Bulk-Creating Extensions — Import and Copy Workflows
Rolling out more than a handful of users? Two tools cut the work: Import creates extensions from a spreadsheet, and Copy Extension clones a fully-configured template. Decide your numbering plan first — renumbering later touches BLF layouts, dial habits, and printed materials.
Design the numbering plan first
Pattern | Example | Suits |
|---|---|---|
Per-site hundreds | 1xx Site A, 2xx Site B | Multi-office, <100 users/site |
Role blocks | 10x front desk, 15x clinical | Function-heavy orgs |
Four-digit growth | 1000s per site | Growing past 10 sites |
Reserve ranges for parking slots (e.g., 70x), shared spaces, and future sites. Avoid extensions starting with 9 or 0 (collision with dialing conventions) and keep lengths uniform.
Spreadsheet import
- Prepare a sheet with one row per user: extension number, first/last name, email, location, department.
- Settings → Extensions → Import, map the columns, and run.
- Each row creates an extension with generated SIP credentials and a linked voicemail box.
- Spot-check a few, then proceed to device assignment.
Copy Extension for templated roles
Configure one exemplar per role — permissions, ring duration, caller ID, voicemail-to-email pattern — then Copy it for each new user of that role. Copies inherit settings, never credentials. This is the fastest way to keep permissions consistent (e.g., international dialing stays off for everyone except the roles that need it).
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Last reviewed August 6, 2026. Still stuck? Contact Signal Support from your portal — include what you expected, what happened instead, and one example phone number or extension.