Calling with recording
Call from the CallMerlin app or desktop, start mid-call recording with an announcement, then get a call summary with action items.
Calling with recording
Call a customer through CallMerlin (app or desktop), not through your device’s native phone app. During the call, tap Record. Both parties first hear an announcement. Then CallMerlin records both sides. After hang-up you get a call summary with action items. Raw audio is deleted after processing.
Without Start recording, you still get a row in Call logs (who, duration, source Call), but no summary or transcript.
How it works
- Sign in with your PIN in the CallMerlin app or desktop
- Grant the PIN permission Meeting summaries
- Open Call and dial a number (international format, e.g. +31… or +1…)
- Have the conversation. Tap Record when you want to capture it
- Both parties hear the announcement; recording starts afterward
- Hang up. CallMerlin builds the summary with action items and deletes the raw audio
- Optionally ask in chat to file CRM notes or tasks (writes only after approval)
Audio before you tap Start recording is not in the recording. That is intentional.
Privacy: what happens to the audio?
- Call recording (both sides) is stored temporarily in the EU
- Speech-to-text creates a transcript for the AI
- CallMerlin stores a summary and action items in your account
- Raw audio is deleted after successful processing
There is no silent recording: the announcement plays before recording starts. Not used for ads. Same pattern as live recording.
Call logs and minutes
| What | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Source in dashboard | Call |
| With Start recording + processing | Summary visible (like live meeting) |
| Without Start recording | Metadata only: PIN, duration, destination, source |
| Minutes | Full call duration counts 1:1 toward your minutes bundle (wall clock), even if you do not record |
Filing after the call
After a successful recording you can ask Merlin to propose CRM notes or tasks. Writes always need approval. Without a CRM connection Merlin will not promise a write; go to Connections.
Requirements
- Plan with Call available (Professional or higher, or trial per your account)
- PIN permission Meeting summaries
- Outbound worldwide (E.164). Special or premium numbers (e.g. NL/ES information services) are blocked
- Microphone permission on the device
Difference from live meeting recording
| Live meeting recording | Calling with recording | |
|---|---|---|
| Situation | Face-to-face or hybrid in the same room | Outbound phone call via CallMerlin |
| Start recording | Before or at Start, with consent | Mid-call via Start recording (announcement first) |
| Both sides | Room microphone | Both phone channels |
| Afterward | Same summary + action items + approval | Same pipeline |
Live recording details: Meeting summaries.
Limits
Call summaries share the daily meeting-summary limit (paid: 20 per account per day; trial: 2 per day). See Meeting summaries.
Related
Want Merlin to suggest a call from chat or a workflow first? See Calling from chat.