In this article, we'll walk you through how to create an auto-receptionist and tailor it to your business needs, covering each section of the settings panel and how to configure the options step by step.
How to create an auto-receptionist
Open Settings > Auto-receptionists.
Desktop:
Mobile:
2. Click + Add new auto-receptionist.
Desktop:
Mobile:
3. Specify the name and click Save.
Desktop:
Mobile:
General settings
Specify an extension that callers can dial to be routed to an auto-receptionist
Set the time zone for the auto-receptionist
Desktop:
Mobile:
Enable automatic call recording for all calls handled by the auto-receptionist
Desktop:
Mobile:
Phone numbers
Configure phone numbers for the auto-receptionist services. To add a number, select it from the drop-down list and click Add phone number. You can add multiple phone numbers simultaneously.
Desktop:
Mobile:
Operators
Specify people who gain permission to see the call history and voicemails of this auto-receptionist. You can determine the order in which users are rung by dragging and dropping them into the order you need.
Before assigning operators, make sure you invite them to be DialLink users. To add an operator, select a user from the drop-down list and click Add operator.
Desktop:
Mobile:
For details, see Managing auto-receptionist operators.
Schedule
Here, you can configure your company's working hours. You can set up an always-on auto-receptionist that handles calls the same way 24/7, or set up a more granular business schedule by configuring how the auto-receptionist handles calls during open and closed hours.
To set up an always-on auto-receptionist, turn the toggle ON.
Desktop:
Mobile:
To enable open and closed hours, turn the toggle OFF and set up your open hours in the Hours table.
Desktop:
Mobile:
You can also add a holiday schedule to override the auto-receptionist's regular business hours on specified dates. To do this, select a holiday schedule in the Holiday Schedule field. To learn more about creating holiday schedules, see this article.
Desktop:
Mobile:
For holidays, you can also set up a separate holiday greeting. To do this, select a greeting by clicking Change in the Holiday Greeting section.
Desktop:
During open/closed hours
Set up parameters and audios for different scenarios when the caller phones while the company is open or closed correspondingly:
Greeting audio
The first audio the caller hears when they connect to the auto-receptionist.Destination
Choose what happens after the greeting and where the call will be routed. You can direct the caller to:AI agent – Handle the call using an AI-powered virtual assistant.
Auto-receptionist – Forward to another auto-receptionist to create multi-level call flows.
Call queue – Place callers in a queue and connect them to the next available user.
Dial by extension – Let callers dial an extension to reach a specific user, team, or department directly.
IVR menu – Present an interactive voice menu where the caller can press keys to select routing options.
Ring group – Call multiple users at once; any available user can answer.
User – Send the call directly to a specific team member.
Voicemail – Send the caller to voicemail for later follow-up.