Parking Lots Module Documentation

Table of Contents

1. Module Overview (Technical)
2. Module Overview (Commercial/Business)
3. Module Overview (End User/Administrator)
4. Configuration Fields Reference
5. Call Flow / Logic Explanation
6. Common Scenarios & Examples
7. Model Context Protocol (MCP) AI Integration
8. Limitations & Important Notes
9. Troubleshooting Tips
10. Glossary

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1. Module Overview (Technical)

What Are Parking Lots?

Parking Lots provide call holding zones where calls can be “parked” on numbered slots and retrieved by anyone who knows the slot number. Unlike regular hold, parked calls can be picked up from any phone in the system.

Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Parking Lot System                           │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  PARKING A CALL                                                 │
│  ─────────────────                                              │
│  User on call → Transfers to *70 (park) → Call parked          │
│                                                                 │
│  ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│  │              Parking Lot "Main" (Extension 700)          │   │
│  │                                                          │   │
│  │  Slot 701: [Occupied] - Caller: +1-555-1234 (60s)       │   │
│  │  Slot 702: [Available]                                   │   │
│  │  Slot 703: [Available]                                   │   │
│  │  Slot 704: [Occupied] - Caller: +1-555-5678 (15s)       │   │
│  │  Slot 705: [Available]                                   │   │
│  │                                                          │   │
│  └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
│                                                                 │
│  RETRIEVING A CALL                                              │
│  ─────────────────                                              │
│  Any user → Dials 701 → Connected to parked caller              │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Slot Numbering

If lot extension is 700 with 5 positions:

• Slot 701, 702, 703, 704, 705

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2. Module Overview (Commercial/Business)

Business Value

Parking Lots enable flexible call routing:

Without Parking	With Parking
Transfer to specific person	Park and announce slot
Caller waits for specific person	Anyone can retrieve
Tied to one extension	Available system-wide

Use Cases

1. Reception Workflow

   • “I have John Smith on line 701”
   • Anyone can dial 701 to take the call

2. Warehouse/Retail

   • Park call, page location over PA
   • Employee picks up from nearest phone

3. Customer Service

   • Park caller while researching answer
   • Return to same caller easily

4. Multi-Location

   • Park call at one location
   • Retrieve at another location

Feature Highlights

Feature	Benefit
Multiple Slots	Handle many parked calls simultaneously
Timeout Callback	Parked call returns if not answered
Position Announcement	Caller hears their slot number
Music on Hold	Professional hold experience
Timeout Routing	Route to voicemail/IVR if not retrieved

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3. Module Overview (End User/Administrator)

What Can You Do?

• Create parking lots with assigned extension ranges
• Configure parking behavior (timeout, music, announcements)
• Set timeout destinations (voicemail, IVR, extension)
• Monitor active parked calls

Navigation

1. Navigate to PBX → Applications → Parking Lots in the main sidebar.
2. The list view shows all configured parking lots, detailing Name, Extension, Positions, Occupied slots, Available slots, active Status (Enabled), and management actions (edit, duplicate, delete).
3. Click the + Add button in the top-right toolbar to create a new parking lot.
4. Click any existing lot row or the edit icon to configure parking duration, comeback timers, or timeout routing destinations.

Administrator Workflow

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                 Creating a Parking Lot                          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  Step 1: General Tab                                            │
│  ├─ Name: "Main Parking"                                       │
│  ├─ Extension: 700 (slots will be 701-710)                     │
│  └─ Total Positions: 10                                        │
│                                                                 │
│  Step 2: Behavior Tab                                           │
│  ├─ Parking Time: 120 seconds                                  │
│  ├─ Comeback Time: 30 seconds                                  │
│  ├─ Find Slot: Next Available                                  │
│  ├─ Announce Position: ✓                                       │
│  └─ Music on Hold: Default                                     │
│                                                                 │
│  Step 3: Advanced Tab                                           │
│  ├─ Return to Originator: ✓                                    │
│  ├─ Timeout Module: Voicemail                                  │
│  └─ Timeout Destination: 1000 (operator voicemail)             │
│                                                                 │
│  Step 4: Enable and Save                                        │
│  └─ Enabled: ✓                                                 │
│                                                                 │
│  Result: Users can transfer to 700, slots 701-710 available    │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

User Workflow (Parking a Call)

1. While on a call, user transfers to 700
2. System announces: "Parked at slot 703"
3. User hangs up (or is returned to call)
4. User pages: "John Smith, you have a call on 703"
5. John dials 703 → Connected to caller

Quick Tips

[!TIP] Announce Position: Enable this so the parker knows which slot to communicate.

[!TIP] Return to Originator: Enable this to return timeout calls to the person who parked.

[!CAUTION] Parking Time: If too short, calls return before they can be retrieved.

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4. Configuration Fields Reference

General Information Section

Field	Description	User-Friendly Tooltip	Example	Required
Extension *	Base dialable number for call parking	Base extension for the parking lot (e.g. 700)	700	Yes
Name *	Unique name identifying the parking lot	Parking lot name must be unique within the domain	Corporate General Parking	Yes
Total Positions *	Total number of parking slots allocated	Total positions (1-99). Slots will be generated starting from Extension + 1	10 (slots 701-710)	Yes
Find Slot Strategy	Algorithm for assigning vacant slots	Find slot strategy	Next Available / Random	Yes
Parking Duration	Max seconds call remains parked before timeout triggers (valet_parking_timeout)	Parking duration (seconds) before callback triggers	45, 120 (5-300s)	Yes

Call Behavior Section

Field	Description	User-Friendly Tooltip	Options / Default
Music on Hold Class	Audio stream played while caller is parked	Select Music on Hold class	Default, custom MOH streams
Announcement Path	Voice prompt played before placing caller into parking slot	Voice guide file played prior to parking	Audio recording file / None
Announce Position	Play assigned slot number digits to the parking user	Announces parking slot number to the user	Yes / No (toggle)
Record Parked Call	Capture audio recording while held in parking slot (record_session)	Record parked call audio	Yes / No (toggle)
Return to Originator	Recalls the originating extension via valet_parking_orbit_exten on timeout	Returns timed-out call back to the extension who parked it	Yes / No (toggle)
Enabled	Master switch to activate or deactivate parking lot	Enable or disable this parking lot	Yes / No (toggle)

Timeout Section

Field	Description	User-Friendly Tooltip	Example
Timeout Module	Destination module if Return to Originator is disabled or caller extension is unavailable	Select module for timeout fallback	Voicemail, Extensions, IVR, Queues
Timeout Destination	Specific target value within chosen module	Select destination target	1001, Sales IVR, Support Queue

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5. Call Flow / Logic Explanation

Parking Flow

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Parking Flow                                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  1. User transfers active call to 700 (parking lot extension)  │
│     │                                                           │
│     ▼                                                           │
│  2. Find available slot                                         │
│     ├─ Next Available: Check 701, 702, 703...                  │
│     └─ Random: Pick random available slot                       │
│     │                                                           │
│     ▼                                                           │
│  3. Found slot 703                                              │
│     │                                                           │
│     ▼                                                           │
│  4. If announcePosition = true:                                 │
│     → Play "Parked at slot 7-0-3"                              │
│     │                                                           │
│     ▼                                                           │
│  5. Place caller on hold at slot 703                            │
│     ├─ Play music on hold                                       │
│     └─ Start parking timer (120 seconds)                        │
│     │                                                           │
│     ▼                                                           │
│  6. Parker's call ends (they can work on other things)          │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Retrieval Flow

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Retrieval Flow                               │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  1. Any user dials 703 (parked slot)                            │
│     │                                                           │
│     ▼                                                           │
│  2. Check if slot 703 is occupied                               │
│     ├─ Yes → Continue                                          │
│     └─ No → "Slot empty" or dial tone                          │
│     │                                                           │
│     ▼                                                           │
│  3. Bridge user with parked caller                              │
│     │                                                           │
│     ▼                                                           │
│  4. Slot 703 marked as available                                │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Timeout Flow

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Timeout Flow                                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  1. Parking timer (valet_parking_timeout) expires               │
│     │                                                           │
│     ▼                                                           │
│  2. Check returnToOriginator                                    │
│     ├─ Yes (and caller extension known)                         │
│     │   └─ valet_parking_orbit_exten = caller_ext               │
│     │      → Rings originating user's phone                     │
│     └─ No (or caller extension unavailable)                     │
│         └─ valet_parking_orbit_exten = timeoutDestination       │
│            → Routes to configured timeout module & destination  │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

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6. Common Scenarios & Examples

Scenario 1: Reception Parking

Setup:

Setting	Value
Name	Main Parking
Extension	700
Total Positions	5
Parking Time	180 seconds
Announce Position	✓
Return to Originator	✓
Timeout Module	Voicemail
Timeout Destination	1000 (reception VM)

Usage:

1. Reception transfers caller to 700
2. System: “Parked at slot 703”
3. Reception pages: “John, call on 703”
4. John dials 703 → Connected

Scenario 2: Department-Specific Lots

Setup multiple lots:

Lot	Extension	Positions	Timeout Destination
Sales Parking	710	5	Sales VM
Support Parking	720	10	Support Queue
Executive Parking	730	3	Admin Assistant

Scenario 3: Warehouse with PA System

Setup:

Setting	Value
Name	Warehouse
Extension	800
Total Positions	10
Parking Time	300 seconds (5 min)
Announce Position	✓
Return to Originator	✗
Timeout Module	IVR
Timeout Destination	main_menu

Usage:

1. Office parks call at 800
2. System: “Parked at slot 805”
3. PA announcement: “Shipping, line 805”
4. Warehouse employee picks up nearest phone, dials 805

7. Model Context Protocol (MCP) AI Integration

Ring2All exposes native Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools for Parking Lots, allowing autonomous AI agents and Copilots to query parking lot topology, inspect real-time valet slot occupancy via Telephony Server CLI, provision new parking ranges, and adjust ringback comeback timers with domain-level isolation.

Available MCP Tools

Tool Name	Description	Key Parameters
list_parking_lots	Lists all configured call parking lots in the domain, including base extensions, slot capacity, and timeout rules.	search (optional string)
get_parking_lot_status	Retrieves real-time configuration and live occupied vs. available slot positions directly from Telephony Server mod_valet_parking.	identifier (required, lot name or base extension)
create_parking_lot	Provisions a new valet parking lot with base extension, slot capacity, and recall timeout.	name, extension, totalPositions, timeout, description
update_parking_lot	Modifies parking lot parameters such as total positions, ringback timers, or base extension.	identifier, newName, newExtension, totalPositions, timeout, enabled
delete_parking_lot	Removes a parking lot and de-registers its extension from the dialplan.	identifier (required)

Strict Domain Numbering Safeguards

Whenever an AI agent executes create_parking_lot or update_parking_lot, Ring2All runs validateNumberUniqueness across sip_extensions, public.dialplan_registry, and public.direct_routes. An AI agent cannot assign a base extension or slot range that collides with existing extensions, feature codes, direct dials, or conference rooms within the same domain.

AI Agent Operational Examples

Querying Live Parked Calls & Lot Status

{
  "tool": "get_parking_lot_status",
  "arguments": {
    "identifier": "700"
  }
}

Provisioning a Departmental Parking Lot

{
  "tool": "create_parking_lot",
  "arguments": {
    "name": "Support Parking Lot",
    "extension": "720",
    "totalPositions": 5,
    "timeout": 60,
    "description": "Valet parking for Support team tier-2 transfers"
  }
}

Recommended Natural Language Prompts

• “Show me all parking lots configured on this PBX and check if there are calls currently parked.”
• “Create a parking lot called ‘Sales Parking’ at extension 750 with 8 slots and a 90-second ringback timeout.”
• “What slot is caller +1-555-0199 currently parked on in the Main Parking lot?”

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8. Limitations & Important Notes

Technical Limitations

[!WARNING] Slot Range: Slots start at extension+1. Extension 700 = slots 701-710 (for 10 positions).

[!WARNING] Single Retrieval: Only one person can retrieve a parked call—first dial wins.

[!IMPORTANT] MOH Duration: Music on Hold loops if parking time exceeds MOH file length.

Best Practices

1. Plan Extension Ranges: Don’t overlap parking slots with real extensions
2. Reasonable Timeouts: 2-3 minutes is typical; too short causes premature callbacks
3. Enable Announcements: Users need to know which slot to communicate
4. Return to Originator: Safer than sending to general queue on timeout
5. Document Your Lots: Train staff on which lots to use for which purposes

Security Considerations

[!CAUTION] Anyone Can Retrieve: Any user who dials the slot can pick up the call. Consider this for sensitive calls.

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9. Troubleshooting Tips

Common Issues

Symptom	Possible Cause	Solution
No available slots	All slots full	Increase totalPositions
Call returns immediately	Parking time too short	Increase parkingTime
Can’t retrieve call	Wrong slot number	Verify slot dialed
No slot announcement	announcePosition = false	Enable announcement
Call goes to wrong VM	Wrong timeout destination	Check destination config

Diagnostic SQL

List parking lots:

SELECT name, extension, total_positions, parking_time, enabled
FROM public.parking_lots
WHERE domain_id = [domain_id]
ORDER BY extension;

Telephony Server Commands

Check active parked calls:

fs_cli -x "valet_parking status"

Check specific lot:

fs_cli -x "valet_parking list 700"

Manually retrieve parked call:

fs_cli -x "valet_parking retrieve 703"

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10. Glossary

Term	Definition
Parking Lot	A collection of hold slots for parking calls
Slot	An individual parking position (e.g., 701, 702)
Park	Place a call on hold in a numbered slot
Retrieve	Pick up a parked call by dialing its slot
Parking Time	How long before a parked call times out (valet_parking_timeout)
Return to Originator	Send timeout call back to the parker (valet_parking_orbit_exten)
Valet Parking	Telephony Server module that handles parking
MOH	Music on Hold played while parked
Position	Same as slot—a numbered parking space

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Documentation last updated: January 2026