Displaying the Auto Attendants Page

All Auto Attendant tasks are performed from the Auto Attendants page. To display this page, click the Auto Attendants icon on the menu bar:

The following figure shows an example of the Auto Attendants page. Thebutton at the top-right side of the page refreshes the information.

Adding Auto Attendants

The following procedure describes how to add auto attendants.

• From the Auto Attendants page, click the Add Attendant button. The Add an Auto Attendant pop-up window appears.
  
• Complete the fields

• Click Continue. A page similar to the following appears.
  
   

• Complete the fields.

Setting	Description
Auto Attendant Name	This is the auto attendant name you entered on the previous page. Use this field to change the name if desired.
Extension	The read-only field shows the extension associated with this auto attendant that you entered on the previous page.
Intro Greetings	Click theicon to display the Manage Greetings pop-up window and play, upload, record, or delete greetings.
Menu Prompt	Click in the text box or click theicon to upload or record a menu prompt.
Dial Pad Menu	Routes calls to one of a variety of resources when a caller selects that option. Click a number, and then select an application fom the following pop-up: User = goes to a user (extension). Conference = goes to a conference bridge. Call Queue = goes to a call queue. Directory = goes to a dial-by-name directory. Voicemail = goes to a specific mailbox. Voicemail Management = allows outside staff to call in and retrieve voicemail. External Number = forwards to an external telephone number (for example, to send the caller to on-call staff). Play Message = commonly used for hours and directions. Repeat Prompt = replays the menu of options to the caller. Add Tier = adds a submenu with a new greeting and set of options.
Options	Click the Options button to open a pop-up window with the following options. Click Done when finished. Enable dial by extension = enable (check) or disable (uncheck) dial by extension. If no key is pressed = sets the default action if no key is pressed. If an unassigned key is pressed = sets the action. Timeout by First/Last/Maximum Keypress = Custom configurations for AA behaviour based on user-defined settings.

• Click Save

Recording Intro Greetings and Menu Prompts

2/19/2019 - When recording Intro Greetings and Menu Prompts, leave the Time Frame as "Default". This is required due to the feature currently behaving in such a way that will affect your ability to use timeframes in the inventory and other places. If used outside of the default timeframe, the feature will create duplicate unlabeled versions of the Automated Attendant per each recording.

Each auto attendant can have an optional introductory greeting that plays when a call is directed to the Auto Attendant, followed by the menu prompt. An example of an introductory greeting might be:
"Thank you for calling Acme Corporation. You've reached us outside normal business hours."
A menu prompt might be:
"Press 1 for sales, press 2 for marketing, or press 0 for operator assistance."
Separating intro greetings from menu prompts allows you to change greetings for holidays or night-time hours, for example, without re-recording the entire message.
To record an intro greeting:

• From the Auto Attendants page, click the icon next to Intro Greetings. A Manage Greetings pop-up window similar to the following appears.
  
• From this pop-up window:
  • To play a greeting, click the play icon.
  • To upload a new greeting, hover over it, then click the icon on the right side of the row. For New Greeting, click Upload. Click the Browse button, navigate to the MP3 or WAV file you want to use for your greeting, click the file, and click Open. Click Upload.
  • To record a new greeting, hover over it and click the icon on the right side of the row. For New Greeting, click Record. In the Call me at field, enter the number to call (either an extension or a telephone number such as your cell phone) and click Call. Your phone will be called. Record the new greeting at the prompt, and press # when you finish your recording.
  • To delete a recording, hover over it and click the icon at the far right of the row. At the confirmation prompt, click Yes to delete the recording or No to retain it.
  • When you finish, click Add Greeting, followed by Done.

To record a menu prompt:

• Use this option to upload a file for the Auto Attendants page; under Menu Prompt, click either the field "Click to add a new menu prompt" or click the icon next to the field. Either step displays a Manage Audio pop-up window similar to the following.
  
• Complete the fields

• Click Save in the Manage Audio pop-up window.

Editing Auto Attendants

There might be times when you need to edit auto attendants.

• From the Auto Attendants page, either:
  – Click a name
  OR
  – Hover over a name, then click theicon at the far right of the Auto Attendants page. For example:
  
• Either step displays a pop-up window similar to the following.
  
• Complete the fields.
• Click Save.

Multi-Language Support

The Auto Attendant system can handle multiple languages using a configurable greeting. It can better handle invalid user input as the system will redirect back to the same Auto Attendant that was called into. If you would like this enabled on your domain, please contact support.

• Log into the Portal with a scope of Office Manager or higher, navigate to the Auto Attendants tab and click on the edit (pencil) icon next to the auto attendant you wish to edit.
• Click on the specific numbered option you wish to add the Directory to and select the Directory option, as shown below.
  
• After selecting this option, a language drop-down menu will appear to the left of the Menu Prompt name box, as shown below.
  
• This allows you to select the language of the company directory message that is played, and also better redirection to the Auto Attendant the caller started for if an unexpected input is received.

Deleting Auto Attendants

You can delete it from the system if you no longer need an auto attendant.

• From the Auto Attendants page, hover over the auto attendant, then click theicon at the far right of the row. A confirmation prompt appears.
• Click Yes to delete the auto attendant or No to retain it.

Auto Attendant Best Practices

When configuring your auto attendant, observe the following best practices:

• Consider your callers. Do they know with whom they want to talk or what function they need (customer service, sales, and so on)? Considering your callers will help you determine how to configure your auto attendant.
• If callers know with whom they want to talk, assist them by providing options such as:
  – "Dial your party's extension at any time."
  – "Press x for a dial by name directory."
  – "Press x for the first available person/general voicemail."
  – "Press 1 for Bob, 2 for Susan," and so on. However, this approach does not scale well.
• If callers do not know a specific person but need a function, provide options such as:
  – "Press x for a dial by name directory."
  – "For sales, press 1."
  – "For customer service, press 2."
  – "For accounting, press 3."

Keep greetings brief. Do not flood callers with too much information (hours, directions, fax numbers). Instead, place that information into a "play message" option.

Flowchart