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Create an extension and assign it to a user

Add a new phone extension to your Phonovo system and hand it to the person who'll use it, so their phone or softphone can actually register.

Who this is for: admins

Before you start

  • Admin access to your Phonovo portal (extension assignment specifically requires an admin or superadmin role).
  • The extension number you want to use (for example, 1001), and, ideally, the name and email of the person it belongs to.
  • A user account for that person already set up in your portal. If they don't have one yet, create it first — you'll need it to complete the assignment step below.
  • 999 and 112 are reserved for emergency calls. 101 (police non-emergency) and 111 (NHS) are also reserved for public calls through the carrier. Your company cannot create, assign or import an internal number using any of these four numbers. Existing records stay editable when their number is unchanged, but are excluded from PBX pushes. Ask support to help move any existing internal number using 101 or 111 to another number.
  • 100, 105 and 123 are other UK phone service numbers (operator, power cuts and the speaking clock). A new extension can't use them and an existing extension can't be changed to one. If your company already has an extension on one of those three numbers, it keeps working and you can still edit and assign it.
  • Know your plan's extension limit. If the Add Extension button is greyed out when you get to the Extensions page, you've reached it — you'll need to upgrade your plan before you can add another.

Steps

Part 1: Create the extension

  1. In the sidebar, under Communication, select Extensions.
  2. Select Add Extension in the top right of the page.
  3. Under Basic Information, enter the Extension Number (required) — for example, 1001. Optionally add a Display Name and Email for the person who'll use it.
  4. Under Features, tick Voicemail if you want callers to be able to leave a message when this extension doesn't answer.
  5. Under Call Forwarding, tick Forward All Calls if every call to this extension should redirect elsewhere, then enter the Forward to Number. Leave it unticked if calls should ring normally.

  6. Select Add Extension at the bottom of the form to save it.

    Don't stop here

    An extension that's been created but not assigned to a user will leave any phone trying to use it stuck endlessly trying and failing to register — it will never get past "not registered." Assigning it to a user in Part 2 is what actually gives the phone something to sign in with.

Part 2: Assign it to a user

  1. Still on the Extensions page, find your new extension's row and look at the Assigned User column. It will say Not assigned, or show an Assign button.
  2. Select Assign. A panel titled Assign to User opens, listing user accounts in your domain that don't already have an extension.
  3. Select the person's name from the list. You'll see a confirmation message, and the Assigned User column now shows their name and username. This is the step that actually issues the sign-in credentials the phone or softphone needs.
  4. To hand a device to that person, follow your device's setup guide (or, for a softphone/webphone, have them log in to their own portal account — the assigned extension is now theirs). Once their phone connects, the Live Status column on the Extensions page changes to Registered. If it still shows Not registered after the device has been set up and given time to connect, double-check the assignment completed (the Assigned User column should show a name, not Assign) and that the device has the current extension number and credentials.

Screenshot

Screenshot of the Extensions page showing the Add Extension button, the Assigned User column with the Assign panel open, and the Live Status column showing Registered/Not registered badges.

Ask Olivia

You can also ask Olivia, the in-portal assistant, to walk you through this.