MS Teams Call Queue & Auto Attendant Explained

When integrating Virtual Front Desk (VFD) with Microsoft Teams using Azure Communication Services (ACS), you can import call queues or auto attendants just like regular users.

Inside Microsoft Teams, there are two main routing options:

• Call Queue
• Auto Attendant

This guide explains the difference, when to use each, and what we recommend for most VFD deployments.

How the Call Flow Works

When a visitor taps a button on a VFD station:

Visitor → Virtual Front Desk → Azure Communication Services → Microsoft Teams

At that point, Microsoft Teams determines who receives the call. 

Option 1: Call Queue 

What is a Call Queue?

A Call Queue distributes incoming calls to a group of users in Microsoft Teams.

It ensures:

• Calls go only to available users
• Calls are distributed fairly (round robin, longest idle, etc.)
• Overflow rules can be applied
• Hold music and queue logic are supported

When to Use a Call Queue

Use a Call Queue when:

• Multiple receptionists or agents can answer
• You want presence-based routing
• You need scalable team answering
• You want enterprise-grade distribution

Example in Virtual Front Desk

A lobby kiosk has a button labeled “Customer Service.”

When pressed, VFD calls the Call Queue resource account in Teams. Teams then distributes the call to any available agent in the assigned group.

Option 2: Auto Attendant

What is an Auto Attendant?

An Auto Attendant is a voice-based menu system. It answers calls and plays a greeting such as:

“Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support.”

It routes calls based on keypad or voice selection.

When to Use an Auto Attendant

Auto Attendants are typically used when:

• You are routing a public phone number
• You need business hours vs after-hours logic
• You need language selection
• You want multi-level menu routing

When an Auto Attendant Makes Sense with VFD

An Auto Attendant may be appropriate if:

• You want the kiosk to behave exactly like the company’s main phone number
• You need centralized time-based routing controlled by IT
• You are integrating into an existing complex phone system

Call Queue vs Auto Attendant Comparison

Call Queue
• Distributes calls to multiple agents
• Presence-aware
• Ideal for department routing
• Best choice for kiosk buttons

Auto Attendant
• Provides menu prompts
• Handles time-of-day routing
• Routes to queues or users
• Best for public phone numbers

Licensing Requirements

Both Call Queues and Auto Attendants require:

• A Microsoft Teams Resource Account
• A Teams Phone Standard license assigned to that Resource Account
• Proper voice routing configuration (Calling Plan, Operator Connect, or Direct Routing if PSTN is involved)

If calls remain internal and do not use PSTN numbers, a calling plan may not be required.

Always verify licensing requirements with your Microsoft administrator.