Auto-Attendant Routes Guide

  Account > Business Cloud > Auto-Attendant

The auto-attendant builder is comprised of various routes that work together to move calls. As routes are added to the builder, they’re arranged in neat rows and columns so you can see how it all fits together. Routes can be easily found, moved around, and connected as the auto-attendant is built.

When you're done configuring a routes, click [Save], and it will be added to the builder canvas. Routes that have an  Add icon after it require another route.

To edit a route, click on the primary card to open the route on the right.

For best results, use Chrome or Firefox (not Safari).

Schedule

Set your phone system to direct incoming calls to different destinations depending on when they call in, such as business hours, lunch hours, holidays, after-hours, etc.

A schedule requires at least one rule, but you can add as many as needed. Calls will be routed to the first rule that matches the time of the incoming call, based on the priority order in which the rules are set. To change the order of your rules, click the  icon to the right of the rule and drag it to the correct position.

  1. Schedule Name. Enter a name for this schedule (20 character max).
  2. Time Zone. Select which time zone should be applied.
  3. Rule Name. Enter a name for this rule.
  4. Weekly/Custom. Choose a rule type: Weekly (recurring) or Custom (one-time).
    • Day/Date. For a Weekly rule, select the days of the week that this rule applies to. For a Custom rule, choose the date (you can choose more than one date, but not a range.)
    • Time. Enter the start and end times. You can type it in or click the clock icon on the right to use the drop-down menu (Chrome only).
      • For a Weekly rule, you can split the rule into different times during the day. Click + Add Time Range, then enter the other time.
    • Save. When you're done, click the checkmark in the top right.
  5. If needed, click [+ Add Rule] to add another rule to this schedule.
  6. When you're done adding rules to the schedule, click [Save].

Weekly

Custom

Weekly.png
Custom.png

Delete a Rule

To delete a rule, click the Trash.png trash icon. The rule will be crossed out, but if you change your mind, it can still be Restore.png restored or Edit.png edited until the schedule is saved. Once you save the schedule, though, any deleted rules will be deleted permanently.

AA_Schedule_Rule_Delete.png

Save

After you set up and save your schedule, the routes are added to the auto-attendant builder canvas. Click the Add.png Add icon to add another route.

By default, an "All other times" route will be added to determine where calls are routed during times that aren't specified by a rule.

Schedule_2.png

Menu

A Menu directs the caller to a message and DTMF (Dual-tone Multi-Frequency signaling, commonly referred to as touchtones) options for call routing based on the key dialed.

Enter a name for this menu, then continue to upload your prompts.

Menu_1.png

Prompts

Field Description

Intro Prompt

The recorded audio that a caller will hear upon entering the menu.  A WAV file must be uploaded before the menu can be saved.

Menu Prompt

The recorded audio that a caller will hear after the introduction prompt has completed. WAV files must be in an 8-bit Mono U-Law file format. A WAV file must be uploaded before the menu can be saved.

Example verbiage: "Thank you for calling Acme Corp. Press 1 for Sales, 2 for Support, or 3 for Billing."

Allow Barge-in

Allow callers to interrupt the Intro prompt by dialing an option (DTMF input) before they hear it. Regardless of this setting, callers can always interrupt the Menu prompt.

Menu Options

Add DTMF (touchtone) options (0-9, *, #).  Each option will need a name and a completed route.

  1. Click [+ Add Option]
  2. Select the DTMF option (0-9,*, or #).
  3. Enter a name for the menu option. 
  4. Repeat steps 1-3 for other menu options.

Auto-Attendant_Menu.png

Failure Routing

Choose what happens if the caller dials an invalid option or fails to make a selection within a specified time.

Menu_Failure_Routing.png

Field Description

Menu Timeout

The number of seconds delay before directing the call into the failure route. Limit 999.

Max Invalid Selections

The number of invalid DTMF (touchtone) selections that will be allowed prior to directing the call into the failure route.

Invalid Prompt Upload

Upload a recorded audio file that a caller will hear after dialing an invalid DMTF option (required). WAV files must be in an 8-bit Mono U-Law file format.

Example verbiage: "The number you entered was invalid. Please try again."

When you're done configuring the menu, click [Save]. The menu will be added to the auto-attendant builder canvas.

Menu_0.png

Message

The caller will hear a pre-recorded message.

Message_1.png

Field Description
Message Name Enter a name for this particular message.
Message Upload a WAV file (under 5 MB) that will play when the caller reaches this point in the route.
Group

A group allows a call to ring to multiple users (not devices). Rather than following each user's call handling rules, the group follows its own User Ring Strategy: Simultaneous or Sequential. The first user to answer will get the call. If no one answers, the call will follow the group's failure route.

AA_Group.png

Field Description

Group Name

Enter a name to identify this group.

Allow Call Queuing

Allow calls to enter a call queue. See also: Auto-Attendant Call Queuing

  • Max # of Calls. How many people can wait on hold at a time.

  • Max Time. How long can each call be on hold before the failure routing takes effect.

  • Ring Timeout. Enter the number of seconds a call will ring a user (sequential) or group (simultaneous) before it is pushed back to the front of the queue (limit 120). Keep this setting low to ensure calls are answered quickly.

Night Forwarding

Group Night Forwarding, also known as Night Mode, allows users in an auto-attendant group to turn their calls on in the morning and off at night by dialing a star code.

To set up Night Forwarding, enter a forwarding phone number and a number to identify the group. See also: Auto-Attendant Night Forwarding

Use Group Name in Caller ID

Allows the auto-attendant’s Group name to be included as part of the caller ID, so the user who receives the call knows where it originated from. Example: Sales Jane Smith. See also: Auto-Attendant Group Name in Caller ID

 

User Ring Strategy

Choose if calls will ring to all users at once or in order. 

AA_Group_Simultaneous.png

 

Group_Ring_Strategy_2.png

Simultaneous Ring

Rings all devices for users in the group at the same time. The first user to answer gets the call.

  1. Select Simultaneous.
  2. Click the drop-down and select a user to add to the group. Click [+ Add User] for additional users as needed. Click X to remove a user.
  3. In the Ring Timeout field, eEnter the number of seconds for the call to ring before the unanswered call follows the failure route.
  4. Ring next available line when user is busy: Toggle on or off.
    • Disabled: Incoming calls to the group will not ring to users who are already in a call.
    • Enabled: Incoming calls will ring all users, regardless of their call status.
      • If the user has a single line with Call Waiting enabled, they will hear the Call Waiting tone for the call on the same line as the existing call.
      • If they have multiple lines for their number and are busy, the call will ring on an idle line.
  5. Scroll down and click [Save].

Sequential Ring

Rings one device in the group at a time in a specified order until the call is answered.

  1. Select Sequential.
  2. Users: Click the drop-down and select a user to add to the group. Click [+ Add User] for additional users as needed. Click X to remove a user.
  3. Timeout: For each user, select the number of seconds an incoming call will ring to that user before moving on to the next.
  4. Scroll down and click [Save].
User

Routes to a single user whose personal call handling settings will apply as normal, unless "Send calls directly to voicemail" is selected.

User_1.png

Field Description

User menu

Choose which user the incoming call will be directed to.

Send calls directly to user's voicemail

Bypasses the user's call handling rules and routes the call directly to the user's assigned voicemail box.

Directory

Allows the caller to dial a user in the directory using text to speech. When the caller reaches this point, they will hear, “Dial by last name” or “Dial by first name.” The caller will dial 3 or more characters of the user’s name and press #. If there is more than one matching user, the caller will select a user from a list of options.

Dial by…

Choose if callers can dial the user by their last name or first name.

Directory_1.png

Custom Audio

Optionally, upload custom audio prompts to provide callers with customized guidance. WAV files must be less than 5 MB. If a custom file is not used, the caller will hear the default prompts.

Directory_2.png

Failure Routing

A failure route is required in case the caller is unable reach the user they were looking for.

Directory_3.png

Field Description

Timeout (seconds)

Enter the number of seconds the call can be in the directory. (1-999)

Max Invalid Selections

Enter the number of invalid selections the caller can try before the call is redirected to the failure route. (1-10)

Hang Up

Terminates any call that reaches this point. Click Save to keep this route.

Hang_Up.png

Reference

A Reference when you redirect the call to another route. When a change is made in the original route, any references that use it will also be updated.

Choose which Group, Menu, Message, Schedule, or User a caller will be redirected to once they reach this point in the route, then click [Save].

Reference.png

Here's an example of a completed route:

AA_Example_Route.png

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