# Call Monitoring Overview

Call monitoring lets an authorized user tune in to an employee's live call without disrupting it or being added to the conversation as a third party. It is a practical tool for reviewing the quality of sales calls, understanding how customers respond, and building better coaching and training for your team.

:::caution
Monitoring lets one person listen to other people's private conversations, so treat it as a sensitive permission. Grant it only to the supervisors and managers who genuinely need it, and follow your organization's policy for monitoring calls.
:::

## Monitoring modes

Cloud Voice offers three ways to sit in on an active call, each suited to a different level of involvement. The main difference between them is who can hear the supervisor.

### Listen mode

In listen mode, the authorized user hears the call as it happens but cannot speak to either the extension or the far party. It is a good fit for supervisors who want to follow what sales representatives do day to day and assess how they work through the sales process.

:::tip
Because you stay inaudible to everyone on the call, listen mode is the safest choice for routine quality checks and unobtrusive coaching reviews.
:::

![Supervisor silently hearing both sides of a live call](/images/pbx/listen-mode.png)

### Whisper mode

Whisper mode lets the authorized user hear the live call and speak directly to the monitored extension, while the other party hears none of it. Use it to coach a remote representative or guide them in real time as a sales call unfolds.

:::note
Only the monitored extension hears you in whisper mode. The far party (usually the customer) hears nothing beyond the normal conversation, so your coaching stays private.
:::

![Supervisor speaking privately to the agent during a call](/images/pbx/whisper-mode.png)

### Barge-in mode

Barge-in mode lets the authorized user hear the call and talk to both parties at once. It is the right choice when a supervisor needs to step in, help a representative work past a tough objection, and keep the deal moving.

:::caution
Barge-in makes you audible to everyone. As soon as you barge in, both the employee and the outside caller can hear and speak to you, so the call is no longer private between the original two people. Use this mode only when you intend to join the conversation.
:::

![Supervisor joining the conversation to speak with both parties](/images/pbx/barge-mode.png)

## Ways to monitor a call

An authorized user can start monitoring a call through any of the following methods. Each one requires that you first grant the user permission for the monitoring operations.

### Operator Panel

The Operator Panel is the web dashboard that receptionists and operators use to see and manage live calls. If a user has access to it, you can grant them permission to run call monitoring operations there. Once authorized, they can listen in on any active call using any of the three modes while working in the panel.

To grant monitoring permission on the Operator Panel, see [View or Change Permissions for Group Members](/pbx/administrator-guide/view-or-change-permissions-for-group-members/). For the steps to start a monitor once permission is granted, see the Operator Panel User Guide.

### Queue Panel

The Queue Panel is the console that queue managers use to watch a call queue in real time. For managers who have access to it, you can assign permission to perform call monitoring operations. Authorized managers can then monitor any active call in any of the three modes from within the panel.

You grant this permission through the Contact Center console permissions (Grant Call Center Console Permission). For the steps to start a monitor from the Queue Panel once permission is granted, see the Contact Center guide.

### Feature code plus extension number

For users who work from a physical phone, set up a feature code for each monitoring mode and assign the corresponding permission to the users you choose. An authorized user can then monitor a live call in the selected mode by dialing the **feature code followed by the extension number** on their phone.

:::note
A feature code is a short dialing sequence (often starting with `*` or `#`) that triggers a built-in phone system function instead of placing a normal call. The extension number is the internal number assigned to the user's phone that you want to monitor.
:::

:::caution
Both pieces must be in place before dialing works. You need to configure the feature code for the chosen mode and assign the matching monitoring permission to the user. If either is missing, the dialed monitor attempt fails.
:::

To configure the feature codes and assign monitoring permission, see [Allow Users to Monitor a Call by Dialing a Feature Code](/pbx/administrator-guide/allow-users-to-monitor-a-call-by-dialing-a-feature-code/).