Introduction

Auto Attendants (AA) act as a main menu for callers. The menu can be the first step in your company’s call flow, an after-hours solution to give options when a call comes in outside business hours, or a redirect for callers to specific call queues, users, voicemails, and a dial-by-name directory. Auto Attendants can also be used to play pre-recorded messages.

This guide provides the steps to create, edit, and place your auto-attendant in your call flow.

Before we begin:

• You must have Office Manager privileges in the Portal.
• The best practice would be to use a unique numbering plan outside your normal extension range. 
• Common Range (80XX-81XX)

Basic Procedure:

In the portal, the components must be set up in the following order:

1. Create the Auto Attendant and specify the proper extension number.
2. Set the Menu Prompt.
3. Set the Menu to match the menu prompt from step 2.
4. Set the Auto-Attendant Options. 

How to Create and Configure a New Auto Attendant:

1. Navigate to the “Auto Attendants” section of the Connect Portal.
2. Click the “Add Attendant” button (upper right).
   
   
    
3. When the “Add an Auto Attendant” dialog box appears, enter the following:
   1. Name: Appropriate name of the AA.
   2. Extension: An extension number in the 8000 range. Avoid 911, or anything in the 5000 or 9000 range.
   3. Time Frame: Select the time frame that this AA applies to
      
      
       
4. Click the “Add” button. The Auto Attendant configuration screen will appear where you can set the Menu Prompt. You can set the optional “Intro Greeting” as well. Usually, the Menu Prompt is sufficient in most cases.
   
   
    
5. To set a menu prompt for your auto attendant, select the pencil icon to add a menu prompt. You have three options to add a greeting:
   1. Text-To-Speech: Type your message in the box and choose the voice you would like to use from the drop-down menu.
   2. Upload: Allows you to use a previously recorded message that you have saved locally.
   3. Record: Allows you to record a greeting by choosing an extension or phone number to call you at to record your message.
6. Set up your menu to match your menu prompt. Your options include:
   1. User: routes the call directly to the user you assign
   2. Conference: routes the call to the specific conference extension that you assign to the number.
   3. Call Queue: routes the call to a call queue for assistance.
   4. Directory: this would be your company’s directory and can be made available for callers to contact users.
   5. Voicemail: routes the call to a specific voicemail box (group or individual user.)
   6. Voicemail Management: can be used to allow users to call in and check their voicemail box.
   7. External Number: routes the call to an external phone number.
   8. Play Message: plays a message that you can either upload, record or use text-to-speech.
   9. Repeat Prompt: repeats the original menu prompt again.
   10. Add Tier: creates an additional tier of options and menu prompt. This can only be done once per auto attendant. 
       
       
        
7. Once your options match the instructions you gave in the menu prompt, review your options by clicking the “gear” icon to the right.
   
   
   
   These options give you the ability to set an action for if a caller does not make a choice or chooses a button that is not assigned an option. Click “Done” to exit the dialogue box.
    
8. Click “Save” to complete your new auto attendant.

You can place your new auto attendant within your company’s call flow by going to the “Inventory” section and clicking the phone number you want to associate the auto attendant with.