Enhance Emergency Response and Safety with 3CX Emergency Notifier: Take Control of Your Notifications
Take control of emergency communications with 3CX Emergency Notifier. Easily manage alerts, recipients, and delivery methods like email, SMS, and phone calls, while helping responders quickly locate emergencies.
Getting started is simple. Log in using your voicemail PIN or web app password, review your extension details, and run a quick test to ensure everything works. In just minutes, you’ll have a reliable system that notifies the right people when it matters most. 3CX Emergency Notifier provides confidence, clarity, and peace of mind during critical moments.
Quickly notify the right people through email, SMS, or phone calls to ensure fast and reliable communication during critical moments.
REAL-TIME PRECISION
Receive precise location details during emergencies, including floor level, nearby areas, or specific zones, helping responders act faster and more accurately.
SEAMLESS DISPATCH
Guide responders directly to the correct location using accurate mapping and extension data for faster and more effective emergency response.
INSTANT EMERGENCY ALERT
Trigger emergency alerts instantly with a single button press. Activate or deactivate alerts easily while maintaining full control through a simple and user friendly interface.
ENHANCED INSIGHTS
Review detailed event logs to understand what happened, who was notified, and when. These insights help improve preparedness and future response planning.
ONE TIME INSTALLATION
Get up and running quickly with a straightforward installation process. Manage everything from an intuitive web portal designed for ease of use and long term reliability.
Before you begin with the installation steps mentioned in this guide, you need to ensure that your computer meets the minimum requirements mentioned below for installing the 3CX Emergency Notifier.
PREREQUISITE
PURPOSE
3CX Version V20
3CX Emergency Notifier is designed to work seamlessly with this version for enhanced features and performance.
Windows 10 or above / Windows Server 2012 or above
These operating systems provide the necessary environment for the application to run efficiently.
IIS is needed as a web server to host and manage web-based applications and services.
.NET Framework 4.7.2 (Web Installer)
This framework provides essential components for running and developing applications.
VoIPTools Universal Updater
This component is necessary for updates, ensuring the application remains current and functional.
Microsoft SQL Server 2016 or above (Including the free SQL Express edition)
3CX requires Microsoft SQL Server 2016 or later for database management.
Static IP for VoIPTools and 3CX servers
This ensures reliable two-way communication between the 3CX server and the VoIPTools server. Dynamic IP addresses are not supported. For secure communication, HTTPS is recommended and requires a valid FQDN for SSL or TLS verification between the servers.
Port number 5600 opened on your device
Port 5600 is used by 3CX for communication. Opening this port on the firewall allows data to send and receive properly between systems.
NOTE:
Since the add-on ‘3CX Emergency Notifier’ includes a CFD application, you will need to install either Pro or Enterprise version of 3CX
Windows 8 has a much better Text-To-Speech engine compared to Windows 7
When installing SQL Server, we recommend you install it in “Mixed Mode” to include SQL Authentication, and install SQL Management Studio
When installing IIS, be sure to install Basic Authentication, .Net Extensibility, and ASP.Net 4.X
Download the setup application from the VoIPTools website or you can find the download link in the Order Confirmation Email.
INSTALL PREREQUISITES
You must install several prerequisites before installing the 3CX Emergency Notifier. The Advanced Installer identifies and installs these applications automatically. Click here to learn about the required prerequisites.
INSTALL 3CX EMERGENCY NOTIFIER
This guide walks you through installing 3CX Emergency Notifier. Start by extracting the downloaded ZIP file, then run EmergencyNotifierInstaller.exe to begin setup.
CHECK FOR DEFAULT DATA IN DATABASE SERVER
To confirm the installation was successful, log into the database and check that the default data appears in the basic tables.
INSTALLING THE DESKTOP ALERT APPLICATION
In addition to phone, email, and SMS alerts, you can also receive notifications on your desktop.
LOGIN TO THE WEB APPLICATION
You can now log in to the web application using the extension number and the PIN.
Click on the software installer downloaded in Step 1. The installation wizard will automatically identify the prerequisites and assist you with each installation required for the 3CX Emergency Notifier. It includes .NET Framework (Web Installer), SQL Server Express (Web Installer), and SQL Server Management Studio.
Click the downloaded installer executable to launch the Prerequisites Setup Wizard and click Next.
Figure 1: Prerequisites Setup Wizard
In the Prerequisites window, install all the required prerequisites identified by the installer, or select/unselect the applications based on your requirements and click Next to continue.
Figure 2: Prerequisite Installation Selection
The installer will download and install the selected applications. This may take several minutes to complete.
Figure 3: Prerequisites Installation in Progress
In the Microsoft SQL Server License Terms, click Accept to acknowledge the license terms and continue.
This page appears if you do not have SQL Server Express preinstalled on your device.
Figure 4: SQL Server Express – Accept License Terms
View the SQL Server media target location in the Media Location field. If required, click Browse to change the location, then click Install to begin installation.
Figure 5: SQL Server Express – Target Location
SQL Server installation is in progress. This may take several minutes to complete.
Figure 6: SQL Server Installation in Progress
Click the Close button once the prerequisites are installed.
Figure 7: SQL Server Express – Installed Successfully
Click Yes in the Confirmation Message Box to reboot the computer.
In the 3CX Relay Services window, in the Relay Host field, enter the FQDN of your 3CX server.
Enter 8801 in the Relay Port field.
Enter the JWT public key you took from VoIPTools Relay services in the Public Key text area. Click here to know more.
Figure 11: Configure Relay services
Click the Test Relay Settings to confirm that the ‘3CX Emergency Notifier’ can communicate with the Relay services running on the 3CX server.
If the ‘3CX Emergency Notifier’ is successfully able to communicate with the Relay services that run on the 3CX server, a Success message box appears. Click OK. If the test fails, you will not be able to continue until communication with the relay is established.
Figure 12: Test Relay Success
NOTE:
You must set the Relay Port to 8801.
If the Relay test fails, you cannot continue the installation until you establish communication with the Relay. If your Relay test failed then confirm the following conditions,
Confirm you have the correct firewall port open (default TCP 8801) on the 3CX server and the firewall protecting the 3CX server.
Confirm that you have entered the correct FQDN for the 3CX server.
Confirm that the 3CX Emergency Notifier and Relay use the same port and protocol.
When configuring the 3CX Emergency Notifier, select an existing Microsoft SQL Server instance in your environment. The database server can be a remote SQL Server, or a local instance running on the VoIPTools server.
You can set up the SQL database using SQL Authentication or Windows Integrated Authentication.
If using the free SQL Express Edition, the default SQL Instance name is SQLExpress.
Figure 13: Configure Database – Server Field
NOTE:
If you want to use ‘SQL Authentication’, then install SQL Server in ‘Mixed‘ mode.
If SQL Server is installed on a server other than the server where 3CX Exporter is installed, you will need to configure SQL Server to allow remote connections.
Enter your credentials in the Username and Password fields.
To use Windows Integrated Authentication check the Trusted Connection (Windows integrated authentication) checkbox.
The VoIPTools installer will create a local Windows user name as “VoIPToys” and give you sufficient rights to this user to create/update the SQL database.
In the Test SQL Connection section, click the Tool button to test the connection.
Click the Next button which gets enabled when the database connection is successful.
NOTE:
We encourage you to use SQL Authentication rather than Windows authentication. Many of our tools leverage a Call Flow Designer (CFD) application running on the 3CX. Frequently our CFD applications require access to a SQL database. If the 3CX server and the database server are not in an Active Directory domain, Windows authentication will fail. To use SQL authentication, your SQL Server must be configured to run in “Mixed Mode”. If you installed SQL Server with one of our tools, we configure SQL in “Mixed Mode”.
The application installation may take several minutes to complete.
Figure 19: Installing 3CX Emergency Notifier
Check the Launch 3CX Emergency Notifier checkbox and click Finish when the installation is complete.
Figure 20: Installation Completed Page
Step 8: Check for default data in the database server #
To verify if you have successfully installed the 3CX Emergency Notifier application, log into the database and check for default data in the basic tables.
Log into the SQL database.
In the Object Explorer accordion, expand Databases and then expand Tables
From the tables list
Open dbo.EmergencyNumbers table to see the emergency contact number “911”
Open dbo.Messages table to see message type for the emergency number as Email, SMS and Email Subject.
Open dbo.NotificationSettings table to see the emergency contact number “911”
Open dbo.Settings table to see the default database settings.
Step 9: Installing the Desktop Alert Application #
In addition to sending emergency notifications by phone, email, and SMS text, you can also receive notifications on your desktop.
The following instructions outline how to install the desktop notification application:
NOTE:
Before you launch the application, you must ensure Microsoft .Net Framework 4.6.1 (x86 and x64) is installed in your device. If the above component is already installed, you can launch the application. Otherwise, follow the instructions as outlined below to install the component.
The Desktop Notifications application receives events and client software updates from the VoIPTools server. You will need to configure your public facing and Windows firewalls to open ports 5600 TCP and 5610 TCP.
In the File Explorer, navigate to C:\\ProgramData\VoIPTools\Data\Http\wwwroot\3CX Emergency Notifier\Alert
Figure 21: Navigate to ‘3CX Emergency Notifier Alert’
Double-click EmergencyAlertUpdater to display Emergency Alert URLUpdate popup.
Figure 22: Emergency Notifier Setup
In the Emergency Alert URLUpdate popup, enter your URL in the format http://localhost:5600/Alert/EmergencyAlerter.htm and click Update.
Figure 23: Update the URL
NOTE:
It is important that your FQDN resolve to an IP address that is accessible by your client workstations. If, for example, your VoIPTools server is hosted in the cloud, the FQDN should resolve to the public IP address of your VoIPTools server. It may be necessary to update your DNS, or you can update the workstation’s Host file to map the FQDN to an accessible IP address.
To access the folder, ‘3CX Emergency Notifier’ ensure that you have full admin rights.
In the Emergency Alert Application Update URL popup, click OK.
Figure 24: URL to Install Prerequisites
Double-click the Setup application.
Figure 25: Setup Application
In the Application Install screen, click the Install button to start the installation.
Figure 26: Install Button
The application starts to install. This may take a few minutes to install.
Figure 27: Installation in Progress
Open the web browser and in the address bar enter the following URL,
http://localhost:5600/Alert/EmergencyAlerter.htm
NOTE:
Replace with your local host value in the place of URL mentioned above.
The following web page appears:
Figure 28: Install Prerequisites
Click Install to install the prerequisites.
On the taskbar and in the notification area, click the Show Hidden Icons icon to display notification area overflow
Figure 29: Show Hidden Icons: Notification Area Overflow
In the notification area overflow, right-click on the Emergency Alerts icon and in the right click menu, click Preferences.
Figure 30: Notification Area Overflow: Emergency Alerts – Preferences
In the Preferences screen and in the Server URL field, enter the URL:
NOTE:
In the URL mentioned above, replace it with your FQDN value.
You must enter /signalr at the end of the URL.
Figure 31: Server URL
Click Save to save the url and then click Close to close the Preferences screen.
In the notification area overflow, right-click on the Emergency Alertsicon and in the right click menu, click Exit to exit from the Emergency Alerts.
Figure 32: Notification Area Overflow: Emergency Alerts – Exit
On the desktop, click the 3CX Emergency Notifier icon to launch the application.
NOTE:
Emergency Notifier gives you an desktop alert whenever you recieve a call to the emergency number. The ALERT popup has the following details,
To access the 3CX Emergency Notifier web portal, click the Web Portal button on the Configuration application, or click on the 3CX Emergency Notifier Web desktop icon created during the installation process.
The 3CX Emergency Notifier is accessible only by the Manager extensions. This is done to enhance security by controlling access to sensitive information.
Use this section to set the VoIPTools Server URL, which allows 3CX Emergency Notifier to connect to the VoIPTools Server through the 3CX Call Flow Designer.
Figure 37: General Settings Tab Overview
Enter the full address of your VoIPTools Server. The URL must include:
A Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) or an IP address
The correct port number
Validate Connection
Click Validate to confirm that the entered URL is reachable and correctly connected to the VoIPTools Server. Validation helps ensure the configuration is correct before saving.
Follow the procedure to configure the automated test settings,
In the User Extension field, enter the extension number having a registered functioning phone.
NOTE:
You must ensure the use of a physical phone to test the working of the 3CX Emergency Notifier
The User Extension must be a member of a dedicated test extension group.
In the User Phone list, select the type of phone that you have configured the User Extension.
Figure 39: User Phone Dropdown
NOTE:
Automated Test supports Desktop phone, soft phone, mobile phone and electron phone.
In the Emergency Number field, enter the emergency number for Automated Test.
Figure 40: Emergency Number Dropdown
NOTE:
You must configure specific contacts to receive test notifications. Click here to know how to configure contacts to receive test notifications in the 3CX Console Management.
You can schedule an automated test using the Task Scheduler. Follow the procedure to schedule an automated test,
In your device, open the Task Scheduler application.
In the Task Scheduler Library dropdown right-click the Microsoft folder.
Click the Create Task option to create a schedule.
Figure 41: Create Task
On the General tab, in the Name field, enter a name for the task.
Figure 42: General Tab
In the Triggers tab click the New button to create a new trigger.
Figure 43: New Button
In the Start field, set the date and time at which you want to start the automated test and click the OK button.
Figure 44: Start Schedule
In the Action tab, click the New button.
Figure 45: Actions Tab
In the Programme/Script field, click the Browse button enter the file location and click the OK button. The default file path is “C:\Program Files\VoIPTools\3CX Emergency Notifier\EmergencyNotifierTestIVR\EmergencyNotifierTestIVR.exe.”
The Email tab lets you set up and configure the email server settings, including the server address, port number, authentication credentials, and reply email addresses. It aims to enable seamless communication between the 3CX Phone System and the designated email server for sending notifications.
Follow the procedure to configure the email server settings,
In the Email tab, under the Email Server section, in the Server field, enter the IP address or Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) of your email server.
Examples: 192.168.1.20 or mail.mydomain.com
In the Port field, enter the SMTP Port number.
The default port number is 25.
In the From Email: field, enter the reply email addresses for email and SMS notifications.
In the Authentication section, enter Username and Password.
Click the Test button to test if Email Server is able to communicate with 3CX Phone System.
The SMS Settings section allows you to select the SMS delivery method used by 3CX Emergency Notifier. You can choose Email, Skyetel, or Twilio as the SIP carrier for sending SMS notifications. The available configuration fields will change based on the selected option.
When Email is selected as the SIP carrier, SMS notifications are delivered to the email addresses of the configured recipients. No additional credentials are required for this option.
When Skyetel is selected, SMS messages are sent using the Skyetel carrier service. To enable this option, the following required fields must be configured:
Skyetel Base URL – The primary service endpoint for Skyetel
Skyetel SID – The service identifier used for authentication
Skyetel Secret – The secure authentication key
From Number – The phone number displayed as the SMS sender
All fields must be completed and saved for SMS delivery to function correctly.
Use the Emergency Numbers dropdown to select the specific number or extension you wish to configure. Settings and templates are saved separately for each selection.
Variables are placeholders (e.g., [Extension]) that are automatically replaced with real-time data when a notification is sent. You can type them manually using brackets or use the Copy Variables button.
The 3CX Emergency Notifier is capable of initiating phone calls to your designated contacts and delivering a pre-recorded or dynamically generated message. In the case of a dynamically generated message, it can include specific details about the extension from which the emergency call was made. To provide you with greater flexibility, the following settings enable you to customize certain characteristics of the voice utilized for the dynamic recording.
Select TTS Type: Windows TTS if you want to create dynamic play files by using the voices installed in your computer.
Select the preferred culture in the Locale dropdown.
From the Gender dropdown, select Male or Female so that the Emergency Notifier will play the .wav file in a male or female voice.
From the Volume drop-down list, select the volume that you want to apply for your recording.
From the Speech Rate drop-down list, select the desired speech rate to adjust the speed of the speech.
From the Voice Name drop-down list, select the voice that you want to use for dynamic recordings. This field displays all of the voices installed on the computer.
Select TTS Type as Amazon Polly if you want to create a self Identification Message (.wav file) using Amazon Web Services.
Select the preferred culture in the Locale dropdown.
In the Voice Name drop-down list, select the voice for dynamic recordings. Usually, this field displays all of the voices installed on the computer.
In the Amazon Id and Amazon Key fields, enter valid details. To learn how to create an Amazon Web Services (AWS) account and generate an AWS access key ID and secret key ID, click here.
The Web Portal section lets you control how users log in and how information is displayed in the Emergency Notifier web interface. From here, you can choose the authentication method and set the preferred language and date format to match your organization’s needs.
Manage Portal Settings
Web Portal Password: Select the authentication method used to verify user credentials. You can choose either your Voicemail PIN or Web Client Password. The default setting is Voicemail PIN.
Display Culture: Use the dropdown menu to set the regional format for dates and on-screen information.
The Role Access Permissions section lets you control what each user role can see and manage within 3CX Emergency Notifier. From here, you can assign, modify, or reset page access to ensure users only have access to the features they need. Select a role to view its current permissions, then enable or disable access using the available options.
Role Selection: Select a specific role (e.g., Admin, User, or Agent) from the dropdown menu. The checkboxes will automatically update to show that role’s current permissions.
Permissions: Toggle the checkboxes to grant or restrict access to various system features, such as the Call Log, Extensions, Contacts, Logs, Speed Dials, Emergency Numbers, and Settings.
Reset Permissions: Click the RESET button to discard any unsaved changes and restore the original access settings for the selected role.
The Location Department section allows you to define and manage the physical locations assigned to each department. By mapping departments to IP addresses and address details, the system can accurately identify where an emergency originates and deliver location specific notifications. Use this page to add, update, or remove department location records as needed.
An extension can be associated with only one group at a time. If you add the same extension to another group, it will not work.
For instance, let’s consider an example: Extension 5555 is initially part of Building A. If you decide to add extension 5555 to Building B, the system will automatically transfer its location from Group A to Group B. This ensures that an extension is always linked to a single group, preventing duplication or conflicting assignments.
‘3CX Emergency Notifier’ retrieves the ‘Emergency Group’ details from ‘3CX Management Console’ and displays them in the ‘3CX Emergency Group’ dropdown list.
To associate a specific single IP address with a different location within a subnet, you must divide the IP address range and allocate them to their respective locations.
Assuming you have a subnet mask with the range 192.168.5.0 – 192.168.5.254 and you wish to associate the particular IP address 192.168.5.100 with a distinct location, follow these steps:
By dividing the IP address range and allocating the specific addresses to their respective locations, you can effectively associate a particular IP address with a different location within the subnet.
The Extension Fields Mapping section allows you to rename system defined extension fields with custom labels for display and reporting. This helps match the terminology used in your organization while keeping the original system fields unchanged. Once configured, the custom labels appear throughout the application wherever extension information is shown, including grids and reports.
The Custom Branding section allows you to personalize the appearance of the 3CX Emergency Notifier web interface. From here, you can update the header title, upload or select a custom logo, and adjust color settings to match your organization’s branding. Changes can be previewed, reset to default, or applied immediately across the application.
The Call Log menu presents a comprehensive inventory of all event logs recorded from the moment you installed the 3CX Emergency Notifier. This valuable information encompasses the precise date and time of each event, along with essential details such as the event date, extension, dialed number, first name, last name, phone number, building, room number, cubicle, street, city, state/province, and postal code.
In the Extensions section displays a list of all user extensions configured in 3CX Emergency Notifier. From this page, you can view and manage extension details such as extension, first name, last name, phone, address, building, room number, and cubicle. Keeping this information accurate ensures emergency alerts include precise user and location details for faster and more effective response.
The purpose of this feature is to enable you, as the user, to add and save new contacts or delete existing contacts. This feature empowers you to enter multiple contact details, including First Name, Last Name, Phone Number, Email Address, and SMS Address. Furthermore, you have the option to include extension groups for each contact.
Group managers receive notifications for speed dial and emergency number calls made by their group members, but not for calls made by members of other groups. This system ensures confidentiality and efficient notifications.
When you receive a call within a ‘Speed Dial’ group, you will immediately be notified via both email and SMS, allowing for flexible communication options. To specify your preferred notification type for the speed dial group, simply indicate your choice by selecting the corresponding check boxes for email and/or SMS.
You have access to two manually created CFD extensions, each with its unique identification number: the ‘Voice App Extension’ and the ‘Alarm Extension.’ The ‘Voice App Extension’ has been seamlessly integrated into the phone system to ensure a smooth connection between incoming calls and their respective contacts. Once a contact answers the call, the ‘Voice App Extension’ internally activates the corresponding ‘Alarm Extension,’ which in turn triggers the playback of a customized audio file specifically tailored to the contacted individual.
Once you publish the speed dial, ‘Voice App Extension’ and ‘Alarm Extension’ will be created in the PBX system with the name same as that of ‘Description’ you mentioned for the speed dial, extended by the terms ‘Notification’ and ‘Alarm’ for ‘Voice App Extension’ and ‘Alarm Extension’ respectively.
If you have not selected any audio file in the Audio field then, the ‘SMS’ notification that you set for the extension in the Messages tab plays as voice file for all the extensions that received the notification. Follow the procedure to set the SMS message as audio for speed dials.
Look at the Left Side Panel of the application. Click Settings at the bottom of the panel. If the Left Side Panel is collapsed, click the at the top to expand it and view all menu items.
The Emergency Numbers menu lets you define and manage emergency contact numbers used by the 3CX Emergency Notifier. Here, you can add internal or external emergency numbers, assign clear descriptions, and control how emergency calls are handled. This ensures critical situations are routed quickly and accurately to the appropriate emergency services or internal response teams.
Figure 107: Emergency Numbers tab Overview
Upload Audio Files to an Existing Emergency Number #
Before proceeding with the following instructions, make sure you have the audio file in .WAV format on your local device.
If you have not selected any audio file in the ‘Play File’ field then, the ‘SMS’ notification that you set for the extension will play as voice file for all the extensions that received the notification.
The internal emergency number is a random number that is created only for the internal testing purposes. Follow the procedure to create a new internal emergency number.
The Logs menu to track system events and troubleshoot issues within 3CX Emergency Notifier. You can view time-stamped activity, filter by specific log files, and export data to confirm that all notifications and background services are working as expected.
NOTE:
button to download your application.
icon to display notification area overflow
Emergency Alerts icon and in the right click menu, click Preferences.
icon to launch the application.
menu.
menu, click the Departments tab.
button.
button to view the persons contacted by the extension.
button to add a new extension.
Save to save the extension.
button beside the extension you want to delete.
button to save your changes.
button to add extension groups.
button beside the contact you want to delete.
at the bottom of the panel. If the Left Side Panel is collapsed, click the 
at the top to expand it and view all menu items.
menu.
