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Receptionist

Receptionist is unreleased and hidden from navigation and Access; this guide describes the existing page controls.

Updated Oct 20, 2026 6 steps 11 questions answeredOpen this page in the platform
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Overview

Receptionist is not ready for release and is hidden from navigation and Access. The existing page still contains the selected client's phone settings, training files and call history. These instructions describe those existing controls.

How to use this page

  1. Select the client and review status

    Choose the client in the client switcher at the top of the sidebar. Client users with one company see it automatically; with more than one, the page follows the company selected there. The page shows the receptionist status, connected number, total calls, calls from the last seven days, messages taken in the last seven days, and average duration.

  2. Set the receptionist behavior

    In Agent settings, choose Answer calls and Record calls as needed, then set the agent name, company name, voice, greeting and prompt. Keep Voice on Default to use the managed voice shown in parentheses, or choose a named voice for this receptionist. Select Save when the settings are ready.

  3. Connect the phone number

    Staff can enter a Twilio number and select Connect number. Use one of this client's own phone numbers: a number that belongs to another client's phone account is refused, and a shared number with no client owner needs staff with access to every client. Connecting points the number's voice webhook at the receptionist. Select Disconnect to remove the current number. Clients should ask their SalesHive team to change the number.

  4. Add training files

    Add a named file or upload a .txt or .md file with services, hours, people, pricing, and FAQs. Open a file to edit it, select Save file, or use its delete control to remove it. Each saved file is included in the receptionist's facts.

  5. Review calls

    The Calls section lists recent inbound calls with time, caller, duration, and status (Live, Completed or Not connected). Once a call ends and is reviewed, it also shows an outcome tag (Message, Missed call, Answered, No conversation, Spam or Other) with a one-line summary. Review waits for the finished transcript. If a connected call still shows Live or has no outcome yet, wait briefly and use Refresh for the latest data, play a recording when one exists, and select Transcript to show or hide the stored transcript. On a narrow screen, scroll the call list sideways to reach Recording and Transcript.

  6. Read messages the receptionist took

    When a caller leaves a message, the call shows a message card with who it is for, the caller name, company, callback number, email, and the reason for the call. Only the details the caller gave appear. When the caller agrees to be called back on the number they are calling from, that caller ID becomes the callback number. Callers who asked for a person, a team or a follow-up but hung up before leaving details also count as messages, so the card may show only who they wanted and why. Use the number in the Caller column to call them back. The client assigned SalesHive strategist is also notified in the app and by email by default.

What the buttons do

Answer calls
Enables or disables the receptionist for the selected client.
Record calls
Controls whether receptionist calls are recorded when supported.
Voice
Default uses the managed voice shown in parentheses. A named voice overrides that default for this receptionist. Select Save to keep your choice. Focus the dropdown and press Enter, Space or an arrow key to open it. Use Up and Down to move through choices, then Enter or Space to select. Home and End move to the first or last choice when an option has focus. If a search field appears, type to filter and press an arrow key to reach the choices. Escape closes without changing the selection and returns focus to the button. Tab closes and moves on. Reopening clears the search.
Save
Saves the receptionist name, company, voice, greeting, prompt, and call toggles.
Connect number
Points the entered Twilio number's voice webhook at the receptionist. Refuses a number already connected to another receptionist or owned by another client's phone account.
Disconnect
Removes the current phone-number connection after confirmation.
Add
Creates a named training file.
Upload .txt / .md
Uploads a text or Markdown training file.
Save file
Saves edits to an open training file.
Refresh
Reloads the receptionist call log.
Message card
Appears under a call marked Message. Shows For, Caller, Company, Callback number, Email and Reason when given. Read only.
Transcript
Shows or hides a call's stored transcript when one is available.
Manage models
Staff link to the CRM model settings for the managed live voice runtime.

Common questions

Why is Receptionist missing from navigation?
Receptionist is not ready for release, so it is hidden from navigation and Access. The page itself still exists and checks the existing Inbound permission. Phone-number connection and managed runtime controls remain staff workflows.
What does the prompt control?
It describes who the receptionist is and how it should handle callers. House speaking rules still apply, and training files add business facts to each call.
When does a connected number answer calls?
After the number is connected and Answer calls is enabled, inbound calls answer through the receptionist.
Where do recordings and transcripts appear?
Every recent inbound call for the selected client appears in the Calls section. Its recording plays in the Recording column when one exists, and the Transcript button appears when a transcript was saved. Reviewed calls also show an outcome tag and a short summary.
Can I upload any file type?
The upload control accepts .txt and .md files. You can also create a named file directly in the page.
Who finds out when a caller leaves a message?
After the call ends, SalesHive reviews the transcript once. If a real caller wants someone to follow up, the client assigned SalesHive strategist gets a notification in the app and by email by default. The alert lists the caller ID separately only when it differs from the callback number. The message card and the Messages, 7 days count on this page update too. Calls with no conversation, spam, or questions the receptionist fully answered do not create a message.
How does the receptionist take a message?
When a caller asks for a person or team the training files do not cover, it offers to take a message and asks who is calling, rather than opening with what it cannot do. Asking for someone or wanting to speak with them is not treated as a transfer request, so it does not bring up transferring. Only when the caller explicitly asks to be transferred or put through does it say briefly that it cannot transfer, then keeps taking the message. It asks one question at a time: name, then a way to reach them, then the reason, then anything else. For the callback number, unless the caller ID is withheld, it first asks whether the number they are calling from, ending in its last four digits, is the best one. If they say yes, it does not ask them to recite it; if they give a different number, it reads that number back digit by digit. It confirms the name and number once, asks "Did I get that right?", and waits. It fixes corrections and confirms only the corrected detail. A yes or okay confirms those details. It then separately asks "Is there anything else you'd like to add?" and waits before wrapping up. If the caller adds something, it acknowledges it and checks once more whether that is everything. If the caller explicitly says they are finished or says goodbye, it skips the extra question. It asks for any optional detail at most twice, and leaves out anything it could not hear clearly rather than guessing.
What happens if the caller talks over the receptionist?
A quick word like okay, right or hello does not cut it off; it finishes its sentence. If the caller keeps talking for about a second, it stops and listens. Once it finishes, a simple okay or got it needs no reply, and anything else gets an answer. The greeting and recording notice always play in full.
How does a call end?
When the caller is done, the receptionist always says a short goodbye before it hangs up. If its last line was not a real goodbye, it adds one first, so the caller always hears one. If the caller only says bye or thanks over its goodbye, it still hangs up. If they bring up something new, it stays on the line and answers. It also ends the call after one polite warning to a caller who stays abusive. If the line goes quiet for about 15 seconds, it checks once whether the caller is still there. If it stays quiet, the receptionist says goodbye unless the caller asked to hold, and it always hangs up after about two minutes with no reply.
What if the caller hung up before leaving a name or number?
If they asked for a person, a team or a callback, the call is still marked Message. The strategist alert reads Missed caller, call back needed, and says to call back on the caller ID when one was captured.
What do Missed call and Not connected mean?
A Missed call tag means the call could not reach the receptionist. A caller still on the line hears a short apology asking them to try again in a few minutes. The call shows Not connected, and the strategist gets a Missed caller, call back needed alert with the caller ID. No alert is sent when the caller ID was withheld, and missed calls do not count toward Messages, 7 days. A connection error alone does not mark a connected call as missed; its outcome waits for the finished transcript. Not connected can also appear on a call left in Live status for two hours, so that status alone does not prove nobody answered.
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Category: Platform · Inbound