Creating a shared directory of external contacts

Overview

Note:

• This feature is different than viewing the internal contacts directory on desk phones. For more information, see the list of desk phone features.
• Phone users can't access the shared directory on provisioned desk phones. See the limitations for more information.

Account owners and admins can create a shared directory of external contacts. The shared directory is accessible by phone users using the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. When creating a directory, you can specify a third-party PBX provider so that Zoom Phone users can communicate with the external contacts.

This feature can be useful is these scenarios:

• When migrating a large number of users to Zoom Phone, you can migrate a portion of your users, then import the contacts that are waiting to be migrated. 
• Your organization requires phone contacts who use a third-party phone service. For example, if your organization has a third-party call center, you can import contacts so that your employees can easily reach the third-party agents.

This article covers:

• Limitations
• Creating SIP groups (optional)
• Adding a contact
• Adding contacts using a CSV file
  
  • Creating a CSV file
  • Importing a CSV file
• Contact fields
• Using the shared directory

Prerequisites

• Pro, Business, or Education account
• Account owner or admin privileges
• Zoom Phone license

Limitations

Before creating a shared directory, take note of these limitations:

• Contact's names (as specified in the CSV file) are not display in call history or voicemail logs.
• Contacts are not displayed in the Contacts tab in the desktop client or mobile app.
• Phone users can call contacts by using the search field above the dial pad in the Phone tab (sesktop client or mobile app).
• Contacts are not accessible from provisioned desk phones.
• Contacts can be view by all phone users in the account. You can't create a shared directory at the site level.

Creating SIP groups (optional)

Note: To create SIP groups, you need to contact Zoom to enable SIP groups and set up SIP trunks for your account. 

You can configure a third-party provider by creating SIP groups. This allows Zoom Phone users to call imported contacts using the third-party provider.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Company Info.
3. Click Account Settings at the top of the page.
4. Scroll down to the Routing section.
5. Under SIP Groups, click Manage.
6. Click Add and enter the following information:
   • Name: Enter a display name for the SIP group.
   • SIP Trunk: Select a SIP trunk to use for outgoing calls.
   • Description (Optional): Enter a brief description to help you identify the group.
7. Click Save.

Adding a contact

Follow these steps to add contacts one at a time.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Company Info.
3. Click Account Settings at the top of the page.
4. Click the External Contacts tab.
5. Click Add.
6. Specify the contact fields.

Adding contacts using a CSV file 

You can create several contacts at once by importing a CSV file.

Creating a CSV file

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Company Info.
3. Click Account Settings at the top of the page.
4. Click the External Contacts tab.
5. Click Import.
6. Click CSV Sample to view the fields.
7. Click Download.
8. Open the CSV sample using spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel.
9. Fill out the CSV sample using the contact fields.

Importing a CSV file

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Company Info.
3. Click Account Settings at the top of the page.
4. Click the External Contacts tab.
5. Click Import.
6. Click Upload CSV and select the completed CSV file.

Contact fields

You can specify the following information when creating contacts for the shared directory:

• ID: A unique identifier for the contact.
  • If you don't have SIP groups, leave this field blank. Zoom will automatically assign sequential numbers as IDs.
  • If you have SIP groups, use the primary key from the original phone system.
• Name (Required): The contact's display name. This is displayed to other phone users.
• Email: The contact's email address. This is displayed to other phone users.
• Extension Number (required if the there isn't a phone number): The contact's extension number in the original phone system. Make sure the extension number is not duplicated with an existing extension number in the account. You must have SIP groups so that phone users can reach this contact using the extension number.
• Phone Number (required if there isn't an extension number): The contact's phone number in E.164 format. Separate multiple phone numbers with commas. E.164 format contains the following (you don't need to use spaces or dashes):
  
  1. Country code (omit the plus sign before the country code)
  2. Area code
  3. Phone number
• Description: A brief description to help you identify the contact. The description is not displayed to other phone users.
• Routing Path: The route for outbound calls to contacts in the global directory.
  Note: If you don't specify a routing path, Zoom will use your routing rules.
  • If you don't have SIP groups, enter or select PSTN.
  • If you have SIP groups, enter the SIP group name to route outbound calls using the associated SIP trunk. You can assign or modify each contact's SIP group after importing the CSV file.

Using the shared directory

Phone users can perform the following:

• Call external contacts in the shared directory by searching for the contact's name, extension number, or direct number in the Phone tab (Zoom desktop client or mobile app)
• Transfer a call to a contact in the shared directory