IVRs (Interactive Voice Response)
📖 Introduction
An IVR (Interactive Voice Response) is an automated phone menu that greets callers and directs them to the right destination based on what button they press.
Example: "Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support, Press 3 for Billing..."IVRs are one of the most important features of a professional phone system. They provide a consistent experience for callers and reduce the workload on receptionists.
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🎯 Common Use Cases
| Scenario | Solution | |
|---|---|---|
| Main company number | Route callers to different departments | |
| After-hours calls | Play custom message and send to voicemail | |
| Call screening | Require callers to press a key to reach a human | |
| Multi-language support | "Press 1 for English, Press 2 for Spanish" | |
| Self-service | Check account balance, order status, etc. |
📋 Prerequisites
- [ ] Audio file recorded for the welcome message (or TTS configured)
- [ ] Destinations ready (extensions, ring groups, queues, etc.)
- [ ] Plan for what each digit should do
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🖥️ Accessing the Module
Navigation:PBX → Applications → IVRs
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📝 Form Fields
General Tab
| Field | Description | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Internal identifier for this IVR | Main Menu | |
| Extension | Optional extension number to reach this IVR directly | 8000 | |
| Description | Notes about this IVR's purpose | Main company greeting | |
| Language | Language for system prompts | English | |
| Enabled | Turn IVR on/off | Yes |
Greeting Tab
| Field | Description | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greeting Type | Recording = audio file, TTS = text-to-speech | Recording | |
| Greeting File | Audio file to play | welcome.wav | |
| TTS Text | Text to speak if using TTS | Welcome to Acme Corp... | |
| Greeting Timeout | How long to wait after greeting (seconds) | 5 |
Options Tab
| Field | Description | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input Timeout | Seconds to wait for caller to press a digit | 10 | |
| Max Retries | How many times to replay menu on invalid input | 3 | |
| Invalid Message | What to play when wrong digit pressed | That option is not valid... | |
| Max Timeout Action | What to do if no input received | Go to Extension 0 | |
| Direct Dial | Allow callers to dial extensions directly | Yes | |
| Direct Dial Prefix | Prefix to dial an extension (e.g., 101 for ext 101) | |
Digit Options
Add an option for each menu choice:
| Digit | Destination Type | Destination | Timeout | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ring Group | Sales Team | 30 | |
2 | Queue | Support Queue | 60 | |
3 | Extension | 1001 (Billing) | 25 | |
0 | Extension | 1000 (Operator) | 30 | |
| IVR | Language Select | - |
🚀 Practical Example: Main Company IVR
Scenario
Create a main menu for incoming calls that:
- Welcomes callers
- Routes to Sales (1), Support (2), Billing (3), or Operator (0)
- Allows direct extension dialing
Step 1: Create the IVR
Go to PBX → Applications → IVRs and click + Add.
Step 2: Configure General Settings
| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Main Menu | |
| Extension | 8000 | |
| Enabled | Yes |
Step 3: Configure Greeting
| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting Type | Recording | |
| Greeting File | main_greeting.wav |
"Thank you for calling Acme Corporation. Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support, Press 3 for Billing, or Press 0 for an operator. If you know your party's extension, you may dial it at any time."
Step 4: Configure Options
| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Input Timeout | 10 | |
| Max Retries | 3 | |
| Max Timeout Action | Extension: 1000 (Operator) | |
| Direct Dial | Yes |
Step 5: Add Digit Options
| Digit | Type | Destination | |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ring Group | Sales Team | |
2 | Queue | Support Queue | |
3 | Extension | 1001 (Billing) | |
0 | Extension | 1000 (Operator) |
Step 6: Save and Test
- Click Save
- Call your main number
- Verify the greeting plays
- Test each digit option
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💡 Tips & Best Practices
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I create a multi-level IVR?A: Create multiple IVRs and have digit options route to other IVRs. Example: Press 1 → Sales IVR (which has its own submenu).
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Q: Can I use text-to-speech instead of recording?A: Yes! Set Greeting Type to TTS and enter your text. The system will speak it automatically.
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Q: What audio formats are supported?A: WAV (recommended) and MP3. For best quality, use 8kHz or 16kHz mono WAV files.
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Q: How do I update the greeting without rebuilding the IVR?A: Simply upload a new audio file and save. The change takes effect immediately.
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🔗 Related Modules
- Announcements — Simple audio playback before routing
- Time Conditions — Route to different IVRs based on time
- Ring Groups — Route calls to multiple extensions
- Queues — Call center functionality
- Recording Management — Upload IVR audio files
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← Previous: Hot Desking | Next: Ring Groups →*