# Extension Group Overview Extension groups let you organize related extensions together, assign each member a user type, and control what those members are allowed to do across the system. This page explains what an extension group is, the user types you can assign, and the built-in group that ships with every PBX (Private Branch Exchange, your organization's phone system). ## What an extension group is An extension group gathers extensions that share a common role or purpose, for example a sales team or a support desk. Groups appear in the Cloud Voice App, so members can quickly locate a colleague who belongs to the same group. Grouping also enables authorized users to manage the calls of other members in their group from the Cloud Voice App Web Client (the browser-based version of the app). ## User types A user type is a bundle of permissions that determines what a member can see and do on the Operator Panel and the Extension Page. Cloud Voice offers three user types. You grant a permission set to each user type and then assign a user type to every group member. :::note The two places a user type governs are: - **Operator Panel**: a live call-management dashboard where an authorized user can see, transfer, monitor, and control calls across the group. - **Extension Page**: the per-extension view a member uses to manage their own line and, if permitted, other members' calls. ::: ### Default user types Two user types are available out of the box: - **Manager**: Intended for a team lead. A manager can oversee and act on the calls of other members in the group. - **User**: Intended for regular members. Every member you add to a group starts as a User until you change it. :::tip Leave most members as **User** and promote only team leads to **Manager**. Giving each person just the access they need keeps call-control features in the hands of the people responsible for them. ::: :::caution Manager permissions reach into other members' live calls: a manager can silently listen in, whisper, barge in, pick up or hang up, and redirect calls that belong to other people. Assign the Manager type only to trusted leads, and make sure this matches your organization's call-monitoring and privacy policy. ::: The table below lists the default permissions for the Manager and User types. You can adjust any of these to match how your team works, see [View or change permissions for managers and users](/pbx/administrator-guide/view-or-change-permissions-for-group-members/#configure-permissions-of-extension-group-user-types__section_b1s_x3k_wnb). A few rows use call-handling terms: **IVR** (Interactive Voice Response) is the automated menu that greets callers and routes them based on the keys they press; **Listen**, **Whisper**, and **Barge-in** are call-monitoring modes (listen silently, speak only to your own member, or join the call for all parties); **Call Flow** is the routing logic that decides where inbound calls go; and **AI Receptionist** is the automated voice assistant that can answer and handle calls. | Module | Permission | Manager | User | |--------|-----------|:-------:|:----:| | Operator Panel | Switch group members' presence | ✓ | ✗ | | Operator Panel | Call distribution management (Redirect, Transfer, Drag and Drop) | ✓ | ✗ | | Operator Panel | Pick up or hang up other extensions' calls | ✓ | ✗ | | Operator Panel | Call monitoring operations (Listen, Whisper, Barge-in) | ✓ | ✗ | | Operator Panel | Call parking operations (Park, Retrieve) | ✓ | ✗ | | Operator Panel | Route calls directly from IVR regardless of the IVR menu | ✓ | ✗ | | Operator Panel | Control Call Flow | ✓ | ✗ | | Operator Panel | Manage AI Receptionist Calls | ✓ | ✗ | | Operator Panel | Switch Business Hours and Holidays status | ✗ | ✗ | | Operator Panel | Switch extension's recording status | ✗ | ✗ | | Operator Panel | Show Company Contacts Matching Results | ✗ | ✗ | | Extension Page | Call distribution management (Redirect, Transfer) | ✓ | ✗ | | Extension Page | Pick up or hang up other extension's calls | ✓ | ✗ | | Extension Page | Call monitoring operations (Listen, Whisper, Barge-in) | ✓ | ✗ | | Extension Page | Call parking operations (Park, Retrieve) | ✓ | ✗ | | Extension Page | Control Call Flow | ✓ | ✗ | | Extension Page | Manage AI Receptionist Calls | ✓ | ✗ | | Extension Page | Show Company Contacts Matching Results | ✗ | ✗ | :::note When **Show Company Contacts Matching Results** is turned on, matched contacts appear on the Operator Panel call panel (or the Extension Page) for that user, even if the user does not otherwise have visibility of company contacts. ::: ### Custom user type - **Custom**: Use this when you need to tailor permissions for one particular member. Assign the Custom type to that member and set their permissions individually. For details, see [View or change permissions for a member with custom user type](/pbx/administrator-guide/view-or-change-permissions-for-group-members/#configure-permissions-of-extension-group-user-types__section_rtf_z3k_wnb). ## The default extension group Every PBX includes a built-in group named **Default_All_Extensions** that holds all of the extensions on the system. Whenever you create a new extension, it is automatically added to this group. You are free to delete this group or add groups of your own to fit how your organization is structured. :::caution Deleting **Default_All_Extensions** does not delete any extensions, but it does remove the automatic grouping. Once the group is gone, newly created extensions will no longer be added to it, so set up your own groups first if members rely on group-based call control. ::: To build your own group, see [Create an Extension Group](/pbx/administrator-guide/create-an-extension-group/).