

To be able to call other extensions, we must associate an extension number with it. For this, create an extension where the device is set to NONE.

Once you have the extension with the device set to NONE, use the feature code *80 in your Hot Desking device. You can then follow the prompts to enter the extension you wish to use, which is the extension with the device set to NONE. Afterward, it will ask you for a password. This password is the Features Password you set up in your extension. In the case of the example above, this is *64345, but this can be anything of your liking or another generated Features Password.

After the prompts, you will have an extension associated with the device and you can now place calls.

To remove the extension, you can use the code *80 again and follow the prompts to remove the extension.

You also have the option to use the feature code, *90. This will allow you Hot Desk an extension and log them into the queues they belong to. As mentioned before, this is a popular feature for Call Centers, so this code streamlines the login process.