setup
99 posts.
How VICIfast provisions a dialer in under 40 seconds
A look at what happens between your payment and a working VICIdial login, and why the whole sequence finishes in under 40 seconds.
Read postWhy VICIfast is the fastest way to launch VICIdial
A plain comparison of the manual VICIdial route against VICIfast, and where the time actually goes when you set up a dialer.
Read postPersonalizing VICIdial after a fresh install
A fresh VICIdial install boots generic. Set the timezone, server IP, passwords, branding, and a first campaign before you ever dial a live number.
Read postFirst login to VICIdial Admin after install
Your first login to VICIdial Admin: signing in as 6666/1234, the Welcome and Initial Setup screens, setting your defaults, and enabling every admin page on user 6666.
Read postHow to set up Preserve-Place-In-Line on an In-Group
A short setup checklist for VICIdial's Preserve-Place-In-Line: the campaign flag, the in-group trigger, and the callback settings to review before you go live.
Read postWhat the Email Reply-to Address controls
The Email Reply-to Address tells VICIdial which mailbox it is connecting to and sets the From line on agent replies. Here is what it does and what it doesn't.
Read postHow to add an inbound Email Account in VICIdial
Walk through the core fields for a new inbound Email Account in VICIdial: ID, name, active, type INBOUND, protocol, server, login, check rate, and the In-Group it feeds.
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 point an Email Account at the right Email Group
The In-Group ID field is the link between a mailbox and the queue that feeds your agents. Get it right and incoming email reaches the people staffing that group.
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 postEmail Accounts vs Email Groups: what each one is for
An Email Account is the mailbox VICIdial logs into to fetch mail. An Email Group is the queue that decides which agent works each message. Here is how the two connect.
Read postHow to connect an IMAP inbox to VICIdial
Connect an IMAP mailbox to VICIdial by setting the protocol to IMAP and filling the server, user, and password. Here is what IMAP needs and how it differs from POP3.
Read postWhat the "E" keepalive and inbound email parser do
Two server-side pieces make VICIdial email actually move: an "E" keepalive on one server and the inbound email parser running every minute. Here is what each one is for.
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 add a Text-to-Speech entry in VICIdial
Step-by-step on creating a Text-to-Speech entry in VICIdial, including the three required fields and the prerequisites that make it speak.
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 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 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 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 add a new VICIdial phone
Use ADD A NEW PHONE under ADMIN PHONES, set the eight required fields, and SIP or IAX configs auto-create in about a minute.
Read postVICIdial phone required fields
The eight fields VICIdial demands before it will save a phone: extension, dialplan number, server IP, login, password, full name, protocol, and local GMT.
Read postHow to turn on scheduled callbacks for a campaign
Flip the campaign Scheduled Callbacks option so agents can disposition leads as CALLBK and book them for a later date and time.
Read postHow to enable scheduled callbacks per agent
Turn on the VICIdial user option that lets each agent save a CALLBK callback after the campaign option is already enabled.
Read postHow to make the callback status line blink red
Step-by-step guide to setting the Scheduled Callbacks Alert option so the agent callback line blinks red when a callback comes due.
Read postHow to set up VICIdial Quality Control in 7 steps
A plain walkthrough of the seven steps that take VICIdial Quality Control from a hidden feature to calls being scored and reported.
Read postHow to Set Up a VICIdial Whiteboard Wallboard Display
Turn a TV or projector into a live VICIdial wallboard: pick a report type, watch the right options turn red, set the refresh interval, and project it.
Read postHow to Group VICIdial Statuses Into a Category
Step through creating a VICIdial status category, the 2-20 character Category ID rules, and assigning statuses so they roll up into one reportable group.
Read postHow to turn on call recording in VICIdial
Recording in VICIdial is a per-campaign setting. Here is where it lives, what each level does, and how to confirm calls are actually being captured.
Read postHow to add a Mute Recording button to the agent screen
A short setup guide for enabling the Mute Recording button on a campaign, plus the one setting that quietly turns it off.
Read postHow to record every call on a campaign
To capture every call on a VICIdial campaign, set automatic recording and stop relying on the agent button. Here is the exact configuration.
Read postHow to set up a fronter-to-closer workflow in VICIdial
A step-by-step setup for fronter-to-closer handoffs: a closer campaign, the right inbound group, a default transfer group, and the Local Closer transfer.
Read postHow to Add a New Carrier Trunk in VICIdial
Step-by-step: add a Server Carrier in VICIdial, fill the key fields, set it Active, and confirm it registered before you dial.
Read postHow to create a VICIdial Drop List
Step through enabling Drop Lists, naming the entry, picking inbound groups and drop statuses, and pointing it at a target list.
Read postHow to create a Filter Phone Group
Step-by-step setup for a new Filter Phone Group, plus how to add the numbers and wire it to a DID.
Read postHow to copy a call menu
Clone an existing VICIdial call menu in one step, then change only the options that differ, instead of rebuilding the IVR from scratch.
Read postHow to add a call menu
Step-by-step setup for a new VICIdial call menu: naming rules for the Menu ID, the greeting prompt, and wiring keypresses to destinations.
Read postHow to copy a DID
Copy an existing VICIdial DID to reuse all its routing settings on a new number without rebuilding them by hand.
Read postHow to add a DID in VICIdial
A step-by-step walk through adding a new DID in VICIdial so an inbound number reaches your agents.
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 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 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 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 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 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 postOwner Only Dialing: keeping leads with their rep
Owner Only Dialing makes each agent see only the leads they own — by user, territory, or group. Great for account books and warm follow-ups, with a couple of prerequisites.
Read postNo Hopper Dialing mode explained
No Hopper Dialing turns off the lead pre-loading buffer for a campaign. It enables owner-based dialing — but it also switches off recycling, alt-number dialing, and list mixing.
Read postMax Logged-In Agents: capping a campaign's seats
Max Logged-In Agents sets a hard ceiling on how many people can be on a campaign at once. Handy for licensing, training, and keeping campaigns from poaching each other's seats.
Read postRouting Extension: where unanswered calls go
The Routing Extension decides how a connected call gets handed to an agent — same server, local-first, or any server. Pick the wrong one and you get more dropped calls.
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 postBasic View vs Detailed View in campaign settings
Every campaign opens in Basic View with a trimmed set of options. Detailed View shows everything. Here's the difference, why your account might be stuck on Basic, and the one user setting that flips it.
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 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 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 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 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 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 postOmit Phone Code: stripping a leading digit before dialing
If every lead carries a country code your carrier does not want to see, Omit Phone Code tells VICIdial to drop it before dialing. Set it to Y and the dialer sends the local digits without you editing every record.
Read postDial Prefix vs Manual Dial Prefix
Dial Prefix decides which path your auto-dialed calls take out of the system. Manual Dial Prefix lets manual calls take a different path. Knowing which one applies to which call saves you a confusing afternoon.
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 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 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 postHow to set your Minimum Hopper Level
Minimum Hopper Level is how many leads VICIdial tries to keep staged for dialing. Set it too low and agents stall; set it well and the floor stays busy. Here is the rule of thumb.
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 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 VICIdial Dial Method setting does
The Dial Method dropdown on a campaign is the single most consequential setting you'll touch. It decides whether agents click to dial, dial a fixed multiple, or hand pacing to the predictive algorithm. Here's what each option means.
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