Phone Numbers
Buy and manage the phone numbers your team calls.
Phone Numbers
Phone numbers are the inbound channel for phone calls. All numbers in your organisation point to the same CallMerlin account. When someone calls, Merlin asks for a PIN. After verification, the conversation uses that PIN user's permissions, template and tasks.
Request a number
- Go to Phone Numbers in the dashboard
- Choose the country and number type (local, national or toll-free)
- Search available numbers and click Buy
- For countries with regulatory rules: upload the requested proof documents when prompted
Order status
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Documents needed | Upload documents, text fields or an address |
| Under review | Submitted; review usually takes 2-3 business days, then up to 72 hours for activation |
| Rejected | Fix the rejected items and submit again |
| Active | Number is reachable |
Delivery time per country
| Country | Delivery time | Documents required? |
|---|---|---|
| United States | A few minutes | No |
| United Kingdom | A few minutes | No |
| Other countries (NL, DE, FR, BE, ES, etc.) | A few business days after approval | Yes |
Saved sets
A saved set is a reusable package of proof for one combination of country + number type (for example Netherlands + local). You enter contact details, address and documents once. On a later purchase with the same country and type, select that set so you do not upload everything again.
When to use it
| Situation | Advice |
|---|---|
| Multiple numbers in the same country and type | Create a saved set first, fill it, select it on each purchase |
| A single number | Saved set is optional; you can upload proof directly on the order |
| Different country or type (local vs toll-free) | You need a new saved set; sets are not interchangeable |
Steps in the dashboard
- Choose country and number type
- Click New set (or reuse a set that still shows “to fill in”)
- Click Fill set and complete all requested fields and documents
- Click Save set
- Select the set in the dropdown when searching / buying
Important
- Documents from a one-off purchase do not become a saved set automatically. Create a set yourself if you want reuse.
- In the UI you reuse the whole set, not one document alone. For passport-only: create a set and fill what is asked, or upload per order.
- Sets stay inside your CallMerlin account. Other accounts cannot see them.
- Each order may still go through review; a saved set speeds up filling in, not always approval.
How incoming calls work
A phone number is a global inbound channel for your account: it is not fixed to one PIN user. The flow is:
- Caller dials the number
- Merlin picks up (with that number's language, voice and greeting) and asks for a PIN
- The caller enters the PIN via the keypad
- Merlin verifies the PIN and starts the conversation with that PIN user's permissions, template and tasks
- Optional: 2FA verification (SMS or TOTP) if enabled for that PIN
Anyone with a valid PIN on your account can call any active number on that account and get that PIN user's experience.
Voice, language and greeting per number
For each active number you can set a separate voice, default language and greeting in the dashboard. Useful for international branches: callers of the Spanish number hear Spanish, callers of the Dutch number hear Dutch. Chat and webcall keep using the account settings under Voice & language. New numbers start as a copy of those account defaults.
There is no link from a number to one fixed PIN at purchase. Which team member handles the call is determined by the PIN the caller enters.
Cancel a number
You can cancel a number via the dashboard. The number will be released at the end of the billing period.
Note: A deleted number cannot be recovered. For European numbers, you must request a new number again (again a few business days plus any required documents).