how-to
158 posts.
How to barge into an agent's live call from your phone
Dial the agent's full session ID on a VICIdial-attached phone to join a live call and speak to both the agent and the customer.
Read postHow to assign an Email Group to a campaign so agents can staff it
An email group does nothing until a campaign is allowed to use it. Here is how to add it under Allowed Inbound Groups so agents can log in and take email.
Read postHow agents receive and reply to emails in VICIdial
An inbound email behaves a lot like a call. Here is exactly what an agent sees, why the record locks, and how they close it out and get the next one.
Read postHow to copy a VICIdial Email Group instead of rebuilding it
Use the Copy Email Group page to clone all of an existing email group's settings into a fresh in-group by entering a new ID, a new name, and the source group.
Read postHow to set up VICIdial inbound email with a Gmail account
A start-to-finish walkthrough for connecting a Gmail inbox to VICIdial so agents can handle email like calls, including the Gmail-specific settings that trip people up.
Read postHow to safely delete an Email Group in VICIdial
Deleting an email in-group is a two-step confirmation. Click the delete link, then click the second confirmation link that appears, so you never remove a group by accident.
Read postHow to connect a POP3 inbox to VICIdial
A step-by-step walkthrough for pointing VICIdial at a POP3 mailbox so incoming email lands in front of your agents like a call.
Read postHow to move emailed leads to another list by disposition
Use the Dispo Email URL with the dispo_move_list script to send emailed leads to a different list based on how the agent statused them, including splitting outcomes across many lists.
Read postHow to turn on email in System Settings before agents can use it
Email handling in VICIdial is off until you flip one global switch. Here is the System Settings change that has to happen first, and what it does and does not cover.
Read postHow to let a user configure Email Accounts
Building an email account in VICIdial needs a specific user permission. Here is the Modify Email Accounts setting, where it lives, and who should get it.
Read postHow to email a phone's voicemail to the agent
Fill the Email field on a VICIdial phone entry and voicemail messages are sent to that address, with an option to delete the local copy after.
Read postHow to Set Up Phone Aliases, Step by Step
A walkthrough for building VICIdial phone aliases: create matching phones on each dialer, then tie them together with one alias login.
Read postHow to read the Phone Stats report
The Phone Stats report breaks down channel, group, call count, and time for one phone, plus its last 1000 calls in a date range.
Read postHow to set up a voicemail box on a VICIdial phone
Set the Voicemail Box field on a phone entry so unanswered calls record a message and the agent's VOICEMAIL button works.
Read postHow to safely delete a VICIdial phone entry
Deleting a VICIdial phone is a deliberate two-step confirmation, and it only works with a user account that has delete permission.
Read postHow to update or delete a phone with the API
The update_phone function edits an existing VICIdial phone or removes it entirely — same endpoint, one flag decides which.
Read postHow to set Local GMT on a VICIdial phone
Local GMT tells VICIdial the time-zone offset of a phone's location so customer and local times display correctly. Here is how to set it.
Read postHow to find call recordings for a single phone
The Phone Call Recordings link jumps to the User Stats report for whoever used the phone, with their call stats and recordings.
Read postHow to add a phone with the add_phone API
Add a VICIdial phone entry over HTTP with the add_phone function — required fields, protocol options, and the responses you get back.
Read postHow to create a phone alias with the add_phone_alias API
A phone alias groups several phone logins under one name so a single login can ring a set of phones. Here is how to create one over the API.
Read postHow to add many phones at once in VICIdial
Loop the add_phone API over a list of extensions to create dozens of phones at once, then run one refresh to make them all live.
Read postHow to clock in and out in VICIdial
The exact punch-in and punch-out flow for the VICIdial Timeclock, from the login link at the top of the agent or admin screen.
Read postHow to force Timeclock login in VICIdial
A User Group setting in VICIdial can require agents to clock in before they reach the agent interface, guaranteeing attendance data.
Read postHow to delete a VICIdial filter
Remove a VICIdial lead filter with the two-step delete, and check that no campaign or user still references it before you do.
Read postHow to add a new VICIdial lead filter
A step-by-step walk through adding a new VICIdial lead filter: the Filter ID, name, SQL fragment, and testing on a campaign before you enable it.
Read postHow to modify an existing VICIdial filter
Open a VICIdial filter from the list and edit its name, comments, admin group, and SQL — but never the Filter ID, which is fixed for good.
Read postHow to run the Quality Control Report and read the rows
Step-by-step: open the VICIdial Quality Control Report, set the date and finish-date range, submit, read each row and its checkpoints, and export CSV.
Read postHow to Add a QC Scorecard
Add a new VICIdial QC scorecard with the three-field form on the QC Scorecards page, then add checkpoints so it can be used.
Read postHow to add a Call Time Holiday in VICIdial
Adding a Call Time Holiday in VICIdial takes a few minutes but requires careful attention to status and the inbound method. This step-by-step guide covers every field and the two-step process to attach the holiday to a Call Time.
Read postHow to add a new Call Time definition in VICIdial
This post walks through every field on the Add New Call Time screen in VICIdial, with practical guidance on naming, time-window values, and the permanent ID constraint you must plan for before saving.
Read postHow to stop recording very short calls with Recording Delay
Short, dead calls produce useless recordings that eat disk and CPU. Recording Delay skips them. Here is the exact setting to change and the value to use.
Read postHow to record in GSM instead of WAV to save disk
Switching the recording format from WAV to GSM shrinks every file and buys you more retention on the same drive. Here is the exact extension change to make.
Read postHow to mute credit card entry from your recordings
A step-by-step on configuring VICIdial so a customer can key a card number on the phone without those tones ever reaching the saved recording.
Read postRing-all in-group: ringing every agent at once
Sometimes you want a call to ring every agent's phone at once and let the fastest hand win, like a small office line. VICIdial calls this ring-all. Here is how to set it up, the two places you flip the switch, and why it is only for light volume.
Read postHow to create an inbound group and start taking calls
From zero to answering live inbound calls in VICIdial takes four moving parts: an in-group, a DID, a campaign that allows the group, and an agent who logs in and selects it. Here is the whole path in plain order.
Read postFinding which DIDs feed an in-group
Before you change or delete an in-group, you need to know which phone numbers point at it. VICIdial has a built-in list right on the in-group screen. Here is how to find it and why you should always check it first.
Read postLogged-In Agents Report for an in-group
When a queue starts dropping calls, the first question is always the same: is anyone actually logged in to answer them? There is a one-click report that tells you exactly who is staffing an in-group right now. Here is how to use it.
Read postReading the Inbound Group Report
There is a one-click report hiding at the bottom of every in-group screen that shows you exactly how that queue performed. Here is how to open the Inbound Group Report, what its numbers mean, and which ones actually tell you something.
Read postHow to set up an after-call survey
Want to hear what callers think right after they hang up with an agent? VICIdial can play a short survey question and record the keypress. Here is how to turn it on for one in-group, what each setting does, and where the answers land.
Read postAfter Call Survey: post-call IVR feedback
Want to know how a caller felt after they hang up with your agent? After Call Survey asks them to stay on the line, plays a question, and records their keypress answer. It is a simple post-call survey built into the in-group.
Read postPopulating lead fields from inbound caller ID
When an inbound call creates a lead, the record is mostly empty. A set of Populate Lead settings on the in-group can fill in the state, source, vendor code, and comments automatically from the caller ID and the DID. Here is what each one does.
Read postAdd Lead URL: creating leads from inbound calls
When a brand-new caller comes in, VICIdial can create a lead for them. Add Lead URL lets you tell an outside system the moment that happens, with the new lead's ID, phone, and the DID it arrived on. Here is how to set it up.
Read postIn-group URLs: firing webhooks on inbound call events
An in-group can ping a web address at key moments in a call: when it enters the queue, when it reaches an agent, when it gets dispositioned. These URL fields are how you push inbound activity into your own systems in real time.
Read postDial In-Group CID explained
When an agent dials out from an in-group manually, what number shows on the customer's phone? Dial In-Group CID lets you pin that to one number per group, overriding the campaign and the list. Here is when to use it.
Read postTransfer Talk Minimum: filtering quick transfers
Some agents pass callers along the second they pick up. Transfer Talk Minimum makes an agent talk to a customer for a set number of seconds before they can transfer to your in-group, so handoffs are real conversations, not hot-potato.
Read postDefault Transfer Group for an in-group
When an agent opens the transfer panel, one destination is already selected for them. The Default Transfer Group sets that pre-pick per in-group, so agents transfer to the right place by reflex.
Read postIn-Group Recording Override: forcing recording on inbound
An inbound group can ignore the campaign's recording setting and decide for itself: never record, let the agent choose, record everything, or record everything with no off switch.
Read postAreacode Filter: routing inbound calls by area code
The Areacode Filter lets an in-group keep or drop waiting callers based on the area code they are calling from. Useful when you only serve certain regions or want to weed out junk.
Read postDrop Exten, Drop Transfer Group, and Drop Call Menu explained
When a caller waits too long and VICIdial drops them out of the queue, where do they land? These three fields decide: a dialplan extension, another in-group, or a phone menu.
Read postDrop Call Seconds for inbound: when a queued call counts as dropped
Drop Call Seconds is the timer that decides how long a caller waits in your queue before VICIdial gives up and reroutes them. Set it well and you protect both the caller experience and your stats.
Read postSecond and third agent alerts: escalation when nobody answers
Some callers deserve a louder ding. VICIdial can play a different alert sound when a repeat caller comes through your in-group, so the agent knows this person has tried before.
Read postAgent Alert: ringing the agent on an inbound call
When an inbound call lands on an agent, a small sound tells them to look up and take it. The Agent Alert settings control that ding, how long it delays the call, and whether you want repeat-caller alerts too.
Read postMax Calls Method and Action: capping queue size
There is a point where adding one more caller to the queue just makes everyone's wait worse. The Max Calls settings let you cap how many calls an in-group will hold, and decide where the overflow goes.
Read postIn-Queue No Agents Check explained
A caller can get into the queue while an agent is logged in, then get stranded when that agent logs off. The In-Queue No Agents Check keeps watching the room and rescues callers who would otherwise wait forever.
Read postNo Agent No Queue Action: when nobody is logged in
If a caller dials in and not a single agent is logged in, parking them in an empty queue is cruel. The No Agent No Queue setting catches that case and routes them somewhere useful instead.
Read postClosing Time Now Trigger: closing the queue early
Sometimes you need to close before the clock says so: a snow day, an all-hands, a sudden short-staff. The Closing Time Now trigger empties the queue early and sends every waiting caller to your closing-time plan.
Read postClosing Time Action: handling calls at end of day
When your phones close for the day, some callers are still waiting in line. Closing Time Action decides what happens to them instead of leaving them stuck. Here is how it works and how to set it kindly.
Read postAfter Hours Action: routing calls outside business hours
When a call lands outside your business hours, it should not just ring forever. The After Hours Action setting decides what happens: a message, voicemail, another line, or a clean hangup. Here are your options.
Read postCall Time: setting an in-group's business hours
Every in-group answers calls on a schedule. The Call Time setting is where you tell VICIdial which hours count as open and which count as after hours. Here is how it works and why server time matters.
Read postHow to set up a virtual-queue callback
A virtual-queue callback lets a caller hang up, hold their spot, and get dialed back when it is their turn. This is the step-by-step to switch it on in VICIdial, from picking the trigger to recording the prompt.
Read postCID Callback Number Validation explained
When a caller asks for a callback, the number they called from is not always the number they want to be reached on. CID Callback Number Validation reads it back, checks it, and lets the caller correct it before you commit.
Read postIn-queue callback: let callers keep their place and get called back
Long hold times push callers to hang up. In-queue callback lets a waiting caller hang up, keep their spot in line, and get an outbound call the moment they reach the front. Here is how it works in VICIdial.
Read postBuilding a 3-tier overflow ladder for a full queue
What happens when nobody is logged in, the queue is jammed, or it's after hours? VICIdial gives you separate fallbacks for each. Here's how to stack them into a clean overflow ladder so no call falls off a cliff.
Read postEstimated Hold Time Option: routing by predicted wait
Instead of waiting for a caller to wait too long, why not act on the forecast? VICIdial's Estimated Hold Time Option routes callers when the predicted wait is too high. Here is how it differs from the wait-time version.
Read postWait Time Option: rerouting callers who wait too long
Some callers will wait forever; most won't. VICIdial's Wait Time Option lets a caller press a key after a set wait to grab a callback, jump to a menu, or keep their place. Here is how to set it up.
Read postPlay Estimated Hold Time to waiting callers
Telling a caller "about two minutes" is kinder than silence. VICIdial's Play Estimated Hold Time reads waiting callers a predicted wait. Here is how to turn it on and tune when it speaks.
Read postPlay Place in Line: telling callers their queue position
Callers hate silence on hold. VICIdial can tell them "you are caller number 4" so they know the line is moving. Here is how Play Place in Line works and how to turn it on.
Read postOn Hold Prompts: messages while callers wait
An on-hold prompt plays a short recurring message to waiting callers, but it blocks them from reaching an agent while it plays. Here are the rules that keep it from quietly inflating your hold times.
Read postSetting music on hold for an in-group
Silence makes callers hang up; music keeps them on the line. Here is how VICIdial organizes hold music into contexts, how to point an in-group at one, and why music beats a looping prompt.
Read postWelcome Message: greeting inbound callers
A welcome message greets callers the moment they land in your queue. Setting it is one field, but it blocks the call from reaching an agent until it finishes. Here is how to use it without adding dead air.
Read postAgent Rank vs Grade vs Call Count: in-group routing methods
Rank, grade, and call count are three per-agent levers that change who gets the next inbound call. One favors your best, one weights toward them, one spreads work evenly. Here is how to choose.
Read postFronter Display: what the agent sees on an inbound call
Fronter Display puts the first agent's name in the Status field when a call is transferred, so the closer knows exactly who fronted it. Here is when to turn it on and what it changes.
Read postQueue Priority: ranking inbound calls against outbound
When one agent covers two inbound queues and both have callers waiting, Queue Priority decides who gets connected first. Here is how to set it without starving your quieter queues.
Read postAgent Search Method Override for in-groups
This in-group setting decides whether VICIdial looks for an answering agent across all your servers or just the one where the call landed. The wrong choice can quietly raise your dropped calls.
Read postNext Agent Call: how inbound picks which agent answers
When two agents are free, who gets the call? The Next Agent Call setting decides. Here are the options that actually matter day to day, in plain language, with the trade-offs.
Read postGroup Color: color-coding your in-groups
Group Color paints the agent screen when a call comes in, so people know at a glance which line it is. Small setting, big floor-level payoff. Here is how to set it without breaking VICIdial.
Read postActivating and deactivating an in-group
The Active flag decides whether agents can even see an in-group when they log in. Here is what flipping it does, what it does not do, and why your group might still show NA after you set it active.
Read postHow to add a new inbound in-group
Creating your first in-group takes about a minute, but two fields lock you in for good. Here is exactly what to type, what the rules are, and the one shortcut that copies an existing setup.
Read postTimer Action: nudging agents after a set time
Timer Action fires something on a live call after a set number of seconds — a screen message, a hangup, a transfer to an IVR or in-group. Here is what each option does and how to set the timer.
Read postDead Call Trigger: handling silent connections
A dead call is when the customer has hung up but the agent is still sitting on the line. Dead Call Trigger nudges the agent with a sound or a back-end ping after a set number of seconds. Here is how to set it.
Read postAgent Select Territories explained
Agent Select Territories lets a logged-in agent pick which regions they dial, instead of you locking them to one. Here is what it does, the two settings it depends on, and when it actually helps.
Read postSetting dial level for a small agent team
Predictive dialing assumes a crowd to average over. With three or four agents, the usual advice backfires. Here is how to set dial level when your team is small.
Read postPredictive dialing best practices for new operators
Turning on predictive dialing for the first time is where new VICIdial operators get burned. A short list of habits keeps your drop rate legal and your agents busy from day one.
Read postHow to slow down VICIdial dialing
Calls are stacking up faster than your agents can take them, and customers are getting dead air. Here is how to ease off the gas in VICIdial without breaking anything.
Read postHow to make VICIdial dial faster
If your agents have idle gaps between calls, VICIdial can dial more aggressively. Here are the four dials that move the most: dial level, dial method, dial timeout, and the hopper, plus the one number that keeps it legal.
Read postWhy VICIdial isn't dialing: the first things to check
Agents logged in, phones quiet, and no idea why. Before you panic, VICIdial almost always stops dialing for one of a short list of plain reasons. Here is the checklist to run, top to bottom.
Read postCampaign Presets: saving manual-dial shortcuts
Transfer Presets give your agents a ready-made menu of transfer and conference numbers instead of typing them by hand. Here is how to build the list, what each field does, and why hiding the number can keep agents honest.
Read postAllow Closers: letting a campaign take transfers
Allow Closers is the campaign setting that lets one agent hand a live customer to another agent inside VICIdial. Here is what it turns on, the fronter-to-closer flow it enables, and the one extra section it makes appear.
Read postActive: turning a campaign on and off
The Active setting is the master switch for a VICIdial campaign. Set it to Y and agents can log in; set it to N and the campaign goes dark. Here is exactly what flips when you toggle it, and when you actually want to.
Read postHow to copy a VICIdial campaign
Rather than rebuild a campaign from scratch, VICIdial lets you copy every setting from an existing one into a new ID. It's three fields and a click. Here's how to do it and what carries over versus what doesn't.
Read postHow to add a new campaign in VICIdial
Adding a campaign is a two-step affair: a short add form, then the full settings page. The two rules that trip people up are the campaign ID format and the fact that the ID is permanent. Here's how to get it right the first time.
Read postReal-Time Campaign Stats: reading the main screen
The Real-time link on a campaign shows you what's happening right now — dialable leads, hopper count, dropped calls, agents logged in. Here's how to read each number and what it tells you about your dialing.
Read postAgent Ready Max Seconds Logout explained
An agent stuck in READY for an hour with no calls is usually a sign something broke. Agent Ready Max Seconds Logout catches that case and logs the agent out, so a silent dialing problem does not hide behind a "logged-in" agent.
Read postAgent Pause Max Status: capping pause time
When an agent sits paused too long, VICIdial can auto-log them out — and Agent Pause Max Status decides what disposition gets stamped on whatever call they left open. Here is how the two settings work together.
Read postAuto Pause Pre-Call Work explained
Auto Pause Pre-Call Work keeps the dialer from dropping a call on an agent who is mid-task — looking up a lead, checking callbacks, entering a pause code. It auto-pauses them so the next call never lands on a distracted agent.
Read postAgent Pause Codes: tracking why agents pause
Pause codes turn "agent is paused" into "agent is on a 15-minute break." Set them up per campaign and you finally know where your floor's idle time actually goes, with the data sitting right in the agent log.
Read postWrapup Message: what to show agents between calls
The Wrapup Message is the bit of text agents see on the wrapup screen between calls. Small field, real value: use it for reminders, scripts, and the next thing they should do before the next call lands.
Read postWrapup Seconds: giving agents time after a call
Wrapup Seconds forces a short pause after every call so agents can finish notes before the next one lands. Here is what the setting does, when to use it, and how to keep it from quietly slowing your floor.
Read postCampaign Survey settings explained
A field-by-field tour of the Campaign Survey section in VICIdial: audio files, DTMF digits, opt-in routing, no-response action, and the extra digit paths that build a branching survey.
Read postHow to set up a broadcast (robo) campaign
A step-by-step setup for a broadcast campaign in VICIdial: record the message, choose a playback method, configure the remote agent, and start the run with no live agents.
Read postBroadcast dialing without live agents
Broadcast dialing plays a recorded message to a list with no live agent on the call. Here are the three playback methods, the trade-offs of each, and where it is allowed.
Read postHow to build a press-1 survey campaign
A step-by-step walkthrough of building a press-1 survey campaign in VICIdial: record the prompts, fill the survey fields, set the routing extension, and pick the right dial method.
Read postSurvey dialing: press-1 campaigns in VICIdial
Press-1 and survey dialing plays a recorded question and routes the call based on which key the person presses. Here is how the survey fields fit together and what to know before you run one.
Read postInbound No-Agents No-Dial explained
Inbound No-Agents No-Dial pauses outbound dialing on a blended campaign when too few inbound agents are free. Here is what the setting does, the threshold that controls it, and when it earns its keep.
Read postInbound Queue No Dial: pausing outbound when the queue fills
Inbound Queue No Dial pauses outbound dialing whenever inbound callers are waiting in your allowed in-groups. It is a simple safety valve that keeps a blended campaign from drowning real customers. Here is how to set it.
Read postConcurrent Transfers: limiting simultaneous transfers
Concurrent Transfers controls how many answered calls can be sent to agents at once without waiting in line. On small teams it barely matters; on large ones it can change everything. Here is what it does and why AUTO is usually right.
Read postQueue Priority: which calls reach agents first
When outbound and inbound calls are both waiting, Queue Priority decides who gets to your agents first. A higher number wins. Here is how the defaults work and when to change them.
Read postShared Dial Rank: prioritizing campaigns for shared agents
When several SHARED dial-method campaigns compete for the same agents, Shared Dial Rank decides which one dials first. A small number means higher priority. Here is how the round-robin works and how to set it.
Read postShared-Agent Campaign Dialing explained
Want one team of agents to auto-dial across two or three campaigns at once? Shared-agent dialing makes it possible, but it brings extra drop-rate risk. Here is when to use it and when list overrides are the simpler answer.
Read postHow to set up a blended VICIdial campaign
A blended campaign lets the same agents take inbound calls and dial outbound from one seat. Here is how to turn outbound dialing on for an inbound-enabled campaign without overwhelming your queue.
Read postBlended inbound/outbound dialing explained
Blended dialing keeps agents busy by mixing outbound calls with inbound ones: dial out when it is quiet, queue the inbound call when one arrives, then route it the moment an agent is free. Here is how the pieces fit.
Read postAllow Inbound and Blended: turning a campaign blended
Allow Inbound and Blended is the campaign switch that lets your outbound agents also take incoming calls. Flip it to Y and an Allowed In-Groups list appears so you can choose exactly which inbound queues they can pull from.
Read postLocal Call Time: keeping calls inside legal hours
Local Call Time tells VICIdial which hours it may dial a lead, based on the lead's own time zone, not yours. Set it once per campaign and the dialer stops calling people at 7am their time while you sip coffee at noon.
Read postDial Timeout: how long VICIdial waits for an answer
Dial Timeout sets how many seconds VICIdial lets a number ring before giving up. Set it too short and you hang up on people who were about to answer; too long and you waste lines. Here is how to pick a number.
Read postCampaign CID Name: setting your caller-ID name
Campaign CID Name sets the text label that can ride along with your number, like a business name. It only works through a CNAM-capable gateway. Here is what it does and what it does not.
Read postArea-code caller ID (AC-CID): matching a local number
AC-CID lets a campaign show a local number that matches the area code you are calling. People answer local numbers more. Here is how to turn it on and load your area-code-to-number map.
Read postCID Group Failover explained
A CID Group can run out of matching numbers when a lead's area code is not in the group. CID Group Failover is the backup group VICIdial uses for those leads. Here is how to set it up.
Read postCID Groups: rotating caller IDs across a campaign
A CID Group lets a campaign rotate through many outbound numbers and pick one based on the area code or state you are calling. Here is what a CID Group is and how it changes which number shows up.
Read postCustom Caller ID in VICIdial
The Custom Caller ID setting lets each lead carry its own outbound number instead of one campaign-wide number. Here is what Y, AREACODE, and USER_CUSTOM each do and when you actually want them.
Read postCampaign Caller ID: setting the number you dial from
The Campaign Caller ID field decides which number shows up on the screen of the person you call. Here is what it does, why the default of UNKNOWN is a bad idea, and how to set it correctly.
Read postDaily Phone Number Call Limit: capping calls per number
Daily Call Count Limit caps calls per lead. Daily Phone Number Call Limit caps calls per number — across every lead that shares it. If the same phone shows up on several records, this is the setting that stops you double-dialing it.
Read postDemographic Quotas explained
Demographic Quotas let VICIdial steer dialing toward goals — call this many people in this region, this many in that age band — by re-ranking leads as quotas fill. Here is what the feature does and how to switch it on.
Read postWhat Call Quota Lead Ranking does
Call Quota Lead Ranking is VICIdial's way of structuring recycle dialing: hit a lead a set number of times, across set time-of-day sessions, over consecutive days. Here is what it solves and when it is worth the complexity.
Read postCall Count Limit vs Daily Call Count Limit
VICIdial has two settings that sound the same: Call Count Limit and Daily Call Count Limit. One caps total attempts over the life of a lead, the other caps attempts per day. Mixing them up gets you complaints — or wasted dials.
Read postNext Agent Call: how VICIdial picks which agent answers
When two agents are free and a call comes in, who gets it? The Next Agent Call setting decides. Here is what each option does and which one to pick for fairness, speed, or rewarding your best closers.
Read postDial Statuses: which dispositions get redialed
The Dial Statuses on a campaign decide which call outcomes are eligible to dial again. Pick them well and you call the right leads back; pick them loosely and you re-call people you shouldn't. Here is how to choose.
Read postAuto Alt-Number Dialing: calling a lead's second number
When a lead's main number doesn't connect, Auto Alt-Number Dialing automatically tries their alt phone or address3 field. Here is how to switch it on, which no-answer statuses trigger it, and the threshold that stops it.
Read postLead recycling: redialing no-answers automatically
Lead recycling redials a chosen status, usually Busy, after a set delay without resetting your whole list. Two numbers control it: how long before the lead comes back, and how many times it can be retried. Here is how to set it right.
Read postAuto Active List New: auto-activating fresh lists
Auto Active List New flips an inactive list to active automatically when your campaign runs low on fresh leads, so agents don't go idle waiting for someone to turn on the next list. Here is how it works and its catches.
Read postHow to use a Lead Filter on a campaign
A Lead Filter narrows which leads a campaign will dial using a small piece of SQL. It is handy for slicing a list by state, zip, or call count, but one stray character can quietly stop your dialer cold.
Read postWhat List Mix does and when to use it
List Mix lets you pull set percentages of leads from different lists and statuses into one dialing stream. Here is what it actually controls, why it can stall your dialer, and the rare cases where it earns its keep.
Read postList Order in VICIdial: how leads get picked
List Order decides which leads VICIdial pulls into the dialing queue first — by upload order, phone number, call count, timezone, and more. Pick the wrong one and your best leads sit untouched. Here's a plain-English tour of the options that matter.
Read postManual Dial Hopper Check explained
Manual Dial Hopper Check stops the awkward double-call: an agent dials a number by hand just as the auto-dialer was about to dial the same one. Turn it on and VICIdial clears the queued copy first. Here's how it works and when to use it.
Read postHopper Drop-Run Trigger explained
The Hopper Drop-Run Trigger does one thing: for a single minute, it loads only your DROP leads at top priority, then resets itself. Great for quickly retrying abandoned calls — with one warning about list resets you need to read first.
Read postHopper Hold Inserts explained
Hopper Hold Inserts loads leads into the queue in a held state, so they don't dial until something says go. It's how you stage leads for an outside process or a one-click agent flow. Here's what RHOLD and AUTONEXT actually do.
Read postWhen to force a reset of the hopper
Force Reset of Hopper wipes the dialing queue clean on form submit, then lets it refill a minute later. It's a handy reset button for stuck or stale queues — and a fine way to dial the wrong leads if you use it carelessly. Here's the safe way.
Read postHopper VLC Dup Check: stopping duplicate dials
If the same person keeps getting called twice in a row, Hopper VLC Dup Check is the setting that catches it. Here's what it does, when it helps, and the one mistake that quietly chokes your dialing to a single lead per minute.
Read postMultiple Campaign Drop Rate Group explained
If you run several campaigns at once, their drop rates are usually tracked separately. Multiple Campaign Drop Rate Group pools them into one shared number so the dialer manages your overall abandonment across the group. Here is how it works.
Read postHow to set up a Safe Harbor message for dropped calls
Playing a recorded message on dropped calls takes three campaign fields lined up correctly: the action, the audio file, and the timing. Here is the order to set them in so the message actually plays.
Read postWhat a Safe Harbor message is and why VICIdial plays one
Sometimes a contact picks up and no agent is free. Instead of dead air or a hang-up, many campaigns play a short recorded message. That is the Safe Harbor message. Here is what it is and why VICIdial offers it.
Read postWhat Drop Lockout Time does
Drop Lockout Time stops VICIdial from re-dialing a number for a set number of hours after that number was dropped. It is a small field with real regulatory weight, especially in the UK. Here is how it works.
Read postDrop Call Seconds and Drop Call Action explained
When a contact picks up and no agent is free, VICIdial has to do something fast. Drop Call Seconds sets the clock, and Drop Call Action decides what that something is. Here is what each setting actually controls.
Read postAvailable Only Tally and how it changes drop-rate math
By default VICIdial counts agents who are already on a call when it decides how many lines to open. Available Only Tally tells it to count only the agents truly free right now, which is the strongest protection against dropping a live caller.
Read postDial Level Difference Target: keeping agents busy safely
Do you want a spare agent waiting, or a spare call waiting? Dial Level Difference Target answers that question, and the answer is one of the simplest levers you have for trading drop rate against agent idle time.
Read postAdapt Intensity Modifier explained
Most predictive settings change where the dial level lands. Adapt Intensity Modifier changes how eagerly the dialer gets there. It tunes the personality of the algorithm, not the destination.
Read postMaximum Adapt Dial Level: capping predictive aggressiveness
Predictive dialing will keep pushing the pace as high as the math allows. Maximum Adapt Dial Level is the hard ceiling that says: never open more than this many lines per agent, no matter how good the leads look.
Read postAuto Dial Level Threshold: when predictive kicks in
Predictive dialing needs a crowd to work. Auto Dial Level Threshold tells VICIdial the minimum number of agents it needs before it trusts the prediction, and what to do when the room thins out.
Read postWhat the Drop Percentage Limit setting does
Drop Percentage Limit is the ceiling you give VICIdial for how many connected calls it is allowed to abandon. Set it to 3 and the dialer pulls back on its own when it gets close. Here is what it actually controls.
Read postHow to choose the right auto dial level for your list
Pick your auto dial level from three things: how many agents you have, how warm your list is, and how many channels your server can carry. Here is how to weigh them.
Read postHow to set up a manual-dial VICIdial campaign
A manual-dial campaign lets agents control every call. Set the dial method to MANUAL, sort out the manual prefix and caller ID, and you are dialing by hand in minutes.
Read postHow to switch a VICIdial campaign to predictive dialing
Moving a campaign from click-to-dial to predictive is a handful of fields on the Campaign Detail screen. Here is the exact order and what each setting does.
Read postThe inbound_man dial method explained
INBOUND_MAN lets one agent place manual outbound calls and still catch inbound calls in between. Here is what it does, why dial level must be 1.0, and when to use it.
Read postWhat the adapt_hard_limit dial method does
ADAPT_HARD_LIMIT dials predictively but slams the brakes the moment your drop rate hits the ceiling. Here is exactly how that cap works and when you want it.
Read postWhat adapt_average dialing does and when to use it
ADAPT_AVERAGE aims to keep your drop rate around the limit on average instead of slamming a hard ceiling on it. That makes for smoother pacing, but it asks you to trust the average. Here's the trade-off.
Read postWhat adapt_tapered dialing does and when to use it
ADAPT_TAPERED lets you dial hot at the start of a shift and tightens up as your stop time nears, so a busy morning doesn't blow your daily drop-rate average. Here's how the tapering works and how to set it.
Read postManual dialing in VICIdial: when to use it
Manual dialing is the slowest mode VICIdial offers, and sometimes that's exactly what you want. Agents click to dial every number, nothing fires automatically, and you trade speed for control. Here's when that trade is worth it.
Read postHow predictive dialing works in VICIdial
Predictive dialing places more calls than you have free agents, betting that some will go unanswered. Here is how VICIdial decides how many lines to fire and how it keeps your drop rate in check.
Read postHow to lower your VICIdial drop rate
Drop rate creeping above 3%? Nine times out of ten the only knob you need is Auto Dial Level. Here is how to tune it without killing throughput.
Read post