Incoming Calls dial plan examples
Incoming Calls features
Extensions
How to set up voicemail
Add an audio file
By default, our dial plans come with three hardcoded priorities which are reserved for: Call Recording, Call Blacklist and Caller ID. They cannot be edited and you can only add features starting from priority 4
In this article:
Ring all extensions and go to voicemail
1. Find your number's dial plan and click Add To
2. Complete the Add To form as follows:
Add To: Main Dial Plan
Priority Order: Add To End
Feature: Dial
Destination: Internal - Multiple Extensions
Extension Numbers: Select All
Announcement To Recipient: None (read more about Announcements)
Ringing Time: Enter your desired ringing time. 90 seconds is a good middle ground.
3. Submit your changes
4. Using the Add To form again, complete as follows:
Add To: Main Dial Plan
Priority Order: Add To End
Feature: Voicemail
Voicemail Extension Mailbox: Select your desired voicemail box
Play Unanswered Message?: Yes (read more about Voicemail Greetings)
Suppress Default Message?: Yes (If you are playing an unanswered message, you don't want the default message to play after)
5. Submit your changes
Ring a queue and go to voicemail
Read our article on how to add a queue
1. Find your number's dial plan and click Add To
2. Complete the Add To form as follows:
Add To: Main Dial Plan
Priority Order: Add To End
Feature: Queue
Queue Name: Select your Queue
Ringing/Hold Music: Select whether your callers hear a ringing tone or your hold music (we prefer music)
Announcement To Recipient: Select whether your queue agents hear a message when answering the phone (read more about Announcements)
Select Announcement: Select your announcement audio file
Ringing Time: Enter the maximum amount of time callers will wait in your Queue (5 minutes is good)
3. Submit your changes
4. Using the Add To form again, complete as follows:
Add To: Main Dial Plan
Priority Order: Add To End
Feature: Voicemail
Voicemail Extension Mailbox: Select your desired voicemail box
Play Unanswered Message?: Yes (read more about Voicemail Greetings)
Suppress Default Message?: Yes (If you are playing an unanswered message, you don't want the default message to play after)
5. Submit your changes
IVR Menu
First, you need an audio file containing a greeting and your IVR options to create a good IVR menu. The file is uploaded using the IVR Recordings page in Metis.
1. Find your number's dial plan and click Add To
Add To: Main Dial Plan
Priority Order: Add To End
Feature: Background (Background plays the audio whilst registering the caller's keystrokes)
Sound File: Select your audio file
3. Submit your changes
Add To: Main Dial Plan
Priority Order: Add To End
Feature: Wait (Caller Input)
Wait Time For Call Input: 5 seconds is usually enough
5. Submit your changes
6. Using the Add To form again, we will start adding the IVR Options which include a Queue and then a voicemail box. Complete as follows:
Add To: IVR Options
Option: Add New
New Option: 1
Feature: Queue
Queue Name: Select your queue
Ringing/Hold Music: Select whether your callers hear a ringing tone or your hold music (we prefer music)
Announcement To Recipient: Select whether your queue agents hear a message when answering the phone (read more about Announcements)
Ringing Time: Enter the maximum amount of time callers will wait in your Queue (5 minutes is good)
7. Submit your changes
8. Using the Add To form again, we will add the Voicemail step to follow the Queue. Complete as follows:
Add To: IVR Options
Priority Order: Add To End
Existing Option: 1
Priority Order: Add To End
Feature: Voicemail
Voicemail Extension Mailbox: Select your mailbox
Play Unanswered Message?: Yes (read more about Voicemail Greetings)
Suppress Default Message?: Yes (If you are playing an unanswered message, you don't want the default message to play after)
9. Submit your changes
IVR Menu Error Handling
You can add dial plan steps to accommodate callers entering the wrong input, or taking too long to enter an option. In cases of wrong input or caller timeout, we recommend routing them back to the IVR menu to hear the options again.
1. Find your number's dial plan and click Add To
Option: Add Error Handling
Error Handling Type: Invalid Selection
Feature: Go-To
Number: Select the number you are working on
Option: Main
Priority Order: Select the Priority Order of your IVR menu
Add To: IVR Options
Option: Add Error Handling
Error Handling Type: Timeout (No Caller Input)
Feature: Go-To
Number: Select the number you are working on
Option: Main
Priority Order: Select the Priority Order of your IVR menu