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

# Onboarding

> Set up your workspace so missed calls, SMS recovery, and dashboard workflows work correctly.

Onboarding connects your business information, phone routing, and workspace configuration so Avidra can start recovering missed callers. Most teams complete setup in under 10 minutes.

## Step 1 — Create your account

Go to [avidra.net/sign-up](https://avidra.net/sign-up?plan=free) and create your account. Avidra offers a free tier with 5 leads per month — no credit card required.

After signing in, you will see the plan selection screen. Choose a plan based on your call volume:

| Plan        | Leads/mo | Best for                                          |
| ----------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| **Free**    | 5        | Testing Avidra on a real business number          |
| **Starter** | 20       | Small local businesses with light call volume     |
| **Pro**     | 100      | Active service teams that want AI SMS and booking |
| **Growth**  | 250      | Multi-location or high-volume operations          |

<Tip>
  Start with Free to test the full flow. Upgrade to Pro when you want AI SMS conversations and booking features.
</Tip>

## Step 2 — Set up your workspace

Once your plan is active, Avidra creates your workspace and provisions a Twilio-backed phone number. This number handles everything:

* Missed-call text-back
* AI SMS conversations
* Manual follow-up messages
* Message delivery tracking and status

<Note>
  If the Avidra number does not appear, the Twilio provisioning step may still be processing. Wait a moment and refresh — if it still does not show, contact [team@avidra.net](mailto:team@avidra.net).
</Note>

## Step 3 — Choose your routing mode

This is the most important decision in setup. Avidra supports two ways to receive calls:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Forwarding mode (recommended)">
    Your existing business line forwards missed calls into Avidra. You keep your current number — customers call the same number they always have.

    **How it works:**

    1. Customer calls your business number
    2. Your phone rings normally
    3. If you miss the call, it forwards to Avidra
    4. Avidra texts back the caller instantly

    **Best for:** Teams that already have an established business number and want to keep it.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Avidra number mode">
    Avidra handles the business-facing number directly. All calls go straight to Avidra.

    **How it works:**

    1. Customer calls your Avidra number directly
    2. Avidra detects the missed call
    3. Avidra texts back the caller instantly

    **Best for:** New businesses or teams that want Avidra to manage the entire call flow.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Warning>
  This choice affects how missed calls are detected. If you pick Forwarding but never configure forwarding at your phone carrier, Avidra will never see your missed calls.
</Warning>

## Step 4 — Configure call forwarding

If you chose **Forwarding mode**, you need to set up call forwarding on your phone carrier. This tells your carrier to send unanswered calls to your Avidra number.

### How to enable forwarding

The steps vary by carrier, but the general process is:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Find your Avidra number">
    Go to **Settings → Phone Setup** and copy your Avidra/Twilio number.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open your carrier settings">
    Log into your phone carrier account or access forwarding settings on your phone device.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set conditional forwarding">
    Enable "Forward when unanswered" or "Forward when busy" and enter your Avidra number as the destination.

    Common carrier instructions:

    * **AT\&T:** Dial `*61*[Avidra number]#` from your phone
    * **Verizon:** Go to My Verizon → Device Settings → Call Forwarding
    * **T-Mobile:** Dial `**61*[Avidra number]#` from your phone
    * **VoIP/Twilio:** Configure the "No Answer" action in your call flow

    <Note>
      The exact steps depend on your carrier. Contact your phone provider if you are unsure how to set up conditional forwarding.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify in Avidra">
    Return to **Settings → Phone Setup** and check that the forwarding status shows as verified or detected.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  The most common setup mistake: entering your business details in Avidra but never completing the carrier forwarding step. Without it, missed calls never reach Avidra.
</Warning>

## Step 5 — Verify your setup

Run a live test to confirm everything is working end to end:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Call your business number">
    Use a different phone (not your business phone) and call your business number.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Let it ring — do not answer">
    Let the call go unanswered so it triggers the missed-call flow.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for the text-back">
    Within 10 seconds, the caller phone should receive an SMS from Avidra.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check the dashboard">
    Open the Avidra dashboard. A new lead should appear in the recent recovered leads section with the caller's number.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Reply to the text-back from the caller phone. If AI SMS is enabled, Avidra should continue the conversation automatically — confirming the full recovery flow works.
</Tip>

## Post-setup checklist

After completing the steps above, verify:

* [ ] Dashboard no longer shows onboarding prompts or setup banners
* [ ] Workspace has an active Avidra/Twilio number in settings
* [ ] Forwarding status shows as verified (if using forwarding mode)
* [ ] A test missed call created a lead in the dashboard
* [ ] The caller received a text-back within seconds
* [ ] The business number and routing mode in settings match your real phone setup

## What to configure next

Now that recovery is live, refine how Avidra handles conversations and leads:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Workspace Profile" icon="building" href="/configuration/workspace-profile">
    Set your business name, callback number, and fallback SMS copy so customers see the right identity.
  </Card>

  <Card title="AI Behavior" icon="brain" href="/configuration/ai-behavior">
    Enable AI, customize the persona, and set the language for automated conversations.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Business Hours" icon="clock" href="/configuration/business-hours">
    Define open hours and configure after-hours messaging so callers get the right expectations.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Notifications" icon="bell" href="/configuration/notifications">
    Set up email and SMS alerts so your team knows the moment a high-value lead is recovered.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## If something is not working

If onboarding looks complete but missed calls are not creating leads or text-backs are not firing:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Dashboard still shows setup prompts">
    Revisit [Phone Setup](/configuration/phone-setup) — there is likely an unfinished verification step.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="No text-back after test call">
    Make sure the call reached a final missed state (rang fully, was not picked up). Check forwarding is active at your carrier. Verify [Recovery Channels](/configuration/recovery-channels) has text-back enabled.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Lead appears but no SMS was sent">
    Check [Billing and Plan](/configuration/billing-and-plan) — billing must be active. Also check daily SMS cap in [Usage and Limits](/configuration/usage-and-limits).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Avidra number is missing">
    The Twilio provisioning may have failed. Contact [team@avidra.net](mailto:team@avidra.net) with your workspace name.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Forwarding shows as unverified">
    Double-check your carrier settings. The most common cause is using "Forward always" instead of "Forward when unanswered." Also confirm you entered the Avidra number correctly.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Tip>
  For more detailed troubleshooting, see [Troubleshooting](/support/troubleshooting).
</Tip>