Setting Up a Resource Account in Microsoft Teams for Direct Routing

Overview

Resource accounts in Microsoft Teams are special accounts that can be assigned phone numbers and used for various Teams telephony functions. These accounts are commonly utilized in Caller ID policies, Call Queues, and Auto Attendants to manage inbound calls. This guide explains how to create a resource account, assign a number, and license the account using both the Teams Admin Center and PowerShell.

Step 1: Create a Resource Account in Teams Admin Center

1. Sign in to the Microsoft Teams Admin Center (https://admin.teams.microsoft.com/).

2. Navigate to Voice > Resource accounts.

3. Click Add.

4. Enter a Display Name (e.g., "Primary Business Number") and Username (e.g., 0894501234@yourdomain.com.au).

5. Select Resource account type: Choose either Call Queue or Auto Attendant depending on the intended use.

6. Click Save to create the resource account.

Step 2: Assign a License to the Resource Account

Microsoft requires resource accounts to have a Microsoft Teams Phone Resource Account License for proper functionality.

1. Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center (https://admin.microsoft.com/).

2. Navigate to Users > Active users.

3. Search for the Resource Account created earlier.

4. Click on the account and go to the Licenses and Apps tab.

5. Assign the Microsoft Teams Phone Resource Account License.

6. Click Save changes.

Step 3: Assign a Phone Number and Configure Policies Using PowerShell

1. Assign a Phone Number to the Resource Account:

   Set-CsPhoneNumberAssignment -Identity 0894501234@yourdomain.com.au -PhoneNumber +61894501234 -PhoneNumberType DirectRouting

   Replace +61894501234 with the actual phone number to be assigned.

2. Assign Voice Routing Policy and Dial Plan:

   Grant-CsOnlineVoiceRoutingPolicy -Identity 0894501234@yourdomain.com.au -PolicyName "YourVoiceRoutingPolicy"
   Grant-CsTenantDialPlan -Identity 0894501234@yourdomain.com.au -PolicyName "YourDialPlan"

   Replace YourVoiceRoutingPolicy and YourDialPlan with the appropriate policy names for your organization.

   To find the Voice Routing Policy and Dial Plan Name in Microsoft Teams Admin Center:

   • Navigate to Voice > Voice Routing Policies to find assigned policies.

   • Go to Voice > Dial plans to review available dial plans.

   • Use the following PowerShell command to list all voice routing policies:

     Get-CsOnlineVoiceRoutingPolicy

   • Use this command to list available dial plans:

     Get-CsTenantDialPlan

Step 4: Use the Resource Account in Teams

Once configured, the resource account can be used in multiple ways:

• Caller ID Policy: Use the resource account as an outbound caller ID for Teams users.

• Call Queues: Assign the resource account to a Call Queue to route incoming calls.

• Auto Attendants: Use the resource account to direct calls to menus and destinations.

Verification and Troubleshooting

• Ensure the resource account is assigned a valid Teams Phone Resource Account License.

• Verify the phone number assignment using:

  Get-CsPhoneNumberAssignment -TelephoneNumber +61894501234

• If the resource account does not appear, try syncing changes with:

  Sync-CsOnlineApplicationInstance

By following these steps, organizations can successfully set up and manage Microsoft Teams resource accounts for efficient call handling and routing.