Function buttons

These buttons are key to many of the feature processes of the Cisco IP 6800 series phones:

  • Navigation cluster—The navigation cluster is the circular button located in the center of your phone. Once in the phone menu, press up or down to scroll through the options, lists, and menus. Press the center button to select the highlighted item.

  • Softkey buttons—Located below the screen, give you access to the function displayed on the screen above that key. The softkeys change depending on what you are doing at the time. The More ( …) softkey shows you that more functions are available.

  • Feature and Line Buttons

    • Feature buttons—Used for features such as Speed dial or Call pickup, and to view your status on another line.

    • Line buttons—Used to initiate or answer a call or resume a held call. You can also use a line key to open and close the call session window and to navigate through the call session window. Open the call session window to see the calls on the line.

  • Feature and line buttons illuminate to indicate status:

    • Green—Line is idle.

    • Red Steady—Line is active or in use.

    • Red Flashing—Line is on hold or there is an inbound call.

    • Amber Steady—Line is unregistered (cannot be used).


Some functions can be set up as softkeys or as feature buttons. You can also access some functions with softkeys or the associated hard button. The Cisco IP Phone 6821 has a limited number of hard buttons. Use the softkeys to access most call features.

Want to see how it works on the device? Visit this how-to video library to view a full list of videos about the Cisco 6800/7800 series desk phone.

Make and receive calls

Placing calls

To place a call:

  • Pick up the handset and dial the number.

  • If a headset is connected to your device, press the headset button and dial the number to place the call.

Want to see how it's done? Watch a video demonstration on how to place a call with your Cisco 6800/7800 or Cisco 8800 desk phone.

Answering calls

To answer an incoming call:

  • Pick up the handset. You can also press the Answer softkey button or the Speakerphone button.

Rejecting calls

To decline an incoming call:

  • Press the Decline softkey - the incoming call immediately diverts to voicemail or to your call forward no answer destination.

Answering calls while on an active call

To answer an incoming call while on an active call:

  • Press the Answer softkey. Your active call is automatically placed on hold.

To decline the incoming call:

  • Press the Decline softkey. The incoming call immediately diverts to voicemail or to your call forward no answer destination.

Want to see how it's done? Watch a video demonstration on how to answer a call on your Cisco 6800/7800 or Cisco 8800 desk phone.

Configure call functions

Call hold

Place an active call on hold:

  • Press the Hold button or the Hold softkey.

Want to see how it's done? Watch a video demonstration on how to place a call on hold with your Cisco 6800/7800 or Cisco 8800 desk phone.

Resume call that was placed on hold

Retrieve a call that’s been placed on hold, either:

  • Press the Resume softkey button.

  • Press the line button where the call is being held. This is indicated by the red flashing light.

N-Way calling

Initiate an N-Way call, while on an active call:

  • Press More > Conference softkey button.

  • Enter the desired extension or phone number.

  • Press the Call softkey. When the number called answers, press Conference again to connect the three-way call.

    To end a three-way call, hang up the phone or press the End Call softkey.

Want to see how it's done? Watch a video demonstration on how to initiate an n-way call on your Cisco 6800/7800 or Cisco 8800 desk phone.

Set up call forwarding

To enable call forwarding:

  • Press the Forward softkey.

  • Select your forward to option.

  • Click Select.

  • Dial a number as if you were calling in the second Forward All field.

If this is your first time setting this up, press the up navigational arrow to the first Forward All.

  • Press Set to enable.

The display shows that the line is forwarded to that destination number.

Want to see how it's done? Watch a video demonstration on how to enable call forwarding on your Cisco 6800/7800 or Cisco 8800 desk phone.

Transfer a call

Make a blind transfer

Transfer a call to another person without talking to them privately about the caller beforehand.

While on an active call:

  • Press the More softkey.

  • Press the Blind Transfer softkey.

  • Enter the phone number and press the Call softkey to complete the transfer.

Want to see how it's done? Watch a video demonstration on how to perform a blind transfer with your Cisco 6800/7800 or Cisco 8800 desk phone.

Make a consulted transfer

Talk privately about a call before transferring:

  • While on an active call, press the Transfer button or Transfer softkey.

  • Enter the phone number and press the Call softkey. The first call is automatically placed on hold and the destination party’s phone will ring.

  • When the destination party answers, you can talk privately about the call before transferring.

  • To complete the transfer, press the Transfer button or Transfer softkey again.

Want to see how it's done? Watch a video demonstration on how to perform a consulted transfer with your Cisco 6800/7800 or Cisco 8800 desk phone.

Make a direct transfer to voicemail

Transfer a call directly to another user’s voicemail without ringing their phone.

While on an active call:

  • Press the More softkey.

  • Press the Blind Transfer softkey.

  • Dial *55 followed by the extension you would like to transfer the call to. This completes the transfer to voicemail.

Want to see how it's done? Watch a video demonstration on how to transfer a call directly to voicemail with your Cisco 8800 desk phone.

Enable do not disturb

To enable do not disturb:

  • Press More softkey > Do Not Disturb (DND) softkey.


When do not disturb is enabled, all incoming calls divert to voicemail or to your call forward no answer destination. To disable do not disturb, press the More softkey and then press the Do Not Disturb (DND) softkey again.

Want to see how it's done? Watch a video demonstration on how to enable do not disturb on your Cisco 6800/7800 or Cisco 8800 desk phone.

Park and retrieve calls

Call park is a shared hold that allows you to “park” a call on one phone and retrieve it on another phone. For example, if you receive a call from a customer with a question about their archived file, you can park the call and retrieve the call from the file room phone to answer their account questions.

Park a call:

  • Press the Transfer softkey and enter *68 (star 68).

  • Press call.

  • Press the # (pound) key to signal the prompt. Enter the extension where you would like to park that call against or press the # (pound) key to park the call against your own extension.

Retrieve a parked call from any phone:

  • Press More.

  • Press the Pickup softkey.

Want to see how it's done? Watch a video demonstration on how to park or retrieve calls on your Cisco 6800/7800 or Cisco 8800 desk phone.

Access call history

Access call history for placed, answered, and missed calls:

  • Press the Information and Settings button.

  • Press one for recent calls. From here you can choose from: All calls, Missed Calls, Received Calls, and Placed Calls.

  • Use the navigation arrows to scroll to your desired list and press the Select softkey to make your selection.

To place a call, scroll to the desired number and press the Call softkey.

To immediately place a call to a most recently missed call, press the Call return softkey.


This key will only be visible if you recently missed a phone call and if the missed call shortcut feature is set to on. You may check this setting by selecting the Information and Settings button, User Preferences then Call Preferences.

Want to see how it's done? Watch a video demonstration on how to view your call history on your Cisco 6800/7800 desk phone.

Voicemail

Set up your voicemail

To set up your voicemail:

  • Call your company's voice portal or press the Messages button.

  • Enter your mailbox ID, followed by the # (pound) key.

  • Enter your passcode.

    Your passcode is usually a six-digit number followed by the # (pound) key.

  • The prompt for the menu options begins.

  • Press 1 to access your voicemail box.

Access your voicemail

To access your voicemail:

  • Press the Messages button.

  • Then follow the voice prompts to choose a PIN, record your name, and record your personal greeting.

Retrieve your voicemail

To retrieve your voicemail:

  • Press Messages and follow the voice prompts to enter your voicemail PIN.

Want to see how it's done? Watch a video demonstration on how to manage your voicemail on your Cisco 6800/7800 or Cisco 8800 desk phone.