Hot Desking allows users to logout of one Desk Phone and log into another. This enables users to keep the same extension when moving between offices or sharing desks.
You have the option of either doing a Full Logout which renders the phone inoperable until it is logged into, or Logging the phone out to a placeholder extension. The second option enables the phone to be usable in it's logged out state, this is useful to ensure access outbound calls i.e. 911, etc.
Note: In most cases the phones will login and out without the need to reboot. However in some situations an automatic reboot will be necessary such as:
When a phone is logged in for the first time and doesn't already have a mapping defined
When a phone is already logged in, it's mapping is deleted from Clearly IP Devices and then it is logged out.
Considerations for Hot Desking
Will you need to be able to logout and into the same phone at one site, or multiple sites? Onsite (Internal to the PBX's Network) and/or Offsite (External to the PBX's network).
This will decide things like if you need an FQDN set on the templates to resolve internally and externally.
Will the phones need to be usable when logged out? If so to what level; Outbound Only, Internal Only, Emergency (911) Only, etc.?
This will decide what buttons you setup on the logged out device Model Layout.
You may also need to configure Pin Sets, Extension Routing, and/or Configure Outbound routes to restrict outbound calling.
The Hot Desk login uses the users Extension and Voicemail PIN, so the users will need to have Voicemail enabled and PIN's set.
Considerations for Logged Out Phones:
There are two methods of logging out a phone.
Full Logout: This removes all configuration from the phone, leaving it in a blank state with just the ability to log back in. This is good for security, however has the draw back that the phone is unable to make calls in an emergency.
Logout to Placeholder Extension: This logs the phone out of the active extension and into a Placeholder extension. This enables the phone to still be able to make calls even when no one is logged into it. Security can be maintained by restricting the phones functionality via Model Layout, Pin Sets, Extension Routing, Outbound Route passwords, etc.
SetupExtension in FreePBX that your phones will Login as when using Logout to Placeholder Extension mode
Navigate to Applications --> Extensions
Select "Add Extension" --> "Add New PJSIP Extension" Note: This Using a PJSIP Extension is required as we will have multiple devices registering to the same extension.
On the General Tab set the extension you want to use. You'll also want to make sure it's set to create a User Manager user (should be by default). If you know what User Manager groups it will need to be apart you can assign that now as well.
On the Advanced tab, Make sure "Max Contacts" is set to a reasonable number that would allow for all the Logged Out extensions to register to this extension.
If it's likely users will be making calls from Logged Out phones frequently you make also need to bump the "Match (Permit)"
Note: These settings will be used when there is no template assigned to a Phone. This is mostly used for Logging in New Phones that have never been registered to the system before or in the case of using the Full Logout method.
Click the Port Settings at the Top
Set the "Phone Apps Fallback FQDN/IP" is to the FQDN or IP of your PBX. Note: If you have internal and external users this will need to be set to an FQDN that resolves to the PBX internally and externally.
Verify the Phone Apps Port, Protocol, and Certificate are set correctly.
Submit your changes
Setup Logout to Placeholder Extension Device Layout
Note: You will need to create a Model Layout for each Phone Model you want to use when a user or group of users are setup for Logout to Placeholder Extension so we can send to the phone the buttons and layout you want after logging out.
Navigate to Settings --> Clearly IP Devices
Select the Side Menu
Select "Add Model Layout"
On the "General Settings" Select Your Device Type at the Top and Set the Model Description
We recommend naming this Default Logout XXX with XXX being the model type such as a CIP 270
On the "Line Keys" tab set at least one Line Key to Line, and set one Line Key to Clearly Apps-Login. This will allow a user to make calls still like 911 and a Login button to log back into the phone as a full user at anytime.
You can also setup keys for whichever other functions you would want a User to have at a logged out phone, i.e. speed dial to reception etc.
Once you have all your Buttons set Submit your Model Layout
You can then use the Clone option to make the Model Layouts for the other Model phones, just change the Device Type and Update the Description. Note: If you have a lot of Buttons enabled for Logged out Devices you may need to pay attention to the Line Key count and what that Model of phone supports.
Setup Logout to an Extension Template
Note: In most cases you won't need a dedicated template for Logged Out devices as the Button configuration is handled by the Model Layout. However you may want to customize settings beyond what is available in the Model Layout so you can also setup a dedicated Template for Logged out .
Examples:
It can useful to set a different a background image, screensaver, and/or screen timeouts so logged out devices can be easily identified.
You may or may not want those devices included in multicast pages
You may want to change and/or reduce/mute the ring tone
Creating Logged Out Template (Optional)
Navigate to "Settings" --> "Clearly IP Devices"
Select the Side Menu, Click "Add Template Layout"
Set the "Template Name"
Set those options you want to be custom from the Default template.
Submit your settings.
Define which Template and Model Layouts are available via User Management.
Navigate to Admin --> User Management
Select the Groups Tab, and edit the Group your Logged In users belong to, in most cases this will be the default "All Users" Group. Note: All of these settings can be done on the User level, however generally it's best to set these at the Group Level. Note: You may want to define a User Manager group for the Logged out Place Holder Extension, this is dependent on which features and buttons you want to be available to the logged out devices in their Model Layout.
Select the Clearly Devices tab
Select the Hotdesk Tab
Set "Hotdesk" = Enable
Set "Login Allowed Templates", This will be the Template Layouts that a user can pick from when logging into a phone for all users of this group. If you only pick one here they wont get a option at login to pick and it will just default to the only option. If you define more than 1 at login time the user will be given the list of templates to pick from. The most common reason for setting more than 1 template is if you have offices in different time zones you can setup 1 template for Central and 1 for Eastern and name them with something like EST Default and CST Default.
Set "Login Allowed Model Layouts",This will be the Model Layouts that are available for the user to pick from when a User in this User Manager group Logs in. If you have more than 1 Model Layout for the same model such as 2 different CIP 270 Model Layouts the user will be shown all Model Layouts that match to the Model they are trying to login from and can pick from the list.
Set "Logout Action", This sets the type of Logout used when a user in this group logs out.
If Logout Action is set to Full Logout the settings below won't be needed as the phones will Logout and sit idle with no config, until logged back in.
If you pick a Extension from this list, when a user from this group logs out it will auto login the phone to the extension you pick here and use the Settings below on what template and model layout to use for the logged out phone. This is know as our Logout to Placeholder Extension feature.
Logout Template - This sets the Template for Logout to Placeholder Extension mode
Logout Model Layout for CIP230 -This Sets the Model Layouts applied to CIP230 Phones for Logout to Placeholder Extension.
Logout Model Layout for CIP250 -This Sets the Model Layouts applied to CIP250 Phones for Logout to Placeholder Extension.
Logout Model Layout for CIP270 - This Sets the Model Layouts applied to CIP270 Phones for Logout to Placeholder Extension.
You may wish to setup outbound restrictions by following the guide here.
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