Using hot desking for phones

The hot desking feature allows phone users to use their extension number and PIN to temporarily sign in to a provisioned desk phone. Here are some use case examples for hot desking:

• Shared office or co-working space: Phone users from different companies can leverage the same phone hardware while keeping their own phone number and voicemail access.
• Traveling sales or field team: Sales reps can sign in to any hot desk phone while working out of different offices, maintaining ease of reach and the professionalism of having a single phone number and extension.
• 24/7 call center: Shift workers at contact centers who share the same desk but maintain separate voicemail boxes and phone numbers.
• Out of office or travelling employee: An employee that is frequently out of office or travelling can enable hot desking on their own desk phone, allowing others to sign in to their desk phone.

Note: The Sign out soft key is for your security and privacy. It allows you to sign out of your phone when you leave your desk, preventing others from accessing your phone to make calls. Press Sign in to sign back in to your phone by entering your extension and voicemail PIN.

This article covers:

• How to enable hot desking
  
  • Enable hot desking for an assigned device (Admin)
  • Enable hot desking for a common area phone (Admin)
  • Enable hot desking for your own use (User)
• How to set the session time out limit (admin)
• How to use hot desking
  
  • Signing in
  • Tap to Hot Desking
  • Signing out
• How to view phones with hot desking and remotely signing out
  
  • Admin
  • User

Prerequisites for using hot desking for phones

• Zoom Phone license
• Provisioned desk phone that supports hot desking

How to enable hot desking

Enable hot desking for an assigned device (Admin)

If you’re an admin, you can enable hot desking for any assigned desk phone.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management.
3. Click Phones & Devices, then click the Assigned tab.
4. Click the display name of the device you want to enable hot desking for.
5. Click the Policy tab.
6. Click the toggle to enable Hot Desking.

Enable hot desking for a common area phone (Admin)

If you’re an admin, you can enable hot desking for any common area phone.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone System Management.
3. Click Users & Rooms, then click the Common Area Phones tab.
   Note: If you signed up for a new Zoom account after May 21, 2022; or the New Common Area Experience is enabled on your account, common area phones have migrated to the new Common Area tab in the Users & Rooms page.
4. Click the display name of the device you want to enable hot desking for.
5. Click the Settings tab.
6. Under Desk Phone(s), select Allow Hot Desking.

Enable hot desking for your own use (User)

If you’re a user, you can enable hot desking for any phone you’ve been assigned.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone, then the Settings tab.
3. Scroll down to the Desk Phone(s) section.
4. Make sure Allow Hot Desking is checked for the phone.

How to set the session time out limit (admin)

If you're an admin, you can also set a session time out period for phones with hot desking enabled. Any signed in phones with hot desking will be automatically signed out after the limit is reached. See account and site level desk phone settings for more information.

How to use hot desking on an IP phone

If a desk phone has hot desking enabled, you can temporarily sign in to the phone. When you sign out, the phone will be re-assigned to the original owner or revert to a common area phone. Typically, you'll see Unassigned on the home screen of common area phones.

Note: Admins can set a session timeout limit for hot desking. When the limit is reach, the phone will automatically sign out of the hot desking session.

Sign in 

1. Sign in to the phone using one of these methods:
   • Press the Guest soft key on the phone's home screen.
     Important: When signing in to an assigned phone, don't press Sign Out then Sign In. This will unregister the device from the original owner and disable hot desking.
   • Dial and call *91. Learn more about DTMF codes.
2. Follow the audio prompts to enter your extension number and voicemail PIN.
   The phone will reboot to register your information. If the phone does not automatically reboot, reboot the phone manually.

Tap to Hot Desking

Users can use their Zoom mobile client to quickly sign in to an IP phone by simply tapping to hot desking.

Notes:

• Supported on Zoom mobile client version 5.14.0 or higher.
• Supported only on Poly Edge E devices at this time.

1. Sign in to the Zoom mobile client.
2. Tap the More icon ().
3. Under OTHER, tap Tap to Hot Desking.
4. Hold your device to the center of the phone display to scan it.
   The IP phone will reboot to register your information and sign you in.

Sign out

When you’re done using the phone, you can sign out using one of these methods:

• Press the Sign Out soft key on the second page of the soft key menu.
• Dial and call *92. Learn more about DTMF codes.

The phone will reboot to register with the original owner or revert to a common area phone. If the phone does not automatically reboot, reboot the phone manually.

How to view phones with hot desking and remotely signing out

Admin

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, navigate to the page for assigned devices or common area phones:
   • Assigned phone: Click Phone System Management then Phones & Devices.
   • Common area phone: Click Phone System Management then Users & Rooms. Click the Common Area Phones tab.
     Note: If you signed up for a new Zoom account after May 21, 2022; or the New Common Area Experience is enabled on your account, common area phones have migrated to the new Common Area tab in the Users & Rooms page.
3. See the Hot Desking column to see which phones with hot designing enabled are currently signed in.
   Note: To see if a device has hot desking enabled, click the phone's display name to view its settings.
4. (Optional) Select Only show Hot Desking devices that are signed in.
5. In the Hot Desking column, click Sign out for the associated phone to sign out of the active hot desking session. 

User

If you’re a phone user with hot desking enabled on your phone, you can remotely sign someone out of your phone.

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Phone.
3. Scroll down to the Desk Phone(s) section.
4. Hover your mouse over the phone that needs to be signed out remotely, then click Sign out.