in2pbx: IVR Guide

in2pbx allows you to route incoming calls to an Auto Attendant. You can create one or more IVR (Auto Attendant) on the system.

When calls are routed to an IVR, the system will play a recording prompting them what options the callers can enter such as “Welcome to XX, for sales press 1, for Technical Support press 2”.

Set an IVR prompt

When users call in the PBX IVR, the users would operate via the IVR prompt. The PBX system has one default IVR prompt, you can change the IVR prompt to your audio file.

  1. Go to Upload a custom prompt or record a custom prompt on the PBX web interface.
  2. Go to Settings > PBX > Call Features > IVR, edit your IVR.
  3. Select the Prompt to your custom prompt.
  4. Set the Prompt Repeat Count.
  5. Click Save and Apply.

Edit ‘Voicemail to Email’ Template

If you need to change one audio clip in the IVR prompt frequently. You can divide your IVR prompt into multiple audio clips, and change the desired audio clip when you need to change the IVR prompt.

For example, your IVR prompt is like the following:

” Thank you for calling in2tel. We are currently closed in observance of Holiday Name. We will return on Date. If you got something urgent, please press 1 to contact our support. To leave a voicemail, please press 2.”

The second sentence is what you would change frequently. You can divide the IVR prompt into 3 clips.

  • Clip 1: Thank you for calling in2tel.
  • Clip 2: We are currently closed in observance of Holiday Name. We will return on Date
  • Clip 3: If you got something urgent, please press 1 to contact our support. To leave a voicemail, please press 2.
  1. Go to Settings > PBX > Voice Prompts > Custom Prompts, click Upload to upload your IVR prompt clips.ivr-prompt-clips-in2pbx
  2. Go to Settings > PBX > Call Features > IVR, edit your IVR.
  3. Select the Prompt to the IVR prompt clip1.
  4. Click  IVR | in2tel, and select the Prompt to your IVR prompt clip2.
  5. Click  IVR | in2tel, and select the Prompt to your IVR prompt clip3.
    change-ivr-prompt-clip
  6. Click Save and Apply.

Next time, when you want to change the IVR prompt, you can change the desired prompt clip instead of changing the whole IVR prompt.

Change IVR prompt remotely

Users may need to change IVR prompt in an emergency (for example, unable to log in to the PBX in bad weather). in2pbx Cloud PBX allows users to change IVR prompt remotely without logging in to PBX with a computer, and just call in by phone and record a new greeting.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the PBX web interface, go to Settings > PBX > Call Features > IVR, and edit the desired IVR.
  2. Select the checkbox of Enable Remote IVR Feature Code.
  3. In the Password field, enter a password for authentication. C’s phone is ringing. After C answers the call, the call between you and C is established. At this time, the call between you and A is held.
  4. Click Save and Apply.

Result

Users can dial in IVR, enter the IVR prompt feature code (#9) and password, and follow the voice prompt to record a new IVR prompt on their phones. If the IVR prompt is replaced successfully, the previous voice prompt will be removed, and only the new voice prompt will be retained.

Set the IVR Keypress destination to an external number to route calls from IVR to an external number.

Scenarios

Forward Incoming Calls to an External Number with IVR is typical and important for 24×7 services, such as Doctor Answering Services and IT Support Services.

For Doctor Answering Services

When a patient calls in a hospital IVR, the patient can press a key to reach the external Doctor Answering Service to schedule an appointment or ask health questions and medical questions.

For IT Support Services

When your customers call in your office IVR after hours, you can give them an option to connect to an emergency support line. This emergency support line can be a Maintenance Engineer’s mobile phone number.

Before you begin

Update your IVR prompt that would instruct callers to press a key to the external number.

To update your IVR prompt, you can upload a custom prompt or record a custom prompt.

Procedures

  1. Log in PBX web interface, go to Settings > PBX > Call Features > IVR, edit your IVR.
  2. In the Basic tab, select the updated IVR prompt.
  3. In Key Press Event tab, select a key to set keypress destination to External Number.
  4. In the Prefix field, enter the prefix of the outbound route so that PBX can successfully route incoming calls to an external number
    • If the Strip of the outbound route is not set, you don’t have to set the Prefix.
    • If the Strip of the outbound route is set, you need to set the Prefix according to the Patterns of the outbound route.
  5. Enter the external number, such as a Doctor Answering Service number or a mobile phone number.ivr-to-external-number
  6. Click Save and Apply.

Block or limit dialling through an IVR

This topic describes how to restrict callers from direct dialling to extensions through an IVR.

Scenarios

An IVR can be used as a simple way to screen and answer incoming calls or direct callers to a specific destination. For the following scenarios, you may need to restrict callers from directly dialling extensions through an IVR.

Scenario 1: Blocking dialling to a boss’s extension

There is an IVR that allows callers to reach all the extensions in your office, but the boss only wants to answer calls forwarded by the secretary.

Scenario 2: Limit dialling to a specific department

There is an IVR specially set up for Sales Department, all the incoming calls to the IVR are expected to be routed to sales personnel.

Procedure

  1. Go to Settings > PBX > Call Features > IVR, click IVR | in2tel to edit an IVR.
  2. Click the Basic tab.
  3. In the Dial Extensions drop-down list, choose a type and select the desired extensions.
    • Restricted Extensions: To block callers from dialling to specific extensions, choose Restricted Extensions, and select the desired extensions from the Available box to the Selected box.
    • Allowed Extensions: To allow callers to reach specific extensions, choose Allowed Extensions, and select the desired extensions from the Available box to the Selected box.
  4. Click Save and Apply.

To raise a ticket for in2pbx, please email issue@in2tel.ie.

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