Quick Start Guide

Welcome to Grasshopper! We want to ensure that you can start making and receiving calls as soon as you sign up, so we’ve configured a few default settings to get you started. Grasshopper makes it easy for you to continue with the default “out-of-the-box” configuration, or to log in and customize your account however you need.

To help you know which kind of setup is right for you, we’ve laid out a few common customer scenarios below:

Extensions determine how calls are routed to different individuals within your Grasshopper account. Unless you only need simple call forwarding, you'll rely on extensions to set up the behavior of your call forwarding system.

As part of your default account configuration, we’ve created a default "Extension 0" for you and set it up to receive calls at the same contact number you signed up with. You can start out by editing Extension 0, or by creating a new one. Note that you can use any combination of department and employee extensions, which function the same but look a little different (department extensions are 0-6, while employee extensions are 700-799).

Each individual extension can be customized as needed:

• Control when, where and how calls are forwarded.
• Select how incoming calls are displayed and what calllers hear.
• Edit the name, number, time zone and user access.
• Set up greetings and vacation schedules.

Log in to the Extensions page to start creating extensions.

Recorded greetings help guide customers through their calls as seamlessly as possible. Your account offers lots of different places to customize greetings and voicemails, including away messages, call forwarding announcements and extension voicemails. Most of these come pre-loaded with a system default as part of your initial account configuration.

As part of the default account configuration, we've created a default main greeting that says "Thank you for calling. To speak to a representative, please press 0." You can customize or disable this yourself, or leave it to the pros!

Learn more about the different greetings available to you and how to record or upload them.

You can set up additional phone numbers within your account with just a few clicks. If you need additional numbers beyond those allotted in your subscription plan, you'll see a one-time activation charge and a recurring monthly charge for each additional number.

You can then use the drop-down menus to decide what happens when customers call each individual number:

• Play the default main greeting. By default, customers will hear the message: "Thank you for calling. To speak to a representative, please press 0."
• Play your custom greeting. If you've recorded or uploaded a custom main greeting, then you should select "Play my main greeting" to switch from the default greeting.
• Forward to an extension. If you prefer, you can also skip the main greeting and send callers straight to one of your extensions.

Log in to the Settings page and open the "Numbers" tab to add additional phone numbers. Learn more!

Do you already have a business number you want to use on the Grasshopper platform? No problem! Grasshopper offers phone number transferring (or “porting”), which moves a phone number from your existing provider to your Grasshopper account.

Note that this can take a few days to process, so in the meantime we have assigned your account a temporary number so that you may get started customizing your extensions and recording your greetings. Then when your number transfer completes, we’ll add it to your account and apply the same settings. You can either keep the temporary one, or swap it out for the new one.

Submit your transfer request to get started.

Ready to start receiving calls? Install our smartphone and desktop applications to manage your calls, texts, and voicemails from your home office or while on the go. The iOS and Android apps even allow you to manage some basic account settings while you're out, including call forwarding and notifications.

Install our apps using the links below:

• iOS app
• Android app
• Windows desktop app
• Mac desktop app

By completing the steps above, you’ve gone the extra mile to personalize your callers' experience. Great job!

There's more to love, though. The administration portal offers a wide variety of additional settings and features that allow you to fine tune exactly how each phone number and extension works.

• Enable premium features like call blasting and live receptionists by Ruby
• Add additional Grasshopper users and manage their permissions
• Run reports to gather useful data on usage and activity of your business numbers
• Set up vacation schedules and out-of-office hours

Log in to the administration portal for even more customization options.