How to Set Up Call Queues, IVR and Auto Attendants in 3CX

If callers are hitting a dead-end when they ring your business, or your team is manually transferring every call because there is no intelligent routing in place, this guide is for you. Getting your call queue, digital receptionist, and IVR configured correctly in 3CX is one of the best things you can do for your business communication. It makes your team more efficient, keeps callers informed, and ensures no call falls through the cracks.

This is a practical, step-by-step walkthrough for setting up these features in 3CX V20. No fluff, just what you need to know to get it working.

Setting Up Your Digital Receptionist (IVR) in 3CX

The digital receptionist in 3CX is your automated front door. Callers hear a greeting and get options to route themselves to the right team or extension without needing a human to answer every call. It handles the volume so your staff can focus on meaningful conversations.

Here is how to create one:

Step 1: Access the Digital Receptionist Section

1. Log into your 3CX management console.
2. In the left-hand menu, go to Call Handling, then select Digital Receptionist.
3. Click Add to create a new IVR.

Step 2: Configure the Basic Settings

Once you are in the new digital receptionist record, you will see fields to fill in:

• Name: Give it something descriptive, like “Main Office IVR” or “Sales and Support Menu”.
• Extension: Assign a unique extension number. This is what internal staff can dial directly to reach the IVR, and it is also what inbound numbers will be routed to.
• Number of Options: Set how many menu options you want to offer callers. Keep it simple. Research consistently shows that fewer options lead to better caller experiences.

Step 3: Record or Upload Your Announcement

Your announcement is the first thing callers hear. It should be clear, professional, and concise. In 3CX you have two ways to handle this:

• Record directly: Call the designated record extension in your system and follow the prompts to record your greeting.
• Upload a file: If you have a pre-recorded audio file, it needs to be in WAV format, 8kHz, 16bit, mono. These are the valid settings 3CX requires, so make sure your audio file matches before you upload.

Pro Tip: Keep your announcement under 20 seconds. Callers are more likely to stay engaged and press 1 for sales or navigate the menu if they are not sitting through a long intro.

Step 4: Assign Menu Options

Now you assign what each digit press does. This is where you define your routing logic. For each option:

• Select the action: You can send callers to an extension, a call queue, a ring group, a voicemail box, or even another IVR menu.
• Enter the destination number or group.
• Repeat for each option you want to offer, for example: press 1 for sales, press 2 for support, press 0 for reception.

In the advanced tab, you can also configure what happens when a caller does not press anything. You can set a default action, such as routing them to the reception extension or replaying the announcement.

Creating a Call Queue in 3CX

A call queue lines up incoming calls and distributes them to available agents. It is the right tool when you have a team handling a shared number, such as a sales line or a support centre.

Navigate to the Queue Section

1. In the 3CX management console, go to Call Handling, then select Queues.
2. Click Add to create a new queue.

Configure the Queue Details

Fill in the core settings for your new call queue:

 

Setting	What It Does
Name	A clear label for the queue, e.g., “Sales Queue” or “Tech Support Queue”
Extension	The extension number callers and staff use to reach this queue directly
Ring Strategy	Controls how calls are distributed to agents (see below)
Polling Interval	How often 3CX checks for available agents
Max Queue Wait Time	How long a caller waits before the system takes an alternative action
Music on Hold	The audio callers hear while waiting in the queue

 

Choose Your Ring Strategy

The ring strategy you pick will have a direct impact on how your team receives calls. 3CX offers several options:

• Ring All: Every available agent rings at the same time. Fastest answer, but can be disruptive for large teams.
• Round Robin: Calls rotate through agents in sequence, distributing the workload evenly.
• Least Busy: Routes the call to the agent with the fewest recent calls.
• Hunt by Threes: Rings three agents at a time, then moves to the next group if unanswered. This is the advanced queue strategy that works well for tiered support teams.
• Skills Based: Routes callers to agents with the relevant skill tag. Requires skills to be configured on each agent profile.

Add Agents to the Queue

In the Agents tab of the queue configuration:

1. Click Add Member.
2. Select the extensions you want to include. These are the team members who will receive calls from this queue.
3. You can also specify wrap-up time, which is the period after a call ends before the agent is available for the next one.

Set Up Queue Announcements

3CX lets you keep callers informed while they wait. In the Polling section, you can configure:

• A welcome message that plays when a caller first enters the queue.
• Position and wait time announcements so callers know where they are in line.
• An option for callers to skip the queue by pressing a key and leaving a voicemail.

Pro Tip: Set realistic wait time expectations. Callers who know it will be 3 minutes are far more likely to stay on the line than callers who hear nothing and are left wondering.

Setting Up a Ring Group as an Alternative to a Queue

A ring group is simpler than a call queue. It rings a list of extensions simultaneously or in sequence without the advanced queue management features. It is ideal for small teams or departments where you do not need call reporting or wait time announcements.

Create a Ring Group

1. Go to Call Handling, then Ring Groups.
2. Click Add.
3. Assign a name and extension.
4. Add the extensions you want to ring.
5. Select whether to ring all at once or in a hunt pattern (sequential).

Ring groups are a great entry point for businesses just getting started with call routing in 3CX. You can always graduate to a full queue later as your team grows.

Configuring Office Hours and Holiday Routing

One of the most important parts of your call routing setup is making sure callers get the right experience outside office hours. 3CX lets you set office hours at the company level and then configure what happens when a call comes in outside those times.

Set Your Office Hours

1. In the management console, go to the Office Hours section under your company profile.
2. For each day of the week, specify the start and end time.
3. For days the office is closed, set the hours to Closed.

Configure Out-of-Hours Routing

For each inbound number or IVR, you can set a separate action for outside office hours. Common options include:

• Route to a voicemail box with a custom after-hours message.
• Play a prompt that advises callers of your office hours and invites them to call back.
• Route to an on-call extension or mobile number for urgent calls.

Getting your office hours routing right means callers always know what to expect, and your team is not fielding calls at 11pm on a Friday.

Connecting Your IVR to Microsoft Teams and CRM Integration

3CX works well alongside Microsoft 365, and if your team uses Teams for internal communication, you can configure extensions that bridge your phone system with Teams. This means agents can receive calls in their Teams client without needing a separate phone app.

For CRM integration, 3CX can be set up to pass caller data directly to your CRM, so when a call comes in through the queue or IVR, the matching customer record opens automatically on the agent’s screen. This is set up in the 3CX management console under Integrations.

Quick Reference: 3CX Call Routing Feature Comparison

 

Feature	Best For	Key Benefit
Digital Receptionist / IVR	Businesses with multiple departments	Self-service routing without a live receptionist
Call Queue	Sales and support teams with shared numbers	Fair distribution, reporting, and caller position updates
Ring Group	Small teams or simple hunt patterns	Quick setup, rings multiple extensions at once
Virtual Receptionist (Overflow)	After-hours or overflow handling	Ensures no call is missed when the team is unavailable

Audio File Requirements for 3CX Announcements

When you upload custom audio to 3CX for IVR announcements, hold music, or queue messages, the file must meet specific technical requirements. Using the wrong format causes upload errors or poor audio quality.

Required format:

• File type: WAV
• Sample rate: 8kHz
• Bit depth: 16bit
• Channels: Mono

Most audio editing tools let you export or convert to these settings. If you are recording professionally, brief your voice-over artist on these specs before the session. It will save you time on reformatting later.

Testing and Training Your Team on the New Call Routing Setup

Once your IVR, call queue, and routing rules are live, test everything before you send it into production. Call in from an external number and work through each menu option. Check that calls are landing in the right queue, that ring strategies are behaving as expected, and that out-of-hours routing kicks in correctly.

For your team, a short internal training session goes a long way. Show agents how to log in and out of a queue, how to manage their availability status, and how to transfer calls correctly. A well-trained team gets far more value from the system than one that was handed a login and left to figure it out.

Need a hand setting this up?

Telco ICT Group has been configuring and managing 3CX phone systems for Melbourne businesses for years. If you want your call routing, IVR, and queues set up correctly the first time, get in touch with our team. We handle everything from initial configuration to staff training and ongoing support.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a digital receptionist and an auto attendant in 3CX?

They refer to the same feature. In 3CX, the term used in the management console is Digital Receptionist, but many businesses and providers also call it an auto attendant or IVR. They all describe the same automated call routing menu.

Can I have multiple call queues on one 3CX system?

Yes. You can create as many queues as your licence supports. A common setup is one queue for sales, one for support, and one for accounts. Each queue has its own extension, ring strategy, and agent list.

 What happens if no agents are available in the call queue?

You can configure a fallback action in the queue settings. Options include routing to voicemail, playing a prompt with a callback option, or sending the call to a different extension or group. Make sure this is set up so callers are never left with silence or a disconnected line.

Does my VoIP plan affect how many callers can be in a queue at once?

Yes. The number of simultaneous calls your system can handle depends on your SIP trunk capacity and the number of concurrent call channels you have with your VoIP provider. If you regularly have more callers than channels, some will receive a busy signal instead of entering the queue.

How do I change the music that callers hear while they wait in a queue?

In the queue settings, there is a field for music on hold. You can upload a custom audio file in the correct WAV format, 8kHz, 16bit, mono, or use the default 3CX hold music. To upload custom music, go to the queue record, find the music on hold field, and browse to your audio file.