Skip to navigation
Assistants

Assistants quickstart

Build your first assistant and make a phone call in minutes

Overview

Create a voice assistant, connect it to a free phone number, and call it. You can complete this quickstart in the Dashboard or with the Vapi API.

In this quickstart, you’ll:

  • Create and test an assistant
  • Connect the assistant to a phone number
  • Call your assistant on its new phone number
  • Optionally, place an outbound call from an imported number

Prerequisites

1. Create an assistant

Start from a blank assistant or from a template. A template includes a first message and a system prompt written for a common use case, so you can test a working conversation right away and edit it to fit your business.

TemplateAssistantUse it toModel preset
Customer SupportAlexResolve product issues and answer customer questionsBalanced
Lead QualificationMorganQualify prospects and connect them with salesHigh Intelligence
Appointment SchedulerRileyBook, confirm, reschedule, or cancel appointmentsUltra Fast
Info CollectorJamieGather accurate, complete information from customersBalanced

A blank assistant uses the Balanced preset for its transcriber, model, and voice. A template uses the preset that best fits its use case. You can change the preset at any time.

1

Open Assistants

Open the Dashboard and select Assistants.

2

Create an assistant

To start from a template, select the down arrow next to Create Assistant, then choose a template from the table above. To start from scratch, select Create Assistant to create a blank assistant.

3

Configure a blank assistant

If you started from a template, skip this step. The template already includes a first message, a system prompt, and a model preset.

For a blank assistant:

  1. Choose a model preset. Under Model Presets, choose the preset that sets the transcriber (speech-to-text), model (LLM), and voice (text-to-speech) for your goal. Blank assistants use Balanced. See Model Presets to compare them.
  2. Write the conversation. Add a First Message and a System Prompt. The first message is what the assistant says when the call starts. The system prompt tells it who it is and how to behave. Start with these examples, then adapt them for your use case. For more on writing system prompts, see the prompting guide.

First message

First message
Hello! Thanks for calling. How can I help you today?

System prompt

System prompt
[Identity]
You are Sam, a friendly phone support assistant. Your tone is warm, patient, and professional.
[Response guidelines]
- Keep responses under 30 words.
- Ask one question at a time.
- Speak in plain language. Don't use lists, symbols, or formatting.
[Guardrails]
- Don't make up information. If you don't know an answer, say so.
- Stay on topic. Politely steer unrelated questions back to how you can help.
[Workflow]
1. Greet the caller and ask how you can help.
2. Ask clarifying questions until you understand the request.
3. Answer the question or explain the next step.
4. Ask if there is anything else, then end the call politely.

To edit the system prompt with AI, select Generate in the System Prompt section, describe the changes you want, then select Submit edit. Review the proposed edits, then select Accept changes.

Edit prompt dialog with a text field for describing changes and Cancel and Submit edit buttons
Describe your changes, then select Submit edit.
4

Publish the assistant

Select Publish, review the changes, then select Next. Review the version and traffic settings, then select Publish. Publishing creates a new assistant version.

5

Test the assistant

Select Talk to start a web call. When prompted, allow the Dashboard to use your microphone.

2. Connect a phone number

1

Open Phone Numbers

Open the Dashboard and select Phone Numbers.

2

Choose a phone number option

Select Create Phone Number, then choose Free Vapi Number. To use a number from another provider, choose the corresponding import option instead.

Create Phone Number dialog with Free Vapi Number selected and the Area code field
Choose a phone number option and enter a US area code.
3

Create the phone number

Enter a three-digit US area code in Area code, then select Create.

Your first free Vapi number doesn’t require a payment method. You may be asked to add one when you request more numbers. It can take a few minutes for the number to become active.

With free Vapi numbers, only inbound calls are supported. To make outbound calls, import a number from Twilio, Telnyx, or DIDWW. See Free Vapi numbers for details, and Pricing and Success Packages for how many numbers your package includes.

4

Connect the assistant

Open the phone number. Under Inbound Settings, choose the assistant you created in Assistant, then select Save.

3. Call your assistant

Call the phone number you created from your own phone. Your assistant answers with its first message. A new number can take a few minutes to become active.

Have a short conversation to see how your assistant responds:

  • Ask a question your assistant is built to handle.
  • Interrupt it while it’s speaking to check that it stops and listens.
  • Ask something off-topic to see how it steers the conversation back.
  • Say goodbye and hang up.

After the call, open Logs → Calls in the Dashboard to review the transcript, recording, and how the call ended.

4. Place an outbound call (optional)

With free Vapi numbers, only inbound calls are supported. To make outbound calls, import a number from Twilio, Telnyx, or DIDWW. See Free Vapi numbers for details.

1

Open the phone number

Open the Dashboard, select Phone Numbers, then select the imported phone number that will place the call.

2

Open the test panel

Select Test.

3

Configure the call

Choose Single Number, enter the destination phone number, and choose your assistant in Assistant.

4

Place the call

Select Call to start the call immediately, or select Schedule Call to place it later.

Test Outbound Call panel with Single Number, destination number, and assistant controls
Configure and place an outbound call.

Next steps