Call Pickup

Call Pickup Overview

The Call Pickup feature allows users to answer calls that come in on a directory number other than their own.

Group Call Pickup Overview

The Group Call Pickup feature allows users to pick up incoming calls in another group. Users must dial the appropriate call pickup group number when this feature is activated from a Cisco Unified IP Phone. Use the softkey, GPickUp, for this type of call pickup. When the user invokes the Group Call Pickup phone feature while multiple calls are incoming to a pickup group, the user gets connected to the incoming call that has been ringing the longest. Depending on the phone model, the users can either use the Group Pickup programmable feature button or the Group Pickup softkey to pick up an incoming call. If Auto Group Call Pickup is not enabled, the user must press the GPickUp softkey, dial the group number of another pickup group, and answer the call to make the connection.

Other Group Pickup Overview

The Other Group Pickup feature allows users to pick up incoming calls in a group that is associated with their own group. The Unified Communications Manager automatically searches for the incoming call in the associated groups to make the call connection when the user activates this feature from a Cisco Unified IP Phone. Users use the softkey, OPickUp, for this type of call pickup. If Auto Other Group Pickup is not enabled, the user must press the softkeys, OPickUp and Answer, to make the call connection. Depending on the phone model, the users can either use the Call Pickup programmable feature button or the Call Pickup softkey to pick up an incoming call.

When more than one associated group exists, the first associated group has the highest the priority of answering calls for the associated group. For example, groups A, B, and C associate with group X, the group A has the highest priority and the group C has the lowest priority of answering calls. The group X picks up incoming call in group A, though a call may have come in earlier in group C than the incoming call in group A.


Note
The longest alerting call (longest ringing time) gets picked up first if multiple incoming calls occur in that group. For other group call pickup, priority takes precedence over the ringing time if multiple associated pickup groups are configured.

Directed Call Pickup Overview

The Directed Call Pickup feature allows a user to pick up a ringing call on a DN directly by pressing the GPickUp or Group Pickup softkeys and entering the directory number of the device that is ringing. If Auto Directed Call Pickup is not enabled, the user must press the GPickUp softkey, dial the DN of the ringing phone, and answer the call that will now ring on the user phone to make the connection. Unified Communications Manager uses the associated group mechanism to control the privilege of a user who wants to pick up an incoming call by using Directed Call Pickup. The associated group of a user specifies one or more call pickup groups that are associated to the pickup group to which the user belongs.

If a user wants to pick up a ringing call from a DN directly, the associated groups of the user must contain the pickup group to which the DN belongs. If two users belong to two different call pickup groups and the associated groups of the users do not contain the call pickup group of the other user, the users cannot invoke Directed Call Pickup to pick up calls from each other.

When the user invokes the Directed Call Pickup feature and enters a DN to pick up an incoming call, the user connects to the call that is incoming to the specified phone whether or not the call is the longest ringing call in the call pickup group to which the DN belongs. If multiple calls are ringing on a particular DN and the user invokes Directed Call Pickup to pick up a call from the DN, the user connects to the incoming call that has been ringing the specified DN the longest.

BLF Call Pickup Overview

The BLF Call Pickup feature allows Unified Communications Manager to notify a phone user when a call is waiting to be picked up from a BLF DN. The BLF call pickup initiator (the phone that picks up the call) is selected as the next available line or as a specified line. To use a specified line, the line must remain off hook before the BLF SD button is pressed. You can configure a hunt list member DN as the BLF DN to allow an incoming call to a hunt list member to be picked up by the BLF call pickup initiator. The incoming call on the hunt list member can come from the hunt list or be a directed call. The behavior in each case depends on how you configure call pickup for the hunt list member DN, the BLF DN, and the hunt pilot number. When a Call Pickup occurs with the service parameter Auto Call Pickup Enabled set to false, the phone must remain off hook or the user must press the answer key to pick up the call.

The BLF SD button on the phone can exist in any of the following states:

  • Idle—Indicates that no call exists on the BLF DN.

  • Busy—Indicates that at least one active call exists on the BLF DN, but no alerts exist.

  • Alert— Indicates by flashing that at least one incoming call exists on the BLF DN.

When there is an incoming call to the BLF DN, the BLF SD button flashes on the BLF call pickup initiator phone to indicate that an incoming call to the BLF DN exists. If Auto Call Pickup is configured, the user presses the BLF SD button on the call pickup initiator phone to pick up the incoming call. If auto call pickup is not configured, the phone must remain off hook, or the user must press the answer key to pick up the call.

Call Pickup Configuration Task Flow

Procedure

  Command or Action Purpose
Step 1

Configure a Call Pickup Group

Configure a call pickup group for each of the call pickup features that you want to use:

  • Call Pickup

  • Group Call Pickup

  • Other Call Pickup

  • Directed Call Pickup

  • BLF Call Pickup

You must define groups with unique names and numbers.

Step 2

Assign a Call Pickup Group to Directory Numbers

Assign each of the call pickup groups that you created to the directory numbers that are associated with phones on which you want to enable call pickup. Directory numbers must be assigned to a call pickup group to use this feature.

Repeat this procedure for each call pickup group that you create.

Step 3

Create another call pickup group and associate it with the BLF call pickup group that you created in Step 1. You can associate a call pickup group with multiple BLF DN call pickup groups.

Perform this step if you are configuring BLF Call Pickup.

Note 

You do not always need to create another call pickup group. For example, you can have a single call pickup group that includes both the initiator DN and the destination DN. In such cases, associate the BLF call pickup group with itself.

Step 4

Configure Partitions for Call Pickup

Configure partitions to create a logical grouping of directory numbers (DN) with similar reachability characteristics. You can use partitions to restrict access to call pickup groups. If you assign call pickup group numbers to a partition, only those phones that can dial numbers in that partition can use the call pickup group.

You must complete this procedure for directed call pickup. It is optional for other types of call pickup.

Step 5

Configure Calling Search Space

If you configure partitions, you must also configure calling search spaces. Configure calling search spaces to identify the partitions that calling devices can search when they attempt to complete a call.

You must complete this procedure for directed all pickup. It is optional for other types of call pickup.

Step 6

Assign a Call Pickup Group to Hunt Pilots

(Optional). Assign a call pickup group to a hunt pilot DN so that users can pick up calls that are alerting in the line group members. Hunt lists that are assigned to a call pickup group can use Call Pickup, Group Call pickup, BLF Call Pickup, Other Group Pickup, and Directed call pickup.

Step 7

Configure notifications:

(Optional). Configure notifications when other members of a pickup group receive a call. You can configure audio or visual notifications, or both.
Step 8

Configure Directed Call Pickup:

Before you configure directed call pickup, you must configure partitions and calling search spaces. With directed call pickup, the calling search space of the user who requests the Directed Call Pickup feature must contain the partition of the DN from which the user wants to pick up a call.

Time periods and time schedules specify the times when members in the associated group are available to accept calls.

Step 9

Configure automatic call answering:

(Optional). Enable automatic call answering and configure timers for automatic call answering.

Step 10

Configure phone button templates:

Configure phone button templates for any of the call pickup features that you want to use:

  • Speed Dial BLF

  • Call Pickup

  • Group Call Pickup

  • Other Group Pickup

For Directed Call Pickup, use the Group Call Pickup button.

Step 11

Configure Softkeys for Call Pickup

Configure softkeys for any of the call pickup features that you want to use:

  • Call Pickup (Pickup)

  • Group Call Pickup (GPickup)

  • Other Group Pickup (OPickup)

For Directed Call Pickup, use the Group Call Pickup softkey.

Configure a Call Pickup Group

Procedure

Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Call Routing > Call Pickup Group.

The Find and List Call Pickup Groups window appears.
Step 2

Click Add New.

The Call Pickup Group Configuration window appears.
Step 3

Configure the fields in the Call Pickup Group Configuration window. For more information on the fields and their configuration options, see Online Help.

Assign a Call Pickup Group to Directory Numbers

This section describes how to assign a call pickup group to a directory number. Only directory numbers that are assigned to a call pickup group can use call pickup, group call pickup, BLF call pickup, other group pickup, and directed call pickup. If partitions are used with call pickup numbers, make sure that the directory numbers that are assigned to the call pickup group have a calling search space that includes the appropriate partitions.

Before you begin

Configure a Call Pickup Group

Procedure

Step 1

Choose Device > Phone or Call Routing > Directory Number.

Step 2

Enter the appropriate search criteria to find the phone or directory number that you want to assign to a call pickup group and click Find.

A list of phones or directory numbers that match the search criteria displays.

Step 3

Choose the phone or directory number to which you want to assign a call pickup group.

Step 4

From the Association Information list in the Phone Configuration window, choose the directory number to which the call pickup group will be assigned.

Step 5

From the Call Pickup Group drop-down list that displays in the Call Forward and Call Pickup Settings area, choose the desired call pickup group.

Step 6

To save the changes in the database, click Save.

What to do next

Perform the following tasks:

Configure Partitions for Call Pickup

You can restrict access to call pickup groups by assigning a partition to the call pickup group number. When this configuration is used, only the phones that have a calling search space that includes the partition with the call pickup group number can participate in that call pickup group. Make sure that the combination of partition and group number is unique throughout the system. You can create multiple partitions.

If you assign call pickup group numbers to a partition, only those phones that can dial numbers in that partition can use the call pickup group. If partitions represent tenants in a multitenant configuration, make sure that you assign the pickup groups to the appropriate partition for each tenant.

Before you begin

Assign a Call Pickup Group to Directory Numbers

Procedure

Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Call Routing > Class of Control > Partition.

Step 2

In the Partition Name, Description field, enter a name for the partition that is unique to the route plan.

Partition names can contain alphanumeric characters, as well as spaces, hyphens (-), and underscore characters (_). See the online help for guidelines about partition names.
Step 3

Enter a comma (,) after the partition name and enter a description of the partition on the same line.

The description can contain up to 50 characters in any language, but it cannot include double quotes ("), percentage sign (%), ampersand (&), backslash (\), angle brackets (<>), or square brackets ([ ]).
If you do not enter a description, Cisco Unified Communications Manager automatically enters the partition name in this field.
Step 4

To create multiple partitions, use one line for each partition entry.

Step 5

From the Time Schedule drop-down list, choose a time schedule to associate with this partition.

The time schedule specifies when the partition is available to receive incoming calls. If you choose None, the partition remains active at all times.
Step 6

Select one of the following radio buttons to configure the Time Zone:

  • Originating Device—When you select this radio button, the system compares the time zone of the calling device to the Time Schedule to determine whether the partition is available is available to receive an incoming call.
  • Specific Time Zone—After you select this radio button, choose a time zone from the drop-down list. The system compares the chosen time zone to the Time Schedule to determine whether the partition is available is available to receive an incoming call.
Step 7

Click Save.

Configure Calling Search Space

A calling search space is an ordered list of route partitions that are typically assigned to devices. Calling search spaces determine the partitions that calling devices can search when they are attempting to complete a call.

Before you begin

Configure Partitions for Call Pickup

Procedure

Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Call Routing > Class of Control > Calling Search Space.

Step 2

Click Add New.

Step 3

In the Name field, enter a name.

Ensure that each calling search space name is unique to the system. The name can include up to 50 alphanumeric characters and can contain any combination of spaces, periods (.), hyphens (-), and underscore characters (_).

Step 4

In the Description field, enter a description.

The description can include up to 50 characters in any language, but it cannot include double-quotes ("), percentage sign (%), ampersand (&), back-slash (\), or angle brackets (<>).

Step 5

From the Available Partitions drop-down list, perform one of the following steps:

  • For a single partition, select that partition.
  • For multiple partitions, hold down the Control (CTRL) key, then select the appropriate partitions.
Step 6

Select the down arrow between the boxes to move the partitions to the Selected Partitions field.

Step 7

(Optional) Change the priority of selected partitions by using the arrow keys to the right of the Selected Partitions box.

Step 8

Click Save.

Assign a Call Pickup Group to Hunt Pilots

Only hunt lists that are assigned to a call pickup group can use Call Pickup, Group Call Pickup, BLF Call Pickup, Other Group Pickup, and Directed Call Pickup. Follow these steps to assign a call pickup group to hunt pilots:

Before you begin

Configure Calling Search Space

Procedure

Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Call Routing > Route/Hunt > Hunt Pilot.

Step 2

Enter the appropriate search criteria to find the hunt pilot that you want to assign to a call pickup group and click Find. A list of hunt pilots that match the search criteria appears.

Step 3

Choose the hunt pilot to which you want to assign a call pickup group.

Step 4

From the Call Pickup Group drop-down list that appears in the Hunt Forward Settings area, choose the desired call pickup group.

Step 5

Click Save.

Configure Call Pickup Notification

You can configure Call Pickup Notification at the system level, call pickup group level, or individual phone level.

Before you begin

Assign a Call Pickup Group to Hunt Pilots

Procedure

  Command or Action Purpose
Step 1

Configure Call Pickup Notification for a Call Pickup Group

To allow the original called party to pick up the call prior to the audio and/or visual alert being sent to the pickup group.

Step 2

Configure Call Pickup Notification for a Directory Number

To configure the type of audio alert to be provided when phone is idle or has an active call.
Step 3

Configure BLF Call Pickup Notification

Configure BLF Call Pickup Notification

Before you begin

Configure Call Pickup Notification for a Directory Number

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose System > Service Parameters.

Step 2

From the Server drop-down list, choose the server that is running the Cisco CallManager service.

Step 3

From the Service drop-down list, choose Cisco CallManager.

Step 4

Configure the fields from Clusterwide Parameters (Device - Phone section in the Service Parameter Configuration window. See Service Parameter Fields for BLF Call Pickup Notification for more information about the fields and their configuration options.

Service Parameter Fields for BLF Call Pickup Notification

Field

Description

Call Pickup Group Audio Alert Setting of Idle Station

This parameter determines the kind of audio notification that is provided when a phone is idle (not in use) and it needs to be alerted regarding an incoming call on its Call Pickup Group. Valid values are as follows:

  • Disable

  • Ring Once

Call Pickup Group Audio Alert Setting of Busy Station

This parameter determines the kind of audio notification that is provided when a phone is busy (in use) and it needs to be alerted regarding an incoming call on its Call Pickup Group. Valid values are as follows:

  • Disable

  • Beep Only

BLF Pickup Group Audio Alert Setting of Idle Station

This parameter determines the kind of audio notification that is provided when a phone is idle and it needs to be alerted regarding an incoming call on the BLF Pickup Button. Valid values are as follows:

  • No Ring

  • Ring Once

BLF Pickup Group Audio Alert Setting of Busy Station

This parameter determines the kind of audio notification that is provided when a phone is busy and it needs to be alerted regarding an incoming call on the BLF Pickup Button. Valid values are as follows:

  • No Ring

  • Beep Only

Configure Call Pickup Notification for a Call Pickup Group

Before you begin

Assign a Call Pickup Group to Hunt Pilots

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Call Routing > Call Pickup Group.

The Call Pickup Group window appears.
Step 2

Configure the fields in the Call Pickup Group Notification Settings section in the Call Pickup Group Configuration window. See Call Pickup Notification Fields for Call Pickup for details about the fields and their configuration options.

Note 

Refer to Call Pickup Interactions and Restrictions for feature interactions and restrictions that will affect your Call Pickup configuration.

Call Pickup Notification Fields for Call Pickup

Field

Description

Call Pickup Group Notification Policy

From the drop-down list, select the notification policy. The available are options are No Alert, Audio Alert, Visual Alert, and Audio and Visual Alert.

Call Pickup Group Notification Timer

Enter the seconds of delay (integer in the range of 1 to 300) between the time that the call first comes into the original called party and the time that the notification to the rest of the call pickup group is sent.

Calling Party Information

Check the check box if you want the visual notification message to the call pickup group to include identification of the calling party. The system only makes this setting available when the Call Pickup Group Notification Policy is set to Visual Alert or Audio and Visual Alert.

Note 

The notification is sent only to the primary line of a device.

Called Party Information

Check the check box if you want the visual notification message to the call pickup group to include identification of the original called party. The system makes this setting available when the Call Pickup Group Notification Policy is set to Visual Alert or Audio and Visual Alert.

Configure Call Pickup Notification for a Directory Number

Perform these steps to configure the type of audio notification that is provided when a phone is idle or in use.

Before you begin

Configure Call Pickup Notification for a Call Pickup Group

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Call Routing > Directory Number.

The Find and List Directory Numbers window appears.
Step 2

Enter the search criteria and click Find.

Step 3

Click the directory number for which you want to configure the Call Pickup Notification.

The Directory Number Configuration window appears.
Step 4

Choose a device name in the Associated Devices pane and click the Edit Line Appearance button.

The Directory Number Configuration window refreshes to show the line appearance for this DN on the device that you choose.
Step 5

From the Call Pickup Group Audio Alert Setting(Phone Idle) drop-down list, choose one of the following:

  • Use System Default

  • Disable

  • Ring Once

Step 6

From the Call Pickup Group Audio Alert Setting(Phone Active) drop-down list, choose one of the following:

  • Use System Default

  • Disable

  • Beep Only
Step 7

Click Save.

Configure Directed Call Pickup

Procedure

  Command or Action Purpose
Step 1

Configure a Time Period
Configure time period for members of the associated groups to your group.
Step 2

Configure Time Schedule
Configure time schedule for members of the associated groups to your group.
Step 3

Associate a Time Schedule with a Partition
Associate time schedules with partitions to determine where calling devices search when they are attempting to complete a call during a particular time of a day.

Configure a Time Period

Use this procedure to define time periods. You can define a start time and an end time, and also specify repetition interval either as days of the week or a specified date on the yearly calendar.

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Call Routing > Class of Control > Time Period.

Step 2

Configure the fields in the Time Period Configuration window. For more information on the fields and their configuration options, see the system Online Help.

Step 3

Click Save.

Configure Time Schedule

Before you begin

Configure a Time Period

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Call Routing > Class of Control > Time Schedule.

Step 2

Configure the fields in the Time Schedule Configuration window. For more information on the fields and their configuration options, see Online Help.

Associate a Time Schedule with a Partition

Associate time schedules with partitions to determine where calling devices search when they are attempting to complete a call during a particular time of day.

Before you begin

Configure Time Schedule

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Call Routing > Class of Control > Partition.

Step 2

From the Time Schedule drop-down list, choose a time schedule to associate with this partition.

The time schedule specifies when the partition is available to receive incoming calls. If you choose None, the partition remains active at all times.
Step 3

Click Save.

Configure Automatic Call Answering

Procedure

  Command or Action Purpose
Step 1

Configure Auto Call Pickup

You can automate call pickup, group pickup, other group pickup, directed call pickup, and BLF call pickup. If you do not enable automatic call answering, users must press additional softkeys or dial group numbers to complete the connection.

Step 2

Configure BLF Auto Pickup

Configure Auto Call Pickup

Auto call pickup connects the user to an incoming call. When the user presses the softkey on the phone, Unified Communications Manager locates the incoming call in the group and completes the call connection. You can automate call pickup, group pickup, other group pickup, directed call pickup, and BLF call pickup. If you do not enable automatic call answering, users must press additional softkeys or dial group numbers to complete the connection.

Before you begin

Associate a Time Schedule with a Partition

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose System > Service Parameters.

Step 2

From the Server drop-down list, choose the server that is running the Cisco CallManager service.

Step 3

From the Service drop-down list, choose Cisco CallManager.

Step 4

In the Clusterwide Parameters (Feature – Call Pickup) section, select True or False from the Auto Call Pickup Enabled drop-down list to enable or disable automatic call answering for call pickup groups.

Step 5

If the Auto Call Pickup Enabled service parameter is False, enter a value from 12 to 300 in the Call Pickup No Answer Timer field. This parameter controls the time that a call takes to get restored if the call is picked up but not answered by using call pickup, group call pickup, or other group call pickup.

Step 6

In the Pickup Locating Timer field, enter a value from 1 to 5. This service parameter specifies the maximum time, in seconds, for Cisco Unified Communications Manager to identify all alerting calls from all nodes in the cluster. This information is then used to help ensure that the call that has been waiting longest in the queue is delivered to the next user who presses the PickUp, GPickUp, or OPickUp softkey.

Step 7

Click Save.

Configure BLF Auto Pickup

Before you begin

Configure Auto Call Pickup

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose System > Service Parameters.

Step 2

From the Server drop-down list, choose the server that is running the Cisco CallManager service.

Step 3

From the Service drop-down list, choose Cisco CallManager.

Step 4

Configure values for the following clusterwide service parameters.

  • BLF Pickup Audio Alert Setting of Idle Station—Select True or False from the drop-down list to enable or disable automatic call answering for call pickup groups. The default value for this service parameter is False.

  • BLF Pickup Audio Alert Setting of Busy Station—If the Auto Call Pickup Enabled service parameter is False, enter a value from 12 to 300 (inclusive). This parameter controls the time that a call takes to get restored if the call is picked up but not answered by using call pickup, group call pickup, or other group call pickup.

Configure Call Pickup Phone Buttons

Procedure

  Command or Action Purpose
Step 1

Configure Call Pickup Phone Button Template

Add Call Pickup feature to the phone button template.
Step 2

Associate Call Pickup Button Template with Phone
Step 3

Configure BLF Speed Dial Number for the BLF Call Pickup Initiator

Configure Call Pickup Phone Button Template

Follow these steps to add Call Pickup feature to the phone button template.

Before you begin

Configure Automatic Call Answering

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Device > Device Settings > Phone Button Template.

Step 2

Click Find to display list of supported phone templates.

Step 3

Perform the following steps if you want to create a new phone button template; otherwise, proceed to the next step.

  1. Select a default template for the model of phone and click Copy.

  2. In the Phone Button Template Information field, enter a new name for the template.

  3. Click Save.

Step 4

Perform the following steps if you want to add phone buttons to an existing template.

  1. Click Find and enter the search criteria.

  2. Choose an existing template.
Step 5

From the Line drop-down list, choose feature that you want to add to the template.

Step 6

Click Save.

Step 7

Perform one of the following tasks:

  • Click Apply Config if you modified a template that is already associated with devices to restart the devices.
  • If you created a new softkey template, associate the template with the devices and then restart them.

Associate Call Pickup Button Template with Phone

Before you begin

Configure Call Pickup Phone Button Template

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Device > Phone.

Step 2

Click Find to display the list of configured phones.

Step 3

Choose the phone to which you want to add the phone button template.

Step 4

In the Phone Button Template drop-down list, choose the phone button template that contains the new feature button.

Step 5

Click Save.

A dialog box is displayed with a message to press Reset to update the phone settings.

Configure BLF Speed Dial Number for the BLF Call Pickup Initiator

Before you begin

Associate Call Pickup Button Template with Phone

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Device > Phone.

Step 2

Select the phone that you want to use as the BLF call pickup initiator.

Step 3

In the Association pane, Add a new BLF SD link.

The Busy Lamp Field Speed Dial Configuration window appears.
Step 4

Select a Directory Number (BLF DN) that should be monitored by the BLF SD button.

Step 5

Check the Call Pickup check box to use the BLF SD button for BLF Call Pickup and BLF Speed Dial. If you do not check this check box, the BLF SD button will be used only for BLF Speed Dial.

Step 6

Click Save.

Configure Softkeys for Call Pickup

Procedure

  Command or Action Purpose
Step 1

Configure a Softkey Template for Call Pickup

Add the Pickup, GPickup, and OPickup softkeys to a softkey template.
Step 2

To Associate a Softkey Template with a Common Device Configuration, complete the following subtasks:

Optional. To make the softkey template available to phones, you must complete either this step or the following step. Follow this step if your system uses a Common Device Configuration to apply configuration options to phones. This is the most commonly used method for making a softkey template available to phones.

Step 3

Associate a Softkey Template with a Phone

Optional. Use this procedure either as an alternative to associating the softkey template with the Common Device Configuration, or in conjunction with the Common Device Configuration. Use this procedure in conjunction with the Common Device Configuration if you need assign a softkey template that overrides the assignment in the Common Device Configuration or any other default softkey.

Configure a Softkey Template for Call Pickup

Use this procedure to make the following call pickup softkeys available:

Softkey

Description

Call States

Call Pickup (Pickup)

Allows you to answer a call on another extension in your group.

On Hook

Off Hook

Group Call Pickup (GPickup)

Allows you to answer a call on extension outside your group.

On Hook

Off Hook

Other Group Pickup (OPickup)

Allows you to answer a call ringing in another group that is associated with your group.

On Hook

Off Hook

Before you begin

Configure Call Pickup Phone Buttons

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Device > Device Settings > Softkey Template.

Step 2

Perform the following steps to create a new softkey template; otherwise, proceed to the next step.

  1. Click Add New.

  2. Select a default template and click Copy.

  3. Enter a new name for the template in the Softkey Template Name field.

  4. Click Save.

Step 3

Perform the following steps to add softkeys to an existing template.

  1. Click Find and enter the search criteria.

  2. Select the required existing template.
Step 4

Check the Default Softkey Template check box to designate this softkey template as the default softkey template.

Note 

If you designate a softkey template as the default softkey template, you cannot delete it unless you first remove the default designation.

Step 5

Choose Configure Softkey Layout from the Related Links drop-down list in the upper right corner and click Go.

Step 6

From the Select a Call State to Configure drop-down list, choose the call state for which you want the softkey to display.

Step 7

From the Unselected Softkeys list, choose the softkey to add and click the right arrow to move the softkey to the Selected Softkeys list. Use the up and down arrows to change the position of the new softkey.

Step 8

Repeat the previous step to display the softkey in additional call states.

Step 9

Click Save.

Step 10

Perform one of the following tasks:

  • Click Apply Config if you modified a template that is already associated with devices to restart the devices.
  • If you created a new softkey template, associate the template with the devices and then restart them. For more information, see Add a Softkey Template to a Common Device Configuration and Associate a Softkey Template with a Phone sections.
What to do next

Perform one of the following tasks:

Associate a Softkey Template with a Common Device Configuration

Optional. There are two ways to associate a softkey template with a phone:

  • Add the softkey template to the Phone Configuration.

  • Add the softkey template to the Common Device Configuration.

The procedures in this section describe how to associate the softkey template with a Common Device Configuration. Follow these procedures if your system uses a Common Device Configuration to apply configuration options to phones. This is the most commonly used method for making a softkey template available to phones.

To use the alternative method, see Associate a Softkey Template with a Phone.

Procedure
Step 1

Add a Softkey Template to Common Device Configuration

Step 2

Associate a Common Device Configuration with a Phone

Add a Softkey Template to Common Device Configuration
Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Device > Device Settings > Common Device Configuration.

Step 2

Perform the following steps to create a new Common Device Configuration and associate the softkey template with it; otherwise, proceed to the next step.

  1. Click Add New.

  2. Enter a name for the Common Device Configuration in the Name field.

  3. Click Save.

Step 3

Perform the following steps to add the softkey template to an existing Common Device Configuration.

  1. Click Find and enter the search criteria.

  2. Click an existing Common Device Configuration.
Step 4

In the Softkey Template drop-down list, choose the softkey template that contains the softkey that you want to make available.

Step 5

Click Save.

Step 6

Perform one of the following tasks:

  • If you modified a Common Device Configuration that is already associated with devices, click Apply Config to restart the devices.
  • If you created a new Common Device Configuration, associate the configuration with devices and then restart them.
Associate a Common Device Configuration with a Phone
Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Device > Phone.

Step 2

Click Find and select the phone device to add the softkey template.

Step 3

From the Common Device Configuration drop-down list, choose the common device configuration that contains the new softkey template.

Step 4

Click Save.

Step 5

Click Reset to update the phone settings.

Associate a Softkey Template with a Phone

Procedure
Step 1

From Cisco Unified CM Administration, choose Device > Phone.

Step 2

Click Find to select the phone to add the softkey template.

Step 3

From the Softkey Template drop-down list, choose the template that contains the new softkey.

Step 4

Click Save.

Call Pickup Interactions and Restrictions

Call Pickup Interactions

Feature

Interaction

Route Plan Report

The route plan report displays the patterns and DNs that are configured in Unified Communications Manager. Use the route plan report to look for overlapping patterns and DNs before assigning a DN to call pickup group.

Calling search space and partitions

Assigning a partition to the Call Pickup Group number limits call pickup access to users on the basis of the device calling search space.

Time of Day (TOD)

Time of Day (TOD) parameter for members in the associated group enable them to accept calls within the same time period as their own group. TOD associates a time stamp to the calling search space and partition.

Call Accounting

When a call pickup occurs through auto call pickup, the system generates two call detail records (CDRs). One CDR applies to the original call that is cleared, and another CDR applies to the requesting call that is connected.

When a call pickup occurs via non-auto call pickup, the system generates one call detail record, which applies to the requesting call that is connected.

A CDR search returns all CDRs that match a specific time range and other search criteria. You can also search for a type of call that is associated with a particular CDR. The search result displays a call type field that indicates whether the call is a pickup call.

Call Forwarding

When a call pickup occurs with the service parameter Auto Call Pickup Enabled set to false, the call forward that is configured on the phone gets ignored when one of the pickup softkeys is pressed. If the call pickup requestor does not answer the call, the original call gets restored after the pickup no answer timer expires.

Call Pickup Restrictions

Restriction

Description

Different phone lines to different call pickup groups

Although you can assign different lines on a phone to different call pickup groups, Cisco does not recommend this setup because it can be confusing to users.

Call Pickup Group Number

  • You cannot delete a call pickup group number when it is assigned to a line or DN. To determine which lines are using the call pickup group number, use Dependency Records in Call Pickup Configuration window. To delete a call pickup group number, reassign a new call pickup group number to each line or DN.

  • When you update a call pickup group number, Cisco Unified Communications Manager automatically updates all directory numbers that are assigned to that call pickup group.

SIP Phones

  • The system does not support Call Pickup Notification on a few Cisco Unified IP Phones that run SIP.

  • Call Pickup Notification is only supported on licensed, third-party phones that run SIP.

Directed Call Pickup

  • If a device that belongs to a hunt list rings due to a call that was made by calling the hunt pilot number, users cannot use the Directed Call Pickup feature to pick up such a call.

  • Users cannot pick up calls to a DN that belongs to a line group by using the Directed Call Pickup feature.

BLF Pickup

The system does not support Call Pickup Notification on a few Cisco Unified IP Phones that run SIP.

Incoming Calling Party International Number Prefix - Phone

If you have configured a prefix in the "Incoming Calling Party International Number Prefix - Phone " service parameter, and an international call is placed to a member in the Call Pickup Group, the prefix does not get invoked in the calling party field if the call gets picked up by another member of the Call Pickup Group.