A direct line for every person and team.
Give each team member, department, or mailbox its own 3- or 4-digit extension. Callers dial it during your greeting and go straight through. Add as many extensions as you need, and route each one to your team, voicemail, a menu, or AI Receptionist.
Two ways to connect callers
Single-digit menu options. Multi-digit extensions.
Press 1 for Sales.
Single-digit menu options are perfect for departments and common choices. Callers hear the options in your greeting and press one key.
- Up to 10 options per menu, with submenus for more
- Best for departments and frequently asked questions
- Callers don’t need to know anything in advance
Dial 204 for Jake.
Multi-digit extensions are direct lines. Give one to every person, team, or mailbox, and callers who know the number skip the menu entirely.
- Unlimited extensions on Pro plans and higher
- Callers dial them during your greeting
- Every extension doubles as a live transfer code
Use them together: a menu for new callers, and extensions for customers and partners who already know who they want.
At a glance
As many direct lines as your business needs.
∞extensions
Unlimited
Add an extension for every person, team, and mailbox on Pro plans and higher
3–4digits
Your numbering
Choose 3-digit or 4-digit extensions for your account
4destinations
For every extension
Your team’s phones and apps, a voicemail box, a menu, or AI Receptionist
1code to transfer
Transfer-ready
Every extension number is also a live call transfer code
How it works
Set up a direct line in under a minute.
Extensions
One list for every direct line.
Add an extension, give it a name like a person or team, and Talkroute suggests the next available number. Pick 3-digit or 4-digit extensions for your account, then add as many as you need. Turn any extension off without deleting it.
- Unlimited extensions on Pro plans and higher
- 3-digit or 4-digit numbering, consistent across your account
- See where each extension routes at a glance
- Turn extensions on or off with one switch
Routing for every extension
Ring every phone that person uses.
Each extension gets the full Talkroute routing toolkit. Ring someone’s cell phone, desk phone, and Talkroute apps together or in order, give each member a schedule, and decide where the call goes if no one answers.
- Ring in Sequence or Ring All for each extension
- Mix forwarding phones and app users on desktop, web, and mobile
- Fallback to voicemail, a menu, or AI Receptionist
- Hold music, a pre-connect message, and caller ID settings
Learn more about call forwarding & routing.
Reaching an extension
Callers dial straight through.
Turn on extension dialing for any phone number or menu option, and callers can enter an extension while your greeting plays. Want to help callers who don’t know the number? Add a dial-by-name directory: a menu option that announces your team and their extensions, with extension dialing allowed during the announcement.
- Allow extension dialing on any phone number or menu option
- Callers don’t have to wait for the menu to finish
- Build dial-by-name directories with an announcement
- Works on every Talkroute phone number, local or toll-free
Live call transfer
Every extension is a transfer code.
On a live call, transfer the caller to any extension by its number. Your extensions appear in your Transfer Codes list alongside your users and phone numbers, and the transfer shows up in the call’s history.
- Transfer live calls to any extension
- Extensions listed with your other transfer codes
- Call history shows “Transferred to Extension 300”
Learn more about live call transfer.
Call history & reporting
See which extensions get the most calls.
Filter call history by extension to see every call a person or team received. On Pro and Enterprise plans, Reporting shows how calls are spread across your extensions and which ones callers dial most.
- Extension filter in call history and reports
- Extension distribution and top extensions dialed
- Call flow timeline shows each extension a call reached
Use cases
Direct lines for the way your team works.
A direct line for each person
Print an extension on every business card and email signature. Repeat customers reach their account manager without going through the front desk.
Team and department lines
Give a whole team one extension that rings everyone at once, so the call reaches whoever’s free.
An AI front desk
Point an extension at AI Receptionist so callers can get answers or book an appointment any time, even when your team is busy.
Voicemail-only mailboxes
Send an extension straight to a voicemail box for billing questions, job applications, or after-hours messages.
Company directory
Callers who don’t know an extension can hear your directory and dial the person they want.
Hand off to the right teammate
Already on a call? Transfer the caller to a coworker’s extension instead of asking them to call back.
Works with your phone system
Extensions connect to everything else
Extensions plug into the menus, routing, and messages you already have in Talkroute.
Menus
Let callers dial an extension during your menu greeting, or send a menu option to a directory.
Menus →Call forwarding & routing
Every extension can ring cell phones, landlines, and app users, in order or all at once.
Call forwarding & routing →Live call transfer
Transfer a live call to any extension using its number as the transfer code.
Live call transfer →AI Receptionist
Send an extension, or an unanswered call to one, to AI Receptionist so callers always get an answer.
AI Receptionist →Want callers to hear a polished greeting first? See custom greetings →
Get started with Talkroute in minutes.
Set up extensions from the Talkroute web or desktop app. There’s no hardware to install, and you can add or change extensions any time.
Extensions are included with Pro plans and higher. 100% free to try. No contracts.
FAQ
Extensions FAQ
What are extensions?
Extensions are 3- or 4-digit direct lines inside your phone system. Callers dial one during your greeting to reach a specific person, team, or mailbox without going through a menu. Each extension can ring your team’s phones and apps, go to voicemail, open a menu, or connect to AI Receptionist.
How many extensions can I have?
As many as you need. Pro and Enterprise plans have no limit on the number of extensions.
Can I use 3-digit or 4-digit extensions?
Either one. Your first extension sets the length for your account, and every extension after that uses the same number of digits, so callers always know what to dial.
What’s the difference between menu options and extensions?
Menu options are single-digit choices (0–9) that callers hear in your menu greeting, like “press 1 for sales.” Extensions are 3- or 4-digit direct lines that callers dial when they already know who they want. Many businesses use both. Learn more about menus.
How do callers reach an extension?
Turn on extension dialing for a phone number or menu option, and callers can dial an extension while the greeting plays. You choose which numbers and menu options allow it.
Can an extension ring multiple phones and app users?
Yes. An extension can ring cell phones, landlines, and team members in the Talkroute desktop, web, and mobile apps, either one at a time in order or all at once. Ring All is included with Plus plans and higher, and scheduled forwarding with Pro plans and higher.
Can an extension go straight to voicemail?
Yes. Set an extension to go to a voicemail box, or use voicemail as the fallback when no one answers.
Can an extension connect to AI Receptionist?
Yes. Send an extension straight to AI Receptionist, or use it as the fallback when no one on your team answers. Learn more about AI Receptionist.
Can an extension play a recorded message?
Yes. Choose an audio file to play before connecting the caller to your team, or play a message and then send the caller to voicemail, a menu, or AI Receptionist.
Can I set up a dial-by-name directory?
Yes. Add a menu option that plays an announcement listing your team members and their extensions, and allow extension dialing during the announcement. Callers dial the extension for the person they want.
Can I transfer a live call to an extension?
Yes. Every extension number works as a transfer code, so you can transfer a live call to any extension. Learn more about live call transfer.
Which plans include extensions?
Extensions are included with Pro plans and higher, with no limit on how many you add. See pricing for plan details.
Give every caller a direct line.
Unlimited extensions for your people, teams, and mailboxes, each with its own routing. Try Talkroute free for 7 days.
Questions? Give us a call at 800.747.2140.