Routing Calls Directly to VoiceMail with CallManager and Exchange Unified Messaging

This is a common scenario: someone calls you, and wants to speak to a co-worker of yours. Since you know that the co-worker is not in, you would like to transfer the caller to your co-worker’s VoiceMail. But you don’t want to transfer, have it ring 4 times, then go to VM. You want to transfer directly into VM. It would be great to be able to do this:

1. Hit transfer
2. Dial * then the 4 digit extension of the user you are trying to transfer to
3. Hit transfer to put the caller through to the VM box

Here’s the good news: it can be done!

Below is how to set it up in CallManager and Exchange UM (well, it’s really just a function of CallManager… this works with CallManager and Unity, too).

Note: in the following, I am assuming that you aren’t already using * for anything in CCM.

First, go to call manager and create a new voicemail profile:

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Note:

1. Give it a handy name like "Direct2VM"
2. Pick the VM pilot that your normal VM users use
3. Make the VM mask XXXX (4 Xs)
4. Do not check "make this the default profile" – you will be very sad if you do this
5. Save it

Next, go to call manager and create a new CTI route point like this:

Make sure to give the route point the same calling search space that you give your normal users’ phones.

Then add a line (line 1) to the route point like this:

Notice that

1. the Directory number is an asterisk (*) followed by XXXX.
2. Also note that it is in the same partition as all your user’s extensions.
3. I’ve assigned my new "Direct to VM" profile
4. And, VERY IMPORTANT, make sure that you check the "forward all" box to send calls directly to VoiceMail.

That should be it.

You can test by picking up your phone, dialing * then your extension. It should go right to your own VM. Next, test it by having someone call you. Hit transfer, dial *1234 (where 1234 is someone’s extension), then hit transfer again.