Groups

There are many places where relationships between extensions and accounts need to be defined. For example, managers need access to certain ACD or front desk staff needs to be able to see who has a voicemail in the office. For this purpose, the PBX has groups. This concept was introduced in version 68 and replaces the previous concept of having a setting for every possible use case. A special case is the user front end where the group defines what extensions are visible to the user. This is similar to the BLF feature on a desktop phone.

Attributes

Each group has the following attributes:

• A name. This helps identifying the group. It typically also helps understanding what the purpose for the group is. For example "ACD Managers" would include the list of extensions that are allowed to manage ACD.
• Permissions. A group can have zero, one or more permissions, for example the right to play back recordings and the right to change the address book. Each permission has a name which is just a short text and which is referenced throughout the code of the PBX when needed.
• Members. Group members are zero, one or more extensions.
• Scope. In many cases, the group members have a permission in regards to other accounts of the system. For example, a front desk person might have the right to call a VIP account. In that case the scope of the group would be the VIP account. There are other permissions that don't need a scope, for example the permission to edit the shared address book. In such cases the scope is ignored. There are four types of scopes:
  • Members of the group. This scope means that the group members are the same as the scope members.
  • All accounts. With this scope, all accounts are included.
  • Specific accounts. This type lists the accounts that are within the scope of the group.
  • All execpt specific accounts. This type includes all accounts except the listed accounts.
• Color. Groups can have a color assigned. This makes mostly sense for user front end groups where the color helps identifying groups.
• Priority. In order to control the sequence in which groups appear in the front end, a priority can be assigned that helps sorting the groups.

Permissions

The following table shows what permissions are available:

Name	Text	Description	Scope
User frontend group	ui	Define what accounts are visible on the front end to the members of this group.	The accounts which will be shown on the font end
Manage groups	group	Members of this group can edit other groups, except groups that have the "group" permission.	N/A
Manage shared address book	adrbook	Members of this group can edit the shared address book.	N/A
Manage agent groups	acd	Define which extensions can manage agent groups. This includes adding agents, logging agents in and out and viewing ACD statistics.	The agent groups to be managed
Redirect groups	redir	Manage the redirection for accounts, including agent groups and auto attendants, for example for the night mode. This permission can be used through star codes.	The accounts that should be managed
Call barge In	barge	Permission to barge into a call. This means the person barging into the call will join the audio path with the two parties that are talking to each other.	The extension that is involved in the call.
Listen in	listen	Permission to listen to a call. The call parties will not be notified when this is happening.	The extension that is involved in the call.
Teach mode	teach	Permission to start teach mode. In this mode, the extension will hear what initiator of the teach call is saying, but not the other party of the call. Because of this this is often called "whisper mode".	The extension that is involved in the call.
Mix audio in	mixin	Permission to mix audio into the call. In this mode, the parties of the call will hear what is being mixed in, but the audio is not sent back to the caller.	The extension that is involved in the call.
Disturb extensions	disturb	Permission to call an extension even if that extension is on do-not-disturb. This is typically used for call screening where a person is on DND and redirects incoming calls to an assistant that has the permission to call the person after screening the call.	The person that will be called even when on DND
Intercom	intercom	Permission to call an extension and have it auto-answer (typically in handsfree mode) for immediate communication.	The extension to be called.
Clean up extensions	cleanup	Permission to perform a cleanup, typically a hotel room extension.	The hotel room extension.
Only specific extensions can call user	call	The members of this group can be called only from specific extensions. If there is no group with this permission the system assumes that everyone can call everyone. For hotel rooms, there is a seperate setting that defines whether room-to-room calls are permitted.	The extensions that can call the member.
Call cell phone	cell	Members of this group can call cell phone number or other extensions (e.g. with the star code for calling cell phones). If there is no group with this permission the system assumes that everyone can call cell phones.	The extensions that can be called
Don't show calls to other users	privacy	If an extension is member of this group, the system will suppress call records and live calls with this member when possible. This group permission is useful in environment with compliance requirements.	N/A
Don't list in auto attendant directory	nolist	If a member is in this group, the member will not be listed in the auto attendant directory.	The auto attendant
BLF view and pickup	pickup	Members of this group can pick up calls from other accounts on a VoIP phone. If there is no group with this permission the system assumes that everyone pick up calls.	The account from which the member can pick up a call
BLF view only	blf	Members of this group can monitor the call activity of other accounts on a VoIP phone. If there is no group with this permission the system assumes that everyone can monitor calls.	The account to monitor
Play recordings	playrec	Members of this group can play recordings.	The account or extension that recorded the call
Manage recordings	manrec	Members of this group can play recordings, take notes and delete recordings.	The account or extension that recorded the call
User can start recording calls	ahrec	Members in this group can manually start call recording. If there is no group with this permission the system assumes that everyone can manually start call recording.	cell
View CDR	viewcdr	Members of this group can see the CDR records.	N/A
Manage CDR	mancdr	Members of this group can see the CDR records, take notes and delete them.	cell
Enable app use	app	Members of this group will be able to use the apps. If there is no group with this permission the system assumes that everyone has the permission to use the apps.	N/A
Enable web frontend	web	Members of this group will be able to use the web frontend. If there is no group with this permission the system assumes that everyone has the permission to use the front end.	N/A
See all calls	viewcalls	Members of this group will see all calls in the user front end.	N/A
Show caller-ID for extensions in app	viewcid	A member of this group can see the caller ID for accounts for connected and ringing calls. This is useful for front desk staff that needs to see caller-ID for call pickup and for staying informed about who is talking with what party.	The extensions to be monitored
Permission to view mailbox status	mwi	A member of this group has the permission to see the mailbox status in the user front end.	The extension that might have a mailbox message
Paging	page	A member of this group can initiate a page.	The paging account
Record IVR	manivr	Permission to record audio for the IVR accounts.	The affected account

Examples

Block certain numbers in the auto attendant

Sometimes, outside callers that haveto go through the auto attendant should not be able to call certain extensions, for example the CEO of the company. For this, the call permission can be used. In a nutshell, by defining what number can call that extension other numbers are ruled out from calling the extension. This includes auto attendants. If only a specific auto attendant should be blocked from calling the extension, the specify except matching rule can be used for the group.

Similar to that, the permission nolist defines what extensions should not listed in the dial by name directory for the auto attendant.