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Virtual Receptionist

Updated: 7/24/2024 12:06 AM

A Virtual Receptionist (VR) is an automated answering system that provides a range of options to direct inbound calls based on preconfigured schedules. You can set up multiple Virtual Receptionists based on your business needs.

Only the Super User or Account Administrators can add and modify Virtual Receptionists from the Admin Portal.  The Vonage Mobile App does not allow for the modification or creation of Virtual Receptionists.

Set Up New Virtual Receptionist
  1. Sign in to the Admin Portal.
  2. Click Phone System (on left), then click Virtual Receptionist​​​​​​.
  3. Click Add New, then complete the fields in General Settings and Schedules and Call Flows:
Apply General Settings

Configure VR details such as direct dial numbers and labels, as well as how the VR should behave if the caller does not respond to menu prompts.

  1. Go to Virtual Receptionist Details and enter the following:
     
    NameEnter a label for the Virtual Receptionist.
    Virtual Receptionist Extension Number
    Within U.S.Enter a number between two to six digits.

    N11 special service numbers cannot be used, such as 411, 711, or 911.
    Outside U.S.Enter a number between two to six digits.
    LocationSelect a location for the Virtual Receptionist, if applicable.
    Dialing and Administration Telephone NumberSelect a telephone number to associate it with your Virtual Receptionist.

    Calls to these phone numbers ring the Virtual Receptionist directly.
  2. Go to No Caller Input Handling and enter the following:
     
    Wait for Caller's InputSelect the number of seconds to wait for the caller to provide input.
    Replay Message and Wait AgainSelect how many times to replay the message when no input has been provided by the caller.
    Action When No Attempts LeftSelect from the following options if caller takes no action within the VR:
     
    • Play greeting and disconnect.
    • Play greeting and send to another extension's voicemail.
    • Play greeting and forward to another extension.
    If you send or forward to another extension, you are prompted to enter that extension. 

    You are also provided the option to play the default greeting, upload an existing greeting, record a new greeting, or enter a Text-to-Speech greeting.  See Manage Recordings and Greetings.
  3. Click Save.
Apply Schedules and Call Flows

A schedule defines the time and dates the VR is active. A call flow specifies the behavior of the calls that occur within the scheduled time.

  1. Go to Schedules and Call Flows, then click Add New.
  2. Enter a name for the Schedule, then define the time frame for the schedule:
     
    All DayBusiness Hours are set for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, in the schedule.
    Specify Hours and Dates Business Hours and call flow apply to predefined hours and dates, and you are required to create an After Hours call flow for any calls received outside of the Business Hours schedule. 


    NOTE: Do not mark the Always in Front checkbox unless you want to set a holiday or lunch schedule. This option causes a schedule to take priority over all other schedules. To see an example, go to Manage Schedules and Call Flows, then go to the Set Schedule Override section.
  3. Select to repeat the schedule daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly or leave it as Don’t Repeat.
  4. Select when to end the schedule, where options are on a specific date, after a number of occurrences, or never end.
  5. Click Next or go to the Call Flow tab where options are to apply an existing call flow or create a new call flow:
     
    • If you have an existing VR configured to share its call flow, use the click here link to list and select an available call flow to apply to this schedule. See Manage Schedules and Call Flows > Share a Call Flow.
    • To create a new call flow:
       
      1. Enter a name for the call flow.
      2. Select Live Operator settings:
         
        Try Live Operator First SelectedWhen selected, calls to the Virtual Receptionist attempt to ring another extension on the account before the call continues with the rest of the VR call flow.
        1. Select the extension and assign a Custom Tag, if applicable.
        2. Choose the number of rings the extension has to pick up the incoming call before continuing the call flow.
        Try Live Operator First NOT SelectedWhen not selected, calls to the Virtual Receptionist follow the VR call flow.
      3. Select applicable call flow behavior from the following options:

         
        Play a List of Options
        VR Plays a greeting that presents the caller with a list of options, and the caller presses the telephone keypad to make a selection.
         
        1. Mark Allow the caller to dial an extension directly by entering the extension number at any time, if applicable.
        2. Select the applicable option for each telephone key (selecting an option for each keypad is not required, only for the ones you want to use):
           
          • Forward to an extension: when selected, choose an extension from the list.
          • Forward to number:
             
            1. Click Pencil icon.
            2. Choose the country code. 
            3. Enter the external number.
            4. Select the Caller ID to display or leave as Originating Caller ID to display the number that initiated the call.
            5. Click Save.

               NOTE: Calls forwarded to an outside line incur a €0.03/min charge. International rates apply.
          • Dial by name: uses the initial three letters of the name associated with an extension.

            NOTE: For location-based dial by name, see Apply Customized VR Settings.
          • Repeat this menu
          • Go to previous menu
        3. Record or upload a message that specifies the menu options you set. See Manage Recordings and Greetings.

        NOTE: Calls can be directed to a live operator if an option is not selected and the greeting plays three times. Contact Us for assistance setting this option.
        Forward Call to Extension
        VR connects to an extension with the option to play a greeting beforehand.
         
        1. Select the extension.
        2. Choose a greeting from the following options:
        Forward Calls to Voicemail
        VR connects to an extension's voicemail box with the option to play a greeting beforehand.
         
        1. Select the extension.
        2. Choose a Virtual Receptionist message from the following options:
        Play and Repeat Greeting
        VR plays a greeting continuously with the option for the caller to dial an extension.
         
        1. Mark the option to allow callers to dial the extension directly, if applicable. 
        2. Set greeting option. See Manage Recordings and Greetings.
        Play Greeting Once and Disconnect
        VR plays a greeting once with the option for the caller to dial an extension and then hangs up.
         
        1. Mark the option to allow callers to dial the extension directly, if applicable. 
        2. Set greeting option. See Manage Recordings and Greetings.
        Forward Calls to External Number
        VR forwards the call to an external telephone number.
         
        1. Click the pencil icon to enter a number. 
        2. Choose the country code. 
        3. Enter the external number.  

          NOTE: Calls forwarded to an outside line incur a €0.03/min charge. International rates apply.
        4. Select the Caller ID to display or leave as Originating Caller ID to display the number that initiated the call.
        5. Click Save
      4. Click Done.
  6. Go to After Hours Schedule, click the three dots (...), then click Edit, repeating step 5 for your non-business hours' call flow, if applicable.
  7. Click Save.
Manage Recordings and Greetings

Virtual receptionists can play an audio file as a greeting or use the Text-to-Speech greeting mode to have the system read a script. To set up the greetings:

Text-to-Speech Greeting
  1. Scroll to Greeting Mode, then select Text-to-Speech.
  2. Enter the script for the system to read. Format the script as follows:
     
    • Do not exceed 3000-characters.
    • Use commas to create a short pause.
    • Press the Enter key to move to the next line or add a period to create a longer pause.
    • Enter the word Star (*) or Pound (#) instead of the symbols.
  3. Click Play Message to listen to your script.

    Known Issues:
     
    • The audio seeker (or playback bar) does not move during playback.
    • The playback timer may not indicate the message duration, and 00:00 displays instead.
  4. Click Save.

    Your changes are lost if you toggle between Audio File and Text-to-Speech before you save. 

To remove a Text-to-Speech greeting, click Clear. To save an audio file of your script, click Download.

Record or Upload Greeting

Use the following controls:

PlayClick the Play icon to listen to the current greeting.
Record
  1. Click the Record icon.
  2. Change the name of the greeting, if applicable.
  3. Enter a phone number or extension to record the greeting. 
  4. Click Dial to call the phone number or extension you entered.
  5. Answer the call and follow prompts to record your greeting and then press 1 to save.
  6. Click Save.
UploadUse the following steps to upload a pre-recorded greeting in .wav or .mp3 file format.
 
  1. Click the Upload icon.
  2. Select a .wav or .mp3 file.
  3. Click Save.

NOTE: Media encoding requirements for uploaded greetings and hold music:

  • Ulaw / Mono / 8000 hz / 8 bit
  • 6-8 mb file size
  • .wav or .mp3 format
DownloadClick the Download icon to save the current greeting to your computer.

NOTE: You cannot delete a greeting, but you can record or upload a new greeting to replace it; copies of the system default greetings can be downloaded from Default Greetings and Prompts.

 

Finish Incomplete Virtual Receptionist

When you create a VR by completing the General settings without a Schedule and Call Flow, the VR is created but inactive for use. To activate the VR, you must complete and save Schedule and Call Flow.

  1. Sign in to the Admin Portal.
  2. Click Phone System (on left), then click Virtual Receptionist​​​​​​.
  3. Hover over the Inactive Virtual Receptionist you want to manage and click Schedule and Call Flows to complete the required details.
  4. Click Done, then click Save. The VR status updates to Active.
Manage Schedules and Call Flows
Set Schedule Priority

By default, a newly created schedule automatically gets the highest priority unless another schedule is marked Always in Front. If Always in Front is marked, it takes precedence, even if Bring to Front is marked.  If there is a conflict between schedules marked Always in Front,  the most newly created one takes priority. 

To change the priority of schedules:

  1. Sign in to the Admin Portal.
  2. Click Phone System (on left), then click Virtual Receptionist​​​​​​.
  3. Hover over the applicable Virtual Receptionist and click the Pencil icon to edit.
  4. From the left navigation, beneath the calendar, select Schedules and Call Flows.
  5.  Click the three dots next to the schedule you want to prioritize and then select Bring to Front.
  6. Click Save in the upper right of the screen.
Set Schedule Override

To override a schedule in the VR, the Super User or Account Administrator must add a new Schedule to the VR for the targeted timeframe, then set the Priority to Always in Front and update the call flow (routing options) if needed. This experience offers the following:

  • Plan ahead instead of having to set the override in real-time.
  • Set new routing options for the call, if needed.
  • No need to turn off the override. 
Example Override for Lunch

Company ABC wants to create a lunch schedule. They operate from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday, and close for lunch from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM on those same days.

For their business hours, they play a list of options and for lunch, calls go directly to voicemail for Extension 301. After hours, calls are directed to voicemail for Extension 302.

  1. Sign in to the Admin Portal - Virtual Receptionist.
  2. Set up Business Hours and After Hours, then under Schedules & Call Flows, click Add New.
  3. Enter Lunch as the Name for Schedule, then define the time frame for the schedule.
  4. Select to repeat the schedule daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly or leave it as Don’t Repeat.
  5. Mark the Always in Front checkbox.
  6. Click Next.
  7. Select applicable call flow behavior from the options available.
  8. Click Done.

Here are the settings for each schedule:

Schedule NameScheduleAlways in Front SettingCall Flow
Business HoursSet Business Hours to 9 AM to 6 PM, Repeat Weekly, and select Monday through Friday.Do Not select Always in Front.Play List of Options.
LunchSet Lunch Hours to 12 PM to 1 PM, Repeat Weekly, and select Monday through Friday.Select Always in Front.Forward Calls to Voicemail 301.
After Hours----Forward Calls to Voicemail 302.
Share a Call Flow

You can use an existing call flow with multiple schedules within the same VR, but you cannot share a call flow between multiple VRs.

  • When on the Edit Scheduled Call Flow tab, you have the option to Click here to apply an existing Call Flow; you are presented with your existing call flows to select from.
  • If you ever need to edit a shared call flow, you are presented with a choice to apply the changes to “This Schedule” or “All Schedules”. If “This Schedule” is selected, you are prompted to give the Call Flow a new name and save it.
Share a Schedule

Schedule sharing is set to Off by default. When toggled on, VR schedules can be shared and imported across all VRs on all locations within your account. This is useful for setting up shared holidays, lunch schedules, and after-hours call flows, for example.

Toggle Schedule Sharing On or Off
  1. Sign in to the Admin Portal.
  2. Click Phone System (on left), then click Virtual Receptionist​​​​​​.
  3. Hover over the applicable Virtual Receptionist and click the Pencil icon to edit.
  4. From the left navigation, click Schedules and Call Flows.
  5. From the left navigation, beneath the calendar, click the Shared Schedules button to toggle it on or off.
  6. Click Save.
    1. When toggled on, this VR's schedule and call flow are now visible to other VRs on the account, no matter what location.
    2. When toggled off, a warning message will appear explaining that this action will delete all Imported Schedules across the VRs that have imported it. If no schedules are imported to other VRs, this warning message does not appear.
Import a Shared Schedule to Existing VRs
  1. Sign in to the Admin Portal.
  2. Click Phone System (on left), then click Virtual Receptionist​​​​​​.
  3. Hover over the applicable Virtual Receptionist and click the Pencil icon to edit.
  4. From the left navigation, beneath the calendar, click Schedules and Call Flows.
  5. Navigate to the Right, above the weekly layout, and click Import Shared Schedules​​​​​.
  6. Select the name of the VR you would like to Import. (You can select a whole VR to be imported or select the checkbox by the name of the schedule(s) you would like to Import from any VR that has schedule sharing enabled.)
  7. Click Done and then Save.
  8. You will now see a new list in the column below your calendar on the VR:
    1. Local Schedules: These are schedules specific to the current VR.
    2. Imported Schedules: These are the Shared schedules you imported to the current VR.
Edit an Imported Schedule

You cannot edit an imported schedule. If you click the Edit button on an imported schedule, you will see that the Schedule tab is grayed out because it is tied to the VR you imported it from. Instead, you can do one of the following:

  • Create a local copy of an imported schedule on the VR and edit the local copy. See Create a Local Copy of an Imported Schedule to Edit.
  • Edit the source schedule on the VR that it originated from. (Editing the source schedule will change it across all VRs that it is imported on.)
Create a Local Copy of an Imported Schedule to Edit
  1. Sign in to the Admin Portal.
  2. Click Phone System (on left), then click Virtual Receptionist​​​​​​.
  3. Hover over the applicable Virtual Receptionist and click the Pencil icon to edit.
  4. From the left navigation, click Schedules and Call Flows.
  5. Click the three dots (...) next to the imported schedule you want to manage and click Edit.
  6. Select the Call Flow tab from the Edit Scheduled Call Flow window.
  7. Click Create a Local Copy. 
  8. (Optional) Edit the Call Flow Name if necessary.
  9. Change the call flow routing to the desired behavior.
  10. Click Done and then Save.

NOTE: Changes to the Source Call Flow do not transfer to the Local Copy.

Delete Schedules

To delete a schedule:

  1. Sign in to the Admin Portal.
  2. Click Phone System (on left), then click Virtual Receptionist​​​​​​.
  3. Hover over the applicable Virtual Receptionist and click the Pencil icon to edit.
  4. Click Schedules and Call Flows.
  5. Click the 3 dots next to the schedule you want to delete and click Delete. NOTE: If this is a shared schedule, a warning message displays listing the other VRs that this schedule has been imported into. Deleting a shared source schedule deletes the schedule on the originating VR and any VRs this schedule has been imported into.
  6. Click Done and then Save.
Manage Virtual Receptionist
Modify an Existing Virtual Receptionist
  1. Sign in to the Admin Portal.
  2. Click Phone System (on left), then click Virtual Receptionist​​​​​​.
  3. Hover over the Virtual Receptionist you want to manage and select an option (on right).
Duplicate a Virtual Receptionist
  1. Sign in to the Admin Portal.
  2. Click Phone System (on left), then click Virtual Receptionist​​​​​​.
  3. Hover over the Virtual Receptionist you want to manage and then select the option Duplicate (on right); this can also be done in edit mode of the selected VR.
  4. Complete the required details.
  5. Click Save.
Delete an Entire Virtual Receptionist

To delete an entire VR:

  1. Sign in to the Admin Portal.
  2. Click Phone System (on left), then click Virtual Receptionist​​​​​​.
  3. Hover over the applicable Virtual Receptionist and click the Trash icon to delete it.
  4. A warning message displays to confirm you are sure. NOTE: If the VR you attempt to delete has shared schedules, the warning lets you know where the schedules are shared.
  5. Click OK to delete the VR.

    NOTE: You must keep at least one VR on your account even if you do not plan to use it. The system will prevent you from removing the last VR.
Apply Customized VR Settings

These additional settings further modify the Virtual Receptionist's behavior. Contact Us to enable any of these customized settings.

VR Location Based Dial by Name:Streamline the Dial by Name process for callers. In the VR, the 'Dial by Name' feature allows callers to select a menu option to enter the first 3 letters of the person’s name who they are trying to reach. The system then searches for a user with that name. With this customized setting the system will only search for users within the same location as the VR rather than all users on the account.
Exclude In Dial By Extension:In the VR, when Allow the caller to dial an extension directly by entering the extension number at any time option is selected, callers can enter an extension number and the system will search for that extension on the account. if found, the system will route the caller to that extension. With this customized setting you can disable the ability to dial a specific extension number(s) directly through all Virtual Receptionists.

NOTE: This impacts all Virtual Receptionists configured with any of these settings: Play A List of Options, Play Greeting Once and Disconnect, and Play Greeting and Repeat Continuously.
VR Force Greeting Message:By default, when the VR greeting plays, callers can interrupt the greeting by entering a menu option. When this customized feature is enabled, this setting will force the caller to listen to the VR greeting. The caller will not be able to skip the greeting.
Troubleshoot Issues
Cannot Save VR
  • Complete all required fields.
  • Verify the extension number is not in use elsewhere.
  • Do not forward the VR to an extension that is forwarding back to the VR.
  • Clear your web browser's cache and cookies.
  • Use a different web browser. 
VR not Routing Correctly
  • Verify the priorities of your schedules and that there is not a schedule marked with Priority as Always in Front. See Manage Schedules and Call Flows > Set Schedule Priority for further details.
  • Confirm that the Call Flow for your schedule is properly configured. See Set Up New Virtual Receptionist > Apply Schedules and Call Flows for more details.
  • Review your business hours and verify that the correct time zone is set in PBX Settings.
NOTE: If a number is being transferred to Vonage, the transfer must complete before inbound calls are directed to the VR.
After hours schedule is visible in my VR but the call flow is not workingConfirm that the problematic VR is not set to an All Day schedule. After hours schedule is effective only if All Day is not selected on your main VR schedule.

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