Play recording (Play)
Overview
A play recording plays one audio file from start to finish and then moves the call on. There is no menu and no keypad: it is the simplest building block in the system.
Use it for announcements, a welcome message before a menu, a "the office is closed" notice, or a thank-you at the end of a call. When you need a set of recordings with numbering and keypad controls, use an audio player instead.
In the app the building block is called Play recording. The full admin page is under Advanced → Plays.
How It Works
- The caller reaches the play recording.
- The audio plays from start to finish. Keys pressed during it do nothing.
- When the audio ends, the call follows the Post-Playback Routing. With nothing set there, the call ends.
If the audio file is missing or empty, the call skips straight to the routing instead of stalling.
Creating a Play Recording
On My Hotline, pick a key and choose Play recording. For the full set of options, go to Advanced → Plays and click New Play.
Basic Information
- Play Name (required) — how it is named in your admin panel and in routing dropdowns. Callers never hear it.
- Phone System Reference → Extension ID — an optional number used to reach this recording from the keypad admin. Only appears when Show phone system reference is switched on in your account settings.
Audio Configuration
-
Main Audio — the file to play. Upload it, pick an existing recording, record from your browser or generate speech. See Recordings, uploads and text-to-speech.
On My Hotline this field is called The recording.
Post-Playback Routing
This section starts collapsed.
- Routing → Destination — where the call goes once the audio finishes. The dropdown asks Where should the call go? and is grouped by building block type. Clear Routing removes the route again. See How routing works.
Routing
| Trigger | Route |
|---|---|
| The audio finishes | Post-Playback Routing → Destination |
| No audio file is set | Post-Playback Routing → Destination, immediately |
Common Patterns
An announcement before the menu
Point your phone number at a play recording, and point its routing at your main menu. Callers hear the announcement, then the menu.
If you want the announcement attached to the menu itself rather than standing on its own, use the menu's Static Intro Audio instead.
A closing message
Put a play recording at the end of a branch with no routing set. The caller hears "thank you, goodbye" and the call ends cleanly.
Dynamic greetings
Generate the audio with dynamic text-to-speech and it can greet the caller by name or read out today's date. See Recordings, uploads and text-to-speech.
Tips
- Callers cannot skip a play recording. Keep it short, or use a menu with a greeting so they can press ahead.
- A play recording with no routing ends the call. That is often exactly what you want, but check it is deliberate.
- To change the announcement later, just replace the Main Audio. Everything pointing at this building block keeps working.