Participating in a Call Queue

Question

How do I participate in a call queue?

Information

Microsoft Teams supports functionality for call queues. Configuration of call queues is owned by IT support staff.

If you have been added as a member of a call queue in Microsoft Teams, you can view the queue and control whether you receive calls from it. This article explains how to locate your call queue, manage your availability, and understand how call queue calls behave.

Locate Your Call Queue in Microsoft Teams

You can locate your call queue using Teams Settings or directly from the Teams app bar.

Option 1: Locate the Call Queue from Teams Settings

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. In the upper‑right corner, select Settings and more (⋯).
3. Select Settings.
4. Select Calls.
5. Select on the tab for the applicable call queue.

Option 2: Locate the Call Queue from the Teams App Bar

1. In Microsoft Teams, locate the call queue team in the left‑hand app bar.
2. Select the team.
3. At the top of the channel, select General.
4. Select Calls.

This opens the call queue calling experience, including the dial pad and availability controls.

Default Call Queue Behavior

When you are added as a member of a call queue, you are opted in by default, meaning calls routed through the call queue will ring to you automatically unless you opt out.

Opt In or Out of Call Queue Calls

You can change whether you receive calls from a call queue at any time. Opting out does not remove you from the queue.

Option 1: Opt In or Out Using Call Queue Settings

1. Go to Settings > Calls > Call queues.
2. Select the call queue.
3. Locate Receive calls from this queue.
4. Set the toggle as needed:
   1. On – You will receive calls.
   2. Off – You will not receive calls.
      

Option 2: Opt In or Out from the Call Queue Team

1. Select the call queue team in the Teams app bar.
2. Select General.
3. Select Calls.
4. Locate your name in the list of members under the dial pad.
5. Use the availability toggle to the right of your name to opt in or out.
   

Availability Requirements for Call Queues

To receive calls from a call queue, your Teams presence must allow incoming calls.

Required Status

• Your Teams status must be set to Available.
• Users with a status of Away, Busy, Do Not Disturb, or Offline will not receive call queue calls.

Set Your Status to Available

1. Select your profile picture or initials in the upper‑right corner of Teams.
2. Set your status to Available.
   

Teams Status and Outlook Calendar

• If you use Outlook, Teams will automatically update your status for scheduled meetings and busy time in your Outlook calendar.
• Manually setting your status overrides calendar based updates.
• To restore automatic updates, select Reset status from the status menu.

Identify When a Call Is Coming From a Call Queue

Microsoft Teams provides visual indicators to help you identify when a call is routed from a call queue.

Incoming Call Notifications

• When a call is routed from a call queue, the incoming call window displays Call for and the name of the call queue.
• This allows you to differentiate between:
  • Calls from a call queue
  • Calls dialed directly to your phone number

If no call queue name appears, the call was dialed directly to your number.

Call History Indicators

After a call is completed, you can identify call queue calls in your call history.

• Calls answered from a call queue display the call queue name in call history.
• Only queue calls you answer will show in the incoming call history. Calls answered by other members will not be displayed.
• Calls routed to the call queue that are not answered by anyone do not appear in any member’s call history.
• Direct calls display without a call queue label.

You can also check call history in the call queue team in General > Calls

Change Caller ID for Outbound Calls

By default the number assigned to a queue member's account is used as the caller id for outbound calls. Queue members can choose to use the the phone number assigned to the call queue as the caller id.

1. Select Calls in the Teams app bar.
2. Enter the phone number in the Type a name or number field in the dial pad.
3. Select the down arrow to the right of the Call as myself button.
4. Select the applicable call queue.

Outbound caller ID can also be changed when using the dial pad in call queue Team > General > Calls.

View Call Queue Members and Availability

You can view who is assigned to the call queue and whether they are available to receive calls.

View Call Queue Members

1. Select the call queue team in the Teams app bar.
2. Select General.
3. Select Calls.
4. Review the member list beneath the dial pad.

Member Availability Indicators

Icons next to members indicate whether they are set to receive calls to the call queue:

• Purple person with phone icon and green status check mark  – Member is opted into the call queue and their status is available. They are able to receive calls.
• Purple person with phone icon and status is anything other than the green check mark  – Member is opted into the call queue and their status is not available. They are not able to receive calls.
• Greyed‑out icon – Member is opted out of the call queue. They are not able to receive calls.
• Member not listed – Member has not been added to the call queue

Call Queue Timing and Delays

Some call queue updates are not immediate.

After Being Added to a Call Queue

When a user is added by a call queue owner or Telecom Services, it may take up to 8 hours for full call queue functionality to become available.

After Opting In to Receive Calls

When you toggle on call queue participation, it may take 1–2 minutes before you are actively available to receive calls.

Links to Additional Content

For additional guides, please consult the Teams Calling category.