This provides a station with feature key access to services and features (that is, access to the feature is not FFC based), and provides identities to use while calling (call appearance buttons, bridged appearance buttons). It does not apply to analog CS 1000 stations, though a flash button may be provided to give a reliable switch hook flash.

Buttons available as soft keys on certain station types may need to be configured as fixed keys on older station types.

For example, 3904 has context sensitive soft keys, but 2616 does not. Therefore, when the soft key is provisioned on the 3904, the transfer feature becomes available on a soft key when the user is active in a call and can use the soft key to complete a transfer. On the other hand, 2616 has no soft keys, and therefore requires the Transfer feature button provisioned.

However, even with the presence of soft keys, many other buttons, such as line appearances, auto-dial buttons are valid for provisioning on all set types with programmable keys.