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 dialing to unmonitored locations.

Getting Started

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 the “Hotdesking”   function  in the 3CX Management Console and press “ +ADD” .

Setting up a device to be used for hot desking:

1. Enter the basic details of the device, such as the MAC address and the provisioning method. If SBC is being used, define the IP and Port of the SBC the phone shall use in the remote office. In the Options  section under the default settings define how the device will operate. Note that if an extension roams onto the device, the option settings will not change to the users preferences.
2. Startup the device (from factory reset state) and provision the device using the PnP method outlined in the configuration guides at https://www.3cx.com/support .
3. Use the “Assign Ext” to process the  PnP request and mapp the request to the corresponding hot desking extension number (format HDXXXX), matching the MAC address of the device created before. The device will provision and is ready to be used as a hot desking pool device.
4. Grant access to the extensions that need permissions within the pool of hot desking devices. Go to  the option “Enable hot desking”  by opening the extension (or mass edit multiple extensions)  → “ Options tab → Options” section.

Logging In

In order to log onto a hot desking device the user must dial *77*[Extension Number]* (e.g. *77*100*). The IVR service will answer the call and prompt the user to enter their voice mailbox PIN number. Upon completion a confirmation prompt is played and the device is reprovisioned.

Logging Out

In order to logout from a device the user just needs to press the first available BLF button on the device which is reserved on all hot desking devices to logout. If a user has configured BLF settings in their extension, they will be shifted by one  BLF button  down in order to accommodate the logout button.

Alternatively on  a  device without BLF button s  the user shall dial *77*5*.

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 in to the next extension.

Status

The current status of a device can be determined in two ways. All hot desking devi c es use an extension name with HDXXXX. If this is shown in the display of the device - then the device is idle. Once a user log s  in to  the device  via hot desking, the device  will show the user's extension number.

For administrators the hot desking tab will show which users are currently logged into which devices and which devices are idle. The administrator has the option to force a user to logout remotely by selecting the HDXXXXXX extension and pressing the “ Logout” button  from the management console .

Other Information

While using a device provisioned in hot desking mode, no custom template can be used. CTI is only tested and supported while using the 3CX web client. CTI in hot desking via the 3CX client is not supported and therefore cannot  to  be used.

Forbidden at Log-In

In case the call gets directly disconnected at the login process *77*[EXT]*, with the message “forbidden”, review the configured  dial codes (Settings → Dial Codes) of the system and ensure that no other dial code starts with *7.

More Informations: https://www.3cx.de/docs/manual/hot-desking/