Making Calls

Waveline lets you call customers from a business number and call teammates or shared inboxes internally from the web or mobile app. External calls stay connected to the inbox and phone number used, helping customers see the right business identity and keeping the activity with the right team.

Before you begin

• Use your personal inbox or a shared inbox where you are a Member or Manager. Viewer access does not let you place calls from that inbox. External calls require an active Waveline number; internal calls do not. See Inbox Participants.
• Allow microphone access for browser or in-app calling.
• Connect a SIP device only if you intend to place calls through that device from the web app.
• Have the contact or phone number you want to call ready.

Where to start a call

Web app

Select the Call button beside your account information in the sidebar. The New call window opens, where you can search for a contact, teammate, or inbox or enter a phone number directly.

You can also select Call from a contact, an existing conversation, or a Call History entry.

Mobile app

Open Dial to enter a phone number and place a call. You can also start a call from Contacts, Messages, or Calls.

Choose the number customers see

When calling a customer or another outside phone number, choose which Waveline number the recipient should see. This controls the business caller ID and the inbox where the call activity is recorded.

Calls to teammates and shared inboxes are internal. Waveline connects the call directly to that teammate or inbox, so you do not need to choose a customer-facing number for the destination.

• On mobile, select the inbox and phone number shown above the keypad.
• In the web New call window, select the business number used for the external call.
• Calling from an existing conversation or Call History entry normally uses the number and inbox associated with that activity.
• Calling from Contacts in the web app opens the New call window with your default number selected, which you can change before calling. On mobile, the contact screen initially selects your default inbox and primary number, which you can change before calling.

Use a personal work number when customers expect to reach one teammate directly. Use a shared number when the relationship belongs to a team, department, or location.

Make a call from the web app

1. Select the Call button beside your account information in the sidebar.
2. Search for a contact, teammate, or inbox, or type an external phone number.
3. For an external call, confirm the business number that should place the call.
4. Select Call (the button shows the recipient's name, for example Call Avery Carter).
5. If Waveline asks you to choose a call method, select Browser or SIP device.
6. Wait for the call to connect.

Make a call from the mobile app

1. Open Phone → Dial.
2. Select the inbox and phone number shown above the keypad.
3. Enter the phone number you want to call.
4. Press the green call button.
5. Wait for the active-call screen to connect.

When the entered number matches a saved contact, Waveline can display that contact's name.

Call from a contact, conversation, or previous call

You do not have to enter a number every time.

• Contacts: Open a saved contact and select Call. Confirm the outgoing inbox and number when the app provides a selector.
• Conversations: Select the call action from an existing conversation. Waveline uses the inbox and business number associated with that conversation.
• Call History: Open a previous call and select the call action. Waveline uses the relevant inbox and number when you still have access to them.
• Teammates and shared inboxes: Select an internal contact to call a teammate's personal inbox or a shared inbox without dialing an outside phone number.

Choose how web calls connect

The web app can connect outbound calls in different ways:

• Voice uses Waveline's built-in web phone.
• SIP sends the outbound call to your configured deskphone or SIP device first.
• Ask Every Time asks you to choose Browser or SIP device each time you place a call.

Open Settings → Preferences to choose the default for the current browser. See Dashboard Overview for more information about Preferences and Deskphones and IP Phones for device setup.

After the call

The completed call appears in Call History with its direction, status, duration, inbox, and business number. Recordings, generated call information, and Analytics may take a short time to finish processing.

Open Call History to review the call or Analytics Overview to understand calling activity across the organization.

Best practices

• Confirm the outgoing inbox and number before calling.
• Use shared numbers for customer relationships handled by a team.
• Use personal work numbers when callers should return directly to one teammate.
• Save repeat callers as contacts so their names appear throughout Waveline.
• Test a newly assigned number before using it with customers.

Troubleshooting

Related pages

• Receiving calls
• Availability
• Mobile call controls
• Transfers and hold
• Call history
• Call recording
• Deskphones and IP phones