---
title: "Start call"
slug: "start-call"
updated: 2024-10-25T14:30:44Z
published: 2024-10-25T14:30:44Z
canonical: "docs.voiso.com/start-call"
---

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

# Start call

The **startcall** API, also known as **click2call** or **click-to-call** API, is part of Voiso's Voice APIs. Use it to initiate calls for agents from external systems. Please refer to the detailed API endpoint specification [here](/v1-api/apidocs/startcall).

## Prerequisites

- The agent must have an [extension](https://docs.voiso.com/docs/users-users#adding-a-user) configured or a valid login email address.
- The **click-to-call** feature must be enabled for the agent's [security access group](https://docs.voiso.com/docs/administration-security-access-groups#outbound).
- The agent must be [logged in](https://docs.voiso.com/docs/agent-panel-getting-started#login).
- The agent's status must be [Available](https://docs.voiso.com/docs/agent-panel-getting-started#status-menu).

## Making requests

### Authentication

The **startcall** API requires the [base URL](/v1-api/apidocs/base-endpoint) and the [contact center API key](/v1-api/apidocs/authentication).

### Request parameters

The **startcall** API uses the `key` parameter: the [contact center API key](/v1-api/apidocs/authentication).

| Parameter | Description | Type | Required | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| agent | The agent's contact center phone extension or sign-in email address. | string | Required | This parameter tells Voiso which agent should get the call. The call starts automatically on the agent's configured Web-RTC softphone, known as **Agent Panel**. |
| number | The phone number to be dialed. | string | Required | The number must be specified in [E.164 format](https://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-E.164) without the preceding '+'. For example: `447414992548` |
| account_id | An identifier assigned to the contact in an external application such as a CRM. | string | Optional | Once you specify it, the corresponding interactions will be marked with this parameter in CDR. You may want to use it for enriching the interaction data with external identifiers. It might help you with reporting. It is also useful for number masking — when `account_id` is specified, it replaces the destination number in Web-RTC softphone (**Agent Panel**), **Omnichannel Workspace**, as well as in Voiso reporting tools, such as **Real-Time Dashboard** (RTD) and **Call Details Records** (CDR). Using it, you can hide real contact phone numbers from your agents and supervisors. |
| CRM | The name of an external application, such as a CRM, where contact information is managed. | string | Optional | Once you specify the `crm` parameter, the corresponding interactions will be marked with this parameter in CDR. It might help with reporting and debugging. |
| get_call_id | Specify whether to retrieve the UUID for the call. | string | Optional | Specify only `true` or `false`. The UUID lets you track the call in your database, CRM, or [data stream](/v1-api/apidocs/raw-data-streaming-to-sqs). |

With these required parameters, you can make a simple request:

```
{
  "method": "POST",
  "url": "https://cluster1.voiso.com/api/v1/cc7c76b8987a281d...90ab6c3/click2call",
  "headers": {
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
  },
  "body": {
    "agent": "1002",
    "number": "4407414992548"
  }
}
```

To make more advanced requests, you can include optional parameters.

```
{
  "method": "POST",
  "url": "https://cluster1.voiso.com/api/v1/cc7c76b8987a281d...90ab6c3/click2call",
  "headers": {
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
  },
  "body": {
    "agent": "june.juliette@mail.com",
    "number": "4407414992548",
    "account_id": "June Juliette",
    "CRM": "MyCRM",
    "get_call_id": "true"
  }
}
```

## Response

If the call is successful, the API responds with the call's UUID. You can use this ID to get information about the call using the [CDR](/v1-api/apidocs/how-to-retrieve-cdrs) API.

### Response sample

```
{
  "call_id": "24f6a191-f0ad-4257-x934-32xx26x51208"
}
```

## Troubleshooting

The following issues are sometimes encountered:

### Agent click2call disabled

If you see this error, `"error": "Agent click2call disabled"`, the [security access group](https://docs.voiso.com/docs/administration-security-access-groups#outbound) assigned to the agent does not have Click-to-call enabled. Either update the permissions in the security access group or assign the agent to a different security access group.

### Invalid destination number

If you see this error, `"error": "Invalid destination number"`, it means that the destination phone number is not in [E.164 format](https://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-E.164) or the number does not exist. Verify the phone number is correct and in the correct format without the preceding '+'. For example: `447414992548`

### Invalid agent's extension or agent login ID

The **startcall** API uses either the agent's extension or login ID to identify the user who is making the click-to-call request. If you see this error, the value specified for the `agent` parameter is invalid.

### Agent logged off

If you see this error,`"error": "Agent logged off"`, the target agent is not logged in to their softphone. Ensure that agents are [logged in](https://docs.voiso.com/docs/agent-panel-getting-started#login) to their Voiso account.

### Invalid API key

The **startcall** API uses the contact center API key to validate the request. If you see this error, `"error": "Invalid API key"`, check that you use the correct contact center API key. For more information about API keys, refer to [Authentication](/v1-api/apidocs/authentication).