---
title: Getting Started
slug: business-phone-system/getting-started
docTags: 
createdAt: 2025-10-03T06:37:41.672Z
---

Exotel’s cloud-based phone system enables small and medium businesses to set up a fully functional contact center in minutes. It brings enterprise-level features within reach without the cost or complexity of traditional telephony infrastructure.

With Exotel, you can maintain one customer-facing number, manage unlimited concurrent calls, configure IVRs, define routing rules, get missed call alerts, and access detailed analytics — all from an easy-to-use web dashboard.

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## How It Works

1. **Sign up for a** [Trial Account](docId:1cO-LozhB1G5zCPMltLZE)
   Use the provided test credits and virtual numbers to experiment with your configurations before going live.
2. **Add Users and Groups**
   [Add Co-workers/Agents](docId\:an9PP4nLq3DrRXQKdF2vm) and assign them to [Groups](docId\:T3NTN2OtcbdezP3AMHnAn).
   Groups help organize your co-workers and control how calls are routed to their numbers.
3. **Assign a Virtual (Exophone) Number**
   [Purchase Exophone](docId\:zV3_cr8B9Ei6J4JjmdDhS) and link it to your customer-facing number.
   The Exophone acts as the virtual number that connects your business line with Exotel’s call flow system.
4. **Create Call Flows**
   Create [Call Flows](docId\:p3YQeJJREr5sAXFvY04oZ)  to define routing rules for your Groups.
   Build IVR menus, define routing logic, and customize the caller experience.
5. **Route Calls to Agents**
   [Assign Exophone To A Call Flow](docId:5PZlIet2wB5a7EvM1XKiV) using the dashboard.
   Use automatic call distribution via the [Connect Applet](docId:7hc--78amMKio4doukyzz) so calls reach the right agent based on your business rules.

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