MS365 sync overwrites a user's mobile number without validating it for invalid characters like Space or +

[Ratcliffes]

Using V20 we turned on MS365 integration. Integration synchronises a user's Cell/Mobile number with whatever number is held in their MS365 user record. We use the mobile number field in MS365 to show that number in our users' Email Signatures so we encourage users to make the number easily legible for humans by including spaces, brackets and "+44" country code type information where appropriate.

A user cannot enter a mobile number with brackets or spaces into their 3cx user record as there is validation which prevents it. Why is the same validation not applied to the sync with MS365? Can "banned" characters not be stripped out when synching? Whilst It's possible to strip leading characters using an outbound rule, it isn't possible to strip characters from the middle of a number such as space.

Is there a workaround other than having to reformat all user's mobile numbers in MS365 into a format which is less legible for a human?

 

[NicholasP_3CX]

You should be able to enter a badly formatted number in the mobile field of a user. The 3CX dialler and number recognition on an incoming call should still work.





I am using Update 5 though.

 

[Ratcliffes]

Hi Nicholas,

Thank you for your reply which is appreciated. We are also on V20 update 5 (Build 551).

I guess this issue only arises because this user forwards calls to his mobile number if not answered as his mobile phone doesn't support the 3cx client.

If I try to enter a badly formatted number into the mobile field manually I get a validation message saying "Mobile Number Cannot contain braces, spaces and hyphens whilst used in forwarding". This prevents him from adding a badly formatted mobile number to his account but the MS365 sync doesn't follow the same rules. MS sync will sync a badly formatted number into this field quite happily which then causes calls to fail to be forwarded.

I assume if he were to turn call forwarding off, the badly formatted number could be entered manually but that wouldn't then solve the call forwarding requirement.

Steve