Create and schedule batch calls in Retell

Batch calls are deprecated. For new outbound campaigns, use the Dialer, which adds retries, SMS steps, and compliance checks. Batch calls are still available. In a workspace with the Dialer, open them from Legacy batch calls in the header of the Dialer page.

Header of the Dialer page. The title Dialer is at the left. At the right, a Legacy batch calls link with an arrow icon, circled in blue, sits next to the Create new campaign button. Below are the Date Range and Filter buttons and a search box. — The Legacy batch calls link in the Dialer page header.

Overview

Batch calls let you run many outbound calls as a single group. You can create, schedule, and monitor them in bulk, which is useful for campaigns, updates, or any time you need to contact many recipients.

When to use it

Reach for batch calls when you need to place the same kind of outbound call to a list of recipients at once — appointment reminders, payment follow-ups, lead qualification, or survey outreach — with per-recipient details supplied through CSV columns. For a single call, or calls triggered one at a time from your own backend, use the Create Phone Call API instead. If you need several attempts per contact, SMS steps, compliance checks such as federal DNC screening, or contacts added as they match your rules, use the Dialer.

Create a batch call

Click Create a batch call

Open Batch Call in the dashboard sidebar. If your workspace has the Dialer, open Dialer and click Legacy batch calls instead. Then click Create a batch call in the top-right corner.

Batch Call page with a back arrow and the title Batch Call at the top left, and a Create a batch call button, circled in blue, at the top right. Below, a table with the columns Batch Call Name, Status, Recipients, Sent, Picked Up, Successful, and Last sent by lists one batch call named Spring appointment reminders with the status Sent, 1 recipient, and a Call Logs button. — The Batch Call page, opened from Legacy batch calls.

Enter call name and phone number

Provide a unique name for the batch call to differentiate it from others
Select the “From Number” from the dropdown menu
Ensure the number is bound to agents to enable batch calls

Upload CSV

Prepare your recipient list in CSV format with a header row including a “phone number” column
Use the provided CSV template by clicking “Download the template,” or upload your custom file

Batch call editor with agent and CSV settings — Edit batch call

For dynamic variables, add additional columns in the CSV with custom data for each recipient (e.g., a column header first_name can be referenced as {{first_name}})
If the number to call is not in E.164 format, you can choose to ignore E.164 validation by adding a column to the CSV named ignore e164 validation with value true. This only applies when you are using custom telephony and does not apply when you are using Retell Telephony.

The CSV also supports the following optional columns:

override agent id: Override the agent used for this particular call.
override agent version: Override the agent version for this particular call.
metadata: A JSON string to store arbitrary data with the call (e.g., {"customer_id":"cust_123"}).
custom_sip_headers: A JSON string of custom SIP headers, keys must start with X- (e.g., {"X-Custom-Header":"value"}).
Any other columns are treated as dynamic variables injected into your Response Engine prompt and tool descriptions.

CSV column for ignoring E.164 validation

Configure the time window

Open the configuration modal to define the batch call time windows

Batch call time window configuration modal — Batch Call Time Window Configuration

Set reserved concurrency

Under “Reserved Concurrency for Other Calls,” set how many concurrency slots to hold back for other calls, such as inbound. Type the number directly, or use the − and + buttons. The value must be at least 1 and at most your concurrency limit minus 1. The batch runs on the remaining slots, shown below the field as “Concurrency allocated to batch calling.”

Create now or schedule

Choose between “Send Now” to start the calls immediately or “Schedule” for a future time
Click “Save as Draft” to revisit later or “Send” to initiate or schedule the calls

Monitor batch calls

Batch call status

Once your batch calls are created, you can monitor their progress and history on the Batch Call page (Batch Call in the sidebar, or Dialer → Legacy batch calls if your workspace has the Dialer). Batch calls are classified by their status:

Draft: Editable and unsent. Drafts will not trigger any calls until submitted.
Planned: Scheduled for a future time. These cannot be edited once scheduled.
Ongoing: Currently in progress, with calls initiated as concurrency slots become available.
Sent: All calls in the batch have been successfully completed.

Batch call metrics

You can view the following metrics:

Sent: Total calls sent from the batch.
Picked Up: Number of calls answered by recipients.
Successful: Calls successfully completed based on the predefined criteria.

Batch call list with status and metrics — View and manage Batch calls

Call details

Click the history icon to view the call details of each call in the batch.

Retrieve individual call IDs from a batch

The Create Batch Call response returns a single batch_call_id — it does not return the individual call_id for each task in the batch. To get the individual calls (for example, to fetch transcripts, recordings, or Post Call Extraction for each one), query the List Calls API and filter by batch_call_id:

{
  "filter_criteria": {
    "batch_call_id": {
      "type": "string",
      "op": "eq",
      "value": "batch_call_dbcc4412483ebfc348abb"
    }
  }
}

Each item in the response is a full call object with its own call_id, transcript, and analysis fields. You can then pass any call_id to the Get Call API for the complete record.

If you need to correlate each call in the batch back to your own records (for example, a customer ID from your CRM), pass a metadata JSON column in the CSV upload or a metadata object on each task in the API request. It is stored verbatim on the call and returned by both List Calls and Get Call — no LLM inference required.

FAQ

Can I edit a batch after I've scheduled it?

Only while it’s a draft. Draft batches are editable and don’t trigger any calls until submitted. Once a batch is planned (scheduled for a future time), it can’t be edited.

How do I send different variables to each recipient?

Add a column per variable in the CSV. Any column that isn’t a reserved field becomes a dynamic variable injected into your Response Engine prompt and tool descriptions — for example, a first_name column is referenced as {{first_name}}.

How do I get the individual call IDs in a batch?

The Create Batch Call response returns only a batch_call_id. To fetch per-call transcripts, recordings, or analysis, query List Calls filtered by batch_call_id. See Retrieve individual call IDs from a batch above.

Can I set a delay between calls in a batch?

No. There is no per-call interval or delay setting. Batch calls are placed as concurrency slots free up, so pacing is controlled by your concurrency limit and the Reserved Concurrency for Other Calls value you set on the batch. To slow the batch down, lower the concurrency allocated to it; to speed it up, raise your concurrency limit. Batch calls also share the account’s calls-per-second limit — excess calls are queued rather than rejected.

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Other Topics

Create and schedule batch calls

Overview

When to use it

Create a batch call

Monitor batch calls

Batch call status

Batch call metrics

Call details

Retrieve individual call IDs from a batch

FAQ