Trigger System Overhaul: Smarter Starts for Every Workflow​

How a workflow starts matters just as much as what it does. We've replaced the old start node with a dedicated trigger system that supports multiple trigger types, sensible defaults, and reliable execution — so your automations fire exactly when and how you expect.

What's New​

• Dedicated Trigger Node: The generic start node has been replaced with a purpose-built trigger node. Choose from App Events, Scheduled, or Webhook trigger types — each with its own configuration panel and validation.

• Default Status & Direction Preselection: Each trigger type now comes with sensible defaults pre-selected. App event triggers default to relevant statuses and directions, reducing setup time and configuration errors.

• Inbound Email Trigger: Email triggers now fire for all matched flows — not just the first match. If an inbound email matches criteria for three different workflows, all three run.

• New Chat Begins Trigger: Enabled for all channels. When a new chat conversation starts — whether from the widget, SMS, or any other channel — your workflow fires automatically.

• Disabled Trigger Safety: Disabled triggers and disabled global nodes no longer fire unexpectedly. When you disable something, it stays disabled — period. No more ghost triggers executing flows you thought were turned off.

• Auto-Save Node Config: Node configurations now save automatically when you switch between nodes. No more lost changes because you forgot to click "Apply."

Why This Matters​

Reliable Triggers: The overhauled trigger system gives you precise control over when workflows fire, with clear type distinctions and sensible defaults. No more ghost triggers or unexpected executions.

Multi-Flow Email Handling: Inbound email triggers firing for all matches means you can have separate workflows for support routing, lead nurturing, and notification — all triggered by the same email without conflicts.

Faster Setup: Default preselection means less manual configuration. Create a trigger, and it's already configured for the most common use case — just customize from there.

New Workflow Nodes: Conversation, Availability, Content Generation, and Sub-Agents​

The workflow builder just got a massive expansion. New nodes let your automations check calendars, generate content, search knowledge bases, and hand off between AI agents — all without leaving the builder.

What's New​

• Conversation Node: The Talking Node has been renamed and supercharged. The new Conversation Node supports a "stay on node if no route match" option that keeps the AI engaged instead of dropping off. Full text mode support means it works for chat, SMS, and email workflows — not just voice.

• Check Availability Node: Query your team's calendar availability directly within a workflow. Use it to offer open time slots, validate proposed meeting times, or route contacts differently based on whether your team is available right now.

• Generate Content Step: The Generate Content step uses AI to create personalized content on the fly within your workflow — follow-up emails, custom SMS messages, or summaries — using contact data and conversation context.

• Forward to Agent / Sub-Agent Node: Hand off conversations between AI agents mid-flow. Route a sales inquiry to your sales agent, then forward to your scheduling agent when it's time to book — each agent specializes in what it does best.

• Search Knowledge Base Step: Query your knowledge base from any workflow and use the results in subsequent steps. Output variables are fully exposed in the variable picker, so you can insert knowledge base answers into messages, conditions, or AI prompts.

• AI-Powered Call Forwarding: The call forward node now supports AI-picked destinations. Instead of static forwarding rules, your AI agent evaluates the conversation context and routes the call to the best available team member or department.

• SMS AI-Generated Responses: The SMS node now supports AI-generated message content. Define instructions instead of static text, and the AI crafts a contextual response for each contact based on their data and conversation history.

• Extract Dynamic Variable Step: Enhanced with more data types and detailed info in test mode. Extract structured data from unstructured text with greater precision and visibility into what the AI is pulling out.

Why This Matters​

Build Flows That Think: AI-generated content, knowledge base queries, and sub-agent handoffs mean your workflows can handle complex, contextual interactions that static automation can't touch.

Specialization Through Sub-Agents: Instead of building one massive agent that does everything, create specialized agents and let workflows route between them. Better responses, easier maintenance, and clearer analytics.

Schedule-Aware Automation: The Check Availability node eliminates the "sorry, that time is taken" back-and-forth. Your workflows only offer times that are actually open, reducing friction and no-shows.

Conversation Snooze: Defer, Focus, and Never Lose Track​

Not every conversation needs attention right now — but every conversation deserves attention eventually. The new snooze feature lets you temporarily hide inbox conversations and bring them back at exactly the right moment.

What's New​

• Snooze Until a Specific Date: Pick any future date and the conversation disappears from your active inbox until then. Perfect for "follow up next Tuesday" situations where you don't want the clutter now but can't afford to forget later.

• Snooze Until Next Reply: Snooze a conversation and it automatically reappears the moment the contact replies. No timers to set — the system watches for you.

• Auto-Unsnooze Logic: Snoozed conversations automatically return to your active inbox when conditions are met — either the date arrives or a reply comes in, whichever happens first. Nothing falls through the cracks.

• Snooze Filters: Filter your inbox to see snoozed conversations separately, review what's coming back soon, and manage your deferred items without disrupting your active workflow.

Why This Matters​

Inbox Zero, Your Way: Snooze lets you clear non-urgent conversations without losing track of them. Focus on what's urgent now, and let the system remind you about everything else at exactly the right time.

No More Sticky Notes: Stop writing "follow up with John on Friday" on a Post-it. Snooze the conversation until Friday and it shows up automatically.

Team Accountability: Snoozed conversations have a clear return date. Managers can see what's been deferred and when it's due back — ensuring nothing sits in snooze limbo forever.

More Do Not Disturb Options: Per-Channel Controls, Auto-Added to Contacts​

Do Not Disturb gets a major upgrade. DND preferences are now configurable per channel, automatically added to every contact profile, and enforced across every send path — manual, automated, and bulk.

What's New​

• Per-Channel DND Controls: Set Do Not Disturb preferences individually for email, SMS, and calls on every contact. Each channel can be toggled independently, so a contact who opts out of texts can still receive emails. DND controls are now automatically included on the first tab of the contact sidebar — no setup required.

• DND Workflow Node: Add DND checks directly into your automation flows. The new workflow node blocks sends based on a contact's per-channel DND status, automatically creating a "blocked" activity record so you have full visibility into what was skipped and why.

• Do Not Call List Enforcement: Before any call is placed — whether from the webphone, power dialer, or workflow — the system checks the DNC list and blocks the call with a clear error toast. No accidental calls to contacts who've asked not to be contacted.

• SMS Opt-Out Detection: Inbound messages containing STOP, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, and other standard keywords are automatically detected. You can also define custom multi-word opt-out phrases specific to your business, ensuring every unsubscribe request is honored instantly.

• DND Banner in ReplyBox: When viewing a DND contact in the pipeline or inbox, a prominent banner warns your team before they attempt to send. The banner updates reactively — change DND status and the banner appears or disappears in real time.

• Bulk Send DND Filtering: Running a bulk SMS or email campaign? DND-blocked contacts are automatically filtered out before sends begin, and blocked activity records are created for each skipped contact. Full compliance at scale.

• Report Spam Call Blocking: Flag inbound calls as spam via the new Report Spam option on call activity. Reported numbers are blocked from future inbound routing, keeping your team focused on real conversations.

Why This Matters​

Per-Channel Respect: Contacts don't have to choose between all-or-nothing. Opting out of SMS doesn't mean losing email updates — and your team sees exactly which channels are available at a glance.

Zero Configuration: DND controls are automatically present on every contact profile. Your team doesn't need to enable anything or add custom fields — it's built in and ready to use.

Audit-Ready Records: Every blocked send creates an activity record with the reason. When compliance questions arise, you have a complete trail showing exactly what was blocked and when.

Scale Without Risk: Whether you're sending to 50 contacts or 50,000, DND filtering happens automatically per channel. Your team doesn't need to manually check lists or worry about compliance gaps.

Multi-Account Authentication: One Email, Multiple Workspaces, Zero Friction​

Managing multiple businesses or client accounts? We've rebuilt the authentication system to support multi-account access from a single email address. Switch between workspaces instantly, configure per-account profiles, and manage your entire portfolio without logging in and out.

What's New​

• Multi-Email Account Linking: Use the same email address across multiple Votel accounts. Whether you manage three agencies or thirty client workspaces, one login gives you access to all of them. No more password spreadsheets or incognito windows.

• Workspace Switcher: Seamlessly switch between linked accounts without re-authenticating. Jump from your agency dashboard to a client's sub-account in a single click—your session stays active across all workspaces.

• Profile Configuration URLs: Each account now has a dedicated profile configuration URL, making it easy to share account setup links with team members, embed in onboarding flows, or bookmark for quick access.

• Billing Log Transparency: Every account gets detailed billing logs with full precision amounts, filterable transaction history, and per-number cost breakdowns. Know exactly where every dollar goes across every workspace.

Why This Matters​

Agency-Grade Access Control: Agencies managing multiple clients need fast, frictionless account switching. Multi-account auth eliminates the juggling act and lets you focus on delivering results.

Onboarding Made Simple: Profile configuration URLs and streamlined account linking mean getting new team members set up takes minutes, not meetings.

Complete Financial Visibility: Enhanced billing logs with precision tracking give you audit-ready financial data across all your accounts. Perfect for agencies billing clients or teams tracking departmental spend.

Security Without Friction: Multi-account access doesn't mean compromised security. Each workspace maintains its own permissions, data isolation, and access controls—while giving authorized users seamless navigation between them.

Contact Management Upgrade: Faster Lists, Smarter Sorting, Instant Access​

Managing thousands of contacts should feel effortless. We've supercharged the contact management experience with intelligent sorting, paginated phone number lists, and instant lead detail access—so your team spends less time searching and more time selling.

What's New​

• Smart Contact Sorting: Newly created contacts now appear at the top of your list automatically. No more scrolling or searching to find the lead you just added. Your freshest opportunities are always front and center.

• Paginated Phone Number Lists: Managing hundreds of phone numbers? The numbers page now features full pagination with smooth navigation—load times stay fast no matter how large your number inventory grows.

• Instant Lead Detail Views: Click into any lead and see their full profile, activity history, and pipeline position instantly. We've re-engineered the detail view to load on the first click, every time—no delays, no refreshing.

• Enhanced Contact Creation Flow: Adding new contacts is now faster and more reliable, even during high-volume import sessions. The system handles rapid-fire lead creation without missing a beat.

Why This Matters​

Speed Is Everything in Sales: When a new lead comes in, you need to act fast. Smart sorting puts fresh contacts at your fingertips immediately—no hunting required.

Scale Without Slowdown: Pagination and performance enhancements mean your CRM stays snappy whether you have 500 contacts or 500,000. Growth shouldn't come with lag.

One-Click Context: Instant lead detail views give your agents complete context in a single click. Name, history, pipeline stage, notes, recordings—everything they need to have a great conversation, immediately.

Reliability at Volume: Whether you're importing a CSV of 10,000 leads or your team is adding contacts all day long, the system handles it all with enterprise-grade reliability.

Workflow Builder Enhancements: Smarter Search, Richer Triggers, Deeper Logic​

Building workflows just got faster and more powerful. We've redesigned the node search experience, added App Events triggers that connect to your GoHighLevel ecosystem, and introduced advanced data conditions that let your workflows make smarter decisions.

What's New​

• Simplified Node Search: Find any workflow node in seconds with the redesigned search panel. Type what you want to do—"send SMS", "book appointment", "check field"—and the right node surfaces instantly. Faster building means more time for strategy.

• App Events Trigger with GHL Integration: Trigger workflows from GoHighLevel events and actions. When a GHL contact is updated, a deal moves stages, or an appointment is booked, your Votel workflows fire automatically. True bi-directional automation between platforms.

• Advanced Data Conditions: New is set and is not set conditions let your workflows branch based on whether data exists—not just what it equals. Route contacts differently based on whether they have a phone number, email, company name, or any custom field populated.

• Talking Route Synonyms: Define synonym lists for your AI agent's talking routes. If a customer says "pricing," "cost," "how much," or "rate"—your agent handles them all identically. Broader coverage, fewer dead ends.

Why This Matters​

Build in Minutes, Not Hours: The new node search is like having autocomplete for automation. Describe your intent, grab the node, and keep building. Complex workflows come together faster than ever.

GHL + Votel = Unstoppable: App Events triggers turn Votel and GoHighLevel into a single, unified automation engine. Changes in one platform instantly drive actions in the other—no manual syncing, no missed updates.

Precision Routing: Data conditions give your workflows the intelligence to handle edge cases gracefully. Missing email? Skip the email step. No phone? Route to chat. Your automation adapts to the data it has.

Smarter AI Conversations: Synonym support means your AI agent understands natural language variations without custom training. Customers speak naturally, your agent responds accurately.

Smart Call Tracking & Number Pools: Know Every Call, Control Every Number​

We've launched a powerful new call tracking system paired with intelligent number pool management. Track every inbound and outbound call with dedicated system fields, manage rotating number pools for high-volume campaigns, and control SMS plan allocations across your entire operation.

What's New​

• Inbound & Outbound Call System Fields: Every contact now carries Last Inbound Call and Last Outbound Call system fields—automatically populated in real time. Instantly see when you last spoke with any lead, who initiated the call, and filter your CRM by call recency.

• Number Pool Management: Assign pools of phone numbers to campaigns and let the system intelligently rotate through them. Avoid carrier flagging, maintain healthy caller reputation, and scale your outbound volume without burning numbers.

• SMS Plan Controls: Assign SMS plans to specific numbers or pools with built-in usage limits. Control costs at the number level and prevent runaway messaging spend before it happens.

• Dedicated Worker Queuing: High-volume campaigns now use dedicated worker assignment—ensuring no two processes compete for the same number. Cleaner execution, zero conflicts, maximum throughput.

Why This Matters​

Total Call Visibility: System-level call tracking means no more guessing when you last reached a lead. Sort, filter, and segment your entire contact database by call activity—instantly.

Protect Your Numbers: Number rotation and pool management keep your caller reputation healthy. Carriers won't flag you, leads will pick up, and your connect rates stay high.

Budget Control at Scale: SMS plan controls give you per-number spending limits. Scale your messaging without worrying about cost overruns—the system enforces your budget automatically.

Enterprise-Grade Reliability: Dedicated worker queuing eliminates race conditions in high-volume campaigns. Whether you're dialing 100 numbers or 10,000, every call gets handled cleanly.

Call Forwarding Pro: Intelligent Call Routing with Custom Announcements​

Call forwarding just got a serious upgrade. We've added custom announcement messages, smart caller ID selection, and deeper workflow integration—so every forwarded call arrives with full context, and every agent knows exactly who's calling and why.

What's New​

• Custom Announcement Messages: Play a custom message to the receiving agent before connecting the caller. "Incoming lead from Google Ads campaign—interested in Enterprise plan." Your team picks up prepared, not cold.

• Caller ID Selection: Choose which number appears when calls are forwarded. Use the original caller's number, your business number, or a campaign-specific number—whatever makes the most sense for your workflow.

• Workflow-Integrated Forwarding: The Call Forwarding Node now sits natively inside the Workflow Builder. Route calls based on lead score, time of day, agent availability, or any custom logic you define.

• Smart Routing Rules: Set up cascading forwarding rules—try Agent A first, then Agent B, then send to voicemail with a callback workflow. No more unanswered transfers.

Why This Matters​

Context Before Connection: Announcement messages eliminate the "Who is this?" moment. Agents answer knowing the caller's name, source, and intent—leading to faster, more confident conversations.

Brand Consistency: Caller ID selection ensures your business number shows up where it matters, maintaining professionalism across every transfer and forward.

Workflow-Native Routing: Build call routing logic as sophisticated as your sales process. Forward high-value leads to closers, route support calls to specialists, and send after-hours calls to voicemail—all automatically.

Zero Dropped Calls: Cascading rules and voicemail fallbacks mean every call lands somewhere productive. No more calls lost in transfer limbo.

Email Automation Suite: Send, Receive & Automate from Your Own Domain​

Email is back—and it's smarter than ever. We've rebuilt our email system from the ground up with inbound email handling, custom domain support, auto-channel creation, and deep workflow integration. Send personalized emails from your own domain, receive replies directly in your Conversations Hub, and automate the entire lifecycle.

What's New​

• Inbound Email Processing: Receive emails directly inside the platform. Replies from leads and customers flow into your Conversations Hub alongside SMS, calls, and chat—giving you a true unified inbox.

• Custom Domain & Sender Configuration: Send emails from you@yourdomain.com instead of a generic address. Guided domain setup walks you through DNS configuration step-by-step, with autocomplete to make it effortless.

• Auto-Created Email Channels: When a new contact sends an email, the system automatically creates an email channel for that conversation. No manual setup required—just instant, organized communication threads.

• System Variables in Email Templates: Use dynamic variables like {$system.logo_url} alongside contact variables in your email templates. Build branded, personalized emails at scale that look hand-crafted.

Why This Matters​

True Omni-Channel: Email joins SMS, voice, and chat in a single Conversations Hub. No more switching between Gmail, your CRM, and your dialer. Everything lives in one place.

Domain Credibility: Emails from your own domain land in inboxes, not spam folders. Custom sender configuration means higher deliverability and stronger brand trust.

Zero-Setup Conversations: Auto-created channels mean your team never has to manually configure email threads. Reply to a lead, and the system handles the rest.

End-to-End Automation: Combine inbound email triggers with workflow automation—automatically route support tickets, nurture warm leads, or notify team members the moment an important email arrives.