Understanding Destinations - Complete Setup Guide

Destinations are the heart of your call routing strategy in CallGrid. CallGrid's destination system is designed to be intuitive while offering even more powerful routing capabilities.

What Are Destinations?

Destinations define where your calls go and how they get there. Think of them as smart endpoints that can:

• Accept or reject calls based on criteria
• Determine pricing dynamically
• Track capacity in real-time
• Route to multiple locations
• Integrate with any call buyer system
  

Creating a New Destination

Access destinations through: Buyers → Destinations → New Destination

Step 1: Destination Configuration

Variable Destination (Real-Time Bidding)

• What it is: Enables Real-Time Call Bidding (RTB) where buyers compete for each call
• How it works: Destination settings (phone number, pricing, routing) are determined dynamically through webhook responses
• Best for:
• • Marketplace scenarios with multiple competing buyers
  • Dynamic pricing based on call characteristics
  • Integration with bidding platforms like Ringba
  • Maximizing revenue through competitive bidding
• Requirements: Webhook configuration for bid requests and responses

Static Destination (Fixed Configuration)

• What it is: Traditional fixed routing with predetermined settings
• How it works: All destination settings are configured upfront and remain constant
• Best for:
• • Direct buyer relationships with negotiated rates
  • Predictable routing scenarios
  • Simple integrations without complex bidding logic
  • Internal sales teams or call centers
• Requirements: Basic destination configuration (phone number, capacity, etc.)

Basic Information

Destination Naming

• Use clear, descriptive names
• Include buyer identifier
• Add campaign type for easy filtering

Buyer Selection

• Select Existing: Choose from dropdown
• Create New Buyer: Click link to add new buyer inline
• Links all destination data to buyer reporting

Sub ID (Optional)

• External reference number
• Used for buyer's internal tracking
• Passed through in webhooks

Timezone Setting

• Set buyer's local timezone
• Affects schedule-based routing
• Critical for business hours accuracy

Business Hours Configuration

Control when destinations accept calls:

Always Open

• Toggle ON for 24/7 availability
• Bypasses all schedule restrictions
• Best for: National call centers, emergency services

Custom Schedules

When toggled OFF, configure:

• Day-by-day availability
• Specific hours per day
• Holiday blackouts
• Timezone-aware scheduling

Call Settings

Phone Type Options

1. Static Number

• Fixed destination number
• Format: Standard phone format
• Use for: Direct buyers, single locations
• Required for Static destinations

2. Variable Number

• Number provided by webhook
• Requires webhook configuration
• Use for: Dynamic routing, multiple locations
• Required for Variable destinations using RTB

3. SIP

• Direct VoIP routing
• Format: sip:user@domain.com
• Example: 19548720849@tldcrm-abb.sip.telnyx.com
• Use for: Advanced integrations, call centers

Dialing Configuration

Dial Attempts

• Range: 1-5 attempts
• Default: 1
• Recommendation: 3 for critical buyers

Dial Timeout

• Range: 5-60 seconds
• Default: 8 seconds
• Recommendation: 15-20 seconds

Recording Options

• Enable/Disable call recordings
• Checkbox to turn off for specific destinations
• Compliance: Disable for states with strict recording laws

Capacity and Limit Settings

Call Volume Controls

Cap Type

• Connect: Count answered calls only
• Attempt: Count all call attempts
• Impact: Connect typically allows more traffic

Max Concurrent Calls

• Simultaneous call limit
• Prevents overwhelming buyers
• Example: 1 = one call at a time

Global Cap

• Total calls across all time
• Infinity (∞) = No limit
• Use for: Testing or limited contracts

Monthly Cap

• Calendar month limit
• Resets automatically
• Infinity (∞) = No monthly limit

Daily Cap

• 24-hour rolling limit
• Resets at midnight buyer timezone
• Infinity (∞) = No daily limit

Hourly Cap

• 60-minute rolling limit
• Prevents traffic spikes
• Infinity (∞) = No hourly limit

Advanced Scheduling

• Enable Capacity Schedule: Time-based capacity
• Enable Concurrency Schedule: Time-based concurrent limits
• Configure different limits by hour/day

Revenue Settings

Revenue Type

Fixed Revenue

• Static price per call
• Set amount regardless of buyer response
• Best for: Established contracts, Static destinations

Variable Revenue

• Dynamic pricing from webhook
• Buyer determines price per call
• Best for: Marketplace/bidding scenarios, Variable destinations

Revenue Amount

• Dollar amount for fixed revenue
• Minimum acceptable for variable
• Format: No $ symbol needed (e.g., "50")

Conversion Configuration

Conversion Type

• Duration: Time-based qualification
• Webhook: Buyer-confirmed conversion
• AI: Automated detection

Duration Start

• Connect: When call is answered
• Dial: When dialing begins
• Impact: Affects billable calculation

Duration Type

• Fixed: Exact duration required
• Minimum: At least X seconds
• Range: Between X and Y seconds

Duration Seconds

• Minimum call length for billing
• Industry standards:
• • Insurance: 90-120 seconds
  • Home Services: 60-90 seconds
  • Finance: 120-180 seconds

Tag Routing Rules

Understanding Filters

Powerful call filtering before routing:

Add Filter

Create rules to include/exclude calls:

• Click "+ Add Filter"
• Select tag type
• Choose operator (Equals, Not Equals, etc.)
• Set value(s)

Common Filter Examples

State Filtering:

InboundStateCode Equals "FL,TX,SC"

ZIP Exclusions:

InboundZipCode Not Equals "90210,10001"

Time-Based:

WorkNotes Contains "T1-PPC"

Multi-Condition:

InboundStateCode Equals "CA" AND
SourceName Equals "Google Ads"

Managing Tags

• Click tag icon to edit inline
• Use Clear Filters to reset
• Manage Tags for bulk operations

Webhook Configuration (Variable Destinations Only)

Webhook Integration Toggle

Enable to connect with external services for:

• Real-time bid requests
• Dynamic routing decisions
• Buyer system integration

Template Mode

Simplified setup for common integrations:

1. Toggle "Template Mode" ON
2. Select platform from dropdown (e.g., Ringba, custom RTB)
3. Enter required credentials
4. Auto-configures all settings

Manual Configuration

Request Setup

• Method: GET or POST
• URL: Full endpoint URL
• Headers: Click "+ Add Header" for auth tokens

URL Variables Available in URL using double brackets:

https://buyer.com/api?phone=[[tag.InboundNumberNoPlus]]&state=[[tag.InboundStateCode]]

Webhook Testing

Test Process

1. Configure webhook settings
2. Scroll to "Webhook Testing"
3. Fill test variables
4. Click "Run Webhook"
5. Review response

Test Variables Common test values:

• Phone: +13055551234
• State: FL
• ZIP: 33101

Response Parsing

Acceptance Parsing How to determine if buyer accepts:

1. Select response format (JSON/XML)
2. Choose field containing decision
3. Set acceptance criteria:
4. • Greater Than 0
   • Equals "true"

Agent Availability Parsing Monitor buyer capacity:

• Select field with agent count
• Updates dashboard availability
• Prevents routing to full buyers

Best Practices

Testing Protocol

1. Configure all settings
2. Run webhook test (Variable destinations)
3. Verify acceptance logic
4. Start with low daily cap
5. Monitor first 10 calls
6. Adjust based on results

Common Configurations

Static Setup (Direct Buyer)

• Phone Type: Static
• Revenue: Fixed
• Conversion: Duration based
• Caps: Based on contract

Variable Setup (RTB/Marketplace)

• Phone Type: Variable
• Revenue: Variable
• Conversion: Duration 90 seconds
• Caps: Start with 10 daily
• Webhook: Required for bidding

Network Integration

• Phone Type: SIP
• Revenue: Variable
• Conversion: Webhook confirmed
• Caps: High concurrent, moderate daily

Performance Optimization

• Test webhooks during setup (Variable destinations)
• Monitor response times
• Adjust dial timeouts based on buyer
• Use filters to improve quality
• Regular capacity reviews

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Webhook Failures (Variable Destinations)

• Check URL formatting
• Verify headers/auth
• Test with curl/Postman
• Review response format

No Calls Routing

• Verify business hours
• Check capacity limits
• Review tag filters
• Confirm buyer status

Low Accept Rates

• Review filter criteria
• Check buyer requirements
• Verify test data accuracy
• Examine time zones

Monitoring Performance

After setup, monitor:

• Accept rate (target >70%)
• Average revenue per call
• Conversion rates
• Capacity utilization
• Response times (Variable destinations)