Teams Calling and Client Basics

Summary

This article will cover some common functions that the desktop Teams client can perform.

Procedure

Making a call from within the Teams desktop client

1. Open your Teams desktop Client
2. On the left-hand side, click on "Calls"
3. You should be on a screen with a dial pad - your work number will be displayed underneath it.
    
4. To make a call, please follow the dial plan rules for the type of call (extension, local, long distance, or international) that you are trying to make.
   • You can find the article here: Article - Dialing Rules for Phone Calls
5. Click the "Call" button under the dial pad to start the call.

Forwarding/Unforwarding all inbound calls to voicemail (Quicki Method)

1. To quickly set all inbound calls to go straight to voicemail, first open your Teams client and click on "Calls"
2. In the bottom left corner, click on forwarding button:
   1. If you are not forwarding any calls, the button will say "Don't Forward"
   2. If you are forwarding calls, the button will say "Forward to Voicemail"
3. Choose the appropriate selection.
    

Editing your Advanced Calling Options

In the following menu, you will have a number of options to change how inbound calls will function for you. 

To get to the settings, open your Teams client, click on the ellipses in the top right corner, then click "Calls" on the left-hand submenu:

Advanced Call Handling

• Follow the above "Editing your Advanced Calling Options" steps to open the settings menu.
• In the "Call Handling and Forwarding" section, you have the following options:
  • Forward All Calls - Toggle this on to forward all inbound calls, which activates the following options:
    • Choose how all your calls will be forwarded:
      • Forward to Voicemail - this will forward all calls to your voicemail and will not ring your devices.
      • Forward to a new number or contact - this will forward all calls to a specified number, such as another user or a cell phone
  • 
• If you do not toggle the "Forward All Calls" option, you will have a different set of options:
  • When you receive a call:
    • Do not ring anyone else: This will only ring your devices.
    • Also ring a new number or contact: This will cause all inbound calls to ring another number or contact.
  • When you can't answer a call:
    • Do not redirect calls: This will simply disconnect the calling party after a set amount of time has passed.
    • Redirect to Voicemail: This will send the calling party to your voicemail after a set amount of time has passed.
    • Redirect to a new number or contact: This will send the calling party to a new number or contact after a set amount of time has passed.
  • Ring for this many seconds before redirecting: Sets the number of seconds that the calling party will be queued for before being redirected.
    • Note that the default is 20 seconds.
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Choosing a New Ringtone

• Follow the above "Editing your Advanced Calling Options" steps to open the settings menu.
• Under "Call Handling and Forwarding", scroll until you see the option for "Choose a Ringtone"
  • Calls for you: Sets the ringtone for any calls that come directly to your number.
  • Forwarded calls: Sets the ringtone for any calls that have been forwarded to you by another user or automated system.
  • Delegated calls: Sets the ringtone for any calls that have been placed by a user who was delegated to call on behalf of someone else.
• 
   

Managing your Voicemail

• Follow the above "Editing your Advanced Calling Options" steps to open the settings menu.
• Scroll until you see the "Manage Voicemail" section and expand it if it hasn't already been expanded.
• Below are the options you have for managing your voicemail:
  • Record a custom greeting: Allows you to record a greeting instead of utilizing the default Teams attendant greeting.
  • Choose a language for your default greeting: Allows you to change your greeting language.
  • Choose what happens when the call is redirected to voicemail:
    • Let the caller record a message: Will play your greeting and allow the caller to record a voicemail message.
    • Let the caller record a message or be forwarded to someone else: Allows the caller to record a voicemail message or allows the caller to be forwarded to another user you specify.
    • Play your greeting and end the call: Will play your greeting and will not allow the caller to record a voicemail message.
    • Play greeting then transfer the call to someone else: Will play your greeting then transfer the caller to another user you specify.
    • End the call without playing your greeting: Simply disconnects the call.
  • Set up text-to-speech customized greeting option: Allows you to set a greeting via text that will be spoken the caller instead of using a recorded greeting.

Manage Out-of-Office Voicemail

• Follow the above "Editing your Advanced Calling Options" steps to open the settings menu.
• Scroll until you see the "Manage Out-of-Office Voicemail" section and expand it if it hasn't already been expanded

If you set yourself as out-of-office, your greeting will be played in the following cases:

• When should your greeting play: (Check one)
  • All the time: Your greeting will always play if the status is active.
  • When Outlook automatic replies are on: Your greeting will play if you have automatic replies set.
• Your custom greeting: Set your automated text-to-speech greeting that will play if you are in out-of-office status.
  

Disabling Call Queue Inbound Calls

If you are part of a call queue and the queue allows you to disable inbound calls from that queue, you can turn them off by following these steps:

• Follow the above "Editing your Advanced Calling Options" steps to open the settings menu.
• Click on the call queue you wish to disable by clicking the associated tab next to your "Personal" tab.
  
   
• Under "Call Receiving", you will see the option to toggle receiving calls from the queue. 
  • If toggled off, you will no longer receive calls from that call queue.

Additional Notes

• N/A