Welcome Menus let administrators manage organization-wide call routing by playing a greeting and directing callers based on key selections. 

Welcome Menu Configuration Options 

Menu options are not included by default. You must explicitly configure the menu instructions in the greeting (for example, “Press 1 for Sales, press 2 for Support”).

Keep Welcome Menus short and actionable

Welcome Menus should be clear, concise, and easy for callers to navigate. Long or overly complex menus can increase caller frustration, cause callers to abandon the call, or make it harder for them to reach the correct destination.

Avoid creating menus that require callers to listen to too many options or move through several layers before reaching a person, department, voicemail box, or external number. A Welcome Menu should always provide a clear path forward.

No Selection routing (required)

No Selection routing defines where calls go when the caller does not press any key. 

Available destinations may include:

• Team Members
• Departments
• Ring Groups
• Company Directory
• External forwarding numbers

No Selection routing is required to prevent calls from timing out or looping without a destination.

Welcome Menu Options 

Within the Welcome Menu configuration pop-up, you have several general options as well as keypad forwarding options. 

Extension Number –  Choose an extension number or allow the system to auto-populate the next consecutive extension. 

Send SMS to – Choose where to send SMS messages (if your organization has SMS services).

Allow Extension Dialling – When enabled, the IVR pauses after each digit input by the caller enters to allow them to enter an extension number. When disabled, the IVR will not wait for the caller to enter more than one digit.

Play “Please wait while we connect your call” – Choose whether to play a "Please wait while we connect your call" prompt after a caller selects their destination from this Welcome Menu.

Allow Barging Through – When enabled, callers can "barge through" your menu without having to listen to the entire recording first. When disabled, the caller must listen to the entire recording before making a choice.

Default caller language – Choose between Canadian English or Canadian French as your default IVR language. 

Key Options – Set up your IVR keypad options with designated forwarding routes. You can choose to route calls to: 

• an internal phone number or extension, 
• a department, 
• a team member, 
• the company directory, 
• another welcome menu, and, 
• an external number. 

Additionally, you can add a keypad option to Repeat Menu to give callers the opportunity to listen to your IVR again without needing to hang up and redial. 

Welcome Menu greeting methods

The net2phone system provides three ways to configure a Welcome Menu greeting. Choose the option that best fits your workflow, audio quality requirements, and branding needs.

Record a greeting from your phone

Use this option to record your greeting directly from a phone associated with your account.

• Ideal for quick setup or temporary greetings
• Prompts guide you through recording and saving the message
• Audio quality depends on the recording device and call conditions

Upload a custom greeting

Upload a professionally recorded or pre-edited audio file.

• Supported formats: .mp3, .m4a, .wav
• Maximum file size: 20 MB
• Recommended for branded, studio-quality greetings or multilingual menus

Text-to-speech

Generate a greeting automatically using text input.

• No recording required
• Useful for fast changes, after-hours messages, or accessibility needs
• Voice style and pronunciation may vary depending on system settings

Access Welcome Menu Settings

You can manage Welcome Menus from the Settings portal. 

1. Log in to the net2phone desktop or browser app with Admin credentials.
2. Click your profile icon in the top right corner. 
3. Click Company Settings from the slide-out menu. 
   You will be redirected to the Settings portal. 
4. From the left navigation, select the Welcome Menus page. 

Create a New Welcome Menu

Create a new menu when you need a dedicated call flow for a specific phone number, department, or schedule window. 

From the Menu Welcome page in the Settings portal: 

1. Click the Add Welcome Menu button. 
2. Enter a unique name that will be recognizable later. 
3. Select the assigned number that will route callers to this menu.
4. Review the extension value (auto-assigned by default).
5. (Optional) Choose where to send SMS for this Welcome Menu.
6. Configure your menu options (outlined above).
7. Set the required No Selection routing destination.
8. Add one or more menu key options.
9. Click Save.

Edit or delete a Welcome Menu

After a menu is created, you can adjust its greeting, options, routing destinations, and key mappings at any time.

Edit the Greeting

Your greeting sets caller expectations and explains the available options. Keep greetings concise, clearly spoken, and aligned to the current menu configuration.

To edit a Welcome Menu, 

1. Open the Welcome Menu configuration pop-up by clicking the pencil icon to edit. 
2. Update the Welcome Menu with the same options outlined above. 
3. Click Save.

To delete a menu,

1. Locate the Welcome Menu you want to delete in the main list of the Settings portal. 
2. Click the trash icon (you may have to scroll horizontally depending on your screen size). 
3. (Optional) Reassign the Welcome Menu's phone number. 
4. Click the Delete button to confirm. 

Tips and troubleshooting

Most Welcome Menu issues stem from missing destinations, mismatched greetings, or conflicting schedules. Use the checks below to quickly validate your configuration.

Use schedules with Welcome Menus

You can assign Welcome Menus to company-wide schedules, allowing different menus to apply at different times (for example, business hours vs. after-hours or holiday routing). Schedules control when a menu is active, but they do not automatically update greeting content.

Common setup issues

• Greeting doesn’t match options: Menu options are not announced automatically. Update the greeting whenever key mappings change.
• No Selection not configured: Calls may not route as expected if No Selection is not set to a valid destination.
• Menu not reachable: Confirm the menu is assigned to the correct phone number and referenced by the intended schedule or call flow.

Schedule and routing checks

• Schedule doesn’t activate as expected: Confirm the correct schedule is assigned, the active interval matches the current day/time, and the relevant time zone is correct.
• Overlapping intervals: Consolidate or remove unused intervals to prevent unintended coverage.
• Downstream voicemail answers first: Long ring durations combined with No Answer routing can cause downstream voicemail systems (such as mobile carriers) to answer before forwarding occurs. Reduce ring duration or adjust routing rules.

Admin best practices

• Keep menus concise and shallow. Avoid long recordings, too many nested menus, or menu loops that prevent callers from reaching a valid destination.
• Use consistent naming for menus (for example, “Main Line – Business Hours” and “Main Line – After Hours”).
• Review and test routing before enabling holiday or after-hours schedules.
• Audit unused menus periodically to prevent configuration sprawl.