How to configure your Phone channel in Cue

A Phone channel connects a phone number to your workspace and controls how incoming calls are handled - who they are routed to, what callers hear, and when calls are accepted. This guide walks through the setup wizard and the key settings you can configure.

Creating a Phone channel

The setup wizard takes you through three steps: selecting a phone number, configuring call routing, and reviewing your settings before activation.

Step 1: Phone number

1. Open app.cuedesk.com
2. Navigate to Connectivity → Channels
3. In the Available Channels section, click Add Channel on the Phone modal
4. Choose one of the three options:

• Buy a number - purchase a new local, mobile, or toll-free number
• Port a number - transfer an existing number from another provider
• Choose existing number - use a number already in your workspace

Once your number is selected, it appears at the bottom of the modal with the country and type displayed. Click Continue.

Step 2: Call routing

This step configures everything callers experience when they ring your number: the greeting they hear, how calls are distributed to agents, hold music, business hours, and the out-of-office message.

Greeting

The greeting is the first thing callers hear when they ring your number.

1. Choose between Generate audio (text-to-speech) or Upload audio (your own recording).
2. If using text-to-speech, type your greeting message in the text area (up to 300 characters) and select a voice from the dropdown. Click Preview to hear how it sounds.
3. If uploading audio, select a compatible audio file from your computer.
   

Call recording

Enable call recording to automatically record calls on this channel. When turned on, a consent message is played to the caller before the recording begins.

To set up call recording:

1. Toggle Call recording on.
2. Write your consent message in the text area,for example: "This call may be recorded for quality and training purposes."
3. Choose between Generate audio (text-to-speech) or Upload audio (your own recording) to create the consent message audio.
4. If using text-to-speech, select a voice from the dropdown and click Preview to hear how it sounds.
5. If uploading audio, select a compatible audio file from your computer.

When a call comes in, the consent message plays first, then the call proceeds as normal while being recorded.

Call routing

The setup wizard uses a simple call routing set-up so you can start taking calls straight away. Calls are distributed using:

• Round-robin - agents are rung one at a time in a rotating order
• Max ring time per agent of 20 seconds - how long a call rings for one agent before moving to the next

You choose where calls go:

• Route calls to - all active agents in the workspace, or a specific team

Hold music

Select what callers hear while they wait in the queue. You can choose from preset options or upload your own audio file.

Business hours

Create or select an existing business hours schedule to control when this channel accepts calls.

The schedule name, timezone, and weekly hours are displayed for review.

For an existing schedule:

• Click Edit to modify the selected schedule's hours
• Click Change to switch to a different schedule

If you have not yet created a schedule, you will be prompted to create one.

Out-of-office message

This is what callers hear when they ring outside your business hours. It works the same way as the greeting - choose between text-to-speech or uploading your own audio.

Step 3: Confirm and activate

The final step displays a summary of everything you have configured:

• Channel name - defaults to your workspace name
• Phone number - the number attached to the channel
• Greeting - voice and message text, with a Preview option
• Call routing - routing target, and hold music
• Business hours - schedule name, out-of-office voice and message, with a Preview option

Each section has an Edit option that takes you back to the relevant step to make changes. Once you are happy, click Activate channel.

Your Phone channel is now live. Incoming calls to the attached number will be routed according to your configuration.

Editing your Phone channel after activation

You can update any channel setting after activation from the channel settings page.

1. Navigate to Connectivity → Channels
2. Find your Phone channel in the list and click the settings cog
3. The Basic tab lets you edit the same settings from the wizard: greeting, routing, hold music, business hours, and out-of-office message
4. The Advanced tab gives you access to the Phone Workflow editor for more complex call handling.

Changes are saved when you click Save.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have more than one Phone channel?

Yes. You can create multiple Phone channels, each with its own number, greeting, call routing , and business hours. This is useful if you want separate numbers for different teams or regions.

What is the difference between Basic and Advanced call routing?

Basic routing (configured in the wizard) rings available agents one at a time using round-robin, with a 20-second ring time per agent. Advanced routing (via the Phone flow editor) lets you build multi-step call flows with phone menus, business hours branching, sequential play-message steps, and a choice of distribution strategy and ring time for each team.

Can I change the phone number attached to a channel after activation?

You would need to create a new channel with the new number. Changing the number on an existing channel is not currently supported.