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

Use the Auto Attendant tab to create, delete, and manage Unified Messaging (UM) auto attendants. Unified Messaging enables you to create a single or multiple UM auto attendants, depending on the needs of your organization. Unlike other Unified Messaging components, such as UM dial plans and UM IP gateways, you are not required to create UM auto attendants.

In telephony or Unified Messaging environments, an automated attendant or auto attendant menu system transfers callers to the extension of a user or department without the intervention of a receptionist or an operator. A UM auto attendant lets callers navigate the menu system, place calls, or locate users by using dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) or voice inputs.

A UM auto attendant has the following features:

• It provides corporate or informational greetings.
  
  
• It provides custom corporate menus. You can customize these menus to have more than one level.
  
  
• It provides a directory search function that enables a caller to search the organization's directory for a name.
  
  
• It enables a caller to connect to the telephone of, or leave a message for, members of the organization.
  
  

The result pane lets you view a subset of properties for a UM auto attendant. This includes the name, associated dial plan, and its status.

Name

This column in the result pane lets you view the display name for auto attendants that have been created. If your organization uses multiple auto attendants, you should use meaningful names for the auto attendants. The maximum length for a display name is 64 characters and it can contain spaces.

UM Dial Plan

This column in the result pane lets you view the UM dial plans that are associated with auto attendants that have been created. After you have created an auto attendant, the dial plan that is associated with the auto attendant cannot be changed. If you need to associate an auto attendant with a different dial plan, you must delete it and then associate the auto attendant with the proper dial plan when you re-create it.

Status

This column in the result pane lets you view the status of the auto attendant. Auto attendants can be enabled or disabled. However, by default, an auto attendant is disabled when you create it.

Enable

You can use the action pane to enable a UM auto attendant. If an auto attendant is enabled, incoming calls will be answered by the auto attendant.

Disable

You can use the action pane to disable a UM auto attendant. If an auto attendant is disabled, no incoming calls will be answered.

Remove

You can use the action pane to remove a UM auto attendant. Alternatively, you can right-click the UM auto attendant and select Remove from the list of available options.

Properties

You can use the action pane to view the properties of an auto attendant or make any changes to the auto attendant's configuration. Alternatively, you can right-click the auto attendant and select Properties from the list of available options.

After you install the Unified Messaging server role on a server that is running Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, you must create, configure, and manage at least one dial plan. After you create a UM auto attendant, you may also need to perform one or more of the following tasks:

• Add a Unified Messaging server to the dial plan. For more information about how to add a Unified Messaging server to a UM dial plan, see How to Add a Unified Messaging Server to a Dial Plan.
  
  
• Create a Unified Messaging IP gateway. For more information about how to create a UM IP gateway for Unified Messaging, see How to Create a New Unified Messaging IP Gateway.
  
  
• Create and associate a UM hunt group with the UM dial plan. For more information about how to create a UM hunt group, see How to Create a New Unified Messaging Hunt Group.
  
  

For More Information

To ensure that you are reading the most up-to-date information and to find additional Exchange Server 2007 documentation, visit the Exchange Server TechCenter.

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