Creating an IVR Menu (Virtual Receptionist)

The IVR (Interactive Voice Response) Menu (also know as a Virtual Receptionist or Call Options), has three components:

1.  Greeting

2.  Default Options

3.  In-Call Options

 STEP 1: Record/Upload a Greeting

Your IVR Menu must have a greeting/recording associated with it; otherwise, the caller will just hear silence.

1.  Log into your PBX and navigate to Greetings > Recordings.

2.  To create a greeting, either:

a.  Upload Recording (WAV or MP3 format); or

b.  Record Via Extension on the phone system.

Click the Record Via Extension button and follow the on-screen instructions.

3.  Be sure to give your recording a name - this is for easy identification.

STEP 2: Create the IVR Menu

With the greeting created, let's create the IVR Menu and customize its default options.

1.  Navigate Call Control > Virtual Receptionists

2.  Click the  Add IVR Menu button.

General Tab:

a.  IVR Extension # - cannot be an existing ring group or extension number.

- This is required.  It can be a random number.

- To test this IVR Menu, dial the extension from one of your phones.

b.  IVR Name - give the IVR Menu a descriptive name that indicates the purpose, like "After-Hours IVR" or "Company Directory".

c.  Intro Recording - Assign the newly created recording, so the caller hears a message.

d.  Timeout Delay - Select how many seconds to wait for the caller's input before sending the caller to the Timeout Destination.

e.  Timeout Destination (two fields) - Although optional, if you do not specify a Timeout Destination, the IVR will repeat itself infinitely.

Advanced Tab:

a.  Enable Direct Dial - If you included "If you know your party's extension, you may dial it at any time" in your recording, setting this feature to ON is required. 

3.  Click the SUBMIT button to save your settings.

STEP 3: Define the In-Call Options

With the IVR Menu created, it's time tell the system where the caller should go if they push certain buttons.

1.  Navigate to Call Control > Virtual Receptionists.

2.  Locate the IVR Menu, and click the Manage link.

- You will see a list of numbers 0-9 and the * and # symbols - these are the possible buttons the caller might push.

-  Set them to various destinations in your PBX.

-  Make sure to align the destinations with what the Greeting says!

STEP 4: Route Callers to the IVR Menu

The IVR Menu now has a recording and some defined options.  The next-to-last step is to map a phone number to the IVR Menu.

1.  Navigate to Call Routing > Inbound

2.  Click the Edit link corresponding to the desired phone number.

3.  On the Call Flow tab:

a.  Set Voice Destination Type to Virtual Receptionist (IVR)

b.  Set Destination to the newly-defined IVR Menu.

4.  Click the SUBMIT button to save your settings.

STEP 5:  APPLY CHANGES

Click the Apply Changes () button.  This will make your changes go live.