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Campaign FAQs

Common questions about creating, managing, and troubleshooting voice and SMS campaigns on Exotel.

How many contacts can a campaign have?​

Campaign TypeMethodMax Contacts
Voice (inline numbers)from parameter5,000
Voice (CSV list, static)lists parameter1,00,000 per list (up to 5 lists)
Voice (CSV list, dynamic)lists parameter5,00,000 (1 list only)
SMS (static)lists parameter1,00,000 per list (up to 5 lists)
SMS (dynamic)lists parameter5,00,000 (1 list only)

For campaigns exceeding these limits, split your contacts into multiple lists and create separate campaigns.

How do I schedule a campaign?​

Include a schedule object in your campaign creation request:

"schedule": {
  "send_at": "2024-02-01T09:00:00+05:30",
  "end_at": "2024-02-01T18:00:00+05:30"
}
  • send_at: When the campaign starts processing contacts
  • end_at: When the campaign stops (remaining contacts are paused)
  • Both timestamps use RFC 3339 format with timezone offset
  • Omit the schedule object to start immediately

See Campaign Scheduling for detailed scheduling strategies.

Can I pause and resume a campaign?​

Yes. Active campaigns can be paused and resumed:

Pause:

curl -X PUT "https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.exotel.com/v2/accounts/<account_sid>/campaigns/<campaign_id>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"action": "pause"}'

Resume:

curl -X PUT "https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.exotel.com/v2/accounts/<account_sid>/campaigns/<campaign_id>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"action": "resume"}'

When paused:

  • In-progress calls complete normally
  • No new calls are initiated
  • Pending contacts and retries are held in queue
  • The campaign can be resumed at any time

What happens to pending contacts when a campaign ends?​

ScenarioBehavior
Campaign reaches end_atPending contacts remain queued; campaign status changes to Paused
Campaign force-completedPending contacts are marked as failed
Campaign paused and not resumedContacts remain pending indefinitely until resumed or force-completed
tip

If your campaign pauses at end_at with remaining contacts, you can update the schedule and resume to process them the next day. See Campaign Scheduling for multi-day strategies.

How do retries work?​

Retries automatically re-dial contacts who were not reached on the first attempt:

"retries": {
  "number_of_retries": 2,
  "interval_mins": 15,
  "mechanism": "Linear",
  "on_status": ["busy", "no-answer"]
}
SettingDescriptionRange
number_of_retriesMax retry attempts0--3
interval_minsMinutes between attempts1+
mechanismLinear (fixed interval) or Exponential (doubling interval)--
on_statusWhich outcomes trigger retriesbusy, no-answer, failed

See Retry Configuration for detailed retry strategies.

How do I get campaign reports?​

Via API​

curl "https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.exotel.com/v2/accounts/<account_sid>/campaigns/<campaign_id>"

Via Dashboard​

  1. Navigate to Campaigns in the left sidebar
  2. Click on a specific campaign
  3. View stats, contact status, and call details
  4. Click Export to download as CSV

Via Webhooks​

Configure callback URLs when creating the campaign:

  • call_status_callback -- Per-call updates (voice campaigns)
  • sms_status_callback -- Per-SMS delivery updates (SMS campaigns)
  • status_callback -- Campaign-level status changes

See Campaign Reporting and SMS Campaign Reporting for comprehensive guides.

Can I run multiple campaigns simultaneously?​

Yes. You can run multiple campaigns at the same time, but be aware of capacity constraints:

ConsiderationImpact
Shared call capacityAll concurrent voice campaigns share your calls-per-minute limit
Shared SMS capacityAll concurrent SMS campaigns share your SMS-per-minute limit
Throttle managementSet individual throttle rates to prevent campaigns from starving each other
Credit consumptionMonitor credit balance; multiple campaigns consume credits faster
warning

If the combined throughput of concurrent campaigns exceeds your account capacity, campaigns will experience delays and queuing. Either throttle individual campaigns or contact support to increase your account capacity.

Can I add contacts to a running campaign?​

You cannot add contacts to an active campaign. However, you have these alternatives:

  1. Pause the campaign, add a new contact list, and resume
  2. Create a supplementary campaign with the additional contacts
  3. Use dynamic lists (via list SID) that can be updated independently

What is the difference between static and dynamic campaigns?​

FeatureStatic CampaignDynamic Campaign
Message contentSame for all recipientsPersonalized per recipient using CSV columns
Contact listsUp to 5 lists1 list only
Variable supportNoYes (@@column_header syntax)
Use caseSame notification to allPersonalized messages (names, amounts, dates)

Why is my campaign stuck in "Created" status?​

CauseSolution
send_at is in the futureWait for the scheduled time, or update the schedule
Contact list is still processingCheck CSV upload status; wait for completion
Insufficient creditsAdd credits to your account
ExoPhone is not activeVerify ExoPhone status in dashboard
IVR flow URL is invalidVerify the call flow URL is correct and the flow is published

Why is my campaign's connect rate low?​

CauseImprovement
Calling outside business hoursSchedule campaigns between 10 AM -- 6 PM
Poor list quality (stale numbers)Clean and validate contact lists
No retries configuredAdd 2 retries with 15-min intervals
DND numbers in the listPre-filter using DND scrubbing
Aggressive retry timingIncrease interval to 15-30 minutes
Wrong caller IDUse a local/recognizable ExoPhone

See Campaign Best Practices for optimization strategies.

Can I cancel a campaign after creation?​

You cannot delete a created campaign, but you can:

  1. Pause the campaign to stop processing
  2. Force-complete to mark remaining contacts as failed
  3. Archive a completed campaign for long-term storage

How are campaign calls billed?​

Each call attempt (including retries) is billed as a separate call:

Billing EventCharge
Call attempt (answered)Per-pulse charges based on duration
Call attempt (unanswered, ringing)Minimum charge (plan-dependent)
Retry attemptSame as a new call attempt
SMS deliveryPer-message charge
info

Budget for worst-case scenario: (1 + max_retries) x contact_count call attempts. In practice, many contacts connect on the first attempt, so actual costs are typically lower.