Dialpad AI voice agents from your IVR menu
A Dialpad IVR option forwards callers to a Cartesia agent's number, so a Cartesia AI agent takes those calls and transfers callers back when they need a person.
Front-line agent
Answers callers who pick its menu option and passes the rest to your team.
Instructions
Answer gym hours, class times and membership freeze rules. Transfer refunds and billing to the billing department, and callers who ask for a trainer to that trainer's Dialpad number.
- Handoff
- Dialpad team number
Connected tools
- Transfer to DialpadTransfer
What a Dialpad AI voice agent can do
Open one to watch a call. The grey lines are the tools the agent calls mid-sentence.
A key on your mainline, department or contact center menu forwards callers to the agent's number instead of a queue.
The agent answers what members ask most, such as opening hours and class times, and ends the call without a transfer.
Members who ask for a person go to a Dialpad number, such as a department, a contact center or a trainer's line.
Dialpad settings
These are the Admin Settings for sending one IVR option to the agent.
- Company switch
- Admin Settings, Company Settings, IVR forwarding to external numbers.
- Menu
- Business hours and call routing, Edit Call Routing, Fallback Options, To an automated response menu.
- Key action
- Forward to a person / #, with the agent's number.
- Destination
- Domestic US numbers.
Set it up
A phone hand-off. A Dialpad IVR menu option forwards callers to the agent's number. There is no SIP trunk between Dialpad and Cartesia. Vendor details read in November 2026.
Give the agent a number
Import a number from Twilio or connect a SIP trunk number. Transfers work only on Twilio and SIP trunk numbers, not on Cartesia numbers.
Allow IVR forwarding to external numbers
In Dialpad Admin Settings, open Company Settings and turn on IVR forwarding to external numbers. It's the company-wide switch for this feature.
Point a menu key at the agent
On the mainline, department or contact center, open Business hours and call routing, then Edit Call Routing. Under Fallback Options choose To an automated response menu, set a key to Forward to a person / # and enter the agent's number.
Set the way back and test
Add a transfer rule in Cartesia to a Dialpad department or user number. Call the menu, press the agent's key, and ask for a person.
Before you build
US numbers only
Dialpad intends IVR forwarding for domestic US numbers. An international number can save but fail on live calls and send the caller back to the menu.
The forwarded leg is billed
Dialpad places an outbound call to the agent's number and bridges it, which may count toward outbound usage or per-minute charges on your plan.
Skip personal forwarding numbers
A user's forwarding number can ask whoever answers to press 1, and Dialpad says that prompt can't be fully turned off. Use the IVR route for the agent.
Transfers are cold
The person who picks up gets the call, not the conversation. Have the agent tell the caller where it's sending them before it transfers.
Use cases for teams on Dialpad
More integrations
Enterprise-grade security
HIPAA compliant
SOC 2 Type 2
GDPR
Dialpad AI voice agent FAQs
Does Dialpad have an AI receptionist?
Yes. Dialpad AI Agents answer inbound calls, handle routine requests, book appointments where configured and transfer callers to a person with context. A Cartesia agent is a separate option: a Dialpad IVR key forwards callers to its phone number. Dialpad has no built-in Cartesia connection.
Can I use my own AI agent with Dialpad?
Yes, if the agent has a US phone number. An admin turns on IVR forwarding to external numbers in Company Settings, and a menu key forwards callers to the agent. The agent transfers callers back to a Dialpad department or user number. A Cartesia agent calls webhook tools you define in your own systems and uses the voice and model you choose.
How do I forward Dialpad calls to an AI agent?
Through an IVR menu. On the mainline, department or contact center, open Business hours and call routing, then Edit Call Routing. Under Fallback Options choose To an automated response menu, set a key to Forward to a person / # and enter the agent's number.
Can I forward a Dialpad user's calls to the agent instead?
Use the IVR route instead. A user's forwarding number can ask whoever answers to press 1, and Dialpad says that prompt can't be fully turned off.
Does Dialpad forward to international numbers?
No. Dialpad intends IVR forwarding for domestic US numbers. An international number can save in settings but fail on live calls and send the caller back to the menu, so give the agent a US number.
Who bills the minutes on a Dialpad forward?
Cartesia charges $0.03/min, plus LLM usage and telephony. Twilio or your SIP carrier bills the agent's number. Dialpad places an outbound call to the agent and bridges it, which may count toward outbound usage or per-minute charges on your plan.
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