create and manage calling policies

These policies dictate the calling features available to Teams users and can vary based on the roles and requirements of those users within an organization. Whether it’s controlling who can make calls, what features are accessible during a call, or how calls are handled, calling policies are a crucial part of Teams administration.

Understanding Calling Policies

Calling policies in Microsoft Teams are used to control various functionalities such as:

• Making and receiving PSTN calls
• Call forwarding and simultaneous ringing
• Call groups and delegation
• Call transfer options
• Voicemail settings
• Call park and retrieval
• Caller ID presentation

Each policy can be customized or chosen from a set of predefined ones provided by Microsoft. These configurations help streamline communication and enforce company guidelines regarding call management.

How to Create and Manage Calling Policies

To manage and create calling policies, you can use the Teams Admin Center or PowerShell commands. The Teams Admin Center provides a user-friendly graphical interface, while PowerShell commands offer a more automated and scriptable approach.

Using Teams Admin Center:

1. Go to the Teams Admin Center (admin.teams.microsoft.com).
2. Navigate to Voice > Calling policies.
3. To create a new policy, select + Add. To modify an existing policy, choose the policy and click Edit.
4. Configure the policy by enabling or disabling features such as call forwarding, voicemail deposit, and others.
5. Once configured, name the policy and save it.

Using PowerShell:

1. Open the Microsoft Teams PowerShell module.
2. Use New-CsTeamsCallingPolicy for creating a new policy, or Set-CsTeamsCallingPolicy for editing an existing one.

# Example to create a new calling policy with limited features
New-CsTeamsCallingPolicy -Identity “RestrictedCallingPolicy” -Description “Policy for limited calling features” -AllowPSTNCalling $false -EnableVoicemail $false

# Example to modify an existing calling policy to enable call forwarding
Set-CsTeamsCallingPolicy -Identity “StandardCallingPolicy” -AllowCallForwardingToUser $true

3. To assign the policy to users, use Grant-CsTeamsCallingPolicy.

Grant-CsTeamsCallingPolicy -Identity “user@domain.com” -PolicyName “RestrictedCallingPolicy”

Policy Assignment

Policies can be assigned on an individual basis or at scale through batch assignments or group policies. For maximum efficiency and consistent policy application, consider using group-based assignments if your organization utilizes Azure Active Directory (AAD) groups.

Individual Assignment:

This is done through the Teams Admin Center or with the Grant-CsTeamsCallingPolicy cmdlet, suitable for specific users who may need custom settings.

Batch or Group Assignment:

For assigning policies to multiple users at once, use the New-CsBatchPolicyAssignmentOperation PowerShell cmdlet, which can handle a large number of assignments.

Examples of Policy Use Cases

Scenario: Sales Team Calling Policy

You might want a calling policy for your sales team that allows them to make unlimited PSTN calls, utilize call forwarding to ensure they never miss a client call, and have the ability to park calls. This can be named “SalesTeamPolicy”.

Scenario: Intern Calling Policy

Interns might need restricted calling features where they can’t make PSTN calls but can receive them and use the internal call features of Teams. This can be named “InternPolicy”.

Conclusion

Calling policies in Microsoft Teams allow for granular control over the call functionalities for different groups or individuals within an organization. By creating and managing these policies via the Teams Admin Center or PowerShell, administrators can ensure that the communication needs of the organization align with corporate policy and user roles, thereby maintaining both efficiency and governance across the organization’s telephony landscape.