# Phone Menu (IVR)

A Voice Logica agent is the phone menu. Callers say what they need (*"sales"*, *"I have a billing question"*) or press a number, and the agent sends them to the right person, group, agent or outside number. There is no recorded menu tree to maintain.

## First setup - say it or press a number

1. **Set who each option reaches**

   On the agent, **Call handling - Transfer**: add each destination (a person, a [ring group](https://docs.voicelogica.ai/telephony/user-groups/), another agent or an outside number) with one line on when to use it. The agent routes on those lines. Details: [Transfer](https://docs.voicelogica.ai/telephony/transfer/).

2. **Put the menu in the prompt**

   Say the options once, for example: *"For sales say sales or press 1. For support press 2."* A pressed key reaches the agent as that digit, so the prompt maps 1, 2 and 3 to the destinations. Keep it to three or four options; callers can always just say what they need.

3. **Set how long to wait for keys**

   **Call handling - Advanced - Phone keypad input**: digits are sent when the caller presses **#** or stops for the wait time. For one-digit menus about 3 seconds answers quickly; for account numbers use a longer wait and ask callers to end with **#**. See [Advanced](https://docs.voicelogica.ai/agent-configuration/advanced-config/).

4. **Test each option**

   Call the number and try every option by voice and by key. Open **Calls**: each call shows where it was transferred, and why a failed transfer did not connect.

## Strict keypad routing

When a key must always go to the same place, with no AI deciding, build a workflow instead: an [On Key Pressed](https://docs.voicelogica.ai/workflows/keyword-pressed/) trigger, a Switch on the digit, and one Transfer Call node per option. Attach it to the agent.

While such a workflow is attached, **every** key press goes to it and the agent no longer hears digits. Use one way or the other on an agent, not both.

## Calling into another company's menu

For outbound calls that meet someone else's menu (*"press 2 for accounts"*), turn on the **Navigate IVR** tool on the agent's [built-in tools](https://docs.voicelogica.ai/agent-configuration/built-in-tools/) and say in the prompt which option it is after. The agent presses the keys itself.

## From Claude or ChatGPT

With the [Voice Logica connector](https://docs.voicelogica.ai/integrations/claude-chatgpt/), say *"Set up a menu: 1 for sales to Maria, 2 for support to the support group, anything else stays with the agent."* The assistant adds the transfer destinations and writes the menu into the prompt, then asks you to test it.

## Troubleshooting

**The agent ignores the key I press**

If a workflow with an On Key Pressed trigger is attached to the agent, it takes every key press. Detach it, or route every option in that workflow.

**Only part of a long number arrives**

Raise the keypad wait on **Advanced** and tell callers to press **#** at the end.

**Option 2 goes to the wrong place**

Check the prompt maps the digit to the destination by the same name as on the Transfer tab, and that each destination's "when to use" line does not overlap with another.

## Next Steps

[Transfer](https://docs.voicelogica.ai/telephony/transfer/) - destinations, warm or blind transfer.  
[On Key Pressed](https://docs.voicelogica.ai/workflows/keyword-pressed/) - digits into a workflow.  
[Routing](https://docs.voicelogica.ai/telephony/routing/) - which number reaches which agent, and after hours.