There are 2 options (Call Groups and Delegates) for allowing other users to answer and/or place calls made to/from your Teams Voice number.
In both cases, the configuration is in the Calls portion of Teams Settings. To get there, click the … menu in the top title bar and select Settings:
Click 📞Calls and scroll down until you see the settings for Managing Call Groups and/or Delegates
Call Groups (more likely scenario):
A call group is a group of users to which you can forward calls made to your Teams Voice number.
Adding a call group allows you to search for one or more users. It also allows you to set whether or not all users’ lines should ring simultaneously, or in the order you specify:
Use case:
Scenario: A student services team needs to handle incoming calls efficiently.
Use Case: A Call Group is created for the Advising team. When a student or staff member calls the main line:
- The call rings multiple team members simultaneously or in a set order.
- Up to 25 users can be part of the group.
- Call behaviors (e.g., ring order, timeout settings) can be customized.
This setup is ideal for:
- Ensuring calls are answered promptly.
- Distributing workload among team members.
- Providing consistent support coverage during office hours.
Delegates (less likely scenario):
Adding a Delegate allows another user to make and receive calls placed to your Teams Voice number, Change call and delegate settings, Pick up held calls, and/or Join active calls. You can select to give a user any or all of these permissions. When you click the Add a delegate group, you are given the option to search for a user and then select the appropriate permissions that you would like to delegate to that user:
When adding a delegate, the user will be notified in Teams with a message like this:
Use case:
Scenario: A department chair or dean needs administrative support for managing calls.
Use Case: The chair assigns their administrative assistant as a Teams Voice Delegate.
This setup is ideal for:
- Ensuring the chair is not interrupted during lectures or meetings.
- Allowing the assistant to screen calls and manage scheduling.
- Maintaining professional communication flow without requiring the chair to be constantly available.
Using Call Groups and/or Delegates:
Once your Delegate and/or Call Group is set up, you MUST manage forwarding in the Calls app in Teams to make the setting take effect. (you will only see the forwarding options if the feature is configured)
Pro tip: If you forward to Call Group or Delegates, don't forget to turn off forwarding when finished.