Announcements
Overview:
With the Announcements feature in PBX.IM , you can play pre-recorded messages to incoming callers.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Announcements
Use announcements to play one-time messages or dynamic ones personalized with variables tailored to your organization's needs. Choose the language, voice type, and the music that plays before and after the announcement.
Access Announcements
- Log into PBX.IM Dashboard
- Go to ‘’Call Routing’’
- Select ‘’Announcements’’ from the drop down menu
Set up an Announcement
Click on ‘’Add Announcement’’
Complete the form by following the next steps:
Add Announcement
Name
This field is for assigning a name to the Announcement configuration.
Type in a concise and descriptive name for the announcement, like "Office Closure Alert" or "Weekly Team Update." Type ENTER after you finish writing it.
Labels
Labels are tags or keywords that can be assigned to the Announcement configuration for easier management, sorting, or categorization.
Type in the label name and press ENTER. You can add multiple labels to the same field.
Type
This field defines the format of the announcement. You can choose between:
- Single File
- Dynamic File
Choose "Single File" if the announcement is a one-off message or "Dynamic" if the content varies based on specific criteria or inputs.
Single File type
When you select "Single File" this will be a one-off message.
Click on "Single File" and the system will display 2 input fields:
- Media File
- Destination
To set up Media File all you have to do is to choose from the dropdown menu the one that is suitable for your announcement.
After you chose the " Media File" , the next step is to choose " Destination" . You can choose from:
- User
- Time Condition
- Endpoint
- Queue
- Announcement
- Forward
- IVR
- Voicemail
- Ring Group
- Conference
Once you chose the destination, you can select from the dropdown menu the value.
Dynamic type
You can select this option when you want to configure your announcements based on specific criteria or inputs.
Click on "Dynamic" and the system will display 6 input fields:
- Variable
- Before Media
- After Media
- Language
- Voice
- Destination
Variable:
This allows the announcement to be customized based on dynamic content, such as user-specific details or context-specific information. Enter the variable name (like
$var) that the system will replace with actual data at the time of the announcement.
In the right side of the "Variable" field you also have a toggle where you can choose if you want to skip if the variable field is empty. Enable this option if you want the system to skip the announcement in cases where the variable data is missing, ensuring that only complete messages are delivered.
Before Media: Allows the selection of a music or sound file to play before the main announcement.
Choose from the dropdown list one of the available audio files to play something before the main message, which could serve as an attention-getter or a buffer.
After Media: Similar to "Before Media," but for playing audio files after the main announcement. Choose from the dropdown list the audio suitable for your purpose.
Language: Select from the dropdown list the language of the announcement.
Voice: From the list choose the voice style or speaker for announcement. You have multiple options from AI generated to male or female voices.
Destination: Chose where or to whom the announcement should be delivered within the network.
When you want to edit or delete any entry all you have to do is go to the main page and click on the 
Edit or 
Delete button.
Edit or Delete button.
Common use cases
Let's look into some common use cases that better showcase how you can use the Announcements in your business:
Emergency Alerts:
- Scenario: You have an urgent need to communicate critical safety information during emergencies like fires, power outages, or severe weather.
- Solution: An announcement is broadcast immediately across all devices in the organization to inform employees of the emergency and provide clear instructions on immediate actions or evacuation procedures.
Company-Wide Updates:
- Scenario: Your company needs to disseminate important information quickly across multiple departments and locations, such as policy changes or executive announcements.
- Solution: A pre-recorded message from company leadership is scheduled and played to all employees at a set time, ensuring consistent communication and immediate reach.
IT Maintenance Notifications:
- Scenario: Scheduled IT maintenance requires downtime for systems that multiple teams use, necessitating clear communication to avoid disruptions.
- Solution: Announcements are made prior to the start of maintenance, detailing the timing and expected duration, helping teams plan their work around the downtime and reducing productivity loss.
Training Reminders:
- Scenario: Your organization has ongoing training sessions that employees need to attend, but participation rates are low due to scheduling confusion or forgetfulness.
- Solution: Regular announcements are sent out to remind employees of upcoming training sessions, including details on the time and location, which helps increase attendance and ensures all employees are well-informed and up-to-date with necessary training.