Setting up shared line groups

Overview

A shared line group allows Zoom Phone admins to share a phone number and extension with a group of phone users or common area phones. All members of the shared line group has access to the group's direct phone number and voicemail. You can apply custom business, closed, and holiday hours to shared line groups and set routing rules. If you aren't sure that shared line groups fits your use case, see our comparison of call routing methods.

The following terms are used in this article:

• Members are added to the shared line group by your Zoom Phone admin. Each member can only belong to one shared line group. If you enabled multiple sites, members don't need to belong to the same site as the shared line group.
• Shared lines are direct phone numbers that are assigned to the shared line group and shared among its members.

Note: Provisioned desk phones assigned to members will reboot several times when you set up a share line group or change its settings.

After setup, members can use shared line groups on the Zoom Desktop Client / Mobile App or a desk phone.

This article covers:

• Limitations of shared line groups
  
  • Calling and voicemail
  • Members
• Setting up a shared line group
• Adding members and changing settings
• Customizing business, closed, and holiday hours
  
  • Call routing settings
• Viewing the voicemail inbox

Prerequisites

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

Limitations of shared line groups

Before you use shared line groups, consider these limitations:

Calling and voicemail

• A shared line group can contain up to 10 members.
• A shared line group can have 0–10 phone numbers. All members can use these number to make or receive calls. 
• By default, a shared line group can handle up to 4 calls at the same time.
• If routing to voicemail, you can only route to the shared line group's voicemail inbox. You can't route to a voicemail inbox that belongs to another extension.
• A shared line group will ring all members simultaneously for incoming calls.

Members

• You can add phone users or common area phones as members.
• Each member can't belong to a call delegation setup.
• Each member can only belong to one share line group.
• A shared line group doesn't have a calling plan. Each member must have a calling plan assigned to them.
• Each member can access the shared line group's voicemail by default.
• Common area phones that belong to the shared line group will require the voicemail PIN to access the group's voicemail.

If you're not sure that shared line groups fits your use case, see the comparison of call routing methods.

Setting up a shared line group

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Shared Lines.
3. Click the Shared Line Groups tab.
4. Click Add.
5. Enter the following information:
   • Site (only visible if you have multiple sites): Select a site for the shared line group.
     Note: You can add members that belong to other sites.
   • Display Name: Enter a name to help identify the shared line group.
   • Description (Optional): Enter a description to help identify the shared line group.
   • Extension Number: Enter an extension number to assign to the shared line group.
6. Add members and change settings.

Adding members and changing settings

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Shared Lines.
3. Click the Shared Line Groups tab.
4. Click a shared line group's name.
   You will see the following information and options in the Profile tab:

• Display Name: Click Edit beside the shared line group's name and enter a new one.
• Site (only visible if you have multiple sites): Displays the site that the shared line group belongs to.
• Extension Number: Click Edit to change the extension number assigned to the shared line group.
• Number(s): Click Add to assign direct phone numbers that will be shared among members (shared lines).
• Primary Number: If you have multiple direct phone numbers assigned to the shared line group, select a primary number for desk phones. The primary number shares the same line as the extension number. This means if a caller is routed to the shared line group through an auto receptionist, the line associated with the primary number will be used. The primary number also appears higher on the list of line than other direct numbers assigned to the shared line group.
• Member(s): Click View or Edit see current members of the shared line group and add more members. If you enabled multiple sites, members don't need to belong to the same site as the shared line group.
• Time Zone: Click Edit to change the time zone used for the Business Hours option below.
• Business Hours / Closed Hours / Holiday Hours: Customize how inbound calls are routed during business, close, or holiday hours.
• Voicemail
  Note: To allow callers to leave messages in the shared line group's voicemail, change the business, closed, or holiday hours to route to the current extension's voicemail. 
  • Access: Share the shared line group's voicemail inbox. Click the cross mark (×) to revoke access.
    Note: By default, members will be granted access.
• PIN Code: Click Show or Edit to enter a voicemail PIN used for checking voicemail on a desk phone. You can change the minimum PIN length in the account-level settings.
• Content Storage Location and Metadata Storage Location: Manage the storage location of Communications Content.
• Active Status: Click the toggle to enable or disable the shared line groups. Inactive shared line groups can't be called but will retain its settings.

Customizing business, closed, and holiday hours

You can customize times that the shared line group is available to route calls.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Shared Lines.
3. Click the Shared Line Groups tab.
4. Click a shared line group's name.
5. Customize these settings:

• Business Hours: Check Edit to change the times when the shared line group will answer calls. You can also set business hours to span past 11:30 PM. This could be used if routing to members that work night shifts.
• Closed Hours: If you set business hours, customize calls are routed outside of business hours. Click Edit and select a routing option, then use the text box to specify the route.
• Holiday Hours: Click Set or Edit to designate certain days are holidays. You can customize how calls are routed during holidays. For example, you could directly route calls to voicemail or play a custom message to tell the caller that the office is away on holiday. 

Call routing settings

You can also customize how inbound calls are routed during business, close, or holiday hours:

• Overflow / Route to: Click Edit to set where calls are routed during the business, closed, or holiday hours. By default, calls are routed the shared line group's dedicated voicemail inbox.
• Route to drop-down menu: Select a routing option, then use the text box to specify the route. You can route to the dedicated voicemail inbox or any extension in the account:
  • Voicemail
    • Leave Voicemail to: You can only route to the current extension's (shared line group's) voicemail.
    • Voicemail Greeting: Select a greeting from the drop-down menu or click Audio Library to select, record, or upload custom audio. The greeting plays before routing the call.
  • User
  • Common Area Phone
  • Shared Line Group
  • Call Queue
  • Auto Receptionist
  • Zoom Room

Viewing the voicemail inbox

Note: To allow callers to leave messages in the shared line group's voicemail, change the Overflow or Route to setting to route to the current extension's voicemail.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Shared Lines.
3. Click the Shared Line Groups tab.
4. Click a shared line group's name.
5. Click the Voicemail tab.
6. You can identify voicemail messages using the following:
   • If the number has a caller ID name or belongs to your organization, you'll see a name above the number.
   • Voicemail entries marked by a blue dot haven't been played yet.
7. Use the search options at the top to search for a specific contact or phone number, or click the drop-down menu at the top to filter by read or unread messages.
8. Click the following options to view and manage voicemails:
   • Play icon: Play the voicemail message and display a transcript of the voicemail message if Zoom Phone was able to transcribe it.
     Note: If a member or admin plays an unplayed voicemail message, the message will show as played for all other members or admins.
   • Download: Save the voicemail message (MP3 file).
   • Delete: Delete the selected voicemail message. To delete several entries at once, click the checkbox beside the status column and click Delete at the top of the table. 
     Note: If a member or admin deletes a voicemail message, the message will be deleted for all other members or admins.