=============== Auto Attendants =============== Auto Attendants are the IVR routing workhorses of most PBX systems, greeting users, routing calls etc. .. contents:: :local: How Auto Attendants work ------------------------ All auto attendants have an Extension, one or more schedules, and one or more menus. Schedules ============= Schedules are matched from top to bottom. The first matching schedule will get the call. Make sure to order them in the order you want them checked. A schedule contains * An array of criteria, ALL of which must be matched for that schedule to apply. * A target Menu * Optionally a destination to try BEFORE sending the call to the target menu .. important:: An empty schedule is always active you can use this to easily create a default schedule .. important:: Always move your empty, always on, schedule, to the bottom or no schedules AFTER them will ever be reached Menus ============= Menus play a greeting, then allow the user to enter digits to drive actions: :Exit: Exits the IVR and hangs up the call :Play: Plays a media file from the accounts media library :Menu-Up: Goes back to the last menu (if you got here via menu-sub) :Menu-Sub: Sends the call to another menu (will play a new greeting and offer different options) :Menu-top: Sends the call back to the menu they entered the IVR from :Transfer: Sends the call to an extension in the account (User, Group, another IVR, OnCall group etc) :External Transfer: Sends the call to the digits entered (usually a 10 digit phone number :Collect and Dial: Takes any matching digits entered and dials them in the account (usually used for allowing callers to dial by extension :Dial by Name: A voice application that will allow callers to enter the leading characters of the name of the person they are looking for and then will read them back matches using text to speech. When a match is confirmed the caller is transferred to the matches extension. Details on this can be found `here `__ Auto Attendant Call Flow ======================== When a call comes to an attendant * First we will begin matching schedules, from top to bottom. * The first schedule where ALL of the schedule criteria is matched gets the call * IF the schedule has it configured we will ring the defined extension for the defined number of seconds before sending the call to a menu * The call is now dropped into the menu specified on the schedule. * We will play that menus greeting and accept user input. * At some point the call will either be routed to a service or the caller will hang up. Manual Overrides (night mode) ============================= Frequently an Auto Attendant will need to have behavior toggled manually by staff, to play an open or closed menu when the staff is ready as opposed to by pre-determined schedule. In this case the administrator can setup a pre-determined manual-override menu that can be switched on or off by staff. * First the IVR must be override enabled by enabling manual override and setting what menu we will use for manual override (often a after hours menu) * Next we can optionally pin protect the switch requiring the user to enter a pen. Not doing this will allow anyone on the system to toggle the IVR * To make the switch, dial \*487 (it spells \*IVR) and follow the instructions Auto Attendant Parameters ------------------------- When creating a new attendant you MUST first build a schedule that defines when the attendant is active. ``Name`` ============= A descriptive name for the attendant ``Extension`` ============= The extension of the attendant ``Tags`` ============= Tags to be applied to all calls passing through the IVR Manual Override Parameters --------------------------- These are parameters on the whole IVR that govern the manual override toggle feature ``IVR Manual Override`` ======================== This enables or disables the manual override ``Override Menu`` ======================== Which menu will be used for manual overrides. ``Override PIN`` ======================== The PIN for activating or de-activating manual overrides ``Override Notify`` ======================== A comma separated list of emails to notify when override is activated or de-activated Schedule Parameters ------------------------- Schedules can be very simple or incredibly complex depending on the needs. ``Name`` ============= A name describing the schedule ``Menu`` ======== What menu this schedule will route to ``Weekdays`` ============ When using simple configuration, what weekdays the schedule will be active ``Start and End time`` ====================== When using simple configuration, what times the schedule should be active between. ``From and To year`` ====================== What years the schedule can apply to. IF only FROM is populated it is only valid during that year ``From and To Month`` ====================== What months the schedule can apply to. IF only FROM is populated it is only valid during that month ``From and To Month Week`` ========================== What weeks of the month the schedule will apply to. IF only FROM is populated it is only valid during that week :Example: Using Month Week 4 and Thursday and November will give you Thanksgiving ``From and To Week`` ========================== This is the week of the year where 1 = the week containing January 1. IF only FROM is populated it is only valid during that week Other valid input are :Even: Even is evenly numbered weeks of the year :Odd: Odd is Oddly numbered weeks of the year :Other: Every other week as defined as evenly numbered weeks counting from 1-1-1970 ``From and To Hour`` ========================== This is the hour of the day. 0-23. IF only FROM is populated it is only valid during that hour ``From and To Minute`` ========================== This is the minute of the hour. 0-60. IF only FROM is populated it is only valid during that minute ``DateTime range`` ========================== You can specify a From datetime and a to datetime, between which the schedule will match. :Example: From 12/31/2018 05:00pm To 1/6/2019 08:00am will make this schedule from 5pm on new years eve 2018 until 8am January 6th 2019 ``From to Year Day`` ========================== This is the day of the year. 1-365. IF only FROM is populated it is only valid during that day ``From to Minute of Day`` ========================== This is the minute of the day 1-1440. IF only FROM is populated it is only valid during that minute Menu Parameters ------------------------- ``Name`` ========= The name of the menu ``Greeting`` ============ What greeting file to play on this menu ``Timeout`` =========== How many milliseconds (1000 = 1 second) to wait after the greeting for the user to make a selection. ``Max Failures`` ================ How many incorrect entries to allow before hanging up the call ``Max Timeouts`` ================ How many timeouts to allow before hanging up the call Script Examples ------------------------- Menus can do many things, including: * Transfer to extensions * Dial by extension number * Transfer to mailbox * Transfer to an external 10-digit phone number * Play recorded information * Transfer to another menu Here are some typical examples of menu scripts to help you get started. Feel free to modify as you see fit. Just keep in mind, menus can only do what they can do. The examples below are fair game and there are lots of possibilities. ``Menus vs. Voicemail`` ======================= Keep in mind the difference between Menus and Voicemail boxes. Voicemail boxes have a single greeting that plays 24/7/365 until the user changes it. Once a caller is directed to a voicemail box, they no longer are in a Menu and therefore it is not possible for them to have menu options (push 1, push 2). Any time you present a caller with an option to make a selection, they must be in a Menu. So for example, this is not possible in a voicemail box: :Example: “Hi you have reached Susan Booth’s voicemail. I have stepped away from my desk at the moment, and will return your call promptly. Please leave me a message. Or if you would like to speak with the front desk, press zero.” ``Main Menu Examples`` ====================== :Example 1: "Hello. You have reached the office of Dr. John Smith. If this is a life-threatening emergency, please hang up and dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. If you have a routine matter and would like to leave a message for the office please press 1. If you have an urgent matter and you need to reach the on-call provider please press two." :Example 2: “Thank you for calling Austin Therapy. If you are interested in becoming a potential new patient for Dr. Smith, please press 1. If you are an established patient, provider or pharmacy, please press 2. If this is a psychiatric emergency please call 911 or go to your nearest ER. If you are in crisis and would like to speak to someone, please call the mid valley crisis center at 714-555-1212 Thank you and have a great day.” :Example 3: "Thank you for calling the office of Dr. John Smith. If this is a life-threatening emergency, please hang up and dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. If you know your party’s extension, you may dial it now. To schedule an appointment, please press 1. For medical records please press two. For billing, please press three. To talk to the nurse, please press 4. For general office information, including office hours, our fax number, directions, and our email address, please press 5. For all other issues, please stay on the line and you will be connected to the front desk” ``After Hours Example`` ======================= :Example 1: "Thank you for calling the office of Dr. John Smith. If this is a life-threatening emergency, please hang up and dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. Our office is presently closed. Our office hours are 9am-5pm Monday through Friday. To leave a message for the appointment desk, please press 1. For medical records please press two. For billing, please press three. For the nurse, please press 4. For general office information, including office hours, our fax number, directions, and our email address, please press 5. If you have an urgent matter and need to speak to the on-call physician, please press 9. For all other issues, please stay on the line and you will be connected to the general voicemail box. Once again, thank you for calling the office of Dr John Smith” ``OnCall Greeting Example`` =========================== :Example 1: "You have reached the after hours on call service for Dr John Smith. This line is for urgent calls only. Please listen closely to the instructions. When done leaving your information, press pound and stay on the line for further instructions.”