---
title: "Answer Calls on VoIP, Direct Dial, or External System"
slug: "answer-calls-on-voip-direct-dial-or-external-system"
description: "Overview of possible Gladly Voice setup, including VoIP, Direct Dial, or using an external phone system."
updated: 2026-03-05T07:28:55Z
published: 2026-03-05T07:28:55Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.gladly.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Answer Calls on VoIP, Direct Dial, or External System

## VoIP, Direct Dial, or External Phone System

1. **VoIP (most common) –** VoIP calls are made over the Internet — think Skype, Google Voice, or WhatsApp calls. If you’re set up for VoIP calls, you’ll be accepting, declining, and making calls directly through Gladly. This is the most common setup for Gladly Customers using Gladly Voice.
2. **Direct Dial –** Direct Dial calls are made over traditional landlines, like your home phone, mobile phone, or, more specifically, the phone that’s sitting on your desk right now. If you’re set up for Direct Dial calls, you’ll be using a landline to make and receive calls, but the calls will still be routed and recorded via Gladly.
3. **External Phone System –** If you notice the phone icons in Gladly are greyed out, that means your company has chosen to handle calls via an external system, so you won’t be using Gladly to make or answer phone calls. This section on voice calls won’t apply to you, so you might want to skip ahead to the next section.

## Make a call through Gladly (VoIP)

Customers with a phone number recorded in their Customer Profile can initiate an outgoing call directly from the Composer.![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/start voice call.gif)

1. Click ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/gladly-plus-icon-green(1).svg) , then select **Call**.
2. You will see **From** and **To** numbers. If configured and when necessary, you can change the **From** number, which is the number your Customer will see when you call.
3. Click **Call** in the bottom right corner. You will hear a prompt that the call is being connected. Calls are automatically recorded and added to the Conversation Timeline.
  - Additional [phone controls](https://help.gladly.com/docs/voice-control-bar-overview) to mute, transfer, conference, or end the call appear on the screen.
  - Don't forget to [add a Note](https://help.gladly.com/docs/voice-control-bar-overview) to summarize your call.
4. Click ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/hang-up-icon.svg) when done. The call recording is automatically added to the Conversation Timeline.

### Toll-free numbers

For Gladly VoIP Customers, you won't be able to call other toll-free numbers from Gladly if you're also calling from a toll-free number (1-800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, 833). If you get an error message, use a local or non-toll-free number to call from Gladly. If you don't have one, contact your Manager.

## Answer an incoming call through Gladly (VoIP)

![Incoming call notification for Nelson Yang with options to accept or decline.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/answer_call_voip.png)

1. When a call is routed to you, you'll see the incoming call banner. Click **Accept**on the notification banner.
  - Additional phone [controls](https://help.gladly.com/docs/voice-control-bar-overview) to mute, transfer, conference, or end the call appear on the screen.
2. You’ll be taken straight to that Customer’s Profile, where you’ll find the[Notes Composer](https://help.gladly.com/docs/add-a-note-to-a-conversation) ready for you to take notes for the call. You’ll also see a real-time recording of the voice appear in the Conversation Timeline that you can listen to at a later time if needed.
  - If this is the first time the Customer is calling, you'll be presented with a blank Customer Profile. Be sure to enter as much information as you can about them, which includes:
    - Full Name
    - Phone Number (tag if it's mobile, office, home, etc.)
    - Email Address
3. Click the **End Call** icon to [end the call](https://help.gladly.com/docs/end-transfer-and-conference-calls) or allow the Customer to hang up to end the call.

## Decline an incoming call through Gladly (VoIP)

There are two ways calls can be classified as "declined" in Gladly:

1. By clicking **Decline** from the notification banner.
2. By waiting until the call banner goes Away. (this is classified as a missed call)

When a call is declined or missed, the call is rerouted to another Agent. You'll continue to be routed other calls regardless if you miss or decline previous ones, unless you change your [Availability](https://help.gladly.com/docs/set-your-channel-Availability-to-help-customers) status. The time between declining/missing a call and receiving another one depends on the [Time to route next call](https://help.gladly.com/docs/configure-voice-routing-settings#time-to-route-the-next-call-after-a-call-is-declined)setting.

## Accept an incoming call outside of Gladly (Direct Dial)

You’ll see the green notification banner appear on the top of your screen, with the Customer's name (if they're a known Customer) and options to Answer or Decline the call. For Direct Dial setup, you will accept calls by clicking **Answer using handset**.![Incoming call notification displaying phone number and options to answer or decline.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/answer-using-handset.png)

1. Click **Answer using handset** on the notification banner.
2. You’ll be taken straight to that Customer’s Profile, where you’ll find the**Notes**Composition****screen ready for you to take notes for the call.
  - If this is the first time the Customer is calling, you'll be presented with a blank Customer Profile. Be sure to enter as much information as you can about them, which includes:
    - Full Name
    - Phone Number (add a tag if it's Mobile, Office, Home)
    - Email Address

## Decline an incoming call outside of Gladly (Direct Dial)

There are three ways calls can be classified as "declined" in Gladly:

1. By clicking **Decline** from the notification banner.
2. By waiting until the call banner goes Away. (this is classified as a missed call)
3. Declining the call through your handset.

When a call is declined, the call is rerouted to another Agent. You won’t receive any more calls until you click **Next** by the Availability controls or by clicking **Close & Next** if you are viewing a Customer Profile.