Applies to: Exchange Server 2007
Topic Last Modified: 2007-06-12

Use the New UM Auto Attendant page to create a new auto attendant. Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging (UM) enables you to create a single or multiple UM auto attendants, depending on the needs of your organization. Unlike other Unified Messaging objects, such as UM dial plans and UM IP gateways, you are not required to create UM auto attendants. However, auto attendants help internal and external callers locate users or departments that exist in an organization and transfer calls to them.

Auto Attendant name
  • Use this text box to create the display name for the UM auto attendant. A UM auto attendant name is required and must be unique. However, it is used only for display purposes in the Exchange Management Console and the Exchange Management Shell.

  • If you have to change the display name of the auto attendant after it has been created, you must first delete the existing UM auto attendant and then create another auto attendant that has the appropriate name. If your organization uses multiple UM auto attendants, we recommend that you use meaningful names for your UM auto attendants.

  • The maximum length of a UM auto attendant name is 64 characters, and it can include spaces.

  • The number of extension numbers that are entered is unlimited.

Select associated dial plan
  • Click the Browse button to select the UM dial plan to be associated with this UM auto attendant. Selecting and associating a UM dial plan with the auto attendant is required. A UM auto attendant can be associated with only one UM dial plan.

Extension numbers
  • Use this field to enter the extension number that callers will use to reach the auto attendant. Type an extension number in the field, and then click Add to add the extension to the list. The number of digits in the extension number that you provide do not have to match the number of digits for an extension number that is configured on the associated UM dial plan. This is because direct calls are allowed to UM auto attendants.

  • You can enter a maximum of 16 extensions. However, you may create the new auto attendant without an extension number listed. An extension number is not required.

  • You can 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.

Create auto attendant as enabled
  • Select this option to enable the auto attendant to answer incoming calls when you complete the New Auto Attendant Wizard. By default, a new auto attendant is created as disabled.

  • If you decide to create the UM auto attendant as disabled, you can use the Exchange Management Console action pane or the Exchange Management Shell to enable the auto attendant after you finish the wizard.

Create auto attendant as speech-enabled
  • Select this check box to speech-enable the UM auto attendant. By speech-enabling the auto attendant, callers can respond to the system or custom prompts that are used by the UM auto attendant by using touchtone or voice inputs. By default, the auto attendant will not be speech-enabled when it is created.

  • For callers to use a speech-enabled auto attendant, you must install the appropriate Unified Messaging language pack that contains Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) support and configure the properties of the auto attendant to use this language.

For More Information

For more information about Unified Messaging auto attendants, see the following topics: