Inbound Call Flows

An Inbound Call Flow turns one business number into a dependable caller journey. It can greet customers, send routine requests to a Voice Agent, ring the right people during working hours, offer voicemail when nobody answers, and ensure every possible path ends clearly.

Navigation: Open Phone → Phone Numbers, then select Inbound Call Flows.

Choose a creation method

Choose the simplest design that delivers the experience your callers need. Use the guided wizard for common patterns or the visual editor for custom routing. Typical flows include:

an agent that can hand over to an operator;
business-hours routing;
operator first, then voicemail;
different paths for teams or departments;
a simple voicemail line.

External SIP numbers can use only an active AI Only flow without human handover. For a complete provider setup and testing process, see the Twilio or Zadarma SIP guide.

Directly connected Twilio numbers can use the standard flow templates, including operator, schedule, announcement, handover, and voicemail paths. See Connect a Twilio Account and Phone Number to prepare and connect one.

Create a flow with the wizard

Enter a descriptive flow name.
Select the number now or assign one later.
Choose whether calls go to operators, a Voice Agent, or both.
Configure operator numbers or an existing operator group.
Set ring behavior and timeout.
Configure business hours and timezone when needed.
Configure voicemail greeting, maximum duration, and transcription when used.
Review and create the flow.

Create operator groups

Operator groups help calls reach an available person without publishing individual staff numbers or maintaining the same list in several flows. Open Operator Groups to group staff phone numbers. Give the group a clear name, choose how it rings, set a timeout, and add members.

Simultaneous rings all members at once.
Sequential rings members one at a time in the displayed order.

Use reachable, correctly formatted phone numbers and test both answered and unanswered paths.

Use the visual editor

Use the visual editor when callers need branching behavior, such as an agent first with human handover during business hours and voicemail afterward. The editor uses connected steps:

Incoming Call starts the flow and should appear once.
AI Agent sends the call to a selected Voice Agent.
Operator rings a person or group.
Play Message plays a greeting or announcement.
Time Check selects a path based on schedule and timezone.
Voicemail records a caller’s message.
Hangup ends a path cleanly.

Drag steps from the sidebar to the canvas, connect an outcome from one step to the next, then select each step to configure it. Every possible path should reach an appropriate next step and ultimately end.

Validate, save, activate, and assign

Follow this order:

Select Validate and resolve every reported error.
Select Save.
Activate the flow.
If a separate Sync or apply action appears, wait for it to succeed.
Assign the flow to the intended number under Numbers.
Test every important path.

An active flow can still be ineffective if the number is not assigned to it.

Manage existing flows

The flow list shows active state and available actions. Deactivating or deleting a flow can affect assigned numbers. Read the confirmation dialog carefully; it lists affected number assignments when available.

Review voicemail

Voicemail prevents unanswered calls from becoming lost opportunities and gives the team a record to follow up. Open the Voicemails tab to listen to messages, read available transcripts, mark items as read, or delete them. Treat recordings and transcripts as customer data.

Troubleshoot an inbound flow

Validation fails

Open each highlighted step, complete required settings, and ensure every outcome is connected. Only a final Hangup should be a deliberate dead end.

The live call does not match the editor

Confirm you saved after the last change, the flow is active, any apply action succeeded, and the number is assigned to this exact flow.

Operators do not ring

Check member numbers, ringing order, timeout, current business-hours path, and whether the call reached the Operator step.

Handover from an agent fails

Confirm the agent allows handover and its handover outcome is connected to a valid Operator step.