# Manage Operator Panel

The Operator Panel gives busy call handlers a single place to see who is on a call and to move calls where they need to go. This topic explains what the panel offers and how the permissions you assign decide what each extension user can do with it.

## What the Operator Panel does

The Operator Panel is built into the Cloud Voice App (Web and Desktop) as a live call-management workspace. It is aimed at people who spend their day steering a high volume of calls, front-desk receptionists, agent supervisors, and similar roles, giving them at-a-glance visibility of extension activity and quick controls for handling calls.

Membership in an **extension group** is what puts the panel in a user's hands. The user type you give each group member determines whether they can open the panel at all and which actions they can take once inside.

:::note
To learn how operators actually work with calls once you have set the panel up (redirecting, transferring, monitoring, parking, and so on), see the [Operator Panel User Guide](/pbx/operator-panel-user-guide/about-this-guide/).
:::

## User types and permissions

Every member of an extension group is assigned one of three user types: **manager**, **user**, or a **custom** role. The user type controls the set of Operator Panel actions available to that member.

:::note
Out of the box, an extension group manager already holds every Operator Panel permission, while extension group users start with none, they cannot open or use the panel until you grant them access.
:::

Before reading the table, it helps to know what a few of the call-handling terms mean:

:::note[What these actions mean]
- **Presence**, the availability status shown for an extension (for example, Available or Do Not Disturb).
- **Call distribution**, moving a call to another destination by redirecting or transferring it, including dragging and dropping it onto another extension.
- **Call monitoring**, quietly joining a live call to Listen (hear the call only), Whisper (speak to your own agent without the outside caller hearing), or Barge-in (join the call so everyone can hear you).
- **Call parking**, placing a call on a shared hold slot (Park) so that any extension can pick it back up later (Retrieve).
- **IVR** (Interactive Voice Response), the automated menu that answers a call and asks the caller to press a key to reach a destination.
:::

The table below shows which permissions each user type can be given.

| Permission | Extension Group Manager | Extension Group User | Custom Role |
| --- | :---: | :---: | :---: |
| Change the presence status of group members | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distribute calls (redirect, transfer, and drag-and-drop) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Answer or hang up calls on other extensions | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monitor calls (listen, whisper, barge-in) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Park and retrieve calls | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Route calls straight out of an IVR, bypassing the IVR menu | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Switch the system between Business Hours and Holidays | Yes | No | Yes |
| Turn extension call recording on or off | Yes | No | Yes |

The manager and custom roles can hold the full list, including switching Business Hours and Holidays status and toggling recording. Those last two actions are the only ones an extension group user can never be granted.

:::caution
Switching between Business Hours and Holidays changes inbound call routing for the whole system, not just one extension, so calls can start following a different flow the moment it is toggled. Turning call recording on or off can also carry compliance obligations. Because both actions affect everyone, grant them only to roles you trust, which is why a plain extension group user can never hold them.
:::

:::tip
Use a **custom** role when someone needs more than a standard user but should not have every manager permission. For example, a lead receptionist who handles call distribution and monitoring but should not flip the system between Business Hours and Holidays. Grant only the permissions that role actually needs.
:::