CPBX-Auto Attendant Advanced Controls

Adding an Auto Attendant

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If this is your first time setting up the Auto Attendant, clicking on the Attendant menu will ask you to add an Auto Attendant. Select the desired 'Auto Attendant number from the dropdown and click Add Auto Attendant.

Once created, the Auto Attendant section is divided up into five tabs and allows control of the Auto attendant's schedules and behaviors.

General

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Displays settings which can be adjusted for Working and Non-working hours. • If you have multiple Auto Attendants, you can switch between them using the dropdown above. • The center segment is where you can adjust behavior during on or off hours. Attendant Menu determines what Menu plays when calling the number listed. These are defined by the Menu tab. Operator determines which directory entry acts as "operator" when using the Transfer to operator action in the Menu tab. Voice Mailbox determines which extension's voicemail is used when the Voicemail action is selected in the Menu tab. • The bottom section is where Working Hours are defined, during which the column on the left will function. Hours outside of those defined will use the column on the right. NOTE: Open and Close can be set in 30 minute increments, and there must be a minimum of 30 minutes between working and nonworking hours. If you wish to maintain the same behavior at all times simply set both columns to match.

Directory

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Lists available extensions and the numbers they connect to. Subscriber lines will be listed below with the number they're under and their extension. Off network numbers, such as a cell phone or home phone number, can also be added as separate extensions for use in the menu system. To add a number to the directory: • Enter the extension where you wish to reach the number. It must be four digits. • Enter the first and last names as you wish them to appear in the directory below. • Enter the 10 digit phone number you want to ring when sending to this extension. • Click Add. A New Directory Added message should appear in the upper right to confirm it's successfully added the number. Existing directory entries can also be edited by clicking the Edit button next to an entry. This opens the Update Directory Item menu. Adjust the necessary fields and click Update.

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A Directory number updated message should appear to confirm it's successfully updated.

Menus

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Menus define what a caller who reaches your Auto Attendant will hear upon first calling in, and what extensions they can reach by dialing different keys. When first accessing the Menus tab, you'll be presented with the Add New Menu option and a list of current menus. If a menu has not been created: • Enter a Menu Name and Menu Description appropriate to the menu being added. • Click Add The menu should appear below. • Click Config You'll be taken to the menu configuration page.

Menu Configuration

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Menu Configuration gives access to ring behaviour and number of times it plays the prompt. Prompt Allows you to select a prompt from those available. Instructions on uploading prompts are in the next section Max Rings Determines the number of rings attempted at each extension. Max Tries Determines how many times the initial prompt will be played when the call reaches the prompt. If the prompt exceeds the Max Tries limit it will follow the Key Error command below.

Define Key Actions

While an Auto Attendant prompt is playing, keys 0-9, * and # can each be set to perform one of the actions below. Furthermore, an action can be set to occur if a person stays on the line too long and the prompt stops repeating due to exceeding the Max Tries limit. Actions often include an Action Parameter dropdown which further defines the Action.

Keys can be set in the following manner:

• Select a Key from the dropdown.

• Select an action.

• Select or fill in an Action Parameter, when applicable.

• Click Define

• Click Submit after defining your keys.

Actions are defined below:

• Go to Attendant

Sends the caller to another Auto Attendant with its own prompts and key actions.

Action Parameter allows the selection of currently available Attendant Menus. These can be added per the earlier step.

• Play Prompt

Plays a prompt which has been added to the Prompts menu, detailed in the next section. Allows for a second action after the prompt plays.

Action Parameter allows the selection of a prompt.

• Leave Message to Extension

The caller is sent straight to an extension's voicemail. Only works for extensions with a subscriber line.

Action Parameter allows the selection of an existing extension. They are listed in the dropdown by directory name.

• Leave Message to Email

Sends a caller to voicemail; this voicemail is then sent as an attachment to an email.

Action Parameter provides a space to enter an email.

• Leave Message- Ask user

Asks user to leave a message.

• Voicemail

Sends user to general voicemail box.

• Transfer to Operator

Transfers the caller to the Operator defined in the General tab.

• Collect and Dial

Leaves the key open to dial an extension directly. For instance, if extensions are 2001 and 2002, Collect and Dial should be set to the 2 key so callers can dial 2001 to reach the extension directly.

• Transfer to Extension

Sends the caller to an extension in the directory.

Action Parameter allows the selection of extension, including those forwarded to a non-subscriber line. They are listed in the dropdown by directory name.

• Directory

Uses text-to-speech to read the directory.

• Disconnect

Ends the call.

• Leave Message to Dialed Extension

Prompts the user to dial an extension to leave a voicemail at the extension dialed.

Prompts

The Prompts section allows the uploading and management of audio recordings which will play during different Auto Attendant menus. Prompts typically relay information regarding what keys to press in each menu.

• NOTE: Prompts must be recorded to match standards set by the Public Switch Telephone Network. For more information on recording auto attendant prompts please click here.

To add the prompt please note where it's located.

Click to enlarge	To add a prompt: • Enter a Prompt Name that can identify the prompt you're about to add. • Click Browse Next to Attendant Upload. This will take you to your file browser. • Locate the audio file you wish to use as a prompt, formatted as described above, and click Open. The Attendant Upload field will display the filepath for your prompt. • Click Add The newly added Prompt will appear in the Current Prompts list below.
Click to enlarge	From the Current Prompts list you can Download an existing prompt to review it. Rename an existing prompt. Delete an existing prompt to remove it from the account.
Click to enlarge	Renaming a prompt will bring up the Rename Prompt Section. To rename an existing prompt: • Enter a new name in the Attendant Name field. • Click Add. The new prompt name will appear in the Current Prompts list.

Overrides

To properly add a schedule override you need to Add the override first, and then Update it.

Add New Schedule Override

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Priotity

This needs to be a value between 1 and 10. 1 being the most important. 10 being the least important. Priority is used to determine which Override to use in the event that 2 or more Overrides are scheduled to be used at the same time.

Name

This is what you want the override to be called.

Description

A more detailed description of what the override is used for.

Add Schedule Override Config

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You will need to set the time frame you want to override to be in effect. Start Time The time you want the override to take effect. End Time The time you want the override to end. After you set the time frame for the override you will need to configure on what days you want it to take effect. Daily This allows you to have the ovverride take effect every X number of days Weekly This option allows you have have the override take effect on specific days of the week as well as allowing you to only have it take effect every X number of weeks or every week. Monthly This allows you to have the override take effect every month on a specific date Yearly This option allows you to schedule the override to take effect on a specific date every year. Useful for setting overrides based on holidays. The Start Date allows you to schedule the override for future use or if you want it to be evaluated immediately you can set the start date to the current date. The End By: field allows you to schedule the overrides expiration or when you want it to no longer be evaluated. If you wish for the Override rule to be evaluated until you disable it you can simply select No End Date Clicking Update will save the current configuration to the override.

Attendant Menu Override List

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This is where you will set which of your Auto Attendant menus will be overridden.

The Source Attendant Menu is the menu you would like to have changed and the Use Attendant Menu is what it will be replaced by while the override is in effect. You can change one, multiple or all of your Auto Attendant prompts for each override.

Select which menu you want overridden, select the menu you want it replaced with and click Assign.