The Input IVR widget allows you to collect numeric inputs from callers, such as a customer ID or reservation number, directly within your call flows. This can help personalize the agent experience and, when paired with the Ring to via API widget, even power routing decisions based on the input provided. 

On its own, the Input IVR widget:

  • Collects numeric input
  • Displays the input to agents before pickup
  • Surfaces input in the Call Timeline and Analytics
Important: The Input IVR widget alone cannot perform call routing. Input-based routing is only possible when paired with the Ring to via API widget, which is available on Pro and Custom plans.

Configuration

When added to your flow, the Input IVR widget automatically creates two branches:

  • Input IVR: Used when valid input is received.
  • No or Wrong Input: Used when input is missing or invalid.

When configuring the Input IVR widget, you can set the following options:

  • Widget title: Optional. Helps identify the widget in Analytics and when using variables in the flow.
  • Display input to agent: Toggle ON (default) to show the caller’s input in the Aircall Workspace and Call Timeline. Toggle OFF to treat the input as sensitive; it will not be stored or displayed.
  • Input validation: Choose how the caller submits their input:
    • Ending key (default): Caller must press # to submit.
    • Fixed length: Caller must dial an exact number of digits.

NOTE: A 5-second timeout applies per digit and resets with each keypress.

  • Instructions message: The audio prompt telling the caller what to enter.
Tip: If you configure the IVR to use the # key as an ending input, make sure your greeting message clearly tells callers what to do (for example, “please enter your code followed by the hash key”).
  • Retry actions: Allow up to 3 attempts if the caller enters an invalid input or does not respond in time. A retry error message (TTS, recorded, or uploaded) must be defined and will play before each retry.

Input-based routing with Ring to via API

To make routing decisions based on caller input, you need to connect the Input IVR widget with the Ring to via API widget.

Steps:

  1. Add an Input IVR widget to collect the caller's input.
  2. Follow it with a Ring to via API widget to send an external API request using the collected input.
  3. Insert the input variable into your API request (for example, {{callerInput}}).
  4. Predefine routing logic in Smartflows for each expected API response (for example, VIP → Sales team, Invalid → Exit path).
Tip: The input variable name will match the title of your Input IVR widget. If you use multiple Input IVR widgets in your flow, give each one a unique title (for example, {{customerID}} and {{orderNumber}}) so you can easily distinguish between variables.

This setup allows you to personalize routing based on real-time caller data.

Limitations

Keep in mind the following limitations when using the Input IVR widget:

  • No dynamic branching based on API responses: The Ring to via API widget cannot dynamically route calls based on the API response content. You must define static call paths in Smartflows for each expected response.
  • No input-only validation flows: It is not possible to validate a code or ID without routing the call. “OK/NOK” branching is not supported.
  • No multi-value input in a single step: If two inputs are required (for example, customer ID and reservation code), use two consecutive Input IVR widgets. Entering both in one step using # or * is not supported due to carrier limitations.
  • Agent display for multiple inputs: When using multiple Input IVR widgets, only the last collected input can be shown to the agent. You can control which one is displayed by enabling the Display to agent toggle on the relevant widget.
  • No extension dialing or callback requests during Input IVR: These options are disabled while the Input IVR message is playing to avoid misrouting or timing issues.