> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.talkchief.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Build Call Flows and IVR Menus in TalkChief

> Use the TalkChief call flow editor to route each number through IVR menus, working hours, teams, queues, voicemail, call forwarding, and AI agents.

A call flow decides what happens when someone calls one of your numbers. Each number has its own flow. You build it in the call flow editor as a tree of steps that starts at **Incoming call**.

<Note>
  Editing call flows is for admins and supervisors. On the **Numbers** page, the **Callflow** shortcut is admin-only.
</Note>

## Open a call flow

You can open a number's call flow in two ways:

* In the sidebar, select **Calls** → **Call Flow**, then pick a number from the list.
* Go to **Calls** → **Numbers**, open a number's actions menu, and select **Callflow**.

To switch to another number, select the number name at the top of the editor and pick a different one.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/talkchief/t7PqWxB7x25SLoj2/images/docs/call-flow-editor-overview.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=t7PqWxB7x25SLoj2&q=85&s=36d8c33ecec4cca384c34a9ab9b53771" alt="Call flow editor for a demo number showing Incoming call, a Working Hours step with Open and Closed branches, an IVR with digits 1 and 2, and the Unsaved changes bar" width="1440" height="1000" data-path="images/docs/call-flow-editor-overview.png" />
</Frame>

## Steps you can add

Select **Add option** under any step to add the next one. These steps are available:

| Step | What it does |
| - | - |
| **Team** | Rings a group of members. You name the group, pick the members, and choose a **Ring strategy**: **In order** or **Simultaneously**. Set the ring time (15–60 seconds) and how many times to **Repeat** (1–15). You can also pick **Media** to play. |
| **Member** | Rings one member. Set **Keep ringing for** in seconds. |
| **AI Agent** | Rings one of your AI voice agents. Set **Keep ringing for** (15–60 seconds, 20 by default). See [Add an AI agent to a call flow](/ai-agents/add-to-call-flow). |
| **Prepend** | Adds a short text label in front of the caller ID, such as `[Sales]`, so the person who answers knows where the call came from. Up to 18 characters. |
| **Queue** | Sends the caller to a call queue. A queue ends the branch. See [Queues and routing](/contact-center/queues-and-routing). |
| **Play Media** | Plays an audio file, such as a greeting. Pick an existing file or upload a new MP3 of up to 5 MB. |
| **Call Forward** | Forwards the call to an outside phone number. Pick a saved number or add a new one with a nickname. Set a **Timeout** of 30–600 seconds. You can also turn on **Require key press to confirm call** and **Allow recording**. |
| **Voicemail** | Sends the caller to a voicemail box to leave a message. |
| **Callflow** | Jumps to the call flow of another of your numbers. This ends the branch. |
| **IVR** | Plays a menu and routes the caller by the key they press. See [Build an IVR menu](#build-an-ivr-menu). |

The first step after **Incoming call** can also be a time condition:

| Step | What it does |
| - | - |
| **Time Condition** | Uses a team's working hours. The flow splits into an **Open** branch and a **Closed** branch. |
| **Advance Time Condition** | Uses rules in a time zone you choose. Each rule gets its own branch, and **Closed** covers all other times. |

<Note>
  Some older flows may show a **Webhook** step. It sends call data to a web address. You can edit an existing **Webhook** step, but you can't add a new one from the menu.
</Note>

## Build a call flow

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add the first step">
    Under **Incoming call**, select **Add option** and pick a step. For a business that closes at night, start with **Time Condition**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure the step">
    A settings panel opens. Fill in the fields and select **Save**. To change a step later, select its **Edit** button. To remove it, select **Delete**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add what happens next">
    Select **Add sub-step** on a step to add the next one. For time conditions, add steps under both **Open** and **Closed**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the flow">
    Your edits show an **Unsaved changes** bar at the bottom of the screen. Select **Save** to apply them, or **Cancel** to throw them away.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Changes apply only after you select **Save** in the **Unsaved changes** bar. Closing the page before then loses your edits.
</Warning>

## Build an IVR menu

An IVR plays a recorded menu, such as "Press 1 for sales", and sends callers to a step based on the key they press.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add the IVR step">
    Select **Add option** and pick **IVR**. The **IVR settings** panel opens.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name it and pick the prompt">
    Enter a **Name** and choose the **Media** file that plays the menu. Upload the file in **Configuration** → **Media** first if you don't have one yet.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the options">
    Under **Settings**, choose:

    * **Allow caller to dial extensions** to let callers type a member's extension.
    * **Misdial retries** for how many wrong entries a caller gets.
    * **Timeout for dialing** and **Enter digit timeout**, in seconds.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a row for each key">
    Select **Add number** to add a row, pick the key (0–9), and choose the step it leads to. The **Timeout** row handles callers who don't press anything. You can also add an **Invalid** row for wrong keys.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Keep menus short. Three or four options are easier to remember than nine.
</Tip>

## Route callers to an AI agent

The **AI Agent** step rings an AI voice agent the same way a member is rung. Pick the agent under **Select AI agent** and set **Keep ringing for**. If you have no AI agents yet, the panel links to agents.talkchief.io so you can create one first.

For a full walkthrough, see [Add an AI agent to a call flow](/ai-agents/add-to-call-flow).

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Why can't I add a step after a Queue?">
    **Queue** and **Callflow** end a branch. To handle callers who wait too long, set the queue's failover. See [Queues and routing](/contact-center/queues-and-routing).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where do the working hours in a Time Condition come from?">
    From each team's **Working Hours** on the team **Settings** tab. See [Working hours and media](/phone/working-hours-and-media).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The editor says the call flow could not be loaded">
    Select **Retry**. If it keeps failing, check that the number is still active in **Calls** → **Numbers**.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related pages

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Call routing" icon="route" href="/phone/call-routing">
    See how teams, queues, and forwarding work together.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Working hours and media" icon="clock" href="/phone/working-hours-and-media">
    Set opening hours and upload menu prompts.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Voicemail" icon="voicemail" href="/phone/voicemail">
    Review the messages callers leave.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Add an AI agent to a call flow" icon="robot" href="/ai-agents/add-to-call-flow">
    Let an AI voice agent answer your calls.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


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