If you share call handling responsibilities with your coworkers, the Call Pickup feature allows you to answer a call that is ringing on their phones. You can answer calls for your coworkers both within or outside of your call pickup group.

To use this feature, your administrator must add your directory number to at least one call pickup group and configure the feature key on your phone.

Answer a call for a coworker within your group (Pickup)

When there's an incoming call on your group members' phone, a notification appears on your phone. Even if the notification disappears, you can still answer the call as long as it's still waiting to be answered.

If multiple calls are available for pickup, you'll answer the call that has been ringing the longest.

Before you begin

Your administrator has assigned you to a call pickup group and configured the feature key on your phone.

1

When you receive the notification on your phone, do one the following actions that's applicable to your phone settings:

  • To answer the call with the primary line, select Pickup.
  • To answer the call with a specific line on a phone with multiple lines:

    For 9841, 9851, and 9861 phones Press the line key that you want to use and then press Pickup.

    for 9871 On the line that you want to use, select > Pickup.

2

Press Answer when the call rings on your phone.

If your administrator has enabled auto answer, the call is automatically answered when you press Pickup.

Monitor and answer calls for your coworkers (BLF with Call Pickup)

The BLF feature provides you a visual indicator on the status of the monitored line. By using BLF, you can quickly determine whether a colleague is available or on a call.

If your administrator has configured BLF with call pickup, you're able to answer incoming calls for the monitored line.

The following tables show the status indicators of the monitored line.

The BLF with call pickup feature is only available on phones registered to Webex Calling or BroadWorks.
Table 1. Status indicators for BLF with call pickup on Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Series
Icon (9841)Icon (9851/9861/9871)Line key LEDStatusDescription
Call pickup icon for Espresso model AThe BLF with Call pickup (idle status) for model Espresso B and C.the line key in the not-configured status

LED off

IdleThe line is configured with call pickup. The monitored line is in idle mode.
Call pickup icon for Espresso model Athe icon for alerting with pickupthe line key with an incoming call alerting

Solid amber

Alerting · Pickup

Or

Alerting · Pickup enabled

There's an incoming call waiting for picking up.

You can select the line to answer the call for the monitored line.

Call pickup icon for Espresso model Athe line key in the busy status

Solid red

In useThe monitored line is in use.

If a BLF key is configured with both call pickup and speed dial, the status indicators on the monitored line will be a little different:

Table 2. Status indicators for BLF with both speed dial and call pickup on Cisco Desk Phone 9800 Series
Icon (9841)Icon (9851)Icon (9861 / 9871)Line key LEDStatusDescription
the icon of BLF with speed dialthe icon of BLF with speed dial idelthe icon of BLF with speed dial idelthe line key in the not-configured status

LED off

Idle

The monitored line is in idle mode.

You can select the line to call the monitored line.

Call pickup icon for Espresso model Athe icon for alerting with pickupthe icon for alerting with pickupthe line key with an incoming call alerting

Solid amber

Alerting · Pickup

Or

Alerting · Pickup enabled

There's an incoming call waiting for picking up.

You can select the line to answer the call for the monitored line.

the icon of BLF with speed dial in use

the icon of BLF with speed dial in usethe icon for BLF speed dial in usethe line key in the busy status

Solid red

In useThe monitored line is in use.

You can select the line to call the monitored line.

For more information about BLF with speed dial, see Use speed dials on your phone.

Before you begin

Your administrator has assigned you to a call pickup group and configured the Busy Lamp Field (BLF) feature on your phone.

Do one of the following actions that is applicable to your phone settings:

For 9841, 9851, and 9861 phones When an incoming call alerts on the monitored line, press the line key with the status of Alerting · Pickup or Alerting · Pickup enabled to answer the call.

for 9871 When an incoming call alerts on the monitored line, tap the line with the status of Alerting · Pickup enabled to answer the call. If the call rings on a KEM line, press the line key.

Answer a call for another group (Group pickup)

Group pickup allows you to answer a call to a phone outside your designated call pickup group. You can redirect the call to your own phone using the group pickup number or the number of the phone line that is ringing. This is helpful if you're responsible for answering calls for multiple groups.

Before you begin

Your administrator has assigned you to a call pickup group and configured the feature key on your phone.

1

When you receive the notification on your phone, do one the following actions that's applicable to your phone settings:

  • To answer the call with the primary line, select GrPickup.
  • To answer the call with a specific line on a phone with multiple lines,

    For 9841, 9851, and 9861 phones Press the line key that you want to use and then press GrPickup.

    for 9871 On the line that you want to use, select > Group pickup. To use a line on the attached KEM, press the line key and select > GrPickup in the upper left of the phone screen.

2

Enter the number of the other call pickup group or the directory number of the phone line that is ringing.

3

Press Answer when the call rings on your phone.

Answer a call for an associated group (Other Pickup)

If your administrator has associated your call pickup group with another, you can redirect a call that rings on a phone from that group to your own phone. If you are responsible for answering the calls for that group, use the Other pickup feature to answer the call.

Before you begin

Your administrator has assigned you to a call pickup group and configured the feature key on your phone.

1

To answer a ringing call for an associated group, do one the following actions that's applicable to your phone settings:

  • To answer the call with the primary line, select OPickup.
  • To answer the call with a specific line on a phone with multiple lines:

    For 9841, 9851, and 9861 phones Press the line key that you want to use and then press OPickup.

    for 9871 On the line that you want to use, select > Other pickup. To use a line on the attached KEM, press the line key and select > OPickup in the upper left of the phone screen.

2

Press Answer when the call rings on your phone.