> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pingtree.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Call Management Overview
> Track, route, and record inbound calls as first-class leads inside Pingtree — powered by Telnyx.
Call Management turns phone calls into fully trackable lead events. Every inbound call is treated as a lead alongside form submissions and click events, giving you a unified view of performance across all acquisition channels.
> **Video Walkthrough:** A step-by-step video guide for this feature is coming soon.
## What is Call Management?
Call Management is a set of tools that lets you purchase dedicated phone numbers, route inbound callers to buyers, record conversations, and monitor call activity in real time — all without leaving Pingtree. The infrastructure runs on **Telnyx**, a carrier-grade communications platform that handles number provisioning, call control, and audio delivery.
At a high level, the workflow looks like this:
1. Purchase a DID (Direct Inward Dialing) number through the Pingtree interface.
2. Assign that number to a campaign and source combination.
3. Configure how callers are greeted and routed.
4. Calls come in, are tracked as leads, and distributed to buyers via your existing campaign routing rules.
5. View recordings, analytics, and performance data alongside your other lead types.
## DID Numbers
A DID number is a real phone number that callers dial. Pingtree purchases numbers on your behalf through Telnyx and stores them in your account.
* Search for **local** (geographic area code) or **toll-free** (800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, 888) numbers.
* Numbers are purchased from your wallet balance. An upfront charge and a recurring monthly charge apply.
* Each number must be **assigned** to exactly one campaign + source combination before it can receive traffic.
* When you no longer need a number, **release** it to stop charges and remove it from Telnyx.
See [DID Numbers](./did-numbers) for the full purchasing and assignment workflow.
## Call Routing
When a call arrives on a purchased number, Pingtree's call control layer handles the interaction:
1. A **greeting** is played to the caller using Text-to-Speech (TTS) with a configurable voice and message.
2. If no buyer is available, a **hold/waiting audio** clip plays while routing occurs.
3. The call is transferred to the winning buyer's phone number.
4. An **ending message** can play before the call concludes.
Routing follows the same pingtree/ping-post rules configured for the campaign, so calls compete through your buyer pool just like form leads.
## Call Recording
Recording is opt-in and configured per campaign source. When enabled:
* Recordings are captured in **MP3 format with dual-channel audio** (caller and buyer on separate tracks).
* Recordings are stored securely in cloud storage and accessible via a time-limited signed URL (valid 15 minutes).
* A **retention period** controls how long recordings are kept — options range from 30 days to lifetime. Longer retention periods carry a higher cost multiplier on the per-minute recording charge.
> **Tip:** Enable recording for quality assurance and compliance use cases. Dual-channel recordings make it easy to evaluate both sides of the conversation independently.
## Real-Time Analytics
The Real-Time Analytics dashboard gives you a live view of call traffic:
| Metric | Description |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| Total Calls | All inbound calls in the selected date range |
| Answered Calls | Calls successfully connected to a buyer |
| Missed Calls | Calls that were not answered |
| Active Calls | Calls currently in progress |
| Total Duration | Cumulative talk time across all calls |
| Average Duration | Mean call length |
The dashboard auto-refreshes at a configurable interval (3, 5, or 10 seconds) and can be filtered by campaign and source.
See [Real-Time Call Analytics](./realtime-analytics) for details.
## Calls as Leads
In Pingtree's data model, a call is a lead. Each inbound call creates a lead record linked to:
* The **campaign** and **source** the DID number is assigned to.
* A **lead transaction ID** for traceability in reports.
* A **buyer** when the call is answered and counted toward cap/payout rules.
This means call traffic flows through the same reporting, conversion tracking, and buyer payout system as form and click leads — no separate reporting pipeline to manage.
## Architecture Summary
| Component | Role |
| ------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Telnyx | Carrier-grade number provisioning, call control, and recording |
| DID Numbers | Dedicated inbound phone numbers assigned to campaign sources |
| Call Control Application | Telnyx application that handles real-time call events |
| Billing Group | Groups numbers for cost management within Telnyx |
| Redis Cache | Caches DID-to-source assignment lookups for low-latency routing |
> **Tip:** Your account must have a Call Control Application and Billing Group configured before you can purchase DID numbers. Contact your account manager if these are missing.