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.
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, transfer to an AI agent → if the AI can't help, take a voicemail.
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 Edit Call Flow in the Call Flow section.
The builder shows your flow starting with an Incoming Call node at the top. From there, you add actions by clicking the + buttons 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. Changes save automatically as you work, and a mini-map in the corner helps you stay oriented in larger flows.
Available routing actions#
Here are the action types you can add to any call flow:
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Ring Users | Ring one or more team members simultaneously or sequentially |
| IVR Menu | Play a prompt and let callers press keys to choose options |
| AI Agent | Hand the call to an AI voice agent |
| Business Hours Check | Route differently based on time of day and day of week |
| Forward Call | Forward to an external phone number |
| Enter Queue | Place the caller in a hold queue until someone's available |
| Play Audio | Play a message (text-to-speech or audio file) then continue |
| Voicemail | Send the caller to voicemail |
| Conditional Route | Route based on conditions like caller number or time |
| Pause | Add a brief delay before the next action |
| 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 Users → Voicemail (if no answer). You can always add more steps later as your needs grow.
Ring strategies#
When you add a Ring Users action, you pick how team members get notified:
- Simultaneous — 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.
- Sequential — 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.
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
Only team members with their status set to Available will ring. If someone is set to Away or Do Not Disturb, calls skip them automatically. See Team Availability for more details.
Common call flow patterns#
Small team, simple routing: Incoming Call → Ring Users (simultaneous) → Voicemail
Business hours with AI backup: Incoming Call → Business Hours Check → During hours: Ring Users → After hours: AI Agent → Voicemail
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.