> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.ilert.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.ilert.com/call-routing/call-flows/ivr-menu-node.md).
# IVR menu node
The **IVR menu** node plays a menu to the caller and routes them based on the key they press (DTMF input) — for example *"Press 1 for production incidents, press 2 for billing."* It adds one branch per key you enable — the digits `0`–`9`, `*`, and `#` (up to 12) — plus a `No input` branch.
## Select the menu keys
1. *(Optional)* In the **Optional title** field, enter a name to label the node on the canvas.
2. Under **Select menu items**, tap the keys the caller is allowed to press (`1`–`9`, `0`, `*`, `#`). Each key you select becomes its own branch in the flow.
## Record the menu prompt
1. Under **Message type**, choose how the prompt is delivered:
* **Text to speech** – type the prompt in the **IVR instructions** field and it is spoken using the call flow's selected [voice](/call-routing/call-flows.md#use-ilert-ai-to-turn-text-into-speech).
* **Sound file** – upload your own audio recording.
2. Use the **Preview** player to listen to the prompt before saving.
IVR menu node configuration — keypad, message type, instructions and retries
## Set retries
Use the **Retries** setting to control how many times the menu prompt is replayed if the caller provides no input or an invalid key before the flow follows the `No input` branch (default: `1`, maximum `3`).
## Branches
The IVR menu node adds one branch per selected key, plus a fallback branch. Click the **+** icon under each branch to define what happens next.
| Branch | Taken when |
| ---------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| One branch per selected key (`1`, `2`, `*`, …) | The caller presses that key. |
| `No input` | The caller presses nothing valid within the allowed retries. |
Each selected key becomes a branch, plus a "No input" branch
## Example
A first-level menu that splits by team:
* **1** → [Route call](/call-routing/call-flows/route-call-node.md) to the infrastructure on-call schedule.
* **2** → [Route call](/call-routing/call-flows/route-call-node.md) to the billing schedule.
* **No input** → **Audio message** ("We didn't receive a selection") → **Voicemail**.
## FAQ
**How many options can one menu have?**\
Up to 12 — the digits `0`–`9`, plus `*` and `#`.
**Can I build multi-level menus?**\
Yes. Add another IVR menu node on any key's branch to create a sub-menu.
**What happens if the caller doesn't press anything?**\
The prompt is replayed according to the **Retries** setting; once retries are exhausted, the call follows the `No input` branch.
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