Build your main phone menu (auto attendant)

A phone menu (IVR) answers your calls with a greeting like "For sales, press 1. For support, press 2." and sends each caller to the right place. You can build one menu for your main line or chain several together.

Some labels in your portal or apps may look slightly different from this guide.

Before you start

Sketch the menu on paper first: what each key does, where callers go if they press nothing, and what happens after hours. Create any ring groups or users the keys point to before you build the menu. If your menu needs steps before the choices, such as an announcement or a pause, use the menu tree builder instead.

Record the greeting

A menu needs a greeting before you can save it. To record one from a desk phone:

1. 1
   Step 1:

   Dial the greeting code

   Dial *301 and wait for the tone.

2. 2
   Step 2:

   Speak your greeting

   Read your script, then press # to stop.

3. 3
   Step 3:

   Keep it

   Press 1 to save it. Press 2 to listen first, or 3 to record again. Nothing is saved until you press 1.

The recording is saved with a name based on today's date, so note the date. To use a studio recording instead, contact support.

Create the menu

1. 1
   Step 1:

   Open the phone menus page

   In the admin portal, open IVR and select Add IVR.

2. 2
   Step 2:

   Name and number it

   Enter an IVR Name, such as Main menu, and an IVR Number. Coworkers can dial that number to reach the menu from inside.

3. 3
   Step 3:

   Pick the greeting and type

   Choose your recording in Greeting. Leave IVR Type on Standard IVR for a press 0 to 9 menu. Choose the right menu type covers the others.

4. 4
   Step 4:

   Set up each key

   For each key you use, pick a Destination Type and then the Destination, for example key 1 to a ring group and key 2 to one user.

5. 5
   Step 5:

   Decide what happens if callers press nothing

   Under Show Advanced Options, set Play Greeting to the number of times the menu repeats, then choose a Timeout Destination. Tick Is Voicemail to send those callers to that user's voicemail.

6. 6
   Step 6:

   Save

   Save the menu. Dial its number from your desk phone to try every key.

Then ask CallSprout support to point your phone number at the menu so outside callers reach it.

Where a key can send callers

• Another phone menu. Use this for submenus, like a support menu behind key 2.
• A menu tree. Send callers into a menu you built in the menu tree builder.
• A user or a ring group. A ring group can be an enhanced ring group, which comes with every plan and is the model Contact Center Lite runs on.
• Voicemail. Pick the user whose mailbox records it.
• Directory. Callers find someone by spelling their name. See add a dial by name directory.
• A conference room.
• An AI voice agent. Use the agent's dial number. See use AI voice agents in your call flow.
• Fax to email. Needs the Fax add-on.
• A queue. Contact Center Pro only.

The menu can also offer keys that reach outside numbers or let callers dial out through your system. Because of the toll fraud risk, CallSprout support sets those keys up. Contact support if you need one.

Fine tune it

These settings are also under the advanced options.

• Rings to Answer sets how many rings callers hear before the menu picks up.
• RTP Delay adds a short pause before the greeting so its first words aren't cut off. A delay of a few seconds is usually enough.
• Response Timeout is the time callers get to choose a key once the greeting finishes.

Change the greeting later

Dial *303 followed by the menu number to record a new greeting and put it straight into that menu. You don't need to sign in to the portal. CallSprout support limits the greeting codes to the extensions you choose, so tell support which ones should have them.

Turn a menu off for a while

Set Status to Off and pick an Operator Extension. All calls go to that extension until you turn the menu back on, and your setup stays saved.