Hot Desking

Introduction

Hot Desking allows local or remote (via SBC) connected IP Phones to be used by multiple users, one at a time. A device currently not used by a user can’t make outbound calls, unless the number is defined as an “Emergency Number”. This way the extension is also protected, with the PIN protection feature, from dialling to unmonitored locations.

Getting Started

To use Hot Desking a PRO or Enterprise licence key is required.

To start using hot desking:

  1. An extension must be allowed to use the pool of hot desking devices and
  2. A device must be created as a hot desking phone. In order to do so, navigate to “Phones” > “Hot Desking Phone” function in the 3CX Admin Client and press “+Add”.

Setting up a device to be used for hot desking:

  1. Select a phone model and enter the phone’s MAC address. (If you do not see your phone in the list, it means that it is not eligible for Hot Desking). Press “Next”.
  2. Choose how the phone connects to 3CX. You can directly assign the phone to an existing SBC/router, via direct connection (making this device a router phone - phone must be router phone capable), or via the local LAN/VPN. STUN is not supported.
  3. Startup the device (from factory reset state). Once the phone boots, it will be automatically provisioned using RPS (Remote Provisioning Server) technology.
  4. If RPS is not supported, use the manual provisioning method which requires you to login to the phone and provide the provisioning URL manually. More information here  https://www.3cx.com/sip-phones/.
  5. Grant access to the extension(s) that need to use hot desking devices. Select the extension(s) > Options tab > “Enable hot desking” in the “Options” section.

Logging In

To log into a hot desking device the user dials *77*[Extension Number]* (e.g. *77*100*). The IVR service answers and prompts the user to enter their voice mailbox PIN number. Upon completion a confirmation prompt is played and the device is reprovisioned for the user’s extension.

Logging Out

To logout from a device the user needs to press the first available BLF button on the device, assigned on all hot desking devices. Alternatively, on a device without BLF buttons the user dials *77*5* to logout.

Note: It is possible to roam directly from one extension to the next without logging out in between. While user A is currently on a device just reuse the login process to directly log into the next extension.

Status

The current status of a device can be determined in two ways. Hot desking devices use an extension name as ‘HDXXXX’. If this is shown on the device display then the device is idle. When a user logs into the device via hot desking, the device displays the user's extension number.

In the 3CX Admin Console, the “Hot Desking” function shows device(s) status with currently logged-in users or idle. The administrator can force a user logout remotely by selecting the extension and clicking the “Logout” button.

Requirements and Limitations

  • STUN is not supported for hot desking devices.
  • To support best BLF layout with the configured settings in Web Client > "Settings" > "BLF Settings" on hot desking phones with variable number of BLFs:
  • any empty BLF positions are discarded,
  • all displayed BLFs are shifted down by the "Logout" button.

Forbidden at Log-In

If the login call (*77*[EXT]*) gets disconnected with the message “forbidden”, review the configured system dial codes in “System” > “Dial Codes" to ensure that no other dial code starts with *7.

See also

Last Updated

This document was last updated on 29 February 2024

https://www.3cx.com/docs/hot-desking/