Create a Busy Auto Attendant
Learn more about busy auto attendants and see if creating a busy auto attendant could optimize your call flow.
Written by Val Campos
Updated at August 30th, 2024
Table of Contents
Why Use a Busy Auto Attendant?
A busy auto attendant is a commonly used auto attendant that plays callers a message. This message will usually inform callers that agents may be handling other calls. Some companies may include a comfort message that lets callers know that their call is important.
✔ When a call queue is experiencing a large call volume and agents are not able to answer calls in time, the call queue could route any unanswered calls to a busy auto attendant.
Configure the Auto Attendant
To implement this type of auto attendant, the following will need to be done:
- Create a new auto attendant.
- Set up a menu prompt for the auto attendant.
- Configure the dial pad menu's options.
- (Optional) Adjust any extra settings for the auto attendant.
Step 1: Add the Auto Attendant
- Navigate to the Auto Attendants page.
- Click the Add Attendant button.
- In the Add an Auto Attendant modal, fill in the following information:
- Name - Type in a descriptive name for the auto attendant.
-
Extension - Type in an extension number that is not in use.
Quick Tip: Extension numbers in the 8100s are recommended for auto attendants. It is also good practice to keep your Auto Attendants in sequential order by organizing them in number ranges.
For example, if you have an Auto Attendant already created that is extension 8100, then the next New Auto Attendant would be created as 8101, then 8102, and so on.
- Time Frame - Select default (all the time).
- Click the Add button when finished.
✔ Clicking Add will pop up a new screen for configuring the new auto attendant's prompt and dial pad menu options.
Step 2: Create a Busy Message
- Click the Manage Audio
icon.
- In the Manage Audio modal, create a greeting using either of these methods:
- Use the Text-To-Speech tool.
-
Upload a greeting from your PC.
WARNING: The audio file should be a 16-bit WAV (8Khz, Mono, 16-Bit PCM) file.
Convert an Audio File Using G711.org
To convert the audio file, you can use a free site named g711.org. To do so…
1. Visit g711.org.
2. In the Source File section, click the Browse button.
3. Select the audio file to be converted.
4. In the Output Format section, ensure that the Standard Definition option is selected.
5.Click the Submit button.
✔ Doing so will pull up a new page with a link.
6. Right-click the link and select Save link as.
7. In the File name box, type a name for the converted audio file and then click the Save button.
DANGER: Not converting the music file can cause catastrophic issues for your phone system.
-
Record a greeting by sending a call to be recorded to a phone.
- Use the Text-To-Speech tool.
- Once completed, click the Save button.
Step 3: Set Up the Dial Pad Menu Options
- In the Dial Pad Menu section, click a Dial Pad Menu number.
-
Select an application to use for that number.
Available Dial Pad Menu Options
User
This menu option will take the caller to the extension entered.
You can search the internal user by name or the extension number.
The Caller ID Prefix will add text to the front of the caller ID.
Conference
This option will take the caller to a specified Conference Bridge.
To add this option, type in the name or the extension number of the Conference Bridge. Click Save to completely add in this option.
Call Queue
This will menu option will take the caller to a Call Queue specified in the field below.
Select a call queue by typing in the name or the extension of the particular call queue.
Using the extra options, users can add in an announcement message of how many callers are in the queue, or how long the expected wait time is for callers.
The Caller ID Prefix will add text to the front of the caller ID.
– This option can be handy for labeling calls originating from certain phone numbers on the account.
– This option is also commonly used for labeling calls with the name of the department the call is going to.Directory
This menu option will take the caller to the Dial-by-Name Directory.
From the dial-by-name directory, callers will be able to look up a user using the first 3 letters of either their first or last name.
Note: By default, the dial-by-name directory searches users by last name.
To adjust the directory to search by first name, please contact our technical support team by calling (469) 429-2500 or emailing support@spectrumvoip.com.
Voicemail
This menu option will take the caller to the specified User's Voicemail to leave a message.
To select a specific user's voicemail, type in the name or the extension of a specific voicemail box.
Voicemail Management
This will take the caller to a directory-like menu where they can access a specific voicemailbox.
The Voicemail Management prompt will ask for the extension number of the mailbox and that extension's voicemail PIN.
External Number
This option will take the caller to an external 10-digit phone number.
Type in the phone number you want the system to dial when pressing this option.
Play a Message
This will take the caller to recorded message.
You will need to provide the message that the system will play the caller. In order to add in this audio…
1) Click the Manage Audio icon.
✔ Clicking this icon will pull up the Manage Audio menu.
2) In the Description box, type a name for the greeting.
3) Add in the audio file by either uploading an audio file (in a WAV file, mono channel, and 8000 Hz format) or recording a greeting.
– Upload: Click the Browse button and select a formatted audio file from your PC. Click the Save button.DANGER: The audio file needs to be in a WAV file, mono channel, and 8000 Hz format to be properly read in the phone system.
To convert your audio file, use this handy website:
G711.org - Telephony File Converter
When using this website to convert the file, select the Standard Definition option for the Output Format.– Record: Type in an extension number or a phone number to send a call to. Follow the phone call's prompts to record the message.
4) Click Save to add the message.
5) Use the After the message plays drop-down to select the caller's next destination.
– Select Repeat the greeting prompt from the drop-down to route the call back to the main menu.
Repeat Prompt
Using this option will replay the main greeting.
Add Tier
This menu option will give callers another menu to route the calls without creating another auto attendant.
Note: The max number of tiers you can have is 1; however, each Dial Pad Menu option can have its own extra tier.
- Fill in and select any options shown for the application selected.
Note: Depending on the application selected on step 2, the options shown will differ.
- If needed, click Remove to remove the dial pad menu option being configured.
- Once completed, click the Save button.
(Optional) Adjust Extra Options
While setting up an Auto Attendant, there are extra settings that can be adjusted to fine-tune how the Auto Attendant acts.
Click the Options button 
on the right to pull up the Options menu where the basic and speech keyword settings can be adjusted.
Basic Options
There are several, basic settings that can be adjusted to customize an auto attendant. Each of these settings affects how the auto attendant will handle a call under certain circumstances.
Basic Options to Adjust
Dial by Extension
The Dial by Extension feature allow callers in an auto attendant to dial the extension number of an employee to skip past using the options.
Quick Tip: Disabling Dial by Extension ensures that callers can only follow the auto attendant's options.
This setting is enabled by default and can be easily switched by clearing the checkbox.
If no key is pressed
If the caller does not select an option before the timeout expires, you can route the call to repeat the greeting, go to an option that is already set, or hang up the call.
If unassigned key is pressed
Using this option, you can route callers that press an unassigned key to either hear a repeated greeting, go to an option that is already set, or hang up the call.
Timeout before first key press
This option determines how long the auto attendant will wait before recognizing any key presses.
Note: By default, the system will wait 3 seconds before recognizing keys pressed.
Timeout after the last key press
Unlike the first key press, this option determines how long the auto attendant will wait after the last key press to register another key press.
Note: By default, the system will wait 3 seconds before registering another key press.
Maximum key presses to collect
You can use this option to set a limit for how many keys can be pressed.
Speech Keywords
Speech Keywords are used by the Auto Attendant to trigger routing whenever it hears a certain word or phrase spoken by the caller. Each dial pad option can have multiple keywords/phrases implemented.
Add Keywords and Phrases…
Whenever you add a dial pad menu option, an entry will populate in the Speech Keywords section of the Options modal:
These options can be clicked to show a field for entering in a word or phrase:
Using the Add a keyword or phrase box, type in what you would like the system to listen for to route calls to this selected option.
Click the Done button to save these changes. 
Add a Busy Auto Attendant to Call Routing
There are different ways that calls can be routed to the busy auto attendant.
Use the module below to learn more about the most common methods for adding a busy auto attendant into a company's call routing.
Route a Queue's Unanswered Calls
If a company prefers not to use the callback feature of a queue, they may instead route a queue's unanswered calls to a busy auto attendant.
What is the Callback Feature for Queues
If needed, a queue can have callbacks enabled. The callback feature will have an automated menu give callers the option to leave a voicemail, request a callback, or return to the queue.
When a caller selects to leave a voicemail, they are taken to the mailbox of the queue itself. If the caller requests a callback, they will be prompted to enter the phone number that should be called back by an agent. When a caller selects the option to return to the queue, they will return to the queue in the same spot they were in before.
Quick Tip: A company may prefer to utilize a busy auto attendant over the callback feature for the following reasons:
• They do not want callers leaving a message in the queue's mailbox. They may want callers to leave messages in a general mailbox or a user's mailbox instead.
• They want callers to be able to select from multiple mailboxes to leave a message with.
• They do not want agents to handle callback calls.
• They want to encourage callers to call back at a later time.
• They want callers to hear a custom message that may include alternate ways for callers to contact their team.
• They want to include a comfort message in the busy auto attendant's greeting.
If you want a queue's unanswered calls to be sent to a busy auto attendant, you can do so by doing the following:
1. Navigate to the Queues page.
2. Click the name of the queue or the Edit Queue 
icon next to the queue.
3. In the Edit Queue menu, navigate to the In Queue Options tab.
3. Check to make sure the imeout matches how long (in seconds) you want callers waiting in the queue before being forwarded to the busy auto attendant.
Quick Tip: The Queue Ring Timeout can be set in increments of 5 seconds. 5 seconds is equivalent to 1 ring.
For this example, the queue will ring for 30 seconds, which is 6 rings.
4. Ensure that the If unanswered dropdown is set to Forward to destination.
5. In the Forward Destination box, type and select the name or extension number of the busy auto attendant.
6. Click the Save button. 
✔ Now when callers are waiting in the queue for longer than the set Queue Ring Timeout, callers will be sent to the busy auto attendant where they can select from the dial pad menu options you have created.
Route Calls for a Period of Time
For some businesses, they may want to use a busy auto attendant for callers that call during a specific time period. This could be for when the business has lunch, meetings, or any other events.
If your business needs callers sent straight to a busy auto attendant during a specific time, the following will need to be completed to add the Busy Auto Attendant into your call routing:
1. Add a Time Frame for the routing.
2. Create an Answering Rule that will route calls to the busy auto attendant when the time frame is active.
Step 1: Add a Time Frame
To tell the system when calls will need to go to the busy auto attendant, a time frame will need to be created,
To create a time frame…
1. Navigate to the Time Frames page.
2. Do one of the following:
• Click the name of the user that needs a time frame.
• In the search bar, type and select the ion number of the user that needs a time frame.
• If you are adding a time frame for your business' routing, click the name of your business instead:
Quick Tip: If you are not able to see the user you are trying to add a time frame for, deselect Hide Users Without Time Frames.
3. Click the Add Time Frame button. 
4. In the Add a Timeframe menu, do the following:
• Name - Type a unique name for identifying this time frame. 
• When - Select the type of time frame to be created.
Options for When
• Always - If the time frame should be active until it is disabled, select Always.
• Days of the week and times - Select this if the time frame will be active on a recurring basis (same time and day every week).
– To add a break in the time that the time frame is active on a certain day, click the Add range 
icon.
• Specific dates or ranges - Click the boxes or Calendar icons to select the date(s) and times the time frame will be active for. 
– Click the Add date range button to add more dates.
5. Click the Save button. 
6. To add more time frames, repeat steps 3-5.
Step 2: Create an Answering Rule
Now that a time frame has been created, an answering rule can be added that will route calls to the busy auto attendant when the time frame is active.
To add an answering rule for routing…
1. Navigate to the Users page.
2. In the search bar, search for the user by name or extension number.
Note: If you are adjusting your business' call routing, find the Inbound Routing User for the location.
3. Click the Edit 
icon and select Answering Rules.
4. On the user's Answering Rules page, click the Add Rule button. 
5. In the Add an Answering Rule menu, do the following:
• Time Frame - Select the time frame that the busy auto attendant will be used for.
• Call Forwarding - Select Always and in the box, type the extension number of the busy auto attendant.
6. Click the Save button.
7. You should see the answering rule appear above the Default answering rule.
8. Click and drag the triangle icons to move this answering rule to the top.
✔ A message should appear letting you know that the answering rules have been reprioritized before prompting you to click Save like so:
9. Click the Save button.
✔ Now when that time frame is active, calls will be sent to the busy auto attendant for that user or the business, depending on if you have adjusted the answering rules for a user or the inbound routing user.