--- title: "Getting started with 8x8 Geo Routing" slug: "getting-started-with-8x8-geo-routing" description: "Route incoming calls by area code with 8x8 Geo Routing. Learn to install and configure for 8x8 Work PBXs and Contact Center tenants effectively." updated: 2026-09-14T18:06:28Z published: 2026-09-14T18:06:28Z canonical: "help.8x8.com/getting-started-with-8x8-geo-routing" stale: true --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.8x8.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Getting started with 8x8 Geo Routing The 8x8 Geo Routing application lets you route incoming calls by area code across your 8x8 Work PBXs and 8x8 Contact Center tenants. This article covers how to install the portal and configure geo routing for 8x8 Work and Contact Center. ## Applies to - 8x8 Work (PBX): Admins - 8x8 Contact Center: Admins - 8x8 Geo Routing & Call Blocking portal ## Before you begin You must install the Geo Routing & Call Blocking from the 8x8 App Store before you can use the portal. Installing the app enables access for your account and provisions your account automatically. 1. Open the **8x8 App Store** at [https://appstore.8x8.vc/](https://appstore.8x8.vc/). You can also reach it from your **8x8 Admin Console**. 2. Find and open the **Geo Routing & Call Blocking** application tile in the PS container. 3. Click **Install App**. 4. Read and accept the Terms and Conditions. 5. Click **Install**. 6. Select the default access: - **No Access**: Only administrators will have access to the applications. - **All Scopes**: All users will have access to the applications. - **Selected Scopes**: Only the users or groups you choose will have access to the applications. 7. After configuring access, you are returned to the Geo Routing & Call Blocking application page. Click the **Open App** button. 8. When prompted, authorize the app with your token. This connects the app to your account and provisions your account. Once installation is complete, open the portal and continue with the steps in the next sections of this article. > [!NOTE] > Note > > *If the portal tells you that you do not have access, confirm the app is installed from the App Store. Access is granted as part of installation.* ## Navigate the portal - Choose the feature you want to configure from the navigation: **8x8 Work Geo Routing** or **8x8 Contact Center Geo Routing**. - Use the list on the left to pick the **PBX** (8x8 Work) or **Tenant** (Contact Center) you want to configure. - Each page includes a collapsible **Help & How to use** section with a quick reference. > [!NOTE] > Note > > *Depending on your plan, geo routing may be limited (for example, 10 geo routing entries). When you reach the limit, a banner appears with an option to request an upgrade. Contact your 8x8 representative to unlock unlimited entries.* ## 8x8 Work Geo Routing This application routes calls to an extension or external number based on the caller’s area code. > [!NOTE] > Note > > *8x8 must enable your tenant and extension for this solution before you begin.* ### Step 1: Configure your geo-routing extension Before you can add any area-code entries, you must set up a geo-routing extension. This extension is the entry point that triggers area-code-based routing. 1. Select your **PBX** from the list on the left. 2. Click **Configure geo-routing extension**. 3. Fill in the following fields: - **Geo-Routing Extension**: the extension that triggers geo routing when called (for example, 1000). Must be alphanumeric only. - **Default Extension/Forward Number**: the fallback destination used when no area code matches (for example, 2000 or +15551234567). 4. Click **Enable Geo-Routing.** The system deploys this configuration to your PBX. > [!NOTE] > Note > > *You cannot create or rename an entry with the area code* ***DEFAULT****. The default destination is managed in the configuration, not as a regular entry.* ### Step 2: Add area code entries 1. Click **+ Create Entry**. 2. Enter the **Area Code** and the **Forward Number / Extension** the call should route to. 3. Click **Save**. > [!TIP] > Tip > > *A plain 3-digit area code (for example, 415) works exactly as before. To route by country code — or any custom pattern — enter a regular expression instead. For example,* ***^44.**** *matches any caller from the UK (country code 44), regardless of the rest of the number. A regex is matched against the caller's full number, so include an end anchor (****$****) or wildcard (****.*****) to control how much of the number must match — a bare* ***^44*** *with no end anchor can match more than intended.* ### Edit or delete entries - To edit an entry, click the **pencil** icon, change the values, and click **Save**. - To delete an entry, click the **trash** icon and **confirm**. ### Bulk upload by CSV 1. To add many entries at once, click **Bulk upload**. Use the following CSV format: *areaCode,extOrFwdNum 415,2000 212,3000* 2. Drag and drop your file (or click to browse). A preview shows the number of valid and invalid rows before you confirm with import. 3. Use the **Export** to download your current entries as a CSV. ## 8x8 Contact Center Geo Routing Route calls to a contact center queue based on the caller’s area code and a routing option. A routing option maps to a specific routing scenario in your IVR. ### Step 1: Save your Action Request Token 1. Select your **Tenant** from the list on the left. > [!NOTE] > Note > > *To find your Action Request Token:* > > - *Open Configuration Manager for Contact Center from the My Applications page.* > - *Select “Integration” from the left-hand navigation panel.* > - *Select API Token from the top menu.* > - *If an Action Request Token is populated, copy the token to be pasted in the Geo Routing Action Token field. CAUTION: If there is a token in this field, do NOT click New Token. This will break any other configuration using the Action Request Token.* > - *If the Action Request Token field is empty, click the New Token button, then copy the token to be pasted in the Geo Routing Action Token field.* 1. Click **Update** in the Token field and paste your Action Request Token. 2. Click **Save Token**. ### Step 2: Configure a default path for each option An Option is a collection of configured area code <-> Queue ID mappings with a default path that the IVR script uses to determine where the call should be routed. For example, a call hitting the “Internal Sales IVR” may have area code 207 route to Queue ID 109, and calls to the “Tech Support” IVR may have area code 207 route to Queue ID 110. In this case, area code 207 needs to be configured with two Options, one for Internal Sales and another for Tech Support. The entries would look like this: - **Internal Sales**: Area Code = 207, Queue ID = 109, Option = 1 - **Tech Support**: Area Code = 207, Queue ID = 110, Option = 2 The Internal Sales and Tech Support IVR scripts are configured to use the area code <-> Queue mapping based on the Option called from the IVR. The configuration for this is in the Connect to your IVR section below. Each option needs its own default path (the queue used when no area code matches for that option). 1. Click **Configure default path** (or + Add default path if one already exists). 2. Enter the **Option** (for example, 1) and the **Default Queue ID** (for example, queue-123). > [!NOTE] > Note > > *The Queue ID is found in Configuration Manager for Contact Center in the Queues/Scripts container. Find the Queue name; the Queue ID is in the ID column corresponding to the Queue name.* 3. Click **Save Default Path**. ### Step 3: Add area code entries 1. Click **+ Create Entry**. 2. Enter the **Area Code**, the **Queue ID** to route matching callers to, and the default path **Option** number. 3. Click **Save**. > [!TIP] > Tip > > *A plain 3-digit area code (for example, 415) works exactly as before. To route by country code — or any custom pattern — enter a regular expression instead. For example,* ***^44.**** *matches any caller from the UK (country code 44), regardless of the rest of the number. A regex is matched against the caller's full number, so include an end anchor (****$****) or wildcard (****.*****) to control how much of the number must match — a bare* ***^44*** *with no end anchor can match more than intended.* > [!NOTE] > Note > > *If you try to add an entry for an option that has no default path yet, you are prompted to create the default path for that option first.* ### Connect to your IVR Geo routing is triggered by a script attached to the channel you want to route. You can include any pre-routing logic or objects you like in that script (for example, a business-hours check or an initial greeting) — geo routing takes over once the call reaches the forwarding node described below. 1. Open the script attached to the channel you want to route (in the Configuration Manager) and add any pre-routing logic you want before the call reaches geo routing. 2. Add a “**Forward to External IVR**” node at the point where you want geo routing to take over. 3. Set the node's value to **AdvIvr8x8_v2-gRoute_OPTION**, replacing **OPTION** with your option number (for example, **AdvIvr8x8_v2-gRoute_1**). When a call reaches that node, it is routed according to the area code entries and default path configured for that option. > [!WARNING] > Warning > > *The value* ***AdvIvr8x8_v2-gRoute_OPTION*** *is case-sensitive, and* ***OPTION*** *must match the option number configured for this default path and its area code entries exactly, or the call will not route as expected.* ### Bulk upload by CSV 1. Click **Bulk upload** to add many entries at once. Use the following CSV format: *option,areaCode,queueId 1,415,queue-123 1,212,queue-456* 2. Use **Export** to download your current entries. ## 8x8 Geo Routing: frequently asked questions --- ### FAQ #### Q: Why can't I add an entry yet? **A**: You must complete the prerequisite for that feature first: configure a geo-routing extension (8x8 Work), or save your Action Request Token and create a default path (Contact Center). The relevant buttons stay disabled until the prerequisite is complete. #### **Q**: What happens to callers whose area code I haven't configured? **A**: They are routed to your default destination: the default extension/forward number (8x8 Work) or the default queue for that option (Contact Center). #### **Q**: Can I route by country code instead of area code? **A**: Yes. Enter a regular expression instead of a plain area code — for example, **^44.*** matches any caller from the UK (country code 44). A regex is matched against the caller's full number, so add an end anchor (**$**) or a wildcard (**.***) to control how much of the number must match. Existing plain area-code entries (for example, 415) continue to work unchanged. #### **Q**: How do I know if I hit my plan limit? **A**: A banner shows how many entries you have used. Use the upgrade request link in the banner, or contact your 8x8 representative to unlock unlimited entries.