How to use voice ai nodes in workflows

Contents

1. What is Voice AI in Workflows?

2. Before you start

3. The two Voice AI nodes

4. How to set up an Incoming Voice Call trigger

5. How to set up a Make AI Call action

6. Using call data in later workflow steps

7. Saving and turning on your workflow

8. Viewing call analytics

9. Limits to be aware of

10. Common issues and validations

11. Need help?

1. What is Voice AI in Workflows?

Voice AI in Workflows lets you add AI Voice Agent phone calls as a step inside the Workflow Builder. Instead of running voice calls as a separate module, you can place them alongside your existing WhatsApp, Email, Webhook, and Attribute nodes.

You can:

• Place an outbound AI call when a business event happens.

• Start a workflow after an inbound AI call ends.

• Use the information collected during a call to drive the next steps in your customer journey.

2. Before you start

Set the following up in the Voice AI Agents module first:

1. Complete the Voice AI compliance registration.

2. Rent a phone number.

3. Create a Voice AI Agent.

4. Complete the agent configuration - name, model, language, and the call settings.

5. Define the output variables you want the agent to capture during the call.

6. For outbound calls, define the prompt variables the agent needs.

7. Link the agent to your phone number.

Note: Output variables are what carry call data into the rest of your workflow. If you do not define them in the agent, your workflow cannot use anything the call captured.

Note: If you have not registered for Voice AI, no agents or phone numbers will appear in the node configuration.

3. The two Voice AI nodes

Both nodes work like any other workflow node, so you can connect them with your existing channels and logic.

4. How to set up an Incoming Voice Call trigger

Use this node when you want a workflow to start after a customer's inbound call handled by your AI Voice Agent is completed.

1. Drag the Incoming Voice Call node onto the canvas.

2. Select the phone number from the dropdown. Only inbound-enabled numbers appear here.

3. Check the linked AI agent. It is selected automatically and shown as read-only.

4. Review the call settings and output variables shown on the node. These come from your agent configuration.

5. Save the node.

6. Connect it to any downstream node to pass the call data forward.

7. Save the workflow, then turn it on. 

There is no input mapping on this node. The workflow does not control the call. The agent handles the conversation live, and the workflow continues only after the call ends.

Note: A workflow can have only one trigger, and Incoming Voice Call can only be used as a trigger.

Note: To change the agent, call settings, or output variables, go back to the agent builder. They cannot be edited from the node.

Note: When a customer calls in and triggers this workflow, any other workflow that contact is currently in will stop. Only the new inbound workflow will continue running for them.

5. How to set up a Make AI Call action

Use this node when a business event should trigger an outbound AI call.

1. Drag the Make AI Call node onto the canvas.

2. Select the phone number the call will be placed from. The linked agent is selected automatically.

3. Map each prompt variable to a contact attribute or a workflow variable. Every prompt variable must be mapped before you can save.

4. Add Initial context if you need it. This is optional. 

5. Set Skip User Reply on or off.

6. Set Schedule call if the call should go out at a specific time.

7. Save the node.

Where the recipient number comes from

The number the call goes to has to come from data your workflow already has. It depends on how your workflow starts:

The number can come from two places: a workflow variable, including a value received in a webhook payload, or a Cheerio contact attribute.

Note: If your webhook does not send the number against the correct key, the workflow will save and turn on without error. The problem only shows up when the call is attempted, and that call will fail. Check your payload against the API documentation before you go live.

Note: We cannot pass variables/ attributes in the input context field. Those can be passed only via mapping to the agent’s configured variables. 

What the agent can refer to during the call

If you want the agent to mention any workflow variable/ attribute during the conversation, you have to add that value as a variable in the agent's prompt in agent configuration first. Then map it on the node.

Anything not in the agent's prompt is not available to the agent while it is on the call.

Initial context

Use this field to give the agent extra background for the workflow specific conversation. It accepts plain text only.

Note: Initial context cannot include variables or attributes. If you need the agent to use data from the workflow, add it as a prompt variable in the agent configuration instead, then map it in step 3 above.

Skip User Reply

Keep it off if you want to use call data later in the workflow, or branch on whether the call succeeded.

Schedule call

Set the call to go out at a fixed date and time, or pull the time from a workflow variable or contact attribute.

• If Skip User Reply is off, the workflow waits until the scheduled call completes, then continues.

• If Skip User Reply is on, the workflow continues immediately and the call is still placed at the scheduled time.

Outcome branches

When Skip User Reply is off, connect a follow-up to each branch:

• Completed - the call connected and finished.

• Failed - the call did not connect. This includes calls the customer did not answer.

Note: Each call is attempted once. If the customer does not answer, the workflow takes the Failed branch. To try again, connect a Delay node to the Failed branch followed by another Make AI Call node.

6. Using call data in later workflow steps

When Skip User Reply is off, the voice node lists the output variables it passes forward, for example Customer Rating.

Use them in downstream nodes such as:

• Update Attribute - save the captured value against the contact.

• Condition - branch the workflow based on what the call captured.

• WhatsApp, Email, or SMS - personalise the follow-up message.

Example: After an Incoming Voice Call node, add an Update Attribute node. Choose the attribute to update, then set its value to the output variable, such as Customer Rating in order to save it to your label. You can also use that variable anywhere later in the same workflow.

7. Saving and turning on your workflow

There are three steps, and each runs its own checks:

1. Save the Voice AI node. Checks your node setup - the agent, your prompt variable mapping, and your schedule settings.

2. Save the workflow. Checks that every node on the canvas is complete and that all outcome branches are connected.

3. Turn the workflow on. Checks your account setup - wallet balance and number status.

Note: Workflows that start with an Incoming WhatsApp trigger go live as soon as you save them and have no on/off toggle. Every other workflow needs to be turned on including any workflow using the Incoming Voice Call trigger node.

8. Viewing call analytics

All Voice AI calls appear in the Voice AI Agents Analytics module.

The Source column sits just before the Agent Name column and shows where each call came from:

Use the Source filter to narrow the table by category: Workflow, Inbound, or Outbound.

Click any call to open the details panel. The Source section at the top shows Source Type and Source ID. Source Type and Source ID appear for workflow calls only.

9. Limits to be aware of

• The agent only knows what is in its prompt. In order to use the workflow variables, it’s required to map the variables with the agent’s variables defined in the prompt.

• Webhook number errors only show up at call time. A payload missing the recipient number key will not block save or turn-on. Please test the workflow thoroughly.

• Only one live workflow per inbound number, and turning one on switches the other off. This applies to the Incoming Voice Call trigger. If you turn on a workflow for a number that another live workflow is already using, that other workflow is switched off automatically. You will not be asked to confirm, and you will not get a notification. 

• Outbound is not restricted. Several workflows can place calls from the same number and agent using Make AI Call.

• One attempt per call. There is no automatic retry.

• Two outcomes only. Calls resolve as Completed or Failed.

• Inbound calls stop other workflows. If a contact calls in and triggers an inbound workflow, any workflow they were already in stops.

• Agent edits apply straight away, with no warning. Agents and workflows are not versioned. If you edit an agent that a live workflow uses, the change takes effect on the very next call. Nothing tells you which workflows are affected. Adding or renaming a prompt variable will leave those workflows with an unmapped input, and renaming or removing an output variable will silently stop it reaching your downstream nodes. Check every workflow using that agent after you edit it.

• Voice AI Campaigns run separately. A campaign call cannot start a workflow.

10. Common issues and validations

11. Need help?

For any details or queries, reach out to our support team.