I am trying to create a template in EPM for the Poly VVX601 - I am hoping there is a way to use a line key to add a prefix to a dial pattern(?) if possible?
The ultimate goal is to be able to have a client push a button to set a CID they are calling out with (without having to use a second Line/account)
For example:
9 (prefix) + 7 digit number => outbound route 1
8 (prefix) + 7 digit number => outbound route 2
Right now, to use a certain route/set CID.
I am probably over thinking this, but if anyone has an idea of how to accomplish this I would be very grateful, I have not been able to find much in the wild yet (or at least put two and two together :))
If you are making (and presumably taking) calls for two organizations or departments, using two extensions is a clean solution. On incoming, which line key is flashing tells the user how to answer. Calls returned from device history will use the correct caller ID.
If you are concerned about the administrative workload, you can probably use Bulk Handler to automate the process. If you are concerned about internal calls made from the “wrong” extension, you can use CID Num Alias so only the “main” extension number is visible to end users.
However, you could set up two line keys with the same extension number (only one registers) but different number rewriting rules. Although the Polycom has some fine controls for this, note that there are many subtleties, e.g. how on-hook dialing, speed dials, contacts, calls from history are handled.
Another possibility: use only one line key and accept calls to the more frequently used route with no prefix. Have the user dial 0 in front of the number to select the other one. Depending on your use case, incoming calls to the alternate number could prefix a 0 to the caller ID, so returned calls would be properly routed.
We plan on eventually moving to PBXact so adding all of the extensions would not work in our particular case.
Since there are no direct incoming calls except through the IVR (which we identify with a prefix) I was trying to avoid having to use a second extension.
I have gone off the beaten path a bit, I went ahead and modified the template in the base file editor.
I generated a configuration in EPM with 3 lines (like normal), downloaded the XML configuration, opened it in XML notepad and then used that information to modify the base file to statically set values for the 3rd and 4th lines.
I just have two outgoing extensions in FreePBX now, everything seems to be working fine, I only had to make a few adjustments to the extension configuration itself.
I’ll probably post instructions on my blog later on if I don’t run into any issues during testing.