Setting up call delegation

Call delegation (also known as shared line appearance) provides an easy way for phone users to assign others to handle calls on their behalf. For example, an executive can assign calling privileges to their assistant, allowing the assistant can make and receive calls on the executive’s behalf. If you're unsure that call delegation fits a use case, see our comparison of other routing methods.

The following terms are used in this article:

• The delegator is the phone user who assigns phone privileges to another phone user or common area phone. Each delegator has up to 15 delegates. To increase the number of delegates submit a request to Zoom Support.
• The delegate is the phone user or common area phone that makes and receives calls on the delegator's behalf. Each delegate can be assigned to a maximum of 15 delegators. To increase the number of delegators to 32, submit a request to Zoom Support.
• Shared lines are direct phone numbers that belong to the delegator but can be used by their delegates.

Here are some features you can use after setting up call delegation:

• The delegate can access the delegator's direct phone numbers, meaning they can make and receive calls on behalf of the delegator.
• Both delegator and delegate can see the status of the shared lines.
• The delegator and delegate can place calls on hold and transfer them to each other.

After setup, you can use call delegation on the Zoom Workspace app or a desk phone.

Note: Provisioned desk phones assigned to the delegator or delegate will reboot several times when you set up call delegation or change settings related to call delegation.

Requirements for setting up call delegation

• The delegator and delegate must have a Zoom Phone license and calling plan
  Note: This feature requires a Zoom Phone Metered, Unlimited, or Pro plan.
• Delegation policy setting enabled

Note: Each phone user with call delegation can belong to multiple call delegation setups or shared line groups.

How to assign a delegate

Account

Account owners and admins can follow these steps to assign a delegate to a phone user.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Users & Rooms.
3. Click the Users tab.
4. Click a phone user's display name, then click the User Settings tab.
5. Under Delegation & Assistant, locate the Delegation feature and click Set or Add.
6. Under Assign delegation privileges to, click the dropdown menu and select User or Common Area Phone.
7. Specify the phone user or common area phone you want to assign as your delegate, then click Invite.
   Note: The delegate will need to accept the delegation request.
8. Under Delegation Privileges, use the checkboxes to change the privileges:
   
   • Delegation Privileges
     
     • Place Calls: The delegate can make calls on your behalf using any of your direct phone numbers.
     • Answer Calls: The delegate can answer calls on your behalf. They will receive call notifications for inbound calls to your direct phone numbers.
     • Join and Merge Calls: This privilege is a two-way permission between the delegator and delegate(s).
       Notes:
       • This setting must be enabled by Zoom.
       • A shared line appearance cannot be selected for monitoring when the Join Calls option is enabled. You must disable the delegate privilege before adding monitoring capabilities.
     • Opt In/Out: This option allows delegates to opt in/out from receiving calls. Delegates must be on Zoom app version 5.16.2 or later.
       Note: This privilege is dependent on the Answer Calls privilege and cannot be enabled unless the Answer Calls privilege is enabled.
     • Pick Up Hold Calls: You can transfer calls to the delegate by placing the call on hold and informing the delegate to answer the call.
     • Override Business Hours: Allow delegates' business hours to override your business hours. Delegates won’t receive calls outside their own business hours. This will apply to both regular and VIP delegation.
       Note: If enabled, the delegate will automatically opt out from receiving the delegator's calls after the delegate's business hours. Calls will then be directed to another assistant or the delegator's voicemail if no other assistants are configured.
   • Privacy:
     • Provide call locking option to prevent delegate(s) from picking up a held call or monitoring a call (when configured): Select the check box to enable privacy mode for the delegator, allowing them to lock a call.
     • Play a chime when a delegate enters or exits a call or brings someone else to a call: A notification chime will sound when the delegate enters/exits a call or brings someone into a call.
       Note: This privilege is dependent on the Join Calls privilege and will appear only when the Join Calls privilege is enabled. When the Join Calls checkbox is selected, this option will appear in the web portal and be selected by default.
9. (Optional) To prevent all users in your account from changing this setting, click the lock icon , and then click Lock to confirm the setting.
   Note: If there is a pending invite for the user when the admin tries to lock it, you need to ask the user to accept or accept the pending invite yourself before you can lock.
10. (Optional) To add additional delegates, click Add.

User

Follow these steps if you want to be a delegator and assign another phone user to make and receive calls on your behalf.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone.
3. Click the Settings tab.
4. Under Delegation & Assistant, locate the Delegation feature and click Set or Add.
   
5. Under Assign delegation privileges to, click the dropdown menu and select User or Common Area Phone.
6. Specify the phone user or common area phone you want to assign as your delegate, then click Invite.
   Note: The delegate will need to accept the delegation request.
7. Use the checkboxes to change the privileges:
   Note: If an admin locked the delegation settings, phone users can't change these privileges.
   • Delegation Privileges
     
     • Place Calls: The delegate can make calls on your behalf using any of your direct phone numbers.
     • Answer Calls: The delegate can answer calls on your behalf. They will receive call notifications for inbound calls to your direct phone numbers.
     • Join and Merge Calls: This privilege is a two-way permission between the delegator and delegate(s).
     • Opt In/Out: This option allows delegates to opt in/out from receiving calls. Delegates must be on Zoom app version 5.16.2 or later.
       Note: This privilege is dependent on the Answer Calls privilege and cannot be enabled unless the Answer Calls privilege is enabled.
     • Pick Up Hold Calls: You can transfer calls to the delegate by placing the call on hold and informing the delegate to answer the call.
     • Override Business Hours: Allow delegates' business hours to override your business hours. Delegates won’t receive calls outside their own business hours. This will apply to both regular and VIP delegation.
       Note: If enabled, the delegate will automatically opt out from receiving the delegator's calls after the delegate's business hours. Calls will then be directed to another assistant or the delegator's voicemail if no other assistants are configured.
     • Manage VIP Contacts: The delegate can receive calls from the user's VIP list.
   • Privacy
     • Provide call locking option to prevent delegate(s) from picking up a held call or monitoring a call (when configured): Select this checkbox to enable privacy mode for the delegator, allowing them to lock a call.
     • Play a chime when a delegate enters or exits a call or brings someone else to a call: A notification chime will sound when the delegate enters/exits a call or brings someone into a call.
       Note: This privilege is dependent on the Join Calls privilege and will appear only when the Join Calls privilege is enabled.
8. Click the VIP Delegation toggle to enable or disable it.
   You can choose who can call you directly by setting up a VIP contact group and allowing only this set list of users to contact you directly. Routing options are limited if no delegate has been assigned with Answer Calls privileges.
   Note: This setting is only available with Zoom app 5.13.0 or later.
   1. Under VIP Contacts, click the dropdown menu and determine the routing sequence of contacts who can call you directly as determined by your Call Handling settings.
      Note: This contact group can be managed directly on the Zoom app under Contacts.
   2. Under Everybody Else, click the dropdown menu and determine the delegation sequence of all other callers.
      If a call is not answered by the end of the delegation sequence, it will follow the call overflow or call waiting settings of the delegator.
   3. Click Save.
9. (Optional) To add additional delegates, click Add.

How to manage delegation requests and view delegators

If someone requests you as their delegate, you can accept the delegation request before you can make and receive calls on their behalf. You can also follow these steps to view the delegators you have accepted delegation responsibilities.

Notes:

• If you're an admin assigning a delegate for a phone user, the delegation setup is forced and the delegate will not have to accept a delegation request.
• The delegate will receive a notification to accept the delegation request when they view their phone settings in the web portal. You will see a Pending label until the delegate accepts the request. After the delegate accepts the request, their name and extension will appear in the Delegation section.
• If you're assigning a common area phone as a delegate, a Zoom Phone admin needs to sign in to the web portal and go to the Users & Rooms page to accept the delegation request.

Accept a delegation request

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone.
3. Click the Settings tab.
4. In the Assistant for section, click Accept to accept a pending request to be a delegate.

Opt in or opt out of receiving calls

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone.
3. Click the Settings tab.
4. In the Assistant for section, view the delegator you’re assigned to, along with the call privileges you have been granted:
   
   • Place Calls: You can make calls on behalf of the delegator by using their direct phone numbers.
   • Answer Calls: You can answer incoming calls to the delegator's direct phone numbers.
   • Pick Up Hold Calls: You can transfer calls to the delegator by placing the call on hold and informing the delegator to answer the call.
   • Join and Merge Calls: This privilege is a two-way permission between the delegator and delegate(s).
   • Opt In/Out: You can opt in/out from receiving calls. You must be on Zoom app version 5.16.2 or later.
     Note: This privilege is dependent on the Answer Calls privilege and cannot be enabled unless the Answer Calls privilege is enabled.
   • Override Business Hours: Allow delegates' business hours to override your business hours. Delegates won’t receive calls outside their own business hours. This will apply to both regular and VIP delegation.
     Note: If enabled, the delegate will automatically opt out from receiving the delegator's calls after the delegate's business hours. Calls will then be directed to another assistant or the delegator's voicemail if no other assistants are configured.
   • Manage VIP Contacts: You can receive calls from the VIP list.
5. Under Receive calls for delegators, click View or Edit.
   Note: If you are not granted the Opt In/Out privilege, then you can only View the delegators.
   A pop-up window will appear.
   1. In the window, click the toggles to opt in or opt out from receiving calls from the following:
      Note: If granted the Opt In/Out privilege, the delegate can opt in or opt out of a delegator or shared line appearance.
      
      • Shared Line Appearances: If the delegate opts out of the shared line appearance (SLA), they will not receive any incoming calls for the delegator on either the Zoom app or desk phones.
      • Delegator: If the delegator has the Opt In/Out privilege, they can opt out of calls for any delegator.
   2. Click Save.

How to customize line keys

Delegators or delegates with a desk phone that supports multiple line keys can customize the order and aliases of shared lines.

How to view all delegators and delegates in the account (admin)

If you are the account owner or admin, you can view all phone users who have delegated calling privileges and the associated shared lines.

Shared Line Appearances

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management then Shared Lines.
3. Click the Shared Lines Appearance tab.
   You will see a list of all delegators and delegates in the organization along with the assigned privileges.
4. Click Details to view these call delegation settings:
   • Site (only visible if you have multiple sites): The associated site of the delegator.
   • Extension number: The delegator’s extension number.
   • Delegation
     1. In the Delegation section, click Set or Add.
        
     2. Under Assign delegation privileges to, click the dropdown menu and select User or Common Area Phone.
     3. Specify the phone user or common area phone you want to assign as your delegate, then click Invite.
        Note: The delegate will need to accept the delegation request.
     4. Use the checkboxes to change the privileges:
        
        • Delegation Privileges
          
          • Place Calls: The delegate can make calls on your behalf using any of your direct phone numbers.
          • Answer Calls: The delegate can answer calls on your behalf. They will receive call notifications for inbound calls to your direct phone numbers.
          • Join and Merge Calls: This privilege is a two-way permission between the delegator and delegate(s).
          • Opt In/Out: This option allows delegates to opt in/out from receiving calls. Delegates must be on Zoom app version 5.16.2 or later.
            Note: This privilege is dependent on the Answer Calls privilege and cannot be enabled unless the Answer Calls privilege is enabled.
          • Pick Up Hold Calls: You can transfer calls to the delegate by placing the call on hold and informing the delegate to answer the call.
          • Override Business Hours: Allow delegates' business hours to override your business hours. Delegates won’t receive calls outside their own business hours. This will apply to both regular and VIP delegation.
            Notes:
            • If enabled, the delegate will automatically opt out from receiving the delegator's calls after the delegate's business hours. Calls will then be directed to another assistant or the delegator's voicemail if no other assistants are configured.
            • The Shared Line Appearances toggles in the Zoom app will remain unchanged.
          • Manage VIP Contacts: The delegate can receive calls from the user's VIP list.
        • Privacy
          • Provide call locking option to prevent delegate(s) from picking up a held call or monitoring a call (when configured): Select this checkbox to enable privacy mode for the delegator, allowing them to lock a call.
          • Play a chime when a delegate enters or exits a call or brings someone else to a call: A notification chime will sound when the delegate enters/exits a call or brings someone into a call.
            Note: This privilege is dependent on the Join Calls privilege and will appear only when the Join Calls privilege is enabled.
     5. Click the VIP Delegation toggle to enable or disable it.
        You can choose who can call you directly by setting up a VIP contact group and allowing only this set list of users to contact you directly. Routing options are limited if no delegate has been assigned with Answer Calls privileges.
        Note: This setting is only available with Zoom app 5.13.0 or later.
        1. Under VIP Contacts, click the dropdown menu and determine the routing sequence of contacts who can call you directly as determined by your Call Handling settings.
           Note: This contact group can be managed directly on the Zoom app under Contacts.
        2. Under Everybody Else, click the dropdown menu and determine the delegation sequence of all other callers.
           If a call is not answered by the end of the delegation sequence, it will follow the call overflow or call waiting settings of the delegator.
        3. Click Save.
     6. (Optional) To prevent all users in your account from changing this setting, click the lock icon , and then click Lock to confirm the setting.
        Note: If there is a pending invite for the user when the admin tries to lock it, you need to ask the user to accept or accept the pending invite yourself before you can lock.
     7. (Optional) To add additional delegates, click Add.
     8. (Optional) To remove a delegate, click the close button .