Solved Ring Group Ext Voicemail

[itxpt]

Hi, wondering if it is possible or not to have a custom VM recording for a Ring Group Extension? Currently we have a RG set and it is Ext 801. If the call is not answered we have it set to go to Voicemail box for Ext., the the 801 ext is selected. However it is just a generic VM prompt and we have a custom one we want to use. I can't see to find anywhere to do it and suspect is not supported.

 

[AlphaIT_Emily]

In the extension specifically you can set the voicemail, format is very particular, you will need to user their converter

 

[itxpt]

I already converted the custom voicemail message we have with the tool, but I don't see anywhere to assign it to that 801 extension

 

[Saqqara]

You can upload the message under the forwarding rules for the extension ‘Greeting message’

 

[itxpt]

Where do you manage that for a virtual extension? I can't find anywhere where I can manage that extension

 

[Saqqara]

Where do you manage that for a virtual extension? I can't find anywhere where I can manage that extension

What do you mean by virtual extension

You have a ring group 801, what is the destination if no answer - this should be a dummy / virtual extension. This is extension voicemail , this is where you upload the message

Within 3cx manangement menu on the left, click on extensions

 

[itxpt]

I guess what I mean by virtual is I did not create the extension. It was created when I created that ring group. But I don't see anywhere where I can manage that extension that it created. I can just tell the ring group that when no one answers for to voicemail, but it's a generic voicemail, and we want to upload our own.

 

[Saqqara]

Ring groups do not have voicemail.

You need to create a virtual ‘ dummy extension under extensions. This is where you upload the message - I suggest you email the voicemail to users , so that it can be listen to

Under ring groups, destination if ‘not answer’ select voicemail for the extension you create above

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

I feel there may have been a misunderstanding here, you can indeed send calls to a Ring Group's voicemail but what that does is essentially send an email to all Ring Group members with the vm file attached to it. In that sense, there is no vmbox per se but you can still select it as an option and will behave as described. That said, I'm afraid there is no option to change the greeting for a Ring Group, it will always use the default vm greeting.

Changing the default vm greeting for the Global system prompts should work, but this will affect everything that uses that prompt so I would not recommend changing it for the whole system. What you can do instead is, create a copy of the system prompts currently in use and then modify the vm prompt (record_your_message.wav) for the copy system prompt set. The problem here is that you cannot configure a Ring Group to use a different prompt set, so, what you would also have to do is create a Call Queue, add all Ring Group members to it, set the Call Queue to use the copy/modified system prompt set and use this queue exclusively for voicemails. Here's a rundown on how to do this:

1. Access the 3CX Management Console and go to "Settings >> System Prompts".

2. Click on "Manage Prompt Sets" and then "Copy Prompt Set >> OK".

3. Search for the "record_your_message.wav" prompt and then click on "browse" to replace it with your own message.

4. Click on "Manage Prompt Sets" again and select your main prompt set back to what it was.

5. Go to Call Queues and create a Queue. Add add all Ring Group members to this Call Queue and then in the "General" tab, scroll down to where it says "Queue Language" and select the copy prompt set you created.

6. Click on ok and then go to "Dashboard >> Services". Restart the 3CX IVR Server for this to take effect. I recommend doing this during out of office hours as it will unregister system extensions hence drop calls too.

7. Set Ring Group voicemail routing to this Call Queue instead.

Note: This will of course mean that every time you add/remove a Ring Group member, you will have to do the same for the Call Queue.

Hope this helps.

 

[VoIPTools]

Another option is to look at our 3CX Voicemail Manager tool. We provide enhanced group voicemail. For example, we support all the usual voicemail greetings (because we use a regular voicemail box), but we also distribute the group voicemails to all the group members. Further, if anyone in the group listens to the voicemail, it turns the message waiting indicator off for all the members so you don't have multiple people chasing the same voicemail.

 

[itxpt]

Thanks for all the feedback. I am just looking to mirror what we had with Grasshopper, but seems there are more hoop's to jump through. Our main greeting does the usual prompts (which I got working on 3cx), where we are at now is if you press 2 you get support, from there it rings the Support RG, if not answered it goes to the VM for that RG, which is just a generic greeting. We have Sales, Billing we also want to add. Is this the best way to go about it, or is there another way that will allow us to use the custom greetings we have for each?

 

[itxpt]

I feel there may have been a misunderstanding here, you can indeed send calls to a Ring Group's voicemail but what that does is essentially send an email to all Ring Group members with the vm file attached to it. In that sense, there is no vmbox per se but you can still select it as an option and will behave as described. That said, I'm afraid there is no option to change the greeting for a Ring Group, it will always use the default vm greeting.

Changing the default vm greeting for the Global system prompts should work, but this will affect everything that uses that prompt so I would not recommend changing it for the whole system. What you can do instead is, create a copy of the system prompts currently in use and then modify the vm prompt (record_your_message.wav) for the copy system prompt set. The problem here is that you cannot configure a Ring Group to use a different prompt set, so, what you would also have to do is create a Call Queue, add all Ring Group members to it, set the Call Queue to use the copy/modified system prompt set and use this queue exclusively for voicemails. Here's a rundown on how to do this:

1. Access the 3CX Management Console and go to "Settings >> System Prompts".

2. Click on "Manage Prompt Sets" and then "Copy Prompt Set >> OK".

3. Search for the "record_your_message.wav" prompt and then click on "browse" to replace it with your own message.

4. Click on "Manage Prompt Sets" again and select your main prompt set back to what it was.

5. Go to Call Queues and create a Queue. Add add all Ring Group members to this Call Queue and then in the "General" tab, scroll down to where it says "Queue Language" and select the copy prompt set you created.

6. Click on ok and then go to "Dashboard >> Services". Restart the 3CX IVR Server for this to take effect. I recommend doing this during out of office hours as it will unregister system extensions hence drop calls too.

7. Set Ring Group voicemail routing to this Call Queue instead.

Note: This will of course mean that every time you add/remove a Ring Group member, you will have to do the same for the Call Queue.

Hope this helps.

Tried this, but the voicemail ends up being for the Ring Group Member, not the one uploaded.

 

[perfect-touch]

Another option is to look at our 3CX Voicemail Manager tool. We provide enhanced group voicemail. For example, we support all the usual voicemail greetings (because we use a regular voicemail box), but we also distribute the group voicemails to all the group members. Further, if anyone in the group listens to the voicemail, it turns the message waiting indicator off for all the members so you don't have multiple people chasing the same voicemail.

I cannot, sadly, contemplate using your voicemail manager because, as I understand it, tools aren't available on an individual basis and I cannot justify nearly $1k just for the voicemail manager.

I had created a solution that worked brilliantly by using inotifywait to monitor the voicemail storage and copy the wav/xml files to group member mailboxes, modifying the xml to prefix the descriptor with (GVM) (Group Voice Mail). Changes to the xml were replicated across the other group member mailboxes so the read/delete status was kept in sync. Sadly this stopped working when the xml files were replaced with the s_voicemail table in the postgres database.

It really is a shame that 3CX doesn't do better with group voicemails. The "voicemail blasting" currently employed by ring group voicemails, for example, is a very blunt tool.

Currently, I use a dummy extension for group voicemail and forward/delete the voicemail with an email attachment to an Exchange public folder. That way at least users in the group can see which voicemails have/haven't been dealt with.

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

The steps I provided I actually tested first and it worked fine, did you make sure to also set the copied prompt set on the Queue and restart the IVR service? If you still have the modified prompt set, go to "Settings >> System prompts >> Manage Prompt Sets" select it and OK, then find the record_your_message.wav file in the list and play it on a phone to confirm it is the custom one you uploaded. If it is, all you should need to do now is set the modified prompt set as the language for that queue and call *4<Q_EXT> to test(e.g *4801).

Note: You could replace all RGs with Qs to make the config much cleaner, provided of course that using Qs instead is not a problem for you.

 

[itxpt]

The steps I provided I actually tested first and it worked fine, did you make sure to also set the copied prompt set on the Queue and restart the IVR service? If you still have the modified prompt set, go to "Settings >> System prompts >> Manage Prompt Sets" select it and OK, then find the record_your_message.wav file in the list and play it on a phone to confirm it is the custom one you uploaded. If it is, all you should need to do now is set the modified prompt set as the language for that queue and call *4<Q_EXT> to test(e.g *4801).

Note: You could replace all RGs with Qs to make the config much cleaner, provided of course that using Qs instead is not a problem for you.

I can confirm that the custom message in in play, I did the play on phone as well as called *4801. However when I call to test, I press 2 for Support from our main greeting with is the Support RG, I'm currently the only member, it does ring my ext. I don't answer it, and then it goes to the VM greeting which is my ext greeting, not the custom support one.

Attached are some screenshots.

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

I see, I think all is correct, the problem is that you're actually sending the call from the Ring Group to the Queue. What you should do is set the Ring Group's Destination if no answer to the Queue's Voicemail instead of the actual Queue:

 

[itxpt]

I see, I think all is correct, the problem is that you're actually sending the call from the Ring Group to the Queue. What you should do is set the Ring Group's Destination if no answer to the Queue's Voicemail instead of the actual Queue:

View attachment 27346

Well I tried that, restarted the IVR service and the Queue Manger and tested a call, still answers with my personal vm greeting and not the custom support one....very odd.

 

[itxpt]

Also, not positive how call queues work, but since I'm an agent in the call queue for support, I assume it is working correctly and using my vm greeting. I tried to remove myself from it but it seems it is required. Not sure how to make it trigger the queue language file instead?

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

Also, not positive how call queues work, but since I'm an agent in the call queue for support, I assume it is working correctly and using my vm greeting.

You actually won't be using the Call Queue as a call queue at all, only reason we're using it is because you can have it's voicemail act the same as a RG's voicemail with the ability to also change the prompts as desired.

Okay let's try and narrow this down:

1. If you call *4801 (801 being the Queue extension) you hear the custom prompt correct? This confirms the Queue, it's language and custom prompt have been configured correctly.

2. If you've set the Q's voicemail to be the DNA of the Ring group you should now be able to call the RG, wait for timeout, get routed to the Q's voicemail and hear the custom prompt. That said, try calling 806 directly from an extension and wait for the timeout, what happens.

3. If 2 works too, try dialing the IVR directly from an extension, make the selection to get connected to Ring Group 806 and wait for the timeout again. Does it still work?

4. Make a final call from an external number to a DID that routes to the IVR so that you can again follow the path to the RG. Does it work?

Since it doesn't work I'm expecting one of the above to fail, do them in order and tell me which one failed. We should be able to at least be able to determine where the issue is with this info.

Note: I've provided the above steps with the assumption that your call flow is as follows:

DID Rule >> IVR >> RG >> Q Voicemail

Please let me know if this is not the case.

 

[itxpt]

I think we are close. From step one, yes I can confirm the custom support greeting is there. For number 2, I did not have the setting set for DNA, but changed. Calling 806 directly does not have a timeout, it basically just answers with the custom vm greeting. For number 3, when that is tried I get my ext. 100 vm greeting, as does from calling externally .

Here are full screenshots of the config for Q and RG