Greet every caller and send them to the right place.
Build a custom auto attendant with your own greeting and up to 10 options per menu. “Press 1 for Sales, 2 for Support.” Every option can ring your team, hand off to AI Receptionist, play a recorded message, go to voicemail, or open another menu.
One menu or many
Start simple. Add levels as you grow.
One menu, up to 10 choices.
A main menu with your greeting and options on keys 0 through 9. It’s all most small businesses need to look polished and get callers to the right person.
- Up to 10 options per menu, on keys 0–9
- Your own recorded or uploaded greeting
- Point as many phone numbers at it as you like
Submenus for every language, location, or team.
Send any option to another menu to build a full phone tree. Give Spanish-speaking callers their own menu, split callers by office, or add a second layer for each department.
- Unlimited menus, each with up to 10 options
- Link menus together in as many levels as you need
- Use a menu after hours, too
Call menus are included with Plus plans and higher. Every option gets its own routing, so you can mix ring groups, AI Receptionist, voicemail, messages, and submenus in one menu.
At a glance
A professional front door for every call.
10options
Per menu
Keys 0 through 9, each with its own routing
∞menus
Multi-level
Unlimited menus and submenus on Pro and Enterprise plans
4destinations
For every option
Your team’s phones and apps, a voicemail box, another menu, or AI Receptionist
24/7answering
Always on
Your menu greets every caller, including after hours
How it works
Build your phone tree in minutes.
Menu options
Up to 10 options, each with its own call flow.
Name your menu, add a greeting, and assign options to keys 0 through 9. Give each option a description like Sales, Support, or Billing, then choose where it sends callers. Switch keys around or turn an option off any time without deleting it.
- Options on keys 0–9, labeled the way your callers think
- One greeting per menu, recorded or uploaded
- Turn options and whole menus on or off with one switch
- Point one or many phone numbers at the same menu
- Hand any option to AI Receptionist to answer questions and book appointments
Greetings & recorded messages
Your voice, your message.
Record a greeting right in your browser or upload an audio file you already have. Options can also play a recorded message, like your hours, directions, or holiday schedule, then send callers back to the menu, to AI Receptionist, to voicemail, or end the call. Callers get answers without waiting for a person.
- Record in the browser or upload an audio file
- Play a message before connecting a caller to your team
- Announcement-only options for hours, directions, and FAQs
- Build a dial-by-name directory callers can dial straight from
- Reuse the same audio across menus and options
Submenus
A multi-level phone tree, built from simple menus.
Need more than 10 choices, or a separate experience for different callers? Set any option to “Go to a Menu” and it opens another menu with its own greeting and options. Stack as many levels as your business needs.
- Separate menus by language, location, or department
- Each submenu has its own greeting and up to 10 options
- Send after-hours callers to a menu from hours of operation
- Unlimited menus on Pro and Enterprise plans
Routing for every option
Each option is a full call flow.
Every menu option gets the same routing tools as your phone numbers. Ring your team’s cell phones, landlines, and Talkroute apps in order or all at once, add schedules, set hold music, and choose where callers go if no one answers.
- Ring in Sequence or Ring All for each option
- Mix forwarding phones and app users on desktop, web, and mobile
- Choose the fallback: voicemail, another menu, or AI Receptionist
- Let callers dial an extension during a greeting
Learn more about call forwarding & routing.
Call history & reporting
See which options callers choose.
Every call’s flow shows up in call history, including the menu the caller reached and the option they pressed. Filter call history by menu, and on Pro and Enterprise plans, see how calls are spread across your menu options in Reporting.
- Call flow timeline shows each menu and option selected
- Filter call history by menu
- Menu option distribution in Reporting (Pro and Enterprise)
- Spot which departments get the most calls and adjust
Use cases
A menu for every kind of business.
Route by department
Send sales, support, and billing calls straight to the people who handle them, without a receptionist in the middle.
Serve callers in their language
Open with a language choice, then give each language its own submenu with its own greeting and options.
Multiple locations, one number
Let callers pick their nearest office, and ring that location’s staff. One main number covers every branch.
Answer common questions
Record your hours, address, or holiday schedule as a menu option. Callers hear the answer, then return to the menu.
After-hours options
Use a separate after-hours menu: urgent calls reach your on-call phone, and AI Receptionist handles everything else.
Dial-by-name directory
Add an option that announces your team and their extensions. Callers dial the extension during the announcement and go straight to that person.
Works with your phone system
Menus connect everything else you set up
Your menus tie together the phone numbers, people, and messages in your Talkroute account.
AI Receptionist
Send an option or an unanswered call to AI Receptionist, so callers get answers even when your team is busy.
AI Receptionist →Call forwarding & routing
Every option can ring cell phones, landlines, and app users, in order or all at once.
Call forwarding & routing →Extensions
Callers who know who they want can dial an extension during your greeting instead of waiting.
Extensions →Custom greetings
Record or upload menu greetings and messages, and reuse them anywhere in your phone system.
Custom greetings →Voicemail
Send an option straight to a voicemail box, so billing messages land in the billing mailbox.
Voicemail →Hours of operation
Play a different menu after hours or on holidays, so callers always get the right options.
Hours of operation →Need callers to reach a specific person fast? See live call transfer →
Get started with Talkroute in minutes.
Set up your menu from the Talkroute web or desktop app. There’s no hardware to install, and you can change options any time.
Call menus are included with Plus plans and higher. 100% free to try. No contracts.
FAQ
Menus FAQ
What is a call menu?
A call menu, also called an auto attendant, phone tree, or IVR, greets callers with a recorded message and lets them press a key to reach the right department, person, or information. For example: “For sales, press 1. For support, press 2.”
How many options can a menu have?
Each menu can have up to 10 options, on keys 0 through 9. If you need more, send an option to a submenu, which gives callers another 10 options.
Can I build a multi-level menu?
Yes. Set any option to “Go to a Menu” to open a submenu with its own greeting and options. You can link menus together in as many levels as you need, for example a language choice first, then a department menu for each language.
How many menus can I have?
Plus plans include 1 menu. Pro and Enterprise plans include unlimited menus, so you can add submenus for every language, location, or department. See pricing for plan details.
Which plans include call menus?
Call menus are included with Plus plans and higher. Basic plans don’t include menus, but you can still forward and route calls from your phone numbers.
Can several phone numbers use the same menu?
Yes. You can send as many of your Talkroute phone numbers to the same menu as you like, or send some numbers to a menu and others straight to your team or voicemail.
Where can a menu option send callers?
Each option can ring a group of users and phone numbers, go to a voicemail box, open another menu, connect to AI Receptionist, or end the call. Any option can also play a recorded message first.
Can a menu option ring multiple phones and app users?
Yes. An option can ring cell phones, landlines, and team members in the Talkroute desktop, web, and mobile apps, either one at a time in order or all at once. Ring All is included with Plus plans and higher.
Can a menu option go to AI Receptionist?
Yes. Set any option to Connect to AI Receptionist, like “press 0 for the front desk,” or use it as the fallback when no one on your team answers. Learn more about AI Receptionist.
Can a menu option play a recorded message?
Yes. Record or upload a message, like your hours or directions, and play it when a caller presses that option. Afterward, send them back to the menu, to voicemail, or end the call.
How do I record my menu greeting?
Record it right in your browser from the Talkroute web or desktop app, or upload an audio file you already have, like a professionally recorded greeting.
Can callers dial an extension instead of choosing an option?
Yes. You can allow callers to dial an extension during a greeting, so people who know who they’re trying to reach don’t have to wait for the options.
Can I set up a dial-by-name directory?
Yes. Add a menu option that plays an announcement listing your team members and their extensions, and allow extension dialing during the announcement. Callers dial the extension for the person they want and are connected right away.
Can I see which options callers choose?
Yes. Call history shows each call’s flow, including the menu reached and the option selected, and you can filter call history by menu. On Pro and Enterprise plans, Reporting shows how calls are spread across your menu options.
Give every caller a clear way in.
A custom greeting, up to 10 options per menu, and submenus for every language, location, or team. Try Talkroute free for 7 days.
Questions? Give us a call at 800.747.2140.