After Call Work (ACW) on Exotel
Releasing Soon
Overview
After Call Work (ACW) is a protected wrap-up state on the Exolite agent dashboard that begins automatically when a call ends. During ACW, the agent is not available to receive new calls — giving them dedicated time to complete post-call tasks such as updating notes, logging a call disposition, or updating a CRM record.
Once enabled by an admin, every completed call triggers an ACW window. A countdown timer is visible to the agent throughout. The agent can end ACW early at any time, or it expires automatically.
ACW is disabled by default. An account admin must enable it from Call Settings before agents experience it.
Key Benefits
- Protected wrap-up time — Agents always have time to complete post-call notes before the next call arrives.
- Improved data quality — Reduces incomplete or missing call records caused by back-to-back calls.
- Admin control — Set the ACW duration once at the account level. No per-agent configuration required.
- Agent flexibility — Agents can end ACW early when they are ready, so productive agents are never held back.
- Zero disruption to call flows — ACW is applied after a call ends; it does not affect how calls are routed or connected.
Configuration (Admin)
ACW is configured by the account admin from the Call Settings section of the Exolite admin panel. Only users with the Admin role can view and modify these settings.
Prerequisites
- You must be logged in to Exolite with an Admin role.
- Agents must be active on the account. ACW applies to all agents on the account once enabled.
Step 1 — Enable ACW
Log in to your Exolite dashboard and navigate to Call Settings in the left sidebar.Locate the ACW Config row in the Call Settings list.Click the toggle to enable ACW. The toggle is off by default. When off, agents transition directly to Available after every call — as they do today.
Step 2 — Set the ACW Duration
Once the toggle is turned on, an ACW Duration input field appears.Enter the desired wrap-up time in seconds. The valid range is 1–600 seconds (up to 10 minutes).Click Save. The new duration takes effect for all new calls within 60 seconds. Agents do not need to log out and log back in.
Note:
By default the pre-filled duration is 30secs. You can change the value to before saving. If you turn the toggle on and save without entering a duration, you will see a validation error.
Step 3 — Disable ACW (if needed)
To turn ACW off for your account:
- Go to Call Settings → ACW Config.
- Click the toggle to turn it off. The duration field will be hidden.
- Click Save. Agents will return to Available immediately after calls end, as before.
Tip:
Config changes apply to new calls only. Any ACW session already in progress for an agent continues until it ends naturally.
How ACW Works for Agents
Objective
When a call ends, Exolite automatically places the agent into an ACW state for the duration configured by the admin. The agent sees a live countdown timer and can choose to end ACW early or wait for it to expire.
Sub-Features
- Automatic ACW state on call end
- Live countdown timer (MM:SS)
- Manual early exit via "End ACW" button
- Call blocking during ACW (no inbound or outbound calls)
- Auto-return to Available on timer expiry
What Triggers ACW
Call Type | ACW Triggered When |
|---|---|
Inbound call | The agent leg was answered (Leg 2 status = Answered). Calls that rang but were not picked up by the agent do not trigger ACW. |
Outbound call | The call was completed / answered (Leg 1 status = Completed/Answered). Applies to both connected and non-connected outbound calls. |
Step-by-Step: Agent Experience
- A call (inbound or outbound) ends — either the customer or the agent hangs up.
- Within 2 seconds, the agent's status changes from On-Call to ACW. The status badge in the toolbar turns orange and displays "ACW".
- A countdown timer starts in the status bar, showing time remaining in MM:SS format.
- The agent uses this time to complete notes, update the CRM, or log a disposition. No new call can arrive during this window.
- When the agent is done, they click "End ACW" to return to Available immediately, or they can wait for the timer to reach zero.
- A toast notification confirms: "ACW ended — you are now Available."
Device Switching During ACW
Objective
To define what happens when an agent switches or deactivates their device (PSTN ↔ SIP) while an ACW session is in progress.
Switching Device Type (PSTN ↔ SIP)
If an agent initiates a device switch (for example, switching from SIP to PSTN) while in ACW, the switch is queued — it does not take effect immediately. The ACW timer continues running undisturbed. Once ACW ends (automatically or via early exit), the device switches to the newly selected type.
Deactivating Your Device During ACW
If an agent attempts to deactivate their device while in ACW, a confirmation prompt will appear:
Warning prompt shown to agent:
"You are currently in After Call Work. Deactivating your device will clear your ACW timer. Do you want to continue?"
[Continue] [Cancel]
- If the agent clicks Continue: The device is deactivated and ACW is cleared. The agent exits the ACW state.
- If the agent clicks Cancel: The device remains active and ACW continues with the timer running as normal.
Agent Availability During ACW
Objective
To clarify what agents can and cannot do while in ACW.
Action | Allowed During ACW? | Details |
|---|---|---|
Receive inbound call | ❌ No | The routing layer treats ACW as a non-available state. No inbound call is offered. |
Receive outbound campaign call | ❌ No | No system-initiated outbound dial is placed to the agent. |
Make a manual outbound call | ❌ No | The dial button is greyed out with tooltip: "Finish ACW before making a call." |
Update notes / disposition | ✅ Yes | The post-call form stays open throughout ACW. |
End ACW early | ✅ Yes | Click "End ACW" at any time to return to Available. |
Log out | ✅ Yes | ACW is cancelled on logout. Agent state follows the normal logout behaviour. |
Switch device type (PSTN/SIP) | ⏳ Queued | Switch is accepted but applies only after ACW ends. |
Deactivate device | ⚠️ With confirmation | A prompt warns that deactivation will clear ACW. Agent must confirm to proceed. |
Known Limitations
- Voice calls only: ACW applies to voice calls only. Chat, email, and WhatsApp interactions are not covered.
- Account-level configuration only: In the current version, ACW duration is set at the account level and applies to all agents equally. Per-group duration overrides will be available in a future release.
- No forced disposition: ACW gives agents protected time but does not require them to complete any specific form or field before ending the session.
- Conference and warm-transfer calls: ACW behaviour for conference calls and warm-transfer scenarios is not defined in the current version. Agents on these call types will follow the standard call-end behaviour.
- Duration cap: The maximum configurable ACW duration is 600 seconds (10 minutes).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: ACW is turned on but I don't see it being triggered after calls. Why?
Check that you have both (a) turned the toggle on and (b) entered and saved a duration greater than 0. Also confirm the config change was saved — changes propagate within 60 seconds. If the issue persists, contact Exotel Support.
Q: Can I set different ACW times for different teams or queues?
Not in the current version. ACW duration is configured at the account level. Per-group overrides are planned for a future release.
Q: What happens if an agent's internet drops mid-ACW?
The ACW timer is managed server-side. When the agent reconnects, the timer resumes from the correct remaining time — it does not reset to the full duration.
Q: Does ACW apply to missed calls or unanswered inbound calls?
No. For inbound calls, ACW only triggers when the agent's leg was answered (Leg 2 = Answered). Calls that rang but were not picked up by the agent do not trigger ACW.
Q: Can a supervisor end an agent's ACW?
Supervisor force-end of ACW is not available in the current version. It is planned as part of the Phase 2 live dashboard feature.
Q: Does ACW affect the billing or CDR for the call?
No. ACW is a post-call state only. It does not affect call billing, call duration, or CDR data.
Q: The agent ended ACW but the status badge didn't update. What should they do?
This may be a display refresh issue. The agent should refresh their browser tab. If the status is still incorrect after 30 seconds, they should log out and log back in, then contact support if the issue repeats.
Points to Remember
- ACW is disabled by default for all Exolite accounts. An admin must explicitly enable it.
- There is no pre-filled default duration — the admin must enter a value when enabling ACW.
- ACW duration changes apply to new calls only and take effect within 60 seconds of saving.
- ACW applies to all agents on the account when enabled — there is no per-agent override.
- Agents can always end ACW early by clicking "End ACW". There is no lock-out.
- ACW does not affect call recordings, CDR data, or billing.
- If an agent logs out during ACW, ACW is cancelled and the agent's state follows the normal logout behaviour.
Looking for answers to your queries? If you have any questions or concerns about ACW on Exolite, please connect with us using the chat widget on your Exotel Dashboard or WhatsApp us on 08088919888. You can also email us at [email protected].