> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.autocalls.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Testing an Inbound Assistant

> How to hear an assistant that answers calls, and why there is no button to make it call you

An inbound assistant answers the phone, it does not place calls. So the test panel hands you the
number to dial instead of asking for yours.

## When a number is attached

The panel shows a card headed **Call this number**, with the flag, the number, its nickname if it
has one, and a copy button. Dial it from any phone and the assistant answers exactly as it will for
a customer.

There is no **Call me now** here, and that is deliberate: an assistant that receives calls is tested
by calling it.

## When you picked a number but have not saved

The number appears greyed out under **Goes live after you save**. Until you save, calls to that
number go wherever they went before — the routing is the saved direction plus the saved number, not
what is on screen.

Press **Save assistant**, and the card turns into **Call this number**.

## When there is no number yet

The panel says **No phone number attached** and offers **Attach a number**, which opens the number
picker. If your account owns no numbers at all, the picker offers to get you one.

Nothing is blocked in the meantime: **Voice call in browser** and the free **Text chat** work
without a number, and the panel marks them as available now.

## What a real inbound call needs

<Steps>
  <Step title="Direction">
    In **General → Direction & identity**, **Calls direction** is set to **Receive phone calls**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Number">
    A number is attached to this assistant in the same card. A Caller-ID-only number cannot answer,
    and a number already answering for another assistant is not offered.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Saved">
    Both of those are saved. Attaching alone does nothing until the save goes through.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  If you call the number and nobody answers, open the test panel first. If it is not showing
  **Call this number**, the routing is not live yet — that is your answer, without touching the phone.
</Tip>