Call flows
Check Caller Type
Check Caller Type lets your call flow give teammates and outside callers different experiences. It separates calls into Internal and External routes, so teammates can reach the appropriate destination while customers follow your normal greeting, menu, or other routing.
Understand the two routes
| Route | What it means |
|---|---|
| Internal | Calls identified by Waveline as coming from an internal calling source, such as a teammate calling through Waveline. |
| External | Calls identified as coming from outside Waveline, such as a customer calling your business number from their phone. |
Caller type is not contact recognition
Saving someone as a contact does not make their calls Internal. A saved customer calling from an outside phone still follows the External route.
Likewise, a teammate calling from an ordinary phone number outside Waveline can follow the External route.
When to use Check Caller Type
Use this step when teammates and customers should follow different routes.
For example, John Doe LLC could send External callers to a Phone Menu with choices for sales and support, while Internal callers go directly to Ring Users.
If both kinds of caller should have the same experience, you do not need this step.
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.
Under Flow widgets, find Check Caller Type.
Add and connect the check
- Drag Check Caller Type from Flow widgets onto the canvas.
- Connect Incoming Call, or the preceding step, to the top of the check.
- Connect Internal to the step teammates should reach.
- Connect External to the step outside callers should reach.
- Review both routes and make sure each continues to the intended destination.
- Select Save draft to save your work without publishing it.
- When ready, select Publish flow.
You do not need to select contacts or maintain a caller list for this check.
Caller type and entry method are different
Check Caller Type asks whether the caller is internal or external.
Check Entry Method asks whether the call arrived directly, through forwarding, or through a transfer.
Use Check Entry Method when you want a different route for forwarded or transferred calls—for example, to skip a menu after a teammate transfers the caller.
Common questions
A saved contact follows the External route
This is expected when the person calls from an outside phone. Check Caller Type does not compare callers against your contact list.
A teammate follows the External route
Check how the teammate placed the call. Calling from an ordinary phone number outside Waveline is different from placing an internal call through Waveline.
The call ends when it reaches the check
Confirm that both Internal and External are connected to a next step. If the route selected for the caller has no connection, the call ends.
Calls still use the previous route
Confirm that you selected Publish flow, not only Save draft, and that you are testing the correct inbox. Review the published routing and place a new test call.