View or Configure the Properties of a UM Auto Attendant
Applies to: Exchange Server 2010 SP3, Exchange Server 2010 SP2
After you create a Unified Messaging auto attendant, you can view or configure a variety of settings. For example, you can add, remove, and edit extension numbers associated with the auto attendant. You can also enable or disable Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) for the auto attendant and change the greetings used for business and non-business hours.
Looking for other management tasks related to UM auto attendants? Check out Managing UM Auto Attendants.
Prerequisites
A UM dial plan has been created. For detailed steps, see Create a UM Dial Plan.
A UM auto attendant has been created. For detailed steps, see Create a UM Auto Attendant.
What Do You Want to Do?
Use the EMC to view or configure UM auto attendant properties
Use the Shell to configure UM auto attendant properties
Use the Shell to view UM auto attendant properties
Use the EMC to view or configure UM auto attendant properties
You need to be assigned permissions before you can perform this procedure. To see what permissions you need, see the "UM auto attendants" entry in the Unified Messaging Permissions topic.
In the console tree, navigate to Organization Configuration > Unified Messaging.
In the work pane, click the UM Auto Attendants tab, and then select the UM auto attendant that you want to configure.
In the action pane, click Properties.
Use the General tab to view display-only information about the UM auto attendant and to perform management tasks on a UM auto attendant, as follows:
Status This box shows whether the UM auto attendant is enabled or disabled. To enable or disable the auto attendant, close the General tab and use the action pane commands to enable or disable the auto attendant.
Associated dial plan This box displays the UM dial plan associated with the auto attendant. After you create an auto attendant, the dial plan associated with the auto attendant can't be changed. If you need to associate an auto attendant with a different dial plan, you must delete the dial plan and then associate the auto attendant with the correct dial plan after you re-create it.
Modified This box shows the last date and time the auto attendant settings were modified.
Pilot identifier list Use this box to enter the extension numbers or pilot numbers that, when it's called, leads callers to the auto attendant. By default, no extension numbers are configured when you create an auto attendant.
The number of digits in the extension number or pilot numbers you provide must match the number of digits for an extension number configured on the UM dial plan associated with the UM auto attendant. You can also add a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) address to this box. A SIP address is used by some IP Private Branch eXchanges (PBXs).
However, you can create the new auto attendant without listing an extension number or pilot number. An extension number isn't required. To add an extension, type the number in this box, and then click Add. You can associate more than one number with an auto attendant. You can also edit or remove an existing extension number. To edit an existing extension number, click the Edit button. To remove an existing extension number from the list, click the Remove button.
Auto attendant is speech-enabled Use this option to enable callers to respond verbally to auto attendant prompts to navigate the menu system. By default, when an auto attendant is created, it isn't speech-enabled.
If you decide to create the UM auto attendant but not to speech-enable it, you can use the EMC or the Shell to speech-enable it after you finish using the New UM Auto Attendant wizard. You can then view the properties of the auto attendant and enable this option.
Use this DTMF fallback auto attendant Select this check box to enable the UM auto attendant to use a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) fallback auto attendant. A DTMF fallback auto attendant can be used only if the Auto attendant is speech-enabled option is selected. You must first create a DTMF fallback auto attendant, and then click the Browse button to locate the appropriate DTMF auto attendant.
A DTMF fallback auto attendant is used when the UM speech-enabled auto attendant can't understand or recognize the speech inputs from the caller. If the DTMF auto attendant is used, the caller is required to use DTMF inputs to navigate the menu system, spell a user's name, or use a custom menu prompt. A caller won't be able to use voice commands to navigate this auto attendant.
If you don't configure a DTMF fallback auto attendant, we recommend that you configure an operator extension number on the auto attendant. If you don't configure an operator extension number, when callers use a speech-enabled auto attendant and the system doesn't recognize their voice inputs, they won't be able to navigate the system or be transferred to an operator for help.
Although not required, we recommend that you configure the DTMF fallback auto attendant to have the same configuration as the speech-enabled auto attendant. The DTMF fallback auto attendant shouldn't be speech-enabled.
Auto attendant is enabled for directory lookups Select this check box to enable the UM auto attendant to look up names in the directory for callers. This setting is enabled by default. If this setting is disabled, callers won't be able to search the directory for a specific person using touchtone or voice commands.
Use the Greetings tab on the auto attendant's Properties sheet to manage recorded greetings for the current UM auto attendant. You can select default greetings or previously recorded custom greetings for business hours and non-business hours. You can configure the following:
Business hours greeting This is the initial greeting played when a caller calls the auto attendant during your organization's business hours. By default, it's a system prompt that says, "Welcome to the Exchange auto attendant." This greeting plays during your organization's business hours. The business and non-business hours are configured on the auto attendant Times tab.
You may want to customize this greeting to represent your company, for example, "Thank you for calling Woodgrove Bank." You can configure a customized business hours greeting by clicking Modify to select a previously recorded custom greeting file. You can select the following:
Use default greeting Use this option to enable the default business hours greeting to be played to callers. By default, this option is enabled.
Use custom greeting file Use this option when you want to enable a custom business hours greeting file to be played to callers. Click Browse to locate a custom business hours greeting file that was previously recorded.
Non-Business hours greeting This is the initial greeting played when a caller calls the auto attendant during your organization's non-business hours. By default, no business or non-business hours are configured. Therefore, there is no default non-business hours greeting. You can configure the business and non-business hours on the auto attendant Times tab.
You may want to customize this greeting to represent your company, for example, "Thank you for calling Woodgrove Bank but we are now closed." You can configure a customized business hours greeting by clicking Modify to select a previously recorded custom greeting file.
This is the initial greeting played when a caller calls the auto attendant during your organization's non-business hours. There's no default non-business hours greeting because, by default, there are no business or non-business hours configured. However, you may want to provide a customized non-business hours greeting specific to your company, for example, "You have reached Contoso, Ltd. after business hours. Our business hours are from 8:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday." You can select the following:
Use default greeting Use this option to enable the default non-business hours greeting to be played to callers when a business hours schedule has been configured on the auto attendant. By default, this option is enabled.
Use custom greeting file Use this option when you want to enable a custom non-business hours greeting file to be played to callers. Click Browse to locate a custom non-business hours greeting file that was previously recorded.
Informational announcement When enabled, this optional recording plays immediately after the business or non-business hours greeting. An informational announcement may state the organization's hours of operation, for example, "Our business hours are 8:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M., Monday through Friday and 8:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on Saturday." An informational announcement can also provide information required for compliance with company policy, for example, "Calls may be monitored for training purposes." If it's important that callers hear the whole informational announcement, it can be marked as uninterruptible.
By default, there's no informational announcement configured on UM dial plans or auto attendants. Use the following options to enable an informational announcement and use a custom audio file specific to your organization. The recordings must already have been recorded as .wav files. You can select the following:
Disable announcement Use this option to disable an informational announcement. By default, this option is configured.
Informational announcement file Use this option when you want to enable an informational announcement to be played to callers. Click Browse to locate a custom informational announcement file previously recorded.
Allow informational announcement to be interrupted Use this option to enable the informational announcement to be interrupted by the caller. This should be enabled if you have long informational announcements. Callers may become frustrated if the informational announcement is long and they can't interrupt the informational announcement to access the options provided by the UM dial plan or auto attendant.
Business hours main menu prompt The business hours main menu prompt for an auto attendant is the list of options callers hear during business hours defined on the Times tab. For example, "For technical support, press or say 1. For corporate offices and administration, press or say 2. For sales, press or say 3."
To enable a business hours main menu prompt, you must perform the following steps:
Specify a custom menu prompt audio file. To use a custom business hours menu prompt, click Modify to select the default prompt or to specify a previously recorded prompt.
Configure the appropriate business hours using the Business hours option on the Times tab.
Enable business hours key mappings and configure key mappings on the Key Mapping tab for the auto attendant.
By default, if you enabled and defined business hours key mappings on the Key Mapping tab on the UM auto attendant, the Unified Messaging Text-to-Speech (TTS) engine will synthesize a business hours main menu prompt. Alternatively, you can create a customized audio file that can be used for the business hours main menu prompt for a speech-enabled auto attendant that would say, for example, "For sales, say 1. For technical support, say 2. For administration, say 3. To reach an operator, press zero." You can select the following:
Use default greeting Use this option to enable the default business hours main menu prompt to be played to callers when a business hours schedule has been configured on the auto attendant. By default, this option is enabled.
Use custom greeting file Use this option when you want to enable a custom business hours main menu prompt file to be played to callers. Click Browse to locate a previously recorded custom business hours greeting file. The recordings must already have been recorded as .wav files.
Non-Business hours main menu prompt The non-business hours main menu prompt for an auto attendant is the list of options callers hear during the non-business hours defined on the Times tab. For example, "Your call is very important to us. However, you have reached Woodgrove Bank after normal business hours. If you want to leave a message, please press or say 1 and we will return your call as soon as possible."
To enable a non-business hours main menu prompt, you must perform the following steps:
a. Specify a custom menu prompt audio file. To use a custom non-business hours main menu prompt, click Modify to select the default prompt or to specify a previously recorded prompt.
b. Configure the appropriate business hours using the Business hours option on the Times tab.
c. Enable non-business hours key mappings and configure key mappings on the Key Mapping tab for the auto attendant.
By default, if you enabled and defined non-business hours key mappings on the Key Mapping tab on the UM auto attendant, the Unified Messaging TTS engine will synthesize a non-business hours main menu prompt. Alternatively, you can create a customized audio file that can be used for the non-business hours main menu prompt for a speech-enabled auto attendant that would say, for example, "To leave a voice message for sales, say 1. To leave a voice message for technical support, say 2. To leave a voice message for administration, say 3. To reach an after hours operator, press zero." You can select the following:
Use default greeting Use this option to enable the default non-business hours main menu prompt to be played to callers when a non-business hours schedule has been configured on the auto attendant. By default, this option is enabled. The recordings must already have been recorded as .wav files.
Use custom greeting file Use this option when you want to enable a custom non-business hours main menu prompt file to be played to callers. Click Browse to locate a custom non-business hours greeting file that was previously recorded. The recordings must already have been recorded as .wav files.
Use the Times tab on the auto attendant Properties sheet to determine the organization's open business hours. During business hours, callers hear the default business hours greeting or a customized greeting and the business hours main menu prompt if the appropriate business hours key mappings are configured on the Key Mapping tab. You can configure the following:
Business hours Use this list to select a standard schedule, or you can click Customize to create your own user-defined schedule. Always Run is the default setting.
If your business hours vary only slightly from one of the system-defined schedules, you can select a schedule, and then click Customize to refine your business hours schedule.
Select time zone Use this list to select your time zone. Consider whether the dial plan associated with the auto attendant covers more than one time zone when you set your schedule.
By default, the time zone is configured using the local server's system time when the Unified Messaging server role was installed.
Holiday Schedule Use Holiday Schedule to define days, from 00:00 through 23:59 (12:00 A.M. through 11:59 P.M.), for which your organization will be closed for a holiday. Callers who reach the auto attendant during the times that you specify in the Select Holiday dialog box hear a custom holiday greeting audio file that you define. When you configure the holiday schedule, you must also define the Holiday start date and Holiday end date.
Use the Features tab on the auto attendant's Properties sheet to define the features available to callers who dial in to the UM auto attendant. For example, you can configure auto attendant features such as the language used when callers call in to the auto attendant and the ability for callers to transfer to an operator's extension number that you define on this property sheet. You can configure the following:
Business name Use this box to enter the name of the business. By default, no business name is entered. If you enter a business name in this box, a prompt with the business name will be played to callers instead of the default greeting.
Business location Use this box to enter the location of the business. By default, there is not a business location entered. If you enter the location of the business in this box, the business location will be played for callers.
Language Use this list to select the language that callers hear when they reach the auto attendant. The default language is determined when you install Microsoft Exchange Server 2010. By default, when you install the Unified Messaging server role, U.S. English is used because the auto attendant uses the language setting on the UM dial plan. To have other language options available, you must install the UM language packs for the languages you want to include. For more information about how to install a UM language pack, see Install a Unified Messaging Language Pack on a UM Server.
Although you can select a language other than the language selected on the UM dial plan associated with the auto attendant, we recommend that the language settings on the dial plan and the auto attendant match. If language settings don't match, when callers call an extension number defined on the dial plan, callers will be presented with prompts in one language, and when they dial an extension number associated with an auto attendant, they will be presented with prompts in a different language.
The language selected in this list is used when callers call the extension number defined on the properties for the UM auto attendant.
Operator extension Use this box to type the extension number used to call an operator. This extension number can also connect the caller to a human operator or a UM-enabled mailbox or can be configured to call an external telephone number. By default, an operator extension isn't included in this box.
Allow caller to transfer to users Select this check box to enable callers to transfer calls to users. By default, this option is enabled, and lets users who are associated with the dial plan transfer calls to users in the same UM dial plan. After you select this check box, you can set the group of users to whom callers can transfer by selecting the appropriate option under the Callers can contact section on this page.
If you disable this option and disable the Allow callers to send voice message option, the options under Callers can contact are also disabled.
Allow callers to send voice messages Select this check box to enable callers to send voice messages to users. By default, this option is enabled, and lets users who are associated with the dial plan send voice messages to users in the same UM dial plan. After you select this check box, you can set the group of users to whom callers can send voice messages by selecting the appropriate option under the Callers can contact section on this page.
If you disable this option and disable the Allow caller to transfer to users option, the options under Callers can contact are also disabled.
If you disable this option, the auto attendant won't invite callers to send a voice message during a system prompt.
Callers can contact Use these options to determine a grouping of users to use. By default, the Users within dial plan option is selected. However, you can change the grouping of users to allow callers to transfer calls or send voice messages to users who are located in the global address list (GAL) or to a specific set of users who are contained in custom address lists by choosing from the following:
Users within dial plan Select this option to allow callers who connect to the UM auto attendant to locate and contact users who are in the dial plan associated with the UM auto attendant.
Anyone in the default global address list Select this option to allow callers who connect to the UM auto attendant to locate and contact anyone listed in the GAL. This includes all users who are mailbox-enabled.
Anyone in this address list Select this option to allow callers who connect to the UM auto attendant to locate and contact users who are in a defined custom address list. This includes all users who are mailbox-enabled.
Important
The All Address Lists container is an empty container object and differs from the GAL container. If you choose the All Address Lists container when you browse for a custom address list, there will be no UM-enabled users for callers to contact. If you want to select all the address lists in your organization, choose the Anyone in the default global address list option.
Matched name selection method Use this list to select the matched name selection method for the UM auto attendant. The matched name method is used when two or more users who have the same name exist in the directory. This is also called a disambiguation field. You can configure this setting on this property sheet, or you can leave the default setting on the auto attendant and configure this setting on the dial plan.
By default, the auto attendant is set to inherit from the dial plan. However, by default, the auto attendant is unable to disambiguate between two or more users who have the same name because the default setting for the Matched name selection method on the dial plan is set to None.
Select one of the following methods that provide the caller more information to help the caller select the correct user in the organization:
Title Select this option to have the auto attendant include each user's title when listing matches.
Department Select this option to have the auto attendant include each user's department when listing matches.
Location Select this option to have the auto attendant include each user's location when listing matches.
None Select this option to have no additional information given when listing matches.
Prompt For Alias Select this option to have the auto attendant prompt the caller for the user's alias.
Inherit From Dial Plan Select this option to have the auto attendant use the default setting from the dial plan associated with the auto attendant.
Allow transfer to operator during business hours Select this check box to enable callers to be transferred to a human operator during business hours using the extension number that you configure in the Operator extension box on this property sheet. By default, this option is disabled.
It's useful to enable this option so that when a caller is unsuccessful at using the menu prompts or directory search to locate the required person during business hours, the caller can leave a voice message or connect to a human operator. After you enable this option, you can configure the operator extension number on a UM-enabled mailbox that's monitored. The caller can leave a voice message, or a human operator who has the extension number can help the caller.
Allow transfer to operator after business hours Select this check box to enable callers to be transferred to a human operator after business hours using the extension number that you configure in the Operator extension box on this property sheet. By default, this option is disabled.
It's useful to enable this option so that when a caller is unsuccessful at using the menu prompts or directory search to locate the required person after business hours, the caller can leave a voice message or connect to a human operator. After you enable this option, you can configure the operator extension number configured on a UM-enabled mailbox that's monitored. The caller can leave a voice message, or a human operator who has the extension number can help the caller.
Use the Key Mapping tab on the auto attendant's Property sheet to define the telephone keys that callers can press when they reach the UM auto attendant. You can define separate key mappings for business hours and non-business hours. A key mapping is defined as an entry in a table that has as many as nine entries. The 0 (zero) key is reserved for a transfer to the operator.
For example, a key mapping used during business hours may enable a call transfer to another extension where a human operator or receptionist is available. For non-business hours, the option to transfer to another extension may not be available, or the call may be forwarded to a UM-enabled mailbox so the caller can leave a voice message. You can configure the following:
Enable business hours key mapping Select this check box to enable specific key mappings that will be used during business hours. When you enable business hours key mapping, you can add new key mappings for business hours.
Enable non-business hours key mapping Select this check box to enable specific key mappings that will be used during non-business hours. When you enable non-business hours key mapping, you can add new key mappings for non-business hours.
For more information about configuring key mapping entries, see Configure Key Mapping Entries on a UM Auto Attendant.
Use the Dialing Restrictions tab on the UM auto attendant properties to configure dialing rules for callers who call in to a UM auto attendant. An auto attendant is the collection of voice prompts that callers hear instead of a human operator when they call in to an organization that has Exchange 2010 Unified Messaging. You can use these settings to control the extension numbers that can be reached from an auto attendant or control the telephone numbers that can be dialed by callers that have dialed into the auto attendant. You can configure the following:
Allow calls to users within the same dial plan Select this check box to allow users who call in to an auto attendant to place or transfer calls to an extension number associated with a UM-enabled user who is associated with the same dial plan as the auto attendant. By default, this setting is enabled.
When you disable this setting, users who call in to an auto attendant can place or transfer calls to users who aren't UM-enabled or to other extension numbers not associated with a UM-enabled user. Users can't transfer calls to UM-enabled users who are associated with the same dial plan as the auto attendant. This is because the Allow calls to extensions setting is enabled by default.
Allow calls to extensions When this setting is disabled, users who call in to an auto attendant can't place calls to users who aren't UM-enabled or to other extension numbers not associated with a UM-enabled user. However, they can place calls or transfer calls to extension numbers associated with UM-enabled users. This is because the Allow calls to users within the same dial plan setting is enabled by default. The Allow calls to extensions setting is enabled by default.
When this setting is enabled, users who call in to an auto attendant can place calls to users who aren't UM-enabled, to other extension numbers not associated with a UM-enabled user, and to UM-enabled users. This is because the Allow calls to users within the same dial plan setting is enabled by default.
You can enable this setting in an environment where not all users have been UM-enabled. This setting is also useful when you want to allow users who call in to a telephone number configured on an auto attendant to call extension numbers not associated with a UM-enabled user.
Select allowed in-country/region rule groups from dial plan Use this section to add or remove allowed in-country/region dialing rule groups. By default, there are no in-country/region dialing rule groups configured on UM auto attendants.
In-country/region dialing rule groups are used to allow or restrict the telephone numbers within a country or region that any user who has dialed in to the UM auto attendant can dial. This helps prevent unnecessary or unauthorized telephone calls and charges.
To add in-country/region dialing rule groups, you must first create the appropriate in-country/region dialing rule groups on the dial plan associated with the UM auto attendant, and then add the appropriate dialing rule entries on the dialing rule group. After you create the required dialing rule groups on the dial plan, you must then add the dialing rule groups to the list of dialing restrictions on the Dialing Restrictions tab on the UM auto attendant.
In-country/region dialing rule groups can be used to enable a Unified Messaging server to allow or restrict access to telephone numbers within a country or region. This is applied to any user who has called in to an auto attendant.
Select allowed international rule groups from dial plan Use this section to add or remove allowed international dialing rule groups. By default, there are no international dialing rule groups configured on UM auto attendants.
International dialing rule groups are used to allow or restrict the telephone numbers outside a country or region that any user who has dialed in to the UM auto attendant can dial. This helps prevent unnecessary or unauthorized telephone calls and charges.
To add international dialing rule groups, you must first create the appropriate international dialing rule groups on the dial plan associated with the UM auto attendant, and then add the appropriate dialing rule entries on the dialing rule group. After you create the required dialing rule groups on the dial plan, you must then add the dialing rule groups to the list of dialing restrictions on the Dialing Restrictions tab on the UM auto attendant.
International dialing rule groups can be used to enable a Unified Messaging server to allow or restrict access to telephone numbers outside a country or region. This is applied to any user who has called in to an auto attendant.
For more information about outdialing, see Understanding Outdialing.
Use the Shell to configure UM auto attendant properties
You need to be assigned permissions before you can perform this procedure. To see what permissions you need, see the "UM auto attendants" entry in the Unified Messaging Permissions topic.
This example configures a UM auto attendant named MySpeechEnabledAA to fall back to the MyDTMFAA auto attendant, sets the operators extension to 50100, and enables transfers to this extension number after business hours.
Set-UMAutoAttendant -Identity MySpeechEnabledAA -DTMFFallbackAutoAttendant MyDTMFAA -OperatorExtension 50100 -AfterHoursTransferToOperatorEnabled $true
This example configures a UM auto attendant named MyUMAutoAttendant that has: Business hours configured as 10:45 to 13:15 (10:45 A.M. to 1:15 P.M.) on Sunday, 09:00 to 17:00 (9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.) on Monday, and 09:00 to 16:30 (9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.) on Saturday; holiday times and their associated greetings configured as "New Year" on January 2, 2010; and "Building Closed for Construction" configured from April 24 through April 28, 2010.
Set-UMAutoAttendant -Identity MyUMAutoAttendant -BusinessHoursSchedule 0.10:45-0.13:15,1.09:00-1.17:00,6.09:00-6.16:30 -HolidaySchedule "New Year,newyrgrt.wav,1/2/2010","Building Closed for Construction,construction.wav,4/24/2010,4/28/2010"
For more information about syntax and parameters, see Set-UMAutoAttendant.
Use the Shell to view UM auto attendant properties
You need to be assigned permissions before you can perform this procedure. To see what permissions you need, see the "UM auto attendants" entry in the Unified Messaging Permissions topic.
This example returns a formatted list of all UM auto attendants in the Active Directory forest.
Get-UMAutoAttendant | Format-List
This example displays the properties of a UM auto attendant named MyUMAutoAttendant.
Get-UMAutoAttendant -Identity MyUMAutoAttendant
For more information about syntax and parameters, see Get-UMAutoAttendant.
Other Tasks
After you configure Unified Messaging auto attendant properties, you may also want to:
For More Information
Understanding Unified Messaging Auto Attendants
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