# Overflow call handling

> Overflow call handling gives callers a helpful answer when your team is already on the phone or with patients. Intavia picks up the calls your team can't, so busy periods are covered without adding staff.

Type: Workflow (Inbound)
Last reviewed: 3 October 2026
Web page: https://www.intavia.ai/docs/overflow-call-handling
Product page: https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/overflow-call-handling

## At a glance

- What it does: Answers the calls your team can't pick up, so callers still get help
- Channels: Inbound calls, with additional channels available
- Integrations: Your phone system and practice management system, such as Dentally
- What you can customise: When calls overflow to Intavia, what callers can do, when calls go to your team and what happens next
- What your team sees: Bookings in your system, a summary of every overflow call and tasks for anything that needs a person
- Setup: Done for you by our team, around your phone system and busy periods

## How it works

Overflow call handling is built around your phone system and how your reception works. Our team does the setup work: we agree with you when calls should overflow and how each kind of call should be handled, help you set up forwarding on your phone system, and Intavia applies the rules to every call that reaches it.

1. Plan: we agree with you when calls should overflow to Intavia and the next step for every kind of call. Our team builds the rules from that.
2. Forward: your phone system rings your team first and forwards the call to Intavia when the line is busy or nobody answers within the rings you choose.
3. Answer: Intavia answers with your practice's greeting and works out what the caller needs. Identity is confirmed before any personal details are shared.
4. Act: questions are answered from your approved practice information, and appointments are booked, moved or cancelled directly in your system.
5. Outcome: every overflow call ends with a recorded outcome and a summary in your dashboard.
6. Next step: anything that needs a person is transferred to a direct line for your team, or becomes a task for them to pick up.

## Rules

These are the options we agree with you, not fixed settings. Each one can be shaped around how your practice works, and anything not listed here can be built into the plan.

| Rule | What we agree with you |
| --- | --- |
| Coverage | When calls overflow to Intavia, such as when the line is busy, after a set number of rings, or both |
| Forwarding | How your phone system sends calls to Intavia, which our team helps you set up with your phone provider |
| Practice information | What callers can be told about your services, prices and policies |
| Appointments | Which appointment types can be booked, moved or cancelled on the call, and which go to your team |
| Transfer numbers | The direct lines calls can be passed to, chosen so a transferred call goes to your team rather than forwarding back to Intavia |
| Hand-over | The situations that go to your team, and whether they're transferred or become a task |
| Fallbacks | Alternative routes that keep things moving, such as offering another time, taking a message or sending details by text |

## Outcomes

Each outcome has a default next step. Any of them can be changed to suit your practice.

| Outcome | What happens next |
| --- | --- |
| Booked, moved or cancelled | The change is made in your system and confirmed with the caller |
| Question answered | Recorded with a summary, with nothing for your team to do |
| Transferred to your team | The caller is put through to a direct line for your team |
| Message or call back requested | A task is created with the details already captured |
| Urgent concern | Your urgent call rules apply, such as a transfer or an urgent task |

## Safeguards

- Only the calls your phone system forwards reach Intavia.
- Identity is confirmed before any personal or appointment details are shared.
- Bookings are checked against live availability in your system before they're confirmed.
- Transfers happen only while your team is set to take them; otherwise the caller's message becomes a task.

## Works together with

- [24/7 call answering](https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/call-answering): Inbound calls answered with a natural conversation, day or night.
- [After-hours & missed calls](https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/after-hours-call-answering): Calls answered and enquiries moving outside reception hours, including bank holidays.
- [Call routing & transfers](https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/call-routing): Calls that need a person reach the right one, with context.
- [Appointment booking, changes & cancellations](https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/appointment-booking): Appointments booked, moved and cancelled during the call, directly in your system.
- [Team hand-off, tasks & alerts](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/team-hand-off): Clear tasks and alerts so your team knows exactly what to do next.
- [Dashboard, recordings & analytics](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/dashboard-and-analytics): Every call's summary and transcript, recordings where available, and analytics across calls and tasks.

## FAQs

### Which channels does overflow cover?

Overflow is about phone calls to your practice number. Enquiries by text, WhatsApp or your website widget can be answered by Intavia as well.

### How does Intavia know our line is busy?

It doesn't need to. Your phone system decides when to forward a call, for example when the line is engaged or after a set number of rings, and Intavia answers whatever is forwarded.

### Does it work with our phone system?

Most phone systems and providers can forward calls when a line is busy or unanswered. Our team checks what yours supports and helps set it up, and you keep your existing number. Some phone providers charge for forwarded calls, so our team checks this with you during setup.

### Can Intavia pass a caller back to our team?

Yes, where live transfer is set up. Calls go to a direct line for your team rather than your main number, so they go to your team instead of forwarding back to Intavia.

### Can the rules change after launch?

Yes. Tell your support team what you need and they update the rules. There's nothing for you to configure.