Getting Started with Exotel

This guide walks you through the initial setup of your Exotel account -- from signing up to handling your first call.

Prerequisites

• A valid business email address
• A phone number for verification
• KYC documents (for Indian regulations)

Step 1: Create Your Account

1. Go to exotel.com and click Sign Up or Get Started.
2. Enter your business details including company name, email, and phone number.
3. Verify your email address and phone number.
4. Complete the KYC (Know Your Customer) process if required for your region.

Once your account is approved, you can log in to the Exotel Dashboard.

Step 2: Get Your API Credentials

If you plan to use the APIs:

1. Log in to the Exotel Dashboard.
2. Go to Settings > API Settings.
3. Note down your:
   • Account SID -- Your unique account identifier
   • API Key -- Your authentication key
   • API Token -- Your authentication token

These credentials are required for all API calls. See Authentication for details.

Step 3: Buy an ExoPhone

You need at least one ExoPhone (virtual number) to start making and receiving calls.

1. In the dashboard, go to ExoPhones in the left sidebar.
2. Click Buy New ExoPhone.
3. Select the type of number:
   • Landline -- For professional business identity
   • Mobile -- For outbound campaigns with higher answer rates
   • Toll-Free -- For customer support (caller does not pay)
4. Choose a region and select a number.
5. Complete the purchase.

See: What is an ExoPhone?

Step 4: Create Your First Call Flow

A call flow defines how incoming calls are handled.

1. Go to App Bazaar (or Call Flows) in the dashboard.
2. Click Create New Flow.
3. Give your flow a name (e.g., "Sales Incoming").
4. Use the drag-and-drop builder to add applets:

Basic Flow Example

Greeting ("Welcome to Acme Corp")
    → IVR Menu ("Press 1 for Sales, 2 for Support")
        → 1: Connect (Sales team numbers)
        → 2: Connect (Support team numbers)
        → No input: Voicemail

5. Configure each applet:
   • Greeting: Record or upload your welcome message
   • IVR Menu: Set up the menu options and map keys to applets
   • Connect: Enter the phone numbers of your agents
6. Save and publish the flow.

See: Setting Up a Call Flow

Step 5: Assign the Flow to Your ExoPhone

1. Go to ExoPhones in the dashboard.
2. Click on your ExoPhone.
3. Under Incoming Call Flow, select the flow you just created.
4. Click Save.

Step 6: Test Your Setup

1. Dial your ExoPhone from any phone.
2. You should hear your greeting message.
3. Press a key to navigate the IVR menu.
4. Verify that the call is routed to the correct agent.

tip

Use a phone that is not listed as an agent number to test the full customer experience.

Step 7: Make an Outgoing Call (Optional)

To test outbound calling via the API:

curl -X POST 'https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.exotel.com/v1/Accounts/<account_sid>/Calls/connect.json' \
  -d 'From=<agent_number>' \
  -d 'To=<customer_number>' \
  -d 'CallerId=<exophone>'

This will first call the agent, and when they answer, call the customer. Both parties are connected with the ExoPhone as the caller ID.

See: Connect Two Numbers API

What to Set Up Next

Feature	Description	Guide
Business Hours	Define when calls should be answered vs. go to voicemail	Business Hours
Call Recording	Record calls for QA and compliance	Call Recording
Call Analytics	Monitor call performance and agent productivity	Call Analytics
SMS	Send transactional or promotional SMS	SMS API
Integrations	Connect with your CRM or helpdesk	Integrations

Next Steps

• How to Make or Receive Calls -- Detailed guide on call handling
• IVR Setup -- Build interactive voice menus
• Voice v1 API Overview -- Start using the API