# Outbound Route Parameters

When you export outbound routes from Cloud Voice, or prepare a file to import them in bulk, each column in the CSV (comma-separated values) file corresponds to one of the route settings below. Use this reference to see which fields you must supply, what each field accepts, and the value Cloud Voice falls back to when a column is left blank.

## Field reference

| Parameter | Description | Required? | Accepted values and limits | Default |
|-----------|-------------|-----------|----------------------------|---------|
| **Name** | The name of the outbound route. | Required | Up to 63 characters. Spaces and special characters are not allowed, and the name must be unique across your outbound routes. | - |
| **Outbound Caller ID** | The caller ID shown on the called party's device. | Optional | Up to 31 characters. Digits, letters, the symbols `[` `]` `(` `)` `.` `-` `+` `*` `#`, and the placeholder `{{.Ext}}` are permitted. | `patterns` |
| **Pattern** | The rule used to match a dialed number. An outbound call only follows this route when the number matches the pattern. | Required | Up to 31 characters. Digits, letters, and the symbols `[` `]` `*` `#` `(` `)` `.` `-` `+` `!` are permitted. | `X.` |
| **Strip** | The count of digits removed from the beginning of the dialed number before the call is placed. | Optional | A whole number from `1` to `16`. | - |
| **Prepend** | The digits added to the front of the dialed number before the call is placed. | Optional | Up to 31 characters. Digits, letters, and the symbols `(` `)` `.` `-` `+` `*` `#` are permitted. | - |
| **Trunks** | The trunk or trunks (the connections to your phone carrier) used to place the call. When a dialed number matches the route, the call goes out over one of these trunks. | Required | One or more trunk names that already exist in your system. Separate multiple trunks with `&`, for example `{name1}&{name2}`. | - |
| **Rrmemory Hunt** | Whether to remember the trunk used on the previous call and move to the next available trunk for the next one (round-robin selection across the listed trunks). | Required | `0` to disable, `1` to enable. | `0` |
| **Extensions** | The extensions permitted to dial out through this route. | Optional | One or more extension numbers, extension group names, or organization names that already exist in your system. Separate multiple entries with `&`. See the format notes below for organization names. | `extension` |
| **Outbound Route Password** | Whether callers must enter a PIN (Personal Identification Number) to place calls through this route. | Required | `disable`, `single_pin`, or `pin_list`. | `disable` |
| **PIN** | The PIN a caller enters to place an outbound call on this route. | Required when **Outbound Route Password** is `single_pin` | Digits only, from 3 to 15 characters. | - |
| **PIN List** | The PIN list whose codes are accepted for outbound calls on this route. | Required when **Outbound Route Password** is `pin_list` | The name of a PIN list that already exists in your system. | - |

:::note
If you leave **Pattern**, **Rrmemory Hunt**, or **Outbound Route Password** blank, Cloud Voice applies the default value shown above (`X.`, `0`, and `disable` respectively).
:::

:::tip
**Strip** and **Prepend** often work together to reshape a dialed number so the carrier accepts it. For example, strip a leading access digit the phone system should not pass on, then prepend a fixed prefix the carrier expects (such as an area or country code). **Strip** counts digits from the front, so a value of `1` removes only the first digit.
:::

:::caution
Outbound routes decide who can place external calls and over which trunks, which makes them a common target for toll fraud (unauthorized calls that run up charges on your trunks). Limit **Extensions** to only the users who need to dial out, and use **Outbound Route Password** to require a PIN on routes that reach international or premium-rate destinations.
:::

## Entering organization names in the Extensions field

When you reference an organization in the **Extensions** column, enter its full path rather than just its name:

- Start with the prefix `Organization_`, then list every parent organization down to the target, joined by `/`. In other words, use `Organization_{Parent Organization}/{Organization Name}`, for example `Organization_HQ/Marketing Center/Training Team`.
- To combine several entries, separate them with `&`. You can mix extension numbers, group names, and organization paths, for example `{extension_number1}&{extension_number2}&{extension_group_name3}&Organization_{Parent Organization}/{Organization Name4}`.

:::caution
Any trunk, extension, extension group, organization, or PIN list you reference must already exist in your system. Entries that Cloud Voice cannot find are skipped during import.
:::