How to point a DID at a specific logged-in agent

VICIdial lets you point any inbound DID (direct inward dialing) directly at one logged-in Agent rather than dropping the call into a general queue. You create a DID entry, set the route to AGENT, pick the target user, and back that up with an AGENTDIRECT in-group so the call has somewhere to wait if the agent is momentarily busy.

Create the DID entry

In the admin panel, go to IN-GROUPS and click ADD NEW DID. Fill in two fields to create the record: set DID Extension to the exact digits of the incoming number (for example, 7275556666) and give it a description like "Direct agent extension for user 6666". Click Submit to save the base entry. The system now recognises that number when it arrives on a carrier trunk.

Configure the routing options

After the initial submit you are taken to a detailed settings screen. Set these fields and leave the rest at their defaults:

• Active: Y — turns the DID on so it processes live calls.
• DID Route: AGENT — tells VICIdial to send the call to a specific user rather than an in-group or call menu.
• User Agent: the numeric user ID of the agent who should receive this call (for example, 6666).
• User Route Settings In-Group: AGENTDIRECT — the in-group where the call waits while it rings the agent. The name must start with AGENTDIRECT.
• User Unavailable Action: VOICEMAIL — what happens if the agent does not answer before the in-group's drop timeout. You can also choose another in-group or an Extension.
• Voicemail Box: 6666 — the voicemail box that receives the call if no one answers. Create this under Admin → Voicemail before saving.

Click Submit again to commit the settings. The routing is live immediately — test it by calling the number.

How the call flows

sequenceDiagram
  participant C as Carrier trunk
  participant D as DID 7275556666
  participant Q as AGENTDIRECT in-group
  participant A as Agent 6666
  participant V as Voicemail box
  C->>D: Inbound call arrives
  D->>Q: DID Route AGENT sends call to queue
  Q->>A: Rings agent phone
  alt Agent answers
    A-->>Q: Call connected
  else Drop timeout reached
    Q->>V: User Unavailable Action routes to voicemail
  end

What the agent needs on their end

The DID entry alone is not enough. For calls to actually reach the agent, the Campaign they log into must have Allow Inbound and Blended dialing set to Y. The agent also needs AGENTDIRECT listed as an allowable in-group for that campaign, and they must select it when they log in. During a call session the agent must be in READY or CLOSER status — calls do not ring through when the agent is PAUSED. If no agent is logged in at all, you can watch the call sitting in queue on the Real-Time Report until the drop timeout sends it to voicemail.

For more on how agents handle inbound calls in a blended setup, see setting up a remote agent for blended calls. The remote agents and mobile guide covers the broader picture of how direct-to-agent routing fits into a full VICIdial setup. If you would rather skip building and maintaining the server yourself, managed VICIdial plans hand you a running dialer in under 40 seconds.