Call flows
Call Flow Voicemail
The Voicemail step lets callers leave a recorded message when they reach that point in your call flow. Use it after an unanswered ringing attempt, on an after-hours route, or as a phone-menu choice for callers who want to leave a message.
You can use the inbox’s default greeting or give this particular Voicemail step its own recording.
Choose which greeting callers hear
| Option | What callers hear | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Use inbox default greeting enabled | The default greeting configured for this inbox. | Use when callers should hear the inbox’s usual voicemail greeting. |
| Use inbox default greeting disabled | A custom greeting uploaded to this Voicemail step, or Waveline’s built-in greeting if none is uploaded. | Use when a particular route needs different instructions. |
For example, John Doe LLC could use its inbox default when nobody answers during the day, but a custom greeting after hours that explains when the team will return.
The greeting and message are different
The greeting is what callers hear before the beep. The message is what the caller records afterward. Changing a greeting does not change or delete messages callers have already left.
Before you begin
- Decide which routes should send callers to voicemail.
- Choose whether those routes should share the inbox default or use different greetings.
- Prepare an audio file if you want a custom greeting for this step.
To configure the greeting shared by default-using steps, see Default Voicemail Recording.
Where to find it
Open the call-flow builder for the inbox you want to configure. For more information, see Open the call-flow builder.
Select an existing Voicemail step, or drag Voicemail from Flow widgets onto the canvas.
Use the inbox’s default greeting
- Add or select the Voicemail step.
- Enable Use inbox default greeting.
- Connect the route that should send callers to this step.
- Select Save draft to keep your changes, or Publish flow when ready.
The step uses the greeting configured under the inbox’s Default voicemail recording section. If no custom inbox greeting is uploaded, Waveline plays its built-in spoken greeting.
Updating the inbox default updates the greeting used by every Voicemail step configured to use it. You do not need to republish the call flow when changing only that default recording.
Use a custom greeting for this step
- Add or select the Voicemail step.
- Disable Use inbox default greeting.
- Under Greeting audio, upload your greeting with Upload audio, or select Generate with AI. See Generate a greeting for this step with AI.
- Connect the route that should reach this step.
- Save the draft and publish the flow when it is ready.
The custom greeting belongs to this step. It does not replace the inbox default or greetings on other Voicemail steps.
To remove the attached clip, select its trash icon and confirm Remove audio. Attach a replacement or deliberately return the step to the inbox default, then save and publish the change.
Generate a greeting for this step with AI
Generate with AI turns a written script into a greeting for this Voicemail step only.
- Select the Voicemail step and turn off Use inbox default greeting.
- Under Greeting audio, select Generate with AI.
- The Script starts with Waveline’s standard voicemail greeting. Edit it for this route, for example to say that the office is closed and when the team will call back.
- Select Generate audio and wait for the preview.
- Play the preview and check the wording and pronunciation.
- Select Use this audio. The clip replaces any earlier greeting on this step in the draft.
- Select Save draft to keep the change, or Publish flow when the route is ready for callers.
If the clip needs a change, edit the script or select Generate again, then preview the new result. If the dialog says your audio isn’t available yet, select Check generation instead of starting another clip.
Connect callers to voicemail
Connect the output that should lead to voicemail to the Voicemail step’s input.
Common examples include:
- No Answer from Ring Users.
- After Hours from Inbox Hours Routing.
- A choice from Phone Menu.
- The next connection after a Play Audio announcement.
You can connect several routes to the same Voicemail step when they should use the same greeting. Use separate Voicemail steps when those routes need different greetings.
Voicemail ends this route
The caller hears the greeting and can leave a message after the beep. Voicemail is the final step on that route; it does not continue to another call-flow step afterward.
Write a useful greeting
Tell callers whom they have reached and what information they should leave. Keep the recording clear, personal, and appropriate for the route.
For an after-hours greeting, you might say:
Our support team is currently closed. Please leave your name, phone number, and a brief description of how we can help after the beep.
If an earlier announcement already introduces your business, you do not need to repeat the same introduction. Avoid promising a response time your team cannot consistently meet.
Record in a quiet place and trim unnecessary silence from the beginning and end. Leave the recording tone to Waveline rather than adding a beep to your audio file.
Review messages and follow up
Messages belong to the inbox that handled the voicemail. See Voicemail for listening to recordings, reading transcriptions, and following up.
If your team uses the Unhandled list to track voicemail follow-up, review the inbox’s Unhandled Calls settings.
Common questions
Do I have to upload a greeting?
No. Unlike Phone Menu and Play Audio, a Voicemail step can use Waveline’s built-in spoken greeting. You can also enable Use inbox default greeting to use the inbox’s configured default.
Why do callers hear the inbox default instead of my step-specific greeting?
Check whether Use inbox default greeting is enabled. To use a recording for this step only, disable it, upload your file under Greeting audio, and publish the updated flow.
Why didn’t changing the inbox default update this greeting?
The Voicemail step may have Use inbox default greeting disabled. A step-specific greeting is independent of the inbox default.
How do I switch a custom step back to the inbox default?
Enable Use inbox default greeting, then save and publish the flow. Removing the custom audio alone does not switch the step back to the inbox default.
Why do callers never reach voicemail?
Check that the relevant route is connected to the Voicemail step and that your changes are published. For example, if voicemail should follow an unanswered ringing attempt, connect No Answer from Ring Users to Voicemail.
Can I use different greetings during and after hours?
Yes. Connect the relevant routes to separate Voicemail steps and choose the greeting for each. For example, use the inbox default after an unanswered daytime call and a custom greeting on the After Hours route.
Why isn’t a voicemail in the Unhandled list?
Check whether the inbox tracks Voicemail under its Unhandled Calls settings. Calls can also leave the list after follow-up or when someone marks them handled. See Unhandled Calls.