Phone basics
Receiving Calls
When incoming routing selects you to answer a call, Waveline can ring the web app, mobile app, a configured deskphone, or your verified cell phone. The incoming-call screen helps you identify the caller and business line before deciding how to respond.
Before you begin
- Use your personal inbox or join the shared inbox as a Member or Manager. Viewer access does not make you eligible to ring. See Inbox Participants.
- Confirm that you are included in the applicable ring order.
- Set yourself to Available when you are ready to answer calls.
- Sign in to the web or mobile app and allow notifications and microphone access.
- Configure any deskphone or Direct to Cell method you intend to use.
Why you receive an incoming call
You receive calls for inboxes where you are included in the ring order. Your availability and the calling methods enabled for you determine which of your devices can ring.
Someone with permission to manage the inbox can review its Default Ring Order and Call Flows Overview. See Inbox Participants for management access, including personal inboxes.
Where incoming calls appear
Web app
Incoming calls appear in a banner while the Waveline web phone is open and connected.
Mobile app
Incoming calls can appear through the Waveline app or the phone's incoming-call interface, including while the app is in the background, when the required permissions are enabled.
A call can also ring a configured deskphone, IP phone, or verified cell phone when that calling method is enabled.
Understand the incoming-call screen
Depending on the platform and available caller information, the incoming-call screen can show:
- The saved contact name or caller's phone number.
- The business number or inbox through which the call arrived.
- Whether the call is internal.
- Actions to answer, decline, or send the caller to voicemail.
Answer from the web app
- Review the caller and destination information in the incoming banner.
- Select Accept.
- Allow microphone access if the browser requests it.
- Wait for the call to connect.
- Confirm that both people can hear each other.
Once someone answers, Waveline stops the other ringing attempts for that call.
Answer from the mobile app
- Open the incoming-call notification or screen.
- Review the caller information.
- Select Answer.
- Wait for the active-call screen to open.
- Choose the intended audio device if needed.
See Mobile Call Controls for the controls available after answering.
Decline or send to voicemail
Decline stops the call from ringing your current app or device. For a shared-inbox call, other teammates or later routing may continue receiving the call.
Send to voicemail moves the caller directly to the handling inbox's default voicemail and stops the remaining ringing attempts. This affects the entire incoming call, not only your device. On mobile, select Voicemail; on the web, select the voicemail icon (Send to voicemail).
Decline and Send to voicemail affect the call differently
Use Send to voicemail only when the caller should stop waiting for other teammates and leave a message now. Select Decline when you only want to dismiss the call from your device.
What happens when nobody answers
An unanswered call follows the inbox's published routing. Depending on its configuration, the call may ring another group, move to another routing step, forward elsewhere, reach voicemail, or end if no fallback is configured.
See the Default Ring Order, Call Flows Overview, and Voicemail for more information.
Which devices ring
An incoming call can ring the Waveline web or mobile app, a configured deskphone or IP phone, or a verified cell phone. The people and calling methods used for each inbox are controlled by its Default Ring Order.
For help receiving Waveline calls through your regular cellular connection, see Direct to Cell.
Receive another call while already on a call
Your Allow Concurrent Calls preference determines whether eligible devices can ring while you are already handling another call.
- When it is off, Waveline skips you for new incoming calls until your current call ends.
- When it is on, your configured devices can continue ringing. Answering a new call places your current conversation on hold so you can switch between them.
Open Settings → Preferences to review this setting. See Mobile Call Controls for help switching between active and held calls.
After the call
The completed call appears in Call History. Depending on its outcome and the inbox's settings, it can also appear under Unhandled Calls and may include a call recording or voicemail.
Best practices
- Set your availability accurately so calls ring you only when you are ready to answer.
- Keep notifications enabled on the devices you use for answering.
- Save frequent callers as contacts so their names appear when they call.
- Check which inbox or business number the caller reached before answering.
- Use Decline when other teammates should still have an opportunity to answer.
- Test each intended answering method before using the inbox with customers.
Troubleshooting
The call rings a teammate but not me
Confirm that you have working access to the inbox, are included in the applicable Default Ring Order, and are set to Available. A shared-inbox Viewer can review activity but cannot join its ring groups. See Inbox Participants.
Mobile calls do not appear over the lock screen
Allow notifications and incoming-call permissions for Waveline in the phone's system settings. Some Android devices also require full-screen call notifications. See Notifications.
My deskphone does not ring
Confirm that the phone is connected and that its calling method is included in the applicable ring order. See Deskphones and IP Phones.
Calls go to voicemail immediately
Confirm that the intended teammates are available. If they are already on calls, review whether Allow Concurrent Calls is enabled under Settings → Preferences. Then review the inbox's Default Ring Order and published call flow to confirm when voicemail should be reached.
The caller's name is missing
Waveline displays the phone number when it cannot match the caller to a saved contact. Save or update the contact, then confirm that the contact's phone number is accurate.
I declined the call, but it continued ringing elsewhere
This is expected for calls that can still reach other teammates or routing steps. Decline dismisses the call from your current app or device; it does not send the entire call to voicemail.
Send to voicemail did not work
The call may have been answered, cancelled, or moved to another routing step before the request completed. If the caller is still waiting, try again while the call is actively ringing.
I answered, but there is no audio
Confirm microphone permission and the selected audio device. See Microphone Permissions and Call Quality.