Phone Number Prefix

A phone number prefix is a string of digits VICIdial sticks on the front of a lead's number right before it dials out. If a lead is stored as 5551234 and you've set a prefix of 1212, the system actually dials 12125551234. The lead data itself stays untouched in your list — the prefix is only bolted on at dial time, so what you see in the database and what goes out on the wire can differ on purpose.

This is handy when your imported leads are all missing the same piece. Maybe a list came in as seven-digit local numbers and they all need the same area code, or your numbers need a leading country code to dial out internationally. Rather than editing thousands of rows by hand and risking typos, you set one prefix on the list and let the dialer add it automatically on the way out. Fix it once, apply it everywhere.

Prefixes can also be used to steer where calls go. A leading digit or code can tell your dial plan which trunk to send the call down, which means a well-chosen prefix can route an entire list to a particular carrier. It's closely related to the phone code override setting, which lets one list override the campaign default with its own code — the two are often used together when you want a specific list dialed and routed in its own way.

The main thing to be careful about is double-applying a prefix to numbers that already include it. If a list already has full eleven-digit numbers and you slap another country code on the front, you'll dial garbage and every call in that list will fail. So check the format of your numbers before you set a prefix, and test a handful first. And remember this only changes the number you dial out — it has nothing to do with the did you show as your caller ID, which is set separately.