A voice menu (IVR) is the automated message your customers hear when they call your number — the one that says "Press 1 for sales, press 2 for support." With Romulus you can set it up directly from the dashboard, with no technical expertise required.
This article walks you through a complete practical example.
Before You Start
Make sure you have:
At least one active phone number on Romulus
Users or groups already configured in the Team section
An audio message ready to upload, or use the text-to-speech feature to create one directly from the dashboard
💡 If you are not yet familiar with the rules system, read How Inbound Rules Work first. For a detailed description of each block, see The Available Blocks in Inbound Rules.
Practical example: menu with sales and support
In this example, we configure a voice menu for a company that wants to:
Greet the caller with a welcome message
Press 1 → call goes to the sales team
Press 2 → call goes to support
If nobody answers → call goes to voicemail
Steps
From the side menu, click Phone Numbers.
Click on the number you want to configure.
Go to the Inbound Rules tab.
Click + Create rule. The flow editor opens.
Click + Select step and select the IVR block from the list.
Configure the IVR block:
Upload or record the audio message for the menu (e.g. "Welcome to Company X. Press 1 for sales, press 2 for support.")
Add the options: one for key 1 and one for key 2
For key 1 (sales):
Click + Select step in the key 1 branch
Select Call group and choose the sales group
For key 2 (support):
Click + Select step in the key 2 branch
Select Call user and choose the support manager
To handle unanswered calls on both branches:
Add the Voicemail block as the next step after each call block
Click Save.
Assign a schedule to the rule (e.g. Mon–Fri, 09:00–18:00).
From this point on, every incoming call will hear the voice menu and be directed automatically.
Practical tips
💡 Keep the message short and clear. The menu message should last no more than 20–30 seconds. Callers prefer to hear their options quickly — avoid long introductions before the choices.
💡 Don't add too many options. Two or three options is ideal. A menu with 5 or more choices confuses callers and increases the number of abandoned calls.
⚠️ Keep the message up to date. If you change team members or departments, remember to update the voice menu text as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create a multi-level voice menu?
Yes. You can add a second IVR block as the destination of one of the keys, creating a nested menu (e.g. key 1 → sales menu → press 1 for quotes, press 2 for renewals).
What happens if the caller doesn't press any key?
The voice menu message is automatically repeated.
Can I use the voice menu only during certain hours?
Yes. You can create a weekly rule active only during business hours with the voice menu, and a separate rule for outside hours that plays a closing message.
Can I update the voice menu at any time?
Yes. Go back to the Inbound Rules tab, click on the rule you want to edit, and update the IVR block as needed.