Create an Auto Attendant in Vanillasoft VoIP

Auto attendants in Vanillasoft VoIP help route inbound calls automatically using a menu of options. This reduces manual call handling and helps callers reach the right destination faster, with a more consistent experience.

This article explains how to create an auto attendant menu in the Vanillasoft VoIP portal, including assigning an extension, configuring menu behavior, and setting up call routing.

Create an Auto Attendant

  1. Log in to the Vanillasoft VoIP portal.

    • Note: This portal may display Cloudli branding because it is hosted by Cloudli. All configuration and support are handled by Vanillasoft. For assistance, contact Vanillasoft Support.

  2. Open the Telephony menu from the main navigation.

  3. Select the Menus – Components section.

  4. Click New to create a new menu.

  5. Enter a clear, descriptive name for the auto attendant. This name is used internally for identification.

  6. Open the Number dropdown and select the extension to assign to the auto attendant.

  7. Open the Action dropdown and select Automated Attendant / Interactive Voice Response.

  8. Configure the auto attendant options that appear after selecting Automated Attendant / Interactive Voice Response.

    • Timeout: Number of seconds a caller has to enter a digit.
    • Error message: Message played when an invalid digit is entered.
    • Number of errors before hangup: How many invalid attempts are allowed before disconnecting the call.
    • Error message before hangup: Optional message played before the call is disconnected due to errors.
    • Extension if no valid entry: Extension to route the caller to if they press an unused key.
    • Direct dial to extensions: Allow callers to dial extensions directly.
    • Direct dial to group extensions: Allow direct dialing to hunt groups.
    • Direct dial – Quick queue: Allow callers to dial directly into queues.
    • Direct dial to conferences: Allow direct access to conference bridges.
    • Direct dial to menu components: Allow navigation to other menu components.

  9. Click Add to create a menu option. 

  10. Select the prompt callers will hear from the Prompt drop-down. If no prompts are available, create one before continuing.

  11. Select the digit callers will press from the Number drop-down.

  12. Select the Action you want to trigger for the selected digit, then complete any additional fields required for that action (such as extension, ring duration, or destination). Repeat for each option you want to include.

  13. Repeat steps 9–12 to add each additional menu option. When finished, click Save to apply the auto attendant, or click Save and Continue to save your changes and begin building another auto attendant.

 

After saving, test the auto attendant by calling the assigned number and confirming that each menu option routes callers as expected.

Once confirmed, your auto attendant is fully configured and ready to handle inbound calls. Incoming callers will now be routed automatically based on the options you defined, helping reduce manual transfers and improve the overall calling experience.

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