Set Up VeraDial: From Signup to Your First Screened Call
The shortest path to a working VeraDial line is: build Vera's business profile, choose a business number, turn on Vera for that line, make sure this phone is allowed to ring, and place a test call from another phone. Do not skip the ringing setting—it starts off until you enable it.
By Graham Thomson · Updated August 20, 2026 · Product-checked August 20, 2026
Before you start
Have the phone that will run VeraDial, a second phone for the final test, and the basic facts a caller may ask about your business. If you already advertise another business number, keep it nearby too—you can forward that number to VeraDial after the direct test works.
- Your business name and a plain-language description of what you do.
- Services, business hours, timezone, and the area you serve.
- Any pricing guidance, booking policy, after-hours rule, or escalation instruction Vera should follow.
- Microphone and notification permission on the phone that should receive connected calls.
1. Build and review Vera
New customers can build Vera from a website, a Google Business listing, or a short guided setup. Review the generated profile before you continue. The preview is the right place to correct the business name, services, hours, greeting, voice, and anything Vera should know before speaking to a real caller.
- Use the business overview for durable facts, not a temporary promotion or one-off instruction.
- Listen to the greeting and message-taking preview so pronunciation and tone sound right.
- If the automatic build misses something, edit it directly; you can update Business Information again later.
2. Create your account and choose a number
Complete signup, select the plan or trial that fits, then search for an available US or Canadian business number. The number you claim is the line callers will reach. If you created Vera before signup, the saved draft is applied to your new account so you do not have to rebuild it.
- Choose a number your customers will recognize and that matches where you do business.
- If you plan to keep advertising an existing number, you will forward it to this VeraDial number after setup.
- A verified external caller ID can identify outbound voice calls, but it does not replace the VeraDial number callers reach for screening.
3. Turn Vera on for the line
Open Vera, choose Manage Vera, and turn on “Vera answers calls” for the line you just claimed. The account-wide switch can enable or disable Vera across your lines, while each number also has its own setting. A line with Vera turned off rings through normally instead of being screened.
- Confirm the line shows the correct business name and profile.
- If you have more than one number, check the setting on the exact line you plan to test.
- Keep immediate forwarding off while testing Vera; routing a call elsewhere first prevents Vera from answering it.
4. Turn on ringing for this phone
This is the easy-to-miss step. The “Then rings this phone” setting under Vera → Manage Vera → When someone calls is off by default. Turn it on and allow microphone and notification access. Without it, Vera can screen a caller successfully, but a caller who asks to reach you may go to voicemail instead of ringing this device.
- Enable the setting on every device that should receive incoming VeraDial calls.
- If VeraDial says the microphone is unavailable, fix the phone permission before enabling ringing.
- The setting controls this device; changing it on one phone does not prove another phone is registered.
5. Make a real screened test call
Use a different phone to call the VeraDial number. Give Vera a name and reason for calling, then ask to speak with the business. Confirm that Vera answers as the right business, captures the details correctly, and rings the VeraDial app when a connection is requested.
- Do not call the VeraDial number from the same handset that must receive the connected call.
- After the call, check the screened-call result in Vera and make sure the summary matches what you said.
- If Vera answered but your phone never rang, recheck “Then rings this phone” before changing the business profile or number.
- Once the direct test works, set up carrier forwarding if customers should keep calling an existing number, then run the forwarding test in the app.
FAQ
Why did Vera answer but my phone never ring?
The most common setup cause is that “Then rings this phone” is still off, which is the default until you enable it. Open Vera → Manage Vera → When someone calls, turn it on, and allow the microphone and notification permissions the app requests.
Should I test from the same phone that has VeraDial installed?
No. Use another phone to call your VeraDial number. The VeraDial phone needs to remain available to receive the connected incoming call after Vera finishes screening.
Can callers keep using my existing business number?
Yes. First prove the VeraDial number works directly. Then use VeraDial's carrier-forwarding setup to send all calls or only missed calls from the existing number to VeraDial, and complete the in-app forwarding test.
Can I change what Vera knows after setup?
Yes. Edit Business Information for the account-wide profile, or open a number's AI Receptionist settings when that line needs its own business identity or instructions.
Does turning on Vera apply to every number?
The main Vera switch is the account-wide control, but each line also has its own answering setting. If one number behaves differently, check that line under Manage Vera before assuming the whole account is misconfigured.
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