GoTo Connect Dial Plan Editor: A VoIP Feature Spotlight
Corey McCraw is a staff writer covering VoIP and Unified Communications. Corey has over a decade of experience in marketing, tech writing, and corporate communications and has even penned content for the former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative.
Rain is a staff writer at Fit Small Business focusing on sales, such as VoIP and video conferencing.
This article is part of a larger series on Unified Communications.
The GoTo Connect dial plan editor lets users customize and map out their call flows through its drag-and-drop user interface. This feature is helpful for businesses with remote teams as administrators can quickly set up specific call routing rules in real time, regardless of their locations. GoTo Connect offers this tool in all plans. Monthly fees start at $22 per user when billed annually for accounts with two to 10 users.
Why Use the GoTo Connect Dial Plan Editor?
The GoTo Connect dial plan editor is an excellent feature for businesses wanting to quickly set up their call routing settings for their phone number extensions in real time. Similar tools from other voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) providers, such as 8×8, require knowledge in writing text-based regular expressions to set up a dial plan. However, GoTo Connect’s dial plan editor stands out in the market with its ease of use—thanks to its visual drag-and-drop canvas.
Those interested may try GoTo Connect free for 14 days to determine if it matches their business needs.
Considering other options? Read our list of the best business phone systems to expand your choices.
How to Use the GoTo Connect Dial Plan Editor
To customize how the GoTo Connect system handles your inbound calls, ensure that you have admin or super admin permissions. Additionally, if you wish to add sound or music clips and extensions, you must create these elements before utilizing the editor.
Let’s discuss below the steps in creating a dial plan in GoTo Connect.
1. Access GoTo Connect Dial Plans
The list of GoTo Connect dial plans is accessible through the admin portal. It can be found in the quick links section or the left sidebar.
(Source: GoTo Connect)
First, log in to your GoTo Connect’s admin portal. Then, click the “Dial Plans” buttons from either the sidebar or the highlighted “Quick Links” menu.
2. Add a Dial Plan
GoTo Connect lets you create or import dial plans or edit existing ones.
(Source: GoTo Connect)
Once “Dial Plans” is clicked, you can select “Add Dial Plan” to create a new one. However, you can also choose from the list of your previously created call flows or import a dial plan.
When creating a new dial plan, the Extension field will be populated by the next available number. Users are allowed to change this prepopulated number. Lastly, enter your dial plan’s name.
3. Launch the GoTo Connect Dial Plan Editor
GoTo Connect offers templates to easily create new dial plans.
(Source: GoTo Connect)
Once your dial plan is created, it will be added to the list of dial plans. To access the drag-and-drop editor, click the dial plan that you intend to set up.
For newly created dial plans, you will be directed to choose from templates or a blank option to get started. If you choose from an existing dial plan, then you will be automatically led to the editor.
4. Drag & Drop Nodes
GoTo Connect dial plan editor is a visual drag-and-drop interface that features nodes that you can customize according to your needs.
(Source: GoTo Connect)
Add nodes by dragging and dropping them from the left sidebar to the canvas. Set up each node, and then click “Save” on the top right corner of the user interface when done.
There are three types of nodes—standard, utility, and application—which depend on their functionalities. These options help map out your call flow efficiently as each comes with customizable fields, options, and setup.
For example, you can set up the “Auto-attendant” node by choosing the sound clip that it will play. You can also add options, which in some use cases might be the language selections. Depending on your desired call flow, you can add and connect several “Auto-attendant” nodes as you like.
Make sure to connect the node dots to ensure that no calls will be dropped. Additionally, carefully check your configured settings for each node. Once all is done and reviewed, click save.
GoTo Connect Dial Plan Editor Alternatives
While GoTo Connect is impressive in terms of its dial plan’s ease of use and its overall platform’s comprehensiveness, it doesn’t guarantee that it matches your current business situation and needs.
We found three alternatives that you can check out. Both 8×8 and Odoo also provide video conferencing features, however you can also look into our guide of the best video conferencing software for more options. Let’s focus on the dial plan editors these providers come with below:
- 8×8: Users with experience in understanding regular expressions, such as ^, *, $, and [ ], can look into 8×8’s customized dial plans. This editor, included in the 8×8 Contact Center, isn’t recommended for beginners as it requires pattern creation and translations. Fees start at $95 per user, per month when billed annually.
- Apstel: Those looking for a free solution can check out Apstel’s visual dial plan editor. It can be deployed in Asterisk, a Sangoma-sponsored framework for building communications applications, which is also free to use.
- Odoo: Odoo also comes with a visual dial plan editor to help manage inbound calls. Pricing for its services is customized depending on the apps selected.
Looking for unified communications (UCaaS) platforms? Read our comprehensive UCaaS guide to find out what UCaaS is and our recommendations.
Bottom Line
The GoTo Connect dial plan editor is an easy-to-use visual portal that allows you to customize your call flows entirely. You can utilize and set up one dial plan with GoTo Connect’s entry-level option. However, its more advanced tiers let you add an unlimited number of dial plans.
Businesses with remote teams can find this feature helpful as they can quickly change their call routing rules from anywhere. This capability helps them ensure that their customers can easily reach them with a seamless contact experience.
Try GoTo Connect for free for 14 days to determine if it is the best solution for you.
