how to set up AI receptionist to answer calls only if no one picks up?
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How to set up AI receptionist to answer calls only if no one picks up?
Best answer by Mary-Community_Moderator
Hey
Buckle up because this one's going to be a bit long, but totally worth it. 😊 The key is to direct calls to your users (or a Call Queue) first, and then set the "if no answer" rule to transfer to your AI Receptionist.
Make sure your AI Receptionist is fully set up with its greetings, skills, and knowledge base. You can manage everything under the AI tab in the Admin Portal.
Once configured, the AI Receptionist becomes a powerful tool to automate call handling and even offers insights through analytics—like how many calls were resolved or escalated.
Scenario 1: For Calls Routed to Individual Users
If calls are sent to specific users first, you can configure each user's "If no answer" rule:
-
Log in to the RingCentral Admin Portal (https://login.ringcentral.com/) as an administrator.
-
Go to Users > User List > Users With Extensions.
-
Select the user whose calls you want to route to the AI Receptionist if they don't answer.
-
Go to Phone > Incoming Call Rules.
-
Under the "If no answer" section, select "Forward the call" or "Send to extension."
-
Choose your AI Receptionist (it will have its own dedicated extension number) as the destination.
-
Save your changes.
-
Related KB Article: Incoming call handling settings for users and admins - RingCentral Support (Look for the "If no answer" section).
-
Scenario 2: For Calls Routed to a Call Queue
If calls come into a Call Queue and you want the AI Receptionist to pick up if no one in the queue answers:
-
**Log in to the RingCentral Admin Portal.
-
Go to Phone System > Groups > Call Queues.
-
Select the Call Queue you want to configure.
-
Go to the Call Handling & Members tab.
-
Look for settings like "When maximum wait time is reached, send caller to" or "If no members answer."
-
Select "Send caller to" and choose your AI Receptionist from the available destinations.
-
Ensure your "Maximum caller wait time in queue" is set to allow enough time for agents to answer before the AI Receptionist kicks in.
-
Save your changes.
-
Related KB Article: Intro to the RingCentral call queue overflow feature - RingCentral Support (While this focuses on overflow queues, the same section for "When maximum wait time is reached" is used to route to an extension like the AI Receptionist).
-
+2Hey
Buckle up because this one's going to be a bit long, but totally worth it. 😊 The key is to direct calls to your users (or a Call Queue) first, and then set the "if no answer" rule to transfer to your AI Receptionist.
Make sure your AI Receptionist is fully set up with its greetings, skills, and knowledge base. You can manage everything under the AI tab in the Admin Portal.
Once configured, the AI Receptionist becomes a powerful tool to automate call handling and even offers insights through analytics—like how many calls were resolved or escalated.
Scenario 1: For Calls Routed to Individual Users
If calls are sent to specific users first, you can configure each user's "If no answer" rule:
-
Log in to the RingCentral Admin Portal (https://login.ringcentral.com/) as an administrator.
-
Go to Users > User List > Users With Extensions.
-
Select the user whose calls you want to route to the AI Receptionist if they don't answer.
-
Go to Phone > Incoming Call Rules.
-
Under the "If no answer" section, select "Forward the call" or "Send to extension."
-
Choose your AI Receptionist (it will have its own dedicated extension number) as the destination.
-
Save your changes.
-
Related KB Article: Incoming call handling settings for users and admins - RingCentral Support (Look for the "If no answer" section).
-
Scenario 2: For Calls Routed to a Call Queue
If calls come into a Call Queue and you want the AI Receptionist to pick up if no one in the queue answers:
-
**Log in to the RingCentral Admin Portal.
-
Go to Phone System > Groups > Call Queues.
-
Select the Call Queue you want to configure.
-
Go to the Call Handling & Members tab.
-
Look for settings like "When maximum wait time is reached, send caller to" or "If no members answer."
-
Select "Send caller to" and choose your AI Receptionist from the available destinations.
-
Ensure your "Maximum caller wait time in queue" is set to allow enough time for agents to answer before the AI Receptionist kicks in.
-
Save your changes.
-
Related KB Article: Intro to the RingCentral call queue overflow feature - RingCentral Support (While this focuses on overflow queues, the same section for "When maximum wait time is reached" is used to route to an extension like the AI Receptionist).
-
+2Hope this helps you get everything set up! Feel free to drop more questions if you need help, or mark this as the best answer if it did the trick. 😊
+2Hi
Just popping in to see if you were able to get this sorted out 😊
If my reply did the trick, feel free to hit that "Best Answer" button or let us know how it’s going! 🙌
Hi Mary
In your first scenario the AIR needs to be assigned to a direct number? because I can’t find the AIR extension if I select the option “Forward the call”
+2Hi Mary
In your first scenario the AIR needs to be assigned to a direct number? because I can’t find the AIR extension if I select the option “Forward the call”
Hello
Yes, the AI Receptionist (AIR) needs to have its own dedicated extension number before you can assign it as a destination.
I assigned an extension but not a phone number, I will add the phone number today if this is needed.
Mary: I assigned a phone number and I can’t follow the steps on the scenario 1, at the end the extension for the AIR is not an option for the Forward the call to (I’m attaching an image) I assigned extension 1004 and is not there.
I also ask for support via chat and the agent tell me that the instructions on this forum are not applicable to use.
can you give me more light here?
+2Mary: I assigned a phone number and I can’t follow the steps on the scenario 1, at the end the extension for the AIR is not an option for the Forward the call to (I’m attaching an image) I assigned extension 1004 and is not there.
I also ask for support via chat and the agent tell me that the instructions on this forum are not applicable to use.
can you give me more light here?
Hello
Thank you for sharing those details. I’m really sorry for the confusion and any frustration this may have caused.
The reason you’re unable to select the AI Receptionist as a destination is that your account is on RingEX. The steps you followed were correct, but the AI Receptionist is actually a separate paid add-on and isn’t automatically included with RingEX plans.
Since it’s not yet enabled on your account, the system doesn’t recognize it as a valid option for call forwarding. To get access, you’ll need to purchase the add-on. You can do this by following the step below:
-
Log in to the RingCentral Admin Portal.
-
Go to the AI section.
- From there, you will find the options to set up a new AI Receptionist.
- You will follow the prompts to give it a name, assign it a number, and configure its conversational skills.
Once this is complete, the AI Receptionist becomes a live extension that can be selected as a destination for call routing rules, like the "If no answer" scenario you mentioned.
I hope this clears things up, and I’m here if you have any other questions!
Mary, I am trying to set this up also and am having issues. I set up the AI Receptionist. We have Ring Ex. Can you please help me?
+2Mary, I am trying to set this up also and am having issues. I set up the AI Receptionist. We have Ring Ex. Can you please help me?
Hello
Hello Mary, thank you for responding. I followed your instructions in this thread, and I don’t see an option to choose the AI Receptionist as the destination for either option. I set up the extension for the AI Receptionist, but AIR doesn’t come up on the options when trying to select it under the Incoming Call Rules for individual users or the Call Handling & Members for Queues. It is not listed under users, extensions, queues, IVRs, etc. Is there a way around this?
Scenario 1: For Calls Routed to Individual Users
If calls are sent to specific users first, you can configure each user's "If no answer" rule:
-
Log in to the RingCentral Admin Portal (https://login.ringcentral.com/) as an administrator.
-
Go to Users > User List > Users With Extensions.
-
Select the user whose calls you want to route to the AI Receptionist if they don't answer.
-
Go to Phone > Incoming Call Rules.
-
Under the "If no answer" section, select "Forward the call" or "Send to extension."
-
Choose your AI Receptionist (it will have its own dedicated extension number) as the destination.
-
Save your changes.
-
Related KB Article: Incoming call handling settings for users and admins - RingCentral Support (Look for the "If no answer" section).
-
Scenario 2: For Calls Routed to a Call Queue
If calls come into a Call Queue and you want the AI Receptionist to pick up if no one in the queue answers:
-
**Log in to the RingCentral Admin Portal.
-
Go to Phone System > Groups > Call Queues.
-
Select the Call Queue you want to configure.
-
Go to the Call Handling & Members tab.
-
Look for settings like "When maximum wait time is reached, send caller to" or "If no members answer."
-
Select "Send caller to" and choose your AI Receptionist from the available destinations.
-
Ensure your "Maximum caller wait time in queue" is set to allow enough time for agents to answer before the AI Receptionist kicks in.
-
Save your changes.
-
Related KB Article: Intro to the RingCentral call queue overflow feature - RingCentral Support (While this focuses on overflow queues, the same section for "When maximum wait time is reached" is used to route to an extension like the AI Receptionist).
-
+2Mary: I assigned a phone number and I can’t follow the steps on the scenario 1, at the end the extension for the AIR is not an option for the Forward the call to (I’m attaching an image) I assigned extension 1004 and is not there.
I also ask for support via chat and the agent tell me that the instructions on this forum are not applicable to use.
can you give me more light here?
Hello
Thank you for sharing those details. I’m really sorry for the confusion and any frustration this may have caused.
The reason you’re unable to select the AI Receptionist as a destination is that your account is on RingEX. The steps you followed were correct, but the AI Receptionist is actually a separate paid add-on and isn’t automatically included with RingEX plans.
Since it’s not yet enabled on your account, the system doesn’t recognize it as a valid option for call forwarding. To get access, you’ll need to purchase the add-on. You can do this by following the step below:
-
Log in to the RingCentral Admin Portal.
-
Go to the AI section.
- From there, you will find the options to set up a new AI Receptionist.
- You will follow the prompts to give it a name, assign it a number, and configure its conversational skills.
Once this is complete, the AI Receptionist becomes a live extension that can be selected as a destination for call routing rules, like the "If no answer" scenario you mentioned.
I hope this clears things up, and I’m here if you have any other questions!
It is enabled. I set it up and have an extension for our AI receptionist. It is not showing up on the options that you mentioned.
+2It is enabled. I set it up and have an extension for our AI receptionist. It is not showing up on the options that you mentioned.
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