IVR Menus

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) menus let callers navigate your phone system by pressing digits on their keypad. A typical IVR greets the caller and offers options like "Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support."

Overview

The IVR page lists all configured menus with their name, number of options, and assigned audio prompt. Each menu can be used standalone or as a node inside a Call Flow.

Creating an IVR Menu

1. Navigate to PBX and select IVR

   From the main navigation, click PBX and select IVR.

2. Click Create IVR

   Click the Create IVR button in the top-right corner.

3. Configure the menu settings

   Fill in the general settings:

   Field	Description	Required
   Name	A descriptive name for the menu (e.g., "Main Menu")	Yes
   Audio Prompt	The greeting audio file played to callers	Yes
   Timeout	Seconds to wait for caller input before retrying (default: 5)	No
   Max Retries	How many times to replay the prompt on no input or invalid input (default: 3)	No
   Invalid Input Audio	Audio played when the caller presses an unmapped digit	No
   Timeout Audio	Audio played when the caller does not press anything	No

4. Map digit options

   For each digit you want to use (0-9, *, #), select a routing destination:

   Destination Type	Description
   Extension	Ring a specific agent's extension
   Queue	Send the caller into a call queue
   Another IVR	Chain to a sub-menu for deeper navigation
   Ring Group	Ring a group of extensions
   Voicemail	Send to a voicemail box
   External Number	Transfer to an outside phone number
   Announcement	Play a message and hang up or return

5. Save the IVR menu

   Click Save. The menu is now available for assignment to a DID number or use inside a Call Flow.

IVR Behavior

Timeout Handling

When a caller does not press any digit within the configured timeout period, VoiceCenter replays the prompt. After exhausting the maximum retries, the call is routed to the timeout fallback destination if one is set, or the call is disconnected.

Invalid Input

If a caller presses a digit that has no mapped destination, the system plays the invalid-input audio (or a default message) and replays the main prompt. After max retries, the fallback destination applies.

Nested Menus

You can chain IVR menus together for multi-level navigation. For example, pressing 1 at the main menu could route to a "Sales Department" sub-menu with its own set of options. Keep nesting to two or three levels at most to avoid caller frustration.

Audio Prompts

IVR menus require audio files for the greeting prompt. You can upload and manage these in Audio Files. Supported formats include MP3 and WAV.

Using IVR in Call Flows

IVR menus can also be added as nodes in the visual Call Flow editor. When used inside a flow, the IVR node's digit outputs connect to other nodes on the canvas, giving you full visual control over routing logic.