Calls and phone lines overview
What the CRM does with phone calls, what you need to connect for click-to-call and automatic call logs, and where to find every call.
TicAte CRM can place calls for you and log every call on the customer's record by itself. For that, it needs a phone line: a connection to the phones or phone system your team already uses. Without one, you can still record your calls by hand.
What works without a phone line
A lead, deal, contact or company with a phone number shows a phone icon on its record card. Leads and deals also show it on the board. Without a phone line, clicking the icon opens the record's Activity tab with Call chosen, so you can write down the call you made from your own phone. See Plan and log activities.
What a phone line adds
Once a phone line is connected:
- Click to call. The phone icon starts the call. Depending on the line, your phone rings first and then connects you, or the number is sent to your mobile to dial.
- Calls are logged by themselves. When a call ends, it is filed on the customer's record as a finished call activity, with whether it was incoming or outgoing, how long it took, or that it was missed.
- A call card. While a call is in progress, a card at the bottom right shows who is calling, their records and deals, and lets you comment on the record or create a lead or deal without leaving the call.
- New callers become leads. When a number nobody in the CRM has calls in, a lead can be made for it.
- The Calls page lists every call on your lines.
What you need first
A phone line is an outside service the CRM connects to. You need one of these:
| Line | What it is | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| SIM calling | Calls on your team's own mobile SIMs | The SIM calling app on each team member's Android phone, and a SIM calling account to make the API key |
| TeleCMI | A cloud business number | A TeleCMI account and business number |
| Custom telephony app | Any other phone system with an API, such as a cloud provider or an office PBX | The provider's API details, and someone who can read its developer documentation |
An owner or admin connects the line. Your plan sets how many lines can be switched on at the same time. See Connect a phone line.
The Calls page
Open Contact center in the left menu, click Apps next to the Contact center heading, then Calls at the top right. You can also type "Calls" in the search box at the top of any page.
Each row shows:
- Call: incoming, outgoing, or what went wrong, such as Missed, No answer, Busy or Could not be placed.
- With: the lead, contact, company or deal the call is filed on. Click it to open the record. A note saved on the call appears under the name.
- Number, By (who took or made the call), When and Length.
- Recording, when the phone system sends one.
- A phone button to Call back, when your line can place calls.
Narrow the list with In and out (incoming or outgoing only) and Any outcome (Answered, Missed, No answer, Busy or Could not be placed). Click Older calls at the bottom for earlier ones.
Everyone sees their own calls. Owners, admins and managers also see Mine and Everyone at the top; with Everyone, they can pick one person in Everybody.