You can assign extensions to external phone numbers that users frequently call to make users' lives easier.
You may have remote workers on a separate telephony system or a key customer you want to reach easily. First, you can associate an extension with their external phone number. Then, you can contact them using their extension just like you contact anybody else in your organization with an assigned extension. For calls from external phone numbers associated with a virtual extension, the virtual extension and the name assigned to that virtual extension are presented on the called destination within Webex Calling.
There are two modes of operation for virtual extensions. The mode you choose applies to your entire organization. The vast majority of customers will use the default mode (Standard). The steps presented here apply to Standard mode. You can select the other available mode (Enhanced). Still, virtual extensions will not function correctly unless your PSTN provider supports particular network signaling extensions (edge case). For more information, see Change Your Virtual Extension Mode.
In Standard mode, virtual extensions must be associated with a valid E.164.
You can set up virtual extensions at the organization or location level. The organization level enables everyone across your organization to dial the same extension number to reach someone. The location level virtual extension can be dialed like any other extension assigned to the same location.
Users at the same location only have to dial the extension. However, users at other locations can reach the virtual extension by dialing the location routing prefix plus the extension.
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From the customer view in https://admin.webex.com, go to , and then click Create Virtual Extension. |
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Choose one of the following options:
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From the customer view in https://admin.webex.com, go to tab. |
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On the Virtual Extension page, select the desired virtual extension name from the list. This displays a side panel. You can edit any specific virtual extension. |
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Click Save to retain the changes. Or Click Cancel to exit. |
You can delete single or multiple virtual extension entries.
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From the customer view in https://admin.webex.com, go to tab. |
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On the Virtual Extension page, you can select multiple check boxes alongside the column 'Virtual Extension' to delete the virtual extension entries. Under Actions, click ... and select Delete. This deletes a single virtual extension. Or Select multiple check boxes. Click Delete on the horizontal bar to delete the selected entries. A confirmation message appears. |
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Click Delete to remove the virtual extension. Or Click Cancel to exit. |
Virtual extension integrates remote workers on a separate telephony system into Webex Calling and enables extension dialing. The current limitation of virtual extensions is 1000 per location or organization level. Virtual extension ranges help scale routing for a range greater than 1000. Using these ranges, you can define patterns that can be used to route calls at a location level or at an organization level. You are allowed to define ranges in addition to individual extensions. This works in both Standard and Enhanced modes.
Virtual extension ranges allow scaling beyond the limit of 1000 individual virtual extensions. It also minimizes the setup effort, as a single range may cover many extensions. |
The main differences are:
Directory Search |
Extension, Routing Number |
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Individual virtual extensions |
Contacts are searchable by name within each entry. |
A specific extension and routing number are configured for each entry. |
Virtual extension ranges |
There is no search for contacts since they are general patterns. |
An extension is dynamically matched via an extension pattern, and the routing number is dynamically created/matched using a prefix + matched extension pattern. |
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From the customer view in https://admin.webex.com, go to tab. |
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On the Create Virtual Extension Range page, choose at which level you want to create the virtual extension. As with individual virtual extensions, you can create this range at an Organization level or Location level. |
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In the Name field, enter the name you want to define. You can enter up to 1-40 Unicode characters.
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In the Prefix field, enter the prefix.
Prefix works in 2 modes -
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In the Extension Patterns section, enter an extension pattern. You can add up to 100 patterns at a time. Extension patterns can include one or more right-justified wildcards “X” matching any digit.
Extension patterns have different length restrictions based on the range’s level.
Extension patterns
The precedence order is identical, within the virtual extension range match, to that within the individual virtual extension match.
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You can modify patterns. You can also modify the prefix used for an extension range and extension patterns associated with the prefix. |
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From the customer view in https://admin.webex.com, go to tab. This page lists the defined ranges, and you can select a scope for it. |
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On the Virtual Extension Range page, click the drop-down to choose All Virtual Extension Ranges or Location or Organization. This displays a list of locations.
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Select the desired virtual extension range name from the list. This displays a side panel. You can edit a particular virtual extension range. |
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Click Save to retain the changes. Or Click Cancel to exit. |
You can delete single or multiple virtual extension range entries.
1 |
From the customer view in https://admin.webex.com, go to tab. |
2 |
On the Virtual Extension Range page, you can select multiple check boxes alongside the column 'Name' to delete the virtual extension range entries. Under Actions, click ... and select Delete. This deletes a single virtual extension range entry. Or Select multiple check boxes. Click Delete on the horizontal bar to delete the selected entries. A confirmation message appears. |
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Click Delete Extension Range to remove the entries. Or Click Cancel to exit the message box. |
Bulk upload refers to changes performed with a comma-separated values (.csv) template. You can bulk add, modify, or export operations using the CSV template. The fields in the Web User Interface are mapped to specific columns in CSV template. You can download and upload the ranges as well as the patterns. The following is a list of columns mapped to the respective fields in the CSV template.
Field/Column Name |
Description |
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Note: The following fields/columns cannot be modified through bulk management: Name, Level, and Location Name. |
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Name |
The name of the virtual extension range. |
Level |
The level (Location or Organization) of the virtual extension range. |
Location Name |
The location name for a location level virtual extension range. Not set for an organization level virtual extension range. |
Prefix |
The prefix for the virtual extension range. |
Extension Pattern Action |
Indicates the action to be performed for the extension patterns:
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Extension Pattern 1-20 |
20 columns, each may contain an extension pattern. |
You can also perform the following tasks:
Download CSV Data
You can download current data in .csv format to make bulk changes to virtual extension ranges. You can also download and fill out a blank .csv template to add virtual extension ranges simultaneously. Up to 1000 CSV rows can be added. The CSV can contain multiple rows for the same range, as each row can hold a maximum of 20 extension patterns. Hence, it might need multiple rows for one range.
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From the customer view in https://admin.webex.com, go to .
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Click the drop-down to choose either Location or Organization.
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Click Download Data or Download .csv template to download data in .csv format.
Upload CSV Data
You can upload the modified .csv file to apply all changes to your virtual extension ranges.
You can either drag and drop the file to upload or choose a file to upload. Click Upload.
View Import History or Tasks
You can view the import history or tasks.