---
title: "Create an Alternate Menu for an Auto-Attendant in 8x8 Admin Console"
slug: "create-an-alternate-menu-for-an-auto-attendant-in-8x8-admin-console"
updated: 2026-05-18T08:56:10Z
published: 2026-05-21T21:26:45Z
canonical: "help.8x8.com/create-an-alternate-menu-for-an-auto-attendant-in-8x8-admin-console"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.8x8.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create an Alternate Menu for an Auto-Attendant in 8x8 Admin Console

## Objective

Create an alternate menu in Admin Console for when you need to handle unexpected events that require you to be closed (or open) beyond scheduled hours.

## Applies To

- Admin Console
- Auto-Attendant
- Alternate Menu

## Procedure

1. Log in to **Admin Console**.
2. Click **Auto Attendants**.
3. Click **Edit** (pencil icon) to the right of the Auto Attendant you wish to edit. ![2019-08-23_10-41-12.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/2019-08-23_10-41-12.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-04T00%3A50%3A09Z&se=2026-11-04T01%3A50%3A09Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=d2tvIqxvTCVu9adO4rLzku2Akn3yamu6rYXTzrplCwY%3D)
4. Under **Details**, toggle **Apply Alternate Menu** ON**.** ![clipboard_e086bc241911323478fd430c6d007fa79.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/clipboard_e086bc241911323478fd430c6d007fa79.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-04T00%3A50%3A09Z&se=2026-11-04T01%3A50%3A09Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=d2tvIqxvTCVu9adO4rLzku2Akn3yamu6rYXTzrplCwY%3D)
5. Go to *Call Handling Menus*.
6. Select **Alternate** > **Alternate hours** **menu** to begin setting up your Alternate Menu options. ![2019-08-23_10-48-13.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/2019-08-23_10-48-13.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-04T00%3A50%3A09Z&se=2026-11-04T01%3A50%3A09Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=d2tvIqxvTCVu9adO4rLzku2Akn3yamu6rYXTzrplCwY%3D)
7. Click **Add key**.
8. **Select your Key number**, then the **action for that key** to take. In this example, I want key 1 presses to go to my Voicemail System. ![2019-08-23_10-52-56.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/2019-08-23_10-52-56.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-04T00%3A50%3A09Z&se=2026-11-04T01%3A50%3A09Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=d2tvIqxvTCVu9adO4rLzku2Akn3yamu6rYXTzrplCwY%3D)
  - > [!NOTE]
> ***Note:***
> 
> *When a key press has been used, it will not show as "empty" any longer. Click on the key press option to edit the already selected behaviour for that key. ![2019-08-23_11-00-00.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/2019-08-23_11-00-00.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-04T00%3A50%3A09Z&se=2026-11-04T01%3A50%3A09Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=d2tvIqxvTCVu9adO4rLzku2Akn3yamu6rYXTzrplCwY%3D)*

### Example Menu

Below is an example of what an Alternate Menu might look like. For this particular menu, I want this to be applied in the event of internet disruption, so I've entered some text to explain this using *text-to-speech* (you may also upload your own audio recording by clicking *play audio file* > Select File, to play to the caller).

![2019-08-23_11-11-26.png](https://cdn.us.document360.io/e3a59e39-abd3-4423-964c-0a4008dc5673/Images/Documentation/2019-08-23_11-11-26.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-04T00%3A50%3A09Z&se=2026-11-04T01%3A50%3A09Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=d2tvIqxvTCVu9adO4rLzku2Akn3yamu6rYXTzrplCwY%3D)