Teams Calling Guide

Calling the University

Calling from outside the university:

• Search the department directory for the direct dial number
• Contact the university’s main line to reach the Welcome Centre. They will direct your call to the appropriate department or individual. 250.753.324 or 1.888.920.2221

Calling from within the university

• Use the EDS to search for the employee's name and call their number using the dial pad in Teams
• Use Teams to search for the employee by name and start an audio call

Answer a Call

When someone calls you, you will receive a notification in the corner of your screen allowing you to accept or decline the call. You can answer by clicking the phone icon on your screen. If you click on the red icon, the call will go unanswered. You can configure the settings for declined calls in the Calls Section of MS Teams.

Add a person to a call

To add a new person to a call, select the “People” icon in your call bar.

Then type their name or phone number in the search field and hit enter. This will add the person to the call.

Make a call using the dial pad

The dial pad can be used to make external calls. To do this:

• Go to the Calls section in your MS Teams client.

  
   
• Using the keypad, type in the number you wish to call.
  • Note: When calling a department phone within VIU (ie. not a single person) please dial the actual number, not a department name. These are often an actual Team, not a phone line.
  
  
  • Note: With Teams calling, you no longer need to dial 9 prior to calling out. Simply dial the number you wish to reach.
     

• To make the call, click on call
  

Make a call by user name

• Use the search box in Teams to search for an employee by name
• Click on the user's name; note this method does not work for department names

• Click on the call icon to connect your call 

Make a call using the history

The history shows all calls (missed, incoming, voicemail). To call a person from the history:

• Access the Calls section of MS Teams.
• Select History.
  
  
• Click on the person you want to call.
• Select Call or click on the Ellipse menu and select Call back.

Make a call from an alternate number

If you're part of a call queue, you can make calls from that queue's number.

• When making a call to another person or a number using your dial pad, select the drop down menu on the Calls button.
  
  
• Select the line you wish to call from. This list will include your personal line, any queues you're part of, and anyone that has delegated their line to you (See Calling and Voicemail Settings)

Opting In and Out of Phone Queues

How do I Opt In and Out of Call Queues in Microsoft Teams?

Microsoft Teams offers the ability to transfer a call to another user. There are two types of transfers: Blind Transfer, also know as Cold Transfer and Consultative, or Warm Transfer. Blind Transfer is when a call is transferred directly to another user. Consultative Transfer is when the person on the other end of the transfer is spoken to before connecting with the caller.

• Blind Transfer

  • While on a call, select Transfer & then Transfer again.
    
    
  • Type the name of the person you want to transfer the call to and select them.
    
    
  • To finish, select Transfer.

• Consultative Transfer

  • While on a call, select Transfer and then Consult, then transfer.
    
    
  • Type the name of the person you want to transfer the call to and select them.
    
    
  • From here, you have two options:
    • You can Chat with the person you want to transfer the call to, then press the Transfer button once ready to complete the transfer.
      
      
    • You can Teams audio call the person you want to transfer the call to, then press the Transfer button once ready to complete the transfer.
      
      
      

From The Teams Desktop App

• Navigate to the Calls section.
• Click on Voicemail in the History section.
  
  
• Click on the name or number.
• Press the Play button to listen to the message.
• You can change the playback speed by clicking on and choosing the speed.

From Email

You will also receive an email, that will contain an mp3 attachment of the recording, as well as a transcript of the message.

IMPORTANT: As more institutions move to online calling solutions such as Microsoft Teams, social engineering attempts have drastically risen in this area. It is imperative that you use caution when opening emails.

Recognizing Legitimate Emails vs Phishing Attempts

Here are some sample voice mail e-mails, click the images below to view them:

From an Employee	From a Student

Here is a sample voice mail from someone calling from outside of VIU, click the image below to view it:

We know these e-mails aren't great. Microsoft does not let us customize or brand them.

IT is looking into ways to make legitimate voice mails standout and be easier to identify. If we find a way we will communicate it out to the community before updating the look of these e-mails.

Call queues in Microsoft Teams are managed through Distribution Lists.  IT Services is responsible for adding and removing users' permissions for call queues.

There are several reasons why someone may need to opt in or opt out of a call queue. The steps for managing your participation in the call queue are outlined below.

From the Desktop App:

1. In Microsoft Teams, click on the Ellipse menu, then click on Settings 

   

2. On the left side menu, click on Calls. If you are part of one or more call queues, they will appear at the top of the page, next to your Personal queue. 

   

   Toggle Receive calls from this queue to suit your needs. Having the toggle in the 'Off' position means you will not receive calls 

   

From the Mobile App:

1. In Microsoft Teams, tap on your Profile Icon in the top left corner, then on Settings

   

2. Tap on Calling

   

3. Scroll down the Call Queues section, then toggle as needed

   

In your MS Teams client, click the Ellipse Button next to your photo at the top of the app. Select Settings and then select Calls from the menu on the left.

Call forwarding/Voicemail

To configure call forwarding and voicemail settings:

• Select your preferred call forwarding options. Warning: with call forwarding, video calls will be forwarded as well.
  
  
• to manage greetings and settings, click on Manage voicemail.
  • Press the Record a Greeting option and follow the voice menu to record your personal greeting.

Call Delegation

You can pick someone in Teams to be your delegate—a person who can receive and make calls on your behalf. When you add a delegate, you’re essentially sharing your phone line with them, so they can see and share all of your calls.

• Scroll down to select Manage delegates, then select Add a delegate.
• Type the name of the desired delegate in the search box and select their name from the Dropdown menu.
• When you add a delegate, you’ll be able to grant them different permissions. Check the boxes next to the permissions you would like them to have.
• Your delegate will receive a notification letting them know about their new status.
  
  

Make and receive calls as a delegate

Once you have been added as a delegate, you can make and receive calls on someone else’s behalf.

• When making a call to another person or a number using your dial pad, select the drop down menu on the Calls button.
  
  
• Note that any delegator (the person who assigned you as a delegate) can always see the calls you make and receive on their behalf.
• If a call is put on hold by a delegate, everyone will be notified of the call status, including the delegator. .The call can be resumed by either the delegate or the delegator.
• A delegate can join active calls made by the delegator as long as they have the permission enabled or vice versa.

Adjust AFudio Settings

From the main Settings menu, select Devices:

• Select your desired devices using the Speaker and Microphone pulldown menus
  
  
  
  • Options will vary dependent on devices you have plugged in, such as headphones, webcams, speakers.
  • For most VIU provided Windows devices, your laptop speakers will be called "Speakers (2 - Realtek (R) Audio)"
  • For most VIU provided Windows devices, your laptop microphone will be called "Microphone Array (2 - Realtek (R) Audio)"

Make A Test Call

From the main Settings menu, select Devices:

• In the Audio Settings section, select Make a test call
  
  


• Follow the voice prompts to test your settings, and adjust as necessary
  • If using a headset, your voice should come through clearly, without ambient effects.
  • If using the laptop speakers and microphone, you should expect a more hollow/"tinny" sound.

Set a Secondary Ring

From the main Settings Menu, select Devices:

• Scroll down to Secondary Ringer, and choose your second audio source
  
  
  
  • This feature can be used to ring to speakers on your laptop, webcam, or external speakers as well as your plugged in headphones. By default, if headphones are connected, Teams will ring only there.
     

• What is MS Teams Calling?
  You can check out the basics of Microsoft Teams calling here:
• What are the main benefits of MS Teams Calling versus a traditional telephony solution?
  MS Teams Calling is a communication platform that offers a variety of benefits, including:
  • Seamless integration: MS Teams Calling integrates with Microsoft Office 365, so you can easily access all your contacts and calendar events. 
  • Cost savings: MS Teams Calling offers a cost-effective solution that eliminates the need for traditional phone systems and their expensive hardware. 
  • Improved collaboration: MS Teams Calling enables real-time collaboration, instant messaging, and video conferencing, enhancing communication and productivity. 
  • Enhanced mobility: With MS Teams Calling, users can make and receive calls from anywhere with an internet connection. 
  • Advanced features: MS Teams Calling offers advanced features such as call recording, voicemail, call forwarding, closed captioning, and auto-attendants. 
  • In addition, MS Teams Calling offers enhanced spam protection, transcription between like platforms, and managing call queues.
• What do I do if I have unique telephony needs?
  If you have any unique telephony needs beyond simply one-to-one calling and receiving, such as shared responsibility for a departmental extension, please submit an IT ticket.
• How do I get a headset?
  A headset is not necessary for MS Teams calling if your computer already has a built-in microphone. Many employees may already have a headset to accommodate conference calls and other online activities that can also be used with MS Teams Calling. Learn more about buying a headset.
  VIU IT will have a limited supply of new headsets available for those who do not have one already and think it would be necessary for their workspace. If there is a requirement for a specialized headset to enable specific functions, VIU IT may be able to provide this.
• What level of privacy can an employee expect with this new system?
  MS Teams phone calls are private. There is no capability in MS Teams that would allow anyone outside a private call to listen in on the conversation.
• Are computers mandatory to use MS Teams Calling?
  No, Teams may also be installed on a smartphone or tablet. In most instances, MS Teams Calling will be used on your work computer. There are special circumstances for which a desktop phone is necessary; submit an IT Request if this applies.
• Can a person outside the institution use a landline to call someone using MS Teams Calling?
  Persons calling the University from a landline will have a similar experience to their current experience calling into the University.
• How can employees contact each other if the internet is down?
  MS Teams Calling will be offline during an internet outage, similar to all other MS solutions. VIU has established robust solutions, procedures, and protocols to minimize internet disruptions. This new solution is far more resilient than our previously existing, obsolete, telephony system. Cellular devices will still function for calling.
• How do I get support?
  For the most efficient support, please enter an IT Request. 
  • You can email us at IThelp@viu.ca. 
  • You can call us at 250.740.6300. 
• How do I stop getting calls outside of my work hours 
  Remember to change your MS Teams’ status to Appear Away or Appear offline. 
• 
• Can I answer a co-worker’s calls in their absence? 
  Yes! Check out call delegation in the Calling and Voicemail Settings of this article.
• Do you have to be logged in to Teams to know that someone is calling you?
  Yes, MS Teams must be running to know that someone is calling. VIU's Windows computer starts MS Teams upon startup.
• What if a user wants to make a long-distance call
  Enter 1 and your country code before you dial.
• How do I opt in and out of call queues?
  Directions for this are available here: How do I opt In or Out of Call Queues?
• How does emergency calling work now? 
  Whether you're working on campus in your office or remotely, when you dial 911, the 911 operator will ask for your address.
  • When in your on-campus office, the MS Teams client can also detect your location if you are unable to talk. You can see this under the dial pad in the MS Teams Calls section. Additionally, On-Campus Security will be notified that you made an emergency call and will be able to see both your phone number and location.