Intro to outbound dialing in
RingCX
=====================================================================================================
The Dialing section of the platform deals with any calls leaving the system, whether they're dialed by an agent or a dialer, or triggered by an API call. Agents in
RingCX
can handle outbound calls along with inbound calls and digital interactions in the agent interface.
You can access outbound dialing settings from the Dialing menu in the left navigation bar. From there, you can configure and manage outbound campaigns and their dial groups. This includes choosing the appropriate dialer, managing lead cadence, uploading [lead lists](#leads ""), using compliance tools, and more.
The first thing you'll do when setting up the system for outbound dialing is create a dial group to organize your campaigns. A dial group is required for you to make a campaign.
Typically, outbound calls are accompanied by a [script](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Intro-to-agent-scripting.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "") that serves as a visual prompt for agents to follow when interacting with leads and customers. Admins can prepare and assign scripts in the [Script Designer](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Intro-to-Script-Studio-in-RingCX.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "") section of the platform, and can also assign them to campaigns in the Dialing settings.
Dial groups
-----------
[Dial groups](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Creating-a-dial-group-in-RingCX.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "") are configurable groups of outbound campaigns that can be differentiated by the type of [dialer](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Intro-to-dial-modes-in-RingCX.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "") you are using (Preview, Predictive, Progressive, and so on). When you assign agents to a dial group, they will be able to dial on all campaigns associated with that dial groups. You can assign agents to one or more dial groups.
Note
You can create multiple dial groups, each using a different dialer. Agents can be assigned to multiple dial groups, but can only be actively logged into one dial group and use one outbound dialer at a time.
When you configure your agent sign in screens, you can give inbound agents the option to choose multiple inbound queues at a time, but outbound agents can only choose one dial group to dial on at any given time.
Campaigns
---------
[Campaigns](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Creating-a-RingCX-campaign.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "") are organized within dial groups and can group your outbound calls. You can configure a variety of settings for your campaigns, and you can use them to make both international and domestic calls. Note that each international destination must be approved and added to your account. Contact your CSM for more information.
Use your campaign settings to:
* Set outbound Caller IDs
* Create dialing schedules for each campaign
* Direct the system to record outgoing calls
* Set up dispositions to record call outcomes
* Decide on requeuing rules
Leads and lead lists
--------------------
Leads are typically classified as contacts your company wants to connect with. We refer to all your outbound contacts as leads.
Leads have the phone numbers you'll want to aggregate and segment into different campaigns according to your own criteria. Once you put together a lead list, you can upload it into the system and assign it to a campaign, activate or disable it, and choose a level of dialing priority for each lead list.
The system allows you to [upload lead lists](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Uploading-a-new-lead-list.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "") that contain additional data beyond the basic lead contact fields (lead first name, last name, address, and so on). You can either use auxiliary fields to access the custom data or you can set up [custom lead data fields](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Configuring-custom-data-for-a-lead-list.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "") to load additional lead information into the system.
As you upload a new lead list, you'll be able to map the columns of lead data so the system knows where to find your different lead data types. [Mapping lead lists](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Mapping-a-RingCX-lead-list_-the-basics.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "") is important to align your data with the system data. For example, if you have a *Phone Number* column on your lead list, but the system calls that data *Lead Phone* , you can map the system's *Lead Phone* destination to your lead list's *Phone Number* column. This way, when the system looks for a lead's phone number, it knows to look in the *Phone Number* column of the list you uploaded.
Once you [map a lead list](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Mapping-a-RingCX-lead-list_-the-basics.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US ""), you can [create a mapping template](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Configuring-a-lead-list-mapping-template.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "") based on the data connections you just made. That way, when you upload a new lead list with similarly structured data, you can save time by applying the mapping template to it so data connections are made automatically. [Mapping templates](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Configuring-a-lead-list-mapping-template.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "") let you reuse your preferred column-to-field settings when uploading lead lists. For example, if your lead phone numbers are always in the first column and external IDs in the second, you can save that configuration as a template.
Templates match based on column order, not column name---so column A will always map to the same field, even if the label changes.
[Campaign list logs](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Understanding-campaign-lead-list-logs.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "") are available for you to see system details on the lists you've uploaded. You can use this section of the platform to view the success of the leads uploaded and additional details like the preferences you chose for DNC list scrubbing and whitelist options.
Once your leads have been added to RingCX, you can manage leads and lead information in bulk or individually. For more information, visit [Managing leads and lead information in RingCX](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Managing-leads-and-lead-information-in-RingCX.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "").
Dial modes
----------
* **Predictive**: Automatically dials leads and only connects agents to the calls that the lead has answered. The predictive dialer can dial multiple leads per available agent, enabling more potential interactions within a given timeframe.
* **Preview**: Allows an agent to fetch one or more leads and dial them one by one. Agents can review lead info before clicking a button that initiates the system dialing the lead for them.
* **Progressive** : Functions similar to **Preview**, but the agent is not pushing a button when ready to dial the next number. Instead, you configure the system to pause for a set amount of time between calls, and the system then automatically dials the next lead without any prompt or action from the agent.
* **HCI dialing** : A clicker agent clicks a button to dial a phone number, at which point the system routes the call to another active agent. Human Call Initiator (HCI) dialing has two types:
* *HCI fetch*: Clicker agents manually request leads.
* *HCI paced*: The system sends leads to an agent based on connected and abandoned rates.
* **Manual** : Calls are dialed by agents using the **Enter number** field in the agent interface. Agents can make ad hoc calls or calls not related to any outbound campaigns.
If an automatic dialing system is not a suitable option for your contact center, you can use [ManualDial in
RingCX
](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Intro-to-ManualDial-in-RingCX.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US ""). ManualDial is a standalone system that requires a human being to manually place outgoing calls. It is completely segregated from our other dialer offerings and does not contain any of the functionality commonly associated with a predictive or preview dialer. Only Preview and HCI dial modes are available on ManualDial accounts. Contact centers that have to operate in an environment where all calls are guaranteed to be sent out manually, with no automation, will be set up as ManualDial accounts.
Warning
A ManualDial account can't be converted to a standard account. If migration from a ManualDial to a standard account is required, all configuration will need to be rebuilt.
Read more about dial modes in [Intro to dial modes](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Intro-to-dial-modes-in-RingCX.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "").
Caller IDs
----------
Call identification numbers, or Caller IDs, are a way for you to let your leads and customers know who you are when you contact them. When the system or an agent dials a lead or customer, they can see the number associated with the call or the Caller ID.
In most cases, you can choose which Caller ID your leads and customers will see. Caller IDs can be configured at several levels:
* For individual leads
* For campaigns
* For accounts
* For manual outbound calls
* For call transfers (transfer override)
Because Caller IDs can be set in multiple places, it's important to know which one takes priority in different scenarios.
Note
When configuring Caller IDs, you may see a searchable dropdown. If the dropdown is present, select a caller ID from the list of phone numbers provisioned in RingEX.
### Outbound dialing
When making an outbound call, the Caller ID mapped to the lead always takes priority over the campaign's default Caller ID. The Caller ID is mapped during [list upload](#leads "").
* If no Caller ID is mapped to the lead, the campaign's default Caller ID is used unless the agent makes a manual outbound call.
### Manual outbound dialing
For manual outbound calls, the system uses the account-level Caller ID by default. This applies when both of these settings are empty:
* Manual outbound default Caller ID
* Custom manual outbound Caller ID
### Call transfers
When a call is transferred, the original Caller ID is replaced if:
* A Transfer Override Caller ID is set, or
* A Caller ID is created through scripting call controls.
### Regulatory considerations
There are strict industry rules for businesses using a Caller ID that differs from the actual calling number. Make sure your Caller ID usage complies with applicable regulations.
Dial zones
----------
Dial zones let you create custom time zones for outbound dialing. You can assign unique schedules and override a campaign's normal schedule for a specific time zone. Dial zones work with ManualDial and all outbound dialers, and can also be used for dial plan filtering by time zone.
For example, you might want to create custom dial zones when:
* Dialing internationally (including Canada, since no international time zone codes are provided)
* Creating a schedule override for a region with an existing time zone (for example, calling Alabama leads on Sunday afternoons if they've consented, even if your standard Sunday schedule is off
Before [creating a dial zone](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Creating-a-custom-dial-zone.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US ""), you'll need a [dial zone group](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Creating-a-dial-zone-group.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US ""). Groups organize custom zones by a base time zone, which applies to all zones and schedules in that group. For example, if you choose US/Central, the system uses Central Time for dialing hours and adjusts for Daylight Saving Time.
Within a group, you can create one or more custom dial zones, each with a unique key (a short code) to identify it in lead lists. You can assign each zone its own schedule, making sure it complies with legal dialing times. When using dial zones, you're responsible for following outbound dialing regulations.
After configuring a group and its zones:
* Assign the dial zones to a campaign.
* Upload a lead list that includes a column for the corresponding dial zone keys.
**Additional resources**
[Intro to dial modes in
RingCX
](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Intro-to-dial-modes-in-RingCX.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "")
[Creating a dial group in
RingCX
](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Creating-a-dial-group-in-RingCX.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "")
[Creating a
RingCX
voice campaign](https://support.ringcentral.com/article-v2/Creating-a-RingCX-campaign.html?brand=RingCentral&product=RingCX&language=en_US "")