Calling with Twilio

Your team can call leads directly from NextCRM - in the browser (headset or laptop microphone) or on their own phone (Twilio calls your phone first, then connects you to the lead). Every call is logged on the lead's timeline. When recording is on, NextCRM transcribes the call afterwards and Lora writes a summary with the outcome, what was agreed and the next steps.

Note: Lora never places calls and never listens to a live call. People call; Lora only reads the transcript after a recorded call, and she only proposes follow-ups. Nothing is changed until you click Apply.

What you need

• Your own Twilio account with at least one voice-capable phone number (or a verified caller ID). Twilio bills call minutes, phone numbers and recordings directly to you; NextCRM does not charge for calls.
• Your plan must include the SMS messaging feature (calling uses the same Twilio telephony feature).
• For browser calls additionally: a Twilio API Key (SID and secret) and a TwiML App.
• For transcripts: the voice add-on (counted in its voice tokens) or your own Google Gemini key (not counted). For Lora summaries: AI credits or your own AI key.

Set up calling (Workspace Admins)

Open Configuration > SMS (open the SMS step) and scroll to Calling (Twilio).

1. Tick Enable calling.
2. Twilio account: keep Use the Twilio account from SMS Settings, or untick it and enter an Account SID and Auth Token. The Auth Token is required - NextCRM uses it to verify that every call webhook really comes from Twilio.
3. Caller ID: the number your leads see, in international format (for example +4930123456). Add more incoming numbers under More voice numbers.
4. Calls in the browser (optional): in the Twilio Console create an API key (SID starts with SK) and a TwiML App (SID starts with AP), then enter both here.
5. Choose who may call, the recording and after the call options, the retention periods and the usual calling hours.
6. Click Save calling settings. NextCRM checks the account, the API key, the TwiML App and the caller ID with Twilio right away. Verify with Twilio repeats the check.

Where to get each value

Setup order: 1. create a Twilio account and buy (or verify) a voice-capable number, 2. collect the values below, 3. enter them under Calling (Twilio) and save, 4. enter the addresses from the next section in Twilio and click Verify with Twilio. A rejected check shows Twilio's own answer, for example "Twilio rejected the credentials (20003)".

Field	Where you get it	Link
Account SID	Twilio Console home page > Account Info > Account SID (starts with AC)	console.twilio.com
Auth Token	Twilio Console home page > Account Info > Auth Token > Show > copy	console.twilio.com
Caller ID	Phone Numbers > Manage > Active numbers (a voice-capable number) or Verified Caller IDs, in +E.164 format	Active numbers
API Key SID (browser calls)	Account > API keys & tokens > Create API key (type Standard) > SID (starts with SK)	API keys
API Key Secret (browser calls)	Shown once when you create the API key; if lost, create a new key	API keys
TwiML App SID (browser calls)	Voice > Manage > TwiML apps > Create new TwiML App, Voice Request URL = the NextCRM TwiML App Voice URL > App SID (starts with AP)	TwiML apps

Calls from your own phone need only the account, the Auth Token and the caller ID; the API key and the TwiML App are needed only for calls in the browser. The (i) icon next to each field shows the same help.

Addresses to enter in Twilio

After saving, the section shows three addresses with a copy button. Enter them in the Twilio Console:

In Twilio	Field	NextCRM address
Your TwiML App	Voice Request URL (HTTP POST)	TwiML App Voice URL
Your phone number (Voice configuration)	"A call comes in" - Webhook (HTTP POST)	Phone number: A call comes in
TwiML App and phone number (optional)	Status callback URL	Status callback URL

Each address contains a private workspace ID. Do not share it; anybody without your Twilio Auth Token is rejected anyway.

Make a call

1. Open the lead and click Call (also on the lead card next to the phone number).
2. Choose In the browser or On my phone. For "On my phone" enter your own number once - NextCRM remembers it.
3. Click Start call. While the call is recorded you see a red Recording indicator.

You can also ask Lora: "Call Acme GmbH". Lora only opens the dialer; you start the call yourself.

Tip: The dialer shows a hint outside the usual calling hours your admin set. It never blocks the call.

Incoming calls

Calls to your Twilio number ring the lead owner in the browser and on their phone at the same time (other members who receive calls ring when the number is unknown or the lead has no owner). In the dialer, save My phone number and tick Receive calls in this browser to be reachable. If nobody answers, callers can leave a voicemail, which is transcribed like a call. A caller with an unknown number becomes a Lead Inbox item (open Lead Inbox).

After the call: summary and next steps

When recording is on, the recording is transcribed in the lead's language (or the workspace default) and Lora adds to the call on the timeline:

• the outcome (one of the call outcomes, for example "Reached - interested" or "Callback requested"),
• key points, objections, what was agreed and the next steps,
• suggestions: a follow-up task, a stage change, an email draft or "do not call".

Open the lead's Activity tab: the Calls section shows the recording player, the transcript, the summary and the suggestions. Click Apply to create the task, move the stage or save the email draft (it is never sent automatically), or Dismiss. Lora can also apply a suggestion when you ask her ("Create the follow-up task from the Acme call") - she prepares a card titled Ready for your approval, and nothing happens until you click Approve. Ask Lora "What did we agree with Acme on the last call?" to get the summary.

Recording and consent

When recording is on, both sides hear a recording announcement at the start of the call (the lead in their language, the seller a short note). The announcement cannot be switched off while recording is on; you can change its text per language.

Warning: In many countries and US states (for example California, Florida, Pennsylvania and Washington, and generally in the EU under the GDPR) all participants must be informed and agree before a call is recorded. The announcement helps, but you are responsible for the legal basis. If a lead objects, end the recording or the call and do not use the recording.

Do not call

Mark a lead Do not call in the Calls section when they ask not to be called. NextCRM then refuses every call to this lead and its number, also when the call was already prepared. Everyone who works with leads can set the flag; only Workspace Admins and Sales Managers can allow calls again. If a lead says "don't call me again" during a recorded call, Lora proposes this flag as a suggestion.

Privacy, retention and data export

• Recordings stay in your Twilio account. NextCRM streams them on demand to members who may call and to Workspace Admins; your Twilio credentials never reach the browser.
• Recordings are deleted in Twilio after the recording retention period; full transcripts are removed after the transcript retention period (the short summary on the timeline stays).
• Permanently deleting a lead deletes its calls, transcripts and summaries and deletes its recordings in Twilio.
• The workspace data export contains the calls with transcripts and summaries; recordings are listed by reference.

Costs and limits

• Twilio bills every call minute (in the browser and on phones), each phone number and recording storage directly to your Twilio account.
• Transcripts are counted in the voice add-on's voice tokens (not with your own Gemini key); summaries use AI credits (or your own AI key). Recordings longer than 30 minutes are transcribed in parts, and the transcript marks where each part starts.
• To protect your Twilio balance, a member can start at most 30 calls in 10 minutes.

Troubleshooting

• No Call button: calling is not enabled, your role may not call, or the lead has no phone number.
• "Browser calls are not set up": enter the API key and TwiML App, or call on your phone.
• Calls do not connect or nothing is logged: check that the TwiML App Voice URL and the number's "A call comes in" webhook are exactly the addresses shown in NextCRM and use HTTP POST, then click Verify with Twilio.
• No transcript: the workspace needs the voice add-on or its own Google Gemini key (Bring Your Own AI).

Related articles

• SMS setup
• Leads and pipeline
• Lead Inbox
• Data privacy
• Third-party accounts and costs