# Monitor Voicemail Status on an IP Phone

A programmable function key on an IP phone (an IP, or Internet Protocol, phone is a desk handset that registers over your data network rather than a traditional phone line) can act as a live voicemail indicator. Once configured, the key's LED (the small indicator light next to the key) reflects whether the monitored mailbox holds unread messages, and pressing it takes the user straight into the mailbox. This page explains how to push that key configuration to a user's phone through auto provisioning.

:::note
Users can also program these keys directly on the handset itself. Because the steps differ between hardware, refer to the phone manufacturer's instructions if you go that route.
:::

## Before you start

The function key is delivered to the handset over auto provisioning, so the phone must already be connected to Cloud Voice and tied to the user's extension. If that link isn't in place yet, set it up first using one of these methods:

- [Auto Provision IP Phones Remotely via RPS Method](/pbx/administrator-guide/auto-provision-ip-phones-remotely-rps-method/)
- [Auto Provision IP Phones Remotely with Proxy](/pbx/administrator-guide/auto-provision-ip-phones-remotely-with-proxy/)

For general background on how device provisioning works, see [Auto Provisioning](/pbx/administrator-guide/auto-provisioning-overview/).

## Assign the voicemail function key

1. Sign in to the Cloud Voice management portal and go to **Extension and Trunk > Extension**, then open the extension you want to configure.

   - To configure a single extension, click ![Edit](/images/pbx/edit.png) next to it.
   - To configure several extensions at once, select their checkboxes and click **Edit**.

2. Open the **Function Keys** tab.

3. Define the key:

   - **Type**: Choose what the key monitors:
     - Select **Check Voicemail** to watch a single extension's mailbox.
     - Select **Check Group Voicemail** to watch a shared-mode group mailbox.
   - **Value**: Pick the specific extension mailbox or group mailbox to monitor.
   - **Label**: Optional. Text you enter here appears on the phone's display beside the key.

   :::note
   Group voicemail in broadcast mode can't be monitored this way. Broadcast messages are never kept in the group mailbox, so there is no stored status for the key to report.
   :::

   :::tip
   If a user monitors more than one mailbox, give each key a clear label (for example the person's name or the team it belongs to). Without labels the keys look identical on the phone's screen and are easy to mix up.
   :::

   :::caution
   Each phone model offers a fixed number of programmable keys. If you assign more function keys than the handset physically supports, the extra keys are ignored.
   :::

4. Click **Save**.

5. If a phone is already associated with the extension, reprovision it so the new key takes effect:

   1. Go to **Auto Provisioning > Phones**.
   2. Click ![Reprovision](/images/pbx/refresh.png) next to the phone assigned to this extension.

   :::note
   Reprovisioning re-pushes the extension's configuration, including the new function key, to the handset. A phone that was already provisioned will not show the key until you do this.
   :::

## Result

The key now reflects the mailbox status in real time:

- **Green**: No unread messages in the monitored mailbox.
- **Red**: Unread messages are waiting. Press the key to open the mailbox and follow the voice prompts to listen to them.

:::note
LED colors and behavior depend on the phone model, so what you see may differ from the description above.
:::