Testing Guide

Before going live, thoroughly test your Exotel setup to ensure calls route correctly, SMS deliver as expected, webhooks fire reliably, and your integrations work end to end. This guide covers testing strategies for each channel.

Testing Checklist

Test	Channel	Priority	Status
API credential validation	All	Required
Outbound voice call	Voice	Required
Inbound voice call	Voice	Required
IVR flow navigation	Voice	Required
Call recording playback	Voice	Recommended
Outbound SMS delivery	SMS	Required
DLT template validation	SMS	Required (India)
Webhook delivery	All	Required
CRM integration	All	If applicable
Campaign test run	Campaigns	Recommended
Error handling	All	Recommended

Step 1: Validate API Credentials

Before testing any feature, confirm your credentials work:

curl -v "https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.exotel.com/v2/accounts/<account_sid>/calls?limit=1"

Expected result: HTTP 200 with a JSON response.

If you get HTTP 401, verify your credentials in Dashboard > Settings > API Settings.

Step 2: Test Outbound Voice Calls

Make a Test Call via API

Place a call from your ExoPhone to your own mobile number:

curl -X POST "https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.exotel.com/v2/accounts/<account_sid>/calls/connect" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "from": "+919876543210",
    "to": "+919876543211",
    "caller_id": "0XXXXXX4890",
    "url": "http://my.exotel.com/<account_sid>/exoml/start_voice/<app_id>"
  }'

Replace:

• from: Your own phone number (the first person called)
• to: Another phone number (the second person called)
• caller_id: Your ExoPhone
• url: Your call flow URL

What to Verify

Check	Expected
Your phone rings first	Yes
After you answer, the second number rings	Yes
Both parties can hear each other	Yes
Call appears in Dashboard > Calls	Yes
Call SID is returned in API response	Yes

Make a Test Call via Dashboard

1. Go to the dashboard home screen
2. Click Make a Call in the quick actions area
3. Enter the destination number
4. Select the ExoPhone to use
5. Click Call

Step 3: Test Inbound Voice Calls

Test Your Call Flow

1. Call your ExoPhone from your personal mobile phone
2. Verify the call connects and your greeting plays
3. If you have an IVR menu, test each key option:

Key	Expected Behavior	Test Result
1	Routes to Sales number
2	Routes to Support number
0	Routes to Operator
No input	Menu replays or default action
Invalid key (e.g., 9)	Error message plays, menu replays

4. Verify call recording is working (if enabled)
5. Test the voicemail fallback (let the call ring without answering)

tip

Test each path through your IVR flow, including edge cases like invalid inputs and timeouts. Call flows that work in simple cases often fail on unexpected inputs.

Step 4: Test SMS Delivery

Send a Test SMS

curl -X POST "https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.exotel.com/v2/accounts/<account_sid>/sms/send" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "to": "+919876543210",
    "body": "This is a test message from Exotel. If you received this, your SMS setup is working correctly.",
    "sender_id": "EXOTL",
    "dlt_entity_id": "1234567890123456789",
    "dlt_template_id": "9876543210123456789"
  }'

What to Verify

Check	Expected
API returns HTTP 200 with SmsSid	Yes
SMS received on your phone	Yes
Correct Sender ID displayed	Yes
Message content matches template	Yes
Delivery status updates via API	Yes

Test DLT Template Matching

If your SMS is rejected with a DLT error:

1. Verify your DLT Entity ID is correct
2. Verify your DLT Template ID is approved on the DLT portal
3. Ensure the message body matches the template exactly (character by character)
4. Check that the Sender ID is associated with this template
5. Wait 24-48 hours for template propagation if recently approved

Step 5: Test Webhooks

Set Up a Test Webhook Endpoint

Use a webhook inspection tool to capture and examine payloads:

Option 1: webhook.site

1. Visit webhook.site
2. Copy the unique URL provided
3. Use it as your callback URL in API requests

Option 2: ngrok (for local development)

1. Start your local webhook handler on a port (e.g., 3000)
2. Run: ngrok http 3000
3. Use the ngrok HTTPS URL as your callback URL

Test Call Status Webhook

Make an API call with a webhook URL:

curl -X POST "https://<api_key>:<api_token>@api.exotel.com/v2/accounts/<account_sid>/calls/connect" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "from": "+919876543210",
    "to": "+919876543211",
    "caller_id": "0XXXXXX4890",
    "url": "http://my.exotel.com/<account_sid>/exoml/start_voice/<app_id>",
    "status_callback": "https://your-webhook-endpoint.com/callback"
  }'

What to Verify

Check	Expected
Webhook received within seconds of call status change	Yes
Payload contains CallSid, Status, Duration	Yes
Your endpoint returns HTTP 200	Yes
Multiple status updates received (ringing, in-progress, completed)	Yes

warning

If your webhook endpoint is not publicly accessible (e.g., behind a firewall or VPN), Exotel cannot deliver webhooks. Use ngrok or a similar tool during development to expose your local server.

Step 6: Test Campaign (Small Batch)

Before running a full campaign, test with a small contact list:

Create a Test Contact List

number,first_name
+919876543210,Test User 1
+919876543211,Test User 2
+919876543212,Test User 3

Upload this as a test list and create a campaign with 3-5 contacts.

Campaign Test Settings

Setting	Test Value	Production Value
Contacts	3-5	Full list
Throttle	5 calls/min	30-60 calls/min
Retries	1	2-3
Schedule	Immediate	Business hours
Webhooks	Test endpoint	Production endpoint

What to Verify

Check	Expected
Campaign created successfully	Yes
Calls placed to all test contacts	Yes
Retry logic works for unanswered calls	Yes
Webhooks fire for each call	Yes
Campaign report shows correct stats	Yes
Recording URLs work (if enabled)	Yes

Step 7: Test Error Handling

Deliberately trigger error conditions to verify your application handles them correctly:

Error Scenario	How to Trigger	Expected Handling
Invalid number	Call/SMS to +910000000000	API returns error; your app logs it
Rate limit exceeded	Send 200+ requests in 1 minute	HTTP 429; your app implements backoff
Insufficient credits	Reduce balance to zero (or test with known limit)	API returns error; your app alerts
Invalid credentials	Use wrong API Token	HTTP 401; your app reports auth failure
Webhook timeout	Configure a slow endpoint (> 5 sec response)	Verify Exotel retries or skips

Step 8: Integration Testing

If you integrated Exotel with a CRM or other tools:

Integration Test	Verification
Click-to-call from CRM	Call initiates and logs in CRM
Inbound call screen pop	Caller info displays in CRM
Call recording in CRM	Recording link appears in call record
SMS sent from CRM	SMS delivers and logs in CRM
Webhook data in CRM	Call details create/update CRM records

Testing Environment Notes

Trial Account Limitations

Feature	Trial Limitation
Outbound calls	Limited minutes
SMS	Limited credits
Virtual numbers	Shared trial numbers
API rate limits	Reduced
Call recording	Limited storage
WhatsApp	Not available

Sandbox vs. Production

Environment	API Base URL	Purpose
Production (Singapore)	api.exotel.com	Live traffic
Production (India)	api.in.exotel.com	Live traffic

info

Exotel does not have a separate sandbox environment. Testing is done on the production API with your trial or production credentials. Use your trial account for initial testing, then switch to production credentials for final validation.

Common Test Issues

Issue	Cause	Solution
Test call does not connect	ExoPhone not assigned to a flow	Assign a call flow to your ExoPhone
SMS not delivered	DLT template not approved	Check template status on DLT portal
Webhook not received	Endpoint not publicly accessible	Use ngrok or similar tunneling tool
Call recordings missing	Recording not enabled in call flow	Enable recording in the Connect applet
API returns 404	Wrong region URL or Account SID	Use the correct regional base URL

Next Steps

• Go-Live Checklist -- Production readiness checklist
• API Credentials -- Credential management
• Troubleshooting -- Common issues and solutions