Configuring auto attendants

An auto attendant can answer a telephone line or VoIP number, and can be included in the call cascade of a local extension, remote extension, or ring group.

An auto attendant can answer a call if the receptionist is away or if you do not have a receptionist. Each auto attendant has a message with options. The message tells the caller what the options are. You can load a professionally pre-recorded message, or can record a message using a handset.

Auto attendant limits on FVE models

Model	Auto attendant
FVE-20E2 and FVE-20E4	5
FVE-50E5 and FVE-VM-50	5
FVE-100E, FVE-100F, and FVE-VM-100	10
FVE-200F and FVE-VM-200	20
FVE-300E	30
FVE-500E, FVE-500F, and FVE-VM-500	50
FVE-1000E and FVE-VM-1000	100
FVE-2000E, FVE-2000F, and FVE-VM-2000	200
FVE-3000E and FVE-VM-3000	300
FVE-5000F and FVE-VM-5000	500
FVE-VM-10000	1000
FVE-VM-20000	1000
FVE-VM-50000	1000

To view the list of auto attendants, go to Call Feature > Auto Attendant > Auto Attendant.

GUI field	Description
Delete	Removes a selected auto attendant. You cannot remove an auto attendant that is used in another auto attendant configuration.
Name	The name of the auto attendant.
Direct Actions	The number of key actions configured for the main auto attendant, excluding the key actions for the subsidiary auto attendants.

To create an auto attendant

Go to Call Feature > Auto Attendant > Auto Attendant and click New.

Configure the following:

GUI field	Description
Name	Enter a name for the auto attendant.
Default language	Select the language for the auto attendant greeting message (sound file). If you select Default, the greeting message will be the same as what you set for the FortiVoice unit. For more information, see Setting FortiVoice location, contact, and emergency information. You can also select other languages. The language files are created in Managing phone audio settings.
Greeting mode	If you select Simple, select a greeting message (sound file) for the auto attendant. See Greeting. If you select Scheduled to add a scheduled greeting, do the following: In Scheduled Greeting Setting, click New. In the Schedule field, select a schedule for the greeting. Scheduled are created in Scheduling the FortiVoice unit. In the Greeting field, select a sound file. You can click New to add a new file or Edit to modify the selected one. For more information, see Managing phone audio settings. Click Create.
Greeting	Select a greeting message (sound file) for the auto attendant. You can edit a selected file or create a new one. For more information, see Managing phone audio settings. This option is only available if you select the Simple greeting mode.
Ringing for	Enter the number of seconds for the phone to ring before the auto attendant answers with the greeting message.
Timeout action after	Enter the number of seconds that an auto attendant should be allowed to wait before the caller takes further action according to the voice instructions. Select the action when the auto attendant timeout is reached. Dial Operator: The call is transferred to an operator. Dial Extension: The call is transferred to the extension you select. You can edit a selected extension or create a new one. For details, see Configuring IP extensions. Go to Voicemail: The call is transferred to a voicemail box. Select the voicemail extension. Ring Group: The call is transferred to a ring group. Select the ring group. For more information, see Creating ring groups. Call Queue: The call is transferred to a call queue. Select the queue. For more information, see Creating call queues. Start Over: The auto attendant will repeat the instructions for the caller. Also enter the maximum times to repeat. Hang Up: The call will be terminated.
Invalid input action after	Enter the number of seconds that an auto attendant should be allowed to wait after the caller enters an invalid input. Select the action when the caller enters an invalid input.
Dial Pad Key Action	Configure the auto attendant keys for callers to use when navigating through the auto attendant hierarchy. For more information, see “Configuring key actions” on page 241.
Advanced	Upon finishing configuring these functions, you need to inform the users on how to use them after they reach the auto attendant.
Access voicemail	Enable to allow external callers to reach their voicemail boxes by dialing the default voicemail prompt code *98 or the code you set. For more information about feature code, see Modifying feature access codes.
Dial local number	Select to enable an external caller to dial local extensions.
Override schedule	Select to allow a system administrator to dial a code to replace the schedule with a system schedule. For more information, see Configuring system capacity.
All recording of prompt sound file	Select to enable an external caller to dial into the FortiVoice unit and record a sound file.
Call bridge (DISA)	Select to enable the call bridge (direct inward system access (DISA)) service and allow external users to dial into the FortiVoice phone system and use its service like local extension users. The call bridge service is useful when FortiVoice users are working outside the office but want to make calls using the FortiVoice phone system. Account code: For enhanced security, Fortinet recommends that you select an account code. You can edit a selected account code or create a new one. For more information about an account code, see Configuring account codes. For more details about how to configure and use the call bridge service, see the call bridge (DISA) description in Vertical service codes.
Outbound dialplans allowed for access	If Call bridge (DISA) is enabled and you want to allow users that are working outside the office to make outbound calls using the FortiVoice phone system, click + and select the outbound dial plan. Click Close. For details, see Configuring outbound dial plans.
Business group	This option is available on FVE-500E, FVE-500F, FVE-1000E, and larger models only. Select a business group to enable an external caller to dial into an extension within the group using the shortened number. For information about business group, see Creating business groups.
Department	This option is unavailable on the FVE-20E2 and FVE-50E6 models. Select or add a department to allow a caller to access the phone directory categorized by department. Make sure to also enable the Include subdirectory setting in Configuring system capacity.
Survival branch	This option is available on FVE-300E-T, FVE-VM-500, and larger models. Select or add a survival branch to allow a caller to access phone directory entries that belong to a FortiVoice survivability branch. Make sure to also enable the Include subdirectory setting in Configuring system capacity.

Click Create.

Configuring key actions

Configure the auto attendant dial pad keys for callers to use when navigating through the auto attendant hierarchy.

For more information, see Dial Pad Key Action.

To configure a key action

While configuring an auto attendant, click New under Dial Pad Key Action.
For Key, enter the key number that transfers a call to a resource, if pressed.
For Language, select the language to be used for this key action.

Select an Action:

GUI field	Description
No Action	The call is not transferred to any resource.
Play Announcement	Play an announcement that includes details such as directions, business hours. Select the sound file for the announcement. You can click Edit to modify an existing one or New to add a new one. For information on sound files, see Managing phone audio settings. Select an action to follow the announcement: No action: The auto attendant takes no action. Hang up: The call will be terminated. Start over: The auto attendant will repeat the announcement. Auto attendant: The call is routed to another auto attendant, which allows actions to be nested into a powerful call routing system.
Dial Operator	The call is transferred to the operator.
Dial Extension	The call is transferred to a specified local extension. Select the extension. You can click Edit to modify an existing one or New to add a new one. For more information, see Configuring extensions.
Go to Voicemail	The call is transferred to a voice mailbox, allowing the caller to leave a message. Select the voice mailbox. You can click Edit to modify an existing one or New to add a new one. For more information, see Configuring IP extensions.
Ring Group	The call is transferred to the call queue of a ring group. The call is placed on hold. The system will ring the next available extension in the ring group. Select the ring group. You can click Edit to modify an existing one or New to add a new one. For more information, see Creating extension groups.
Dial Number	The call is transferred to a specified remote extension number. Enter the remote extension number. For more information, see Configuring remote extensions.
Call Queue	The call is transferred to a call queue. Enter the call queue configuration. For more information, see Creating call queues and queue groups.
Lookup Name Directory	Access the dial-by-name directory so the caller can find a user’s extension number by entering the user’s name. Select the Directory. For details about the directory and subdirectory selection, see the Directory section in Configuring system capacity.
Change Language	Change the auto attendant greeting language. Select the language and a follow-up action. If you choose Auto attendant for the follow-up action, select the auto attendant. For Language, if you select Default, the greeting message will be the same as what you set for the FortiVoice unit. For more information, see Setting FortiVoice location, contact, and emergency information. You can also select other languages. The language files are created in Managing phone audio settings.
Auto Attendant	Route the call to another auto attendant, which allows actions to be nested into a powerful call routing system. For example, the main auto attendant can say “Press one for English. Oprima dos para Español.” Option 1 goes to the English auto attendant and option 2 goes to the Spanish auto attendant. Select an auto attendant. For information on creating auto attendants, see Configuring auto attendants.
Start Over	The auto attendant will repeat the announcement.
Hang Up	The call is terminated.
IVR	The IVR action is visible when you purchase a call center license and upload that license to the FortiVoice unit. Route the call to the FortiVoice IVR system. For more information, see Configuring IVR.

For Music on hold, select the voice prompt to be used for this key action. See Managing phone audio settings.
Optionally, enter any comments about this key action.
Click Create.