Every incoming call follows a path — and you get to decide what that path looks like. dialnote's call routing system lets you build visual call flows that control exactly how calls move through your phone system, from the first ring to the final destination.
You can set up anything from a simple "ring my team" flow to a multi-level IVR menu with business hours checks, queue fallbacks, and AI agent handoffs. It all happens in a drag-and-drop visual builder — no code required.
How call flows work#
A call flow is a series of actions that run in order when someone calls your number. Each phone number in dialnote has its own call flow, so you can route calls differently depending on which number was dialed. You'll need at least one phone number before you can build a flow.
Here's what happens when a call comes in:
- The system checks the call flow assigned to the phone number
- It runs the first action (ring users, play a greeting, check business hours, etc.)
- Based on the result, the call moves to the next step in the flow
- This continues until the call is answered, sent to voicemail, or ended
You can chain actions together to create complex routing logic. For example: check business hours → if open, ring the sales team → if nobody answers, hand the call to an AI agent, which handles it from there.
The visual call flow builder#
dialnote includes a visual editor built on a canvas where you can see your entire call flow at a glance. Each step appears as a node on the canvas, connected by lines that show the call's path.
To open the builder, go to Settings → Phone Numbers, select a number, and click Configure call flow in the Call Flow section (or View Complete Flow if the number already has a flow).
The builder shows your flow starting with an Incoming Call node at the top. From there, you add actions by clicking the + buttons (labeled "Add new node") that appear at connection points. Pick an action type from the menu, configure it, and it's added to the flow.
You can rearrange nodes, delete steps, and add branching logic. A mini-map in the corner helps you stay oriented in larger flows.
Save your changes
The call flow editor doesn't auto-save. Click Save Flow when you're done. If you try to leave with unsaved changes, dialnote warns you first so you don't lose your work.
Available routing actions#
Here are the action types you can add to any call flow, with the exact labels you'll see in the builder:
| Action (builder label) | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ring Team | Ring one or more team members at once or one after another, or send the caller to a waiting queue |
| Phone Menu | Play a prompt and let callers press a key to choose an option |
| AI Agent | Hand the call to an AI voice agent |
| Business Hours | Route differently based on time of day and day of week |
| Play a Message | Play a message (text-to-speech or a link to an audio file), then continue |
| Voicemail | Send the caller to voicemail |
| Conditional Route | Route based on conditions like caller number, time of day, or day of week |
| Go To Menu | Jump to another IVR menu within the same flow |
| End Call | Hang up, optionally with a goodbye message |
Start simple
Most businesses only need 2-3 actions in their call flow. A common setup is: Ring Team → Voicemail (if no answer). You can always add more steps later as your needs grow.
Ring strategies#
When you add a Ring Team action, you pick how team members get notified:
- Everyone at once: all selected members ring at the same time. First person to pick up gets the call. This is the default and works well for small teams where anyone can help.
- One by one: members ring one at a time, in the order you set. If the first person doesn't answer within the ring duration (default 30 seconds), the call moves to the next person. When Ring Team is the first step in the flow, the phone number's own Ring Duration setting applies instead of the node's Ring for (seconds) value.
You can also set a queue fallback — if nobody answers after ringing, the caller enters a hold queue with music instead of going straight to voicemail. The queue can announce the caller's position and estimated wait time.
Availability matters
A teammate's status decides whether they ring. People set to Available always ring, and so do those marked Away automatically by the system (after 10 minutes idle). People on Do Not Disturb or already On a Call are skipped. Someone who manually set themselves to Away only rings as a last resort in a sequential flow. See Team Availability for the full breakdown.
Common call flow patterns#
Small team, simple routing: Incoming Call → Ring Team (everyone at once) → Voicemail
Business hours with AI backup: Incoming Call → Business Hours Check → During hours: Ring Team → After hours: AI Agent
Department routing with IVR: Incoming Call → IVR Menu ("Press 1 for Sales, 2 for Support") → Key 1: Ring Sales Team → Key 2: Ring Support Team → No input: AI Agent
VIP caller routing: Incoming Call → Conditional Route (check caller number) → VIP: Ring manager directly → Everyone else: Standard IVR menu
Each phone number can have a completely different flow, so your main business line can have a full IVR menu while your direct lines just ring straight through.
What's next#
Dig into the parts that make up a flow:
- Call Flows — build and manage flows step by step
- IVR Menus — set up press-key menus
- Ring Groups — ring the right team members together
- Business Hours — route by time of day and day of week
- Call Queues — hold callers with music and position announcements
- AI Agents — answer and handle calls automatically