The Call Tracking Terms Glossary
Your guide to all the acronyms and terms in the call tracking world you always wanted and can always come back for when things get tough.
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Lead Qualification
Integrations & Account
A
AI Notes
AI Notes are written automatically after each call: a short recap of what happened and the next steps to take. Instead of listening to every recording or reading the full transcript, your team sees what the caller needed and what to do next, right on the call record. You can shape the notes with your own AI prompts to get follow-up tasks, action plans or agent performance feedback.
AI Summary
An AI call summary is a short, automatic write-up of every phone conversation, covering the key moments, the caller’s intent, the tone and the outcome. It’s built from the call transcript, so you get the gist of a 10-minute call in a few lines without listening back. Summaries make it easy to review calls in bulk, hand over leads to sales with full context, and spot patterns across campaigns with conversation intelligence.
B
Block Caller
Blocking unwanted or SPAM callers allows you to add a specific caller ID to the SPAM list, preventing the caller from calling your tracking number again.
C
Call Analytics
Call Analytics is the method to collect, analyze, and report the call data that is tracked by a call tracking software. Its value for marketers and sales teams is major since it provides very significant customer insights with regard to marketing performance that businesses can deploy to optimize the Return On Advertising Spend (ROAS) of their campaigns and drive more quality phone leads and conversions.
Call Attribution
Call attribution connects every inbound phone call to the marketing source that drove it, whether that’s a channel, campaign, ad or keyword, so calls count in your ROI just like online conversions. It works by showing visitors unique tracking numbers through dynamic call tracking and capturing their UTM parameters and GCLIDs. That lets you track each call from the ad click to the conversation. It completes your wider marketing attribution and gives agencies the data they need to prove ROI to clients.
Call Capping
Call capping sets a limit on the number of calls that your client will receive from a particular pay-per-call or advertising campaign during a specific time period.
Call Flow
A call flow defines the route that your callers will follow once they call your tracking number. It can be as simple as an 1:1 flow connecting every phone lead to one destination or as extra as you need to align your call flow with your business requirements, using the advanced call routing capabilities.
Call Greetings
A call greeting is a recorded message or script that plays when someone calls your phone number. It serves as a friendly or informative introduction to the call and can include information like your name, company, and a request to leave a message if you’re unavailable. Greetings help you to set the ground for a friendly upcoming conversation, create a positive image using your brand’s voice, and guide your callers to the right destination.
Call Recordings
Call recording is a process where audio conversations or phone calls are recorded and saved for future reference or analysis. Analyzing call recordings can provide insights into customer preferences, pain points, and trends, helping businesses tailor their products and services accordingly.
Call Routing
Call routing is a set of rules that decides where each incoming call goes, so callers reach the right person, team or location the first time. You can send every call to one number (simple routing), ring numbers in a set order until someone answers (sequential), split calls between destinations by percentage (weighted), or send calls to several teams or locations at once (multiple). You can also route calls based to time or date.
Call Surveys
Call surveys allow agents or even yourself to automatically tag calls by pressing a digit on their dial pad, after the end of the call. Keypad scoring allows you or your teammates who handle calls to instantly tag calls without the need of any additional software.
Call Tagging
Call tagging is a call tracking feature that allows users to attach labels or tags to individual phone calls. Call Tags can be added by hand or automatically based on source, duration or keywords. AI call tracking can also tag calls from what was said, for example by caller intent, buyer type or budget. See how tagging helps you improve lead quality.
Call Tracking
Call Tracking is the method that allows you to track marketing activities that drive calls to your business. This is done by pairing what we call a tracking number, with a source you wish to track i.e. Facebook Ads, Google Ads, Newsletters, Offline ads, etc. These numbers forward calls to your business, with no change in the process whatsoever, allowing you to even record calls or play whispers to agents prior to answering the call.
Call Whispers
Call Whispers are a form of real-time audio cue or notification that is discreetly played to the callee just before they answer an incoming call. These whispered messages are heard only by the callee and not the caller on the other end of the line.
Caller ID
This is the caller number that shows in your phone screen and reports. By default all call tracking platforms show the number of the caller but there are ways to mask this with Caller ID masking options.
Conversation Intelligence
Conversation intelligence uses AI to analyze what is said on your phone calls, turning recordings into insights you can act on. It starts from the call transcript and picks out caller intent, sentiment, objections, outcomes and agent performance, then sums each call up in an AI Summary. Marketers use it to see which campaigns bring buyers, not just callers, and to generate better leads. Learn more about what call intelligence is and how conversational analytics works.
Custom Fields
Custom fields let you add your own data points to every call, so you track the details that matter to your business. You can add them in any format you prefer, dropdowns, checkboxes, text, numbers or dates. They can be fuild either manually or automatically with AI based on your prompts. You can use them to build a lead qualification dashboard that shows which campaigns bring in qualified leads.
D
Dashboard
A call tracking dashboard is a page where you can add all the call tracking reports you want to monitor. It typically is customizable, can be shared with clients or team members and exported in PDF form.
Destination Number
The destination or receiving number, is the number that will receive the call when someone calls your tracking numbers.
DNI Tracking Code
The tracking code is a JavaScript element added to websites to facilitate Dynamic Number Insertion (DNI) across the entire site. Typically a single line of code that can be manually inserted, or it can be incorporated through our WordPress plugin or Google Tag Manager.
Dynamic Number Insertion
Dynamic Number Insertion (DNI) is a short script of code added in your website which is responsible for the dynamic number swapping in order to assign unique phone numbers to website visitors and gathers all the essential data for monitoring a caller’s interactions and journey before, during, and after the phone call.
E
Email Notifications
Sometimes you want to be informed via email if a phone call matches specific conditions (e.g. missed call, abandoned call, quality call, etc.). Email Notifications allow you to configure a notification that will reach your email the moment the condition is met allowing you to take action (call back, fix line issues, etc.)
Email Summaries
Email Summaries are a great way to keep track of your call activity. They can typically be configured to be sent daily, weekly or monthly and shared between team members and clients.
Export Leads
Lead exporting refers to the process of transferring to another system or downloading your call tracking data in CSV or XLS file types. This data typically includes details such as caller IDs, call duration, date/ time, call outcome, call page and any other information that can be used for sales and marketing purposes.
F
Filters
Use filters to choose the calls you want on your dashboard and in reports. This way, you’ll see detailed call data that’s most relevant. You can also save filters to easily find calls that match specific criteria anytime.
Form Tracking
Form tracking captures every form submission on your website in real time and connects it to the source, campaign and keyword that drove it, the same way call attribution does for phone calls. It’s a core part of lead management and helps you track every Google Ads lead, from forms and calls.
G
Geo-routing
Geo-routing refers to the process of assigning where specific prefixes, area codes or country codes will be routed when a caller that meets these criteria calls a tracking number. The call tracking user is able to configure routing of calls to specific destination numbers when callers with a specific caller ID prefix or area code call.
H
Hang Up
Used in the call flow builder to automatically disconnect your call in certain conditions.
I
Integrations
Call Tracking Integrations allow you to connect your call tracking platform with your favorite tools and send call tracking data in real-time.
J
JavaScript tracking code
Another name or term for the DNI tracking code.
K
Keypad Entry (IVR)
An IVR, or Interactive Voice Response, is a technology system used in telecommunications that allows callers to interact with a computerized voice system through voice and keypad entry. IVR systems are commonly encountered when calling customer service lines, businesses, or automated hotlines. They serve as a way to efficiently route calls and provide automated assistance to callers.
L
Lead Scoring
Lead scoring is a method used to rate and rank potential customers or leads based on their likelihood to become paying customers. You can score calls by hand, with a keypad call survey after the call, or automatically with AI Rating. It ensures that marketing generates leads that meet the criteria for potential customers, and sales teams can concentrate their efforts on leads that are most likely to convert. You can then send scored leads to Google Ads so your bidding learns from your best callers.
Lead Values
A lead value is the amount of money a phone lead is worth to your business, so you can measure campaigns by revenue instead of call count. In a business or sales context, when someone makes a phone call to inquire about a product or service, express interest, or provide their contact information, that individual becomes a “lead.” The lead value represents the potential revenue that can be generated from converting that lead into a paying customer.
M
Media Library
The media library is a collection of all the media files you use in your call flows. A complete library of your call whispers, call greetings, call surveys and voicemail greetings in MP3 or WAV format.
N
Number Pool Calculator
The Number Pool Calculator tells you how many tracking numbers your number pool needs for accurate, visitor-level call attribution. It connects to your Google Analytics 4 account, looks at your traffic and average session duration, and recommends the right pool size. That way every visitor gets a unique number through Dynamic Number Insertion, and you don’t pay for numbers you never use.
O
Offline Conversions
Offline conversions refer to the action of tracking and measuring the impact of online advertising on customer behavior that takes place outside of the digital environment. This means that offline conversions refer to any action or behavior that happens in the physical world, such as a customer placing a phone call and making a purchase after being exposed to an online advertisement.
Outbound Calling
Outbound calling lets your team call leads and customers straight from Nimbata, using a browser-based dialer, with no desk phone or personal mobile needed. Reps call from your tracking numbers, so leads see a business number they recognize, and callbacks can come from the same number the customer first dialed.
P
Pool Checker
The pool checker is your little helper to estimate the optimal amount of tracking numbers you need to add to your pool. The pool checker pings your Google Analytics 4 account, calculates your user’s average session duration and number of visitors and calculates the optimal amount of tracking numbers needed to be added to your number pool for lossless call attribution.
Porting of numbers
Number porting, in simple terms, is the process of transferring your existing tracking numbers from one provider to another. This allows you to keep the same tracking numbers even if you switch to a different call tracking platform.
Project
A project is a separate workspace in your Nimbata account for one website domain, with its own tracking numbers, call flows, reports and settings. Creating one project per client domain keeps calls and attribution data separate, which is why marketing agencies use projects to manage many clients from one login.
Q
Qualified Calls
Phone calls that meet campaign requirements to be considered a converted call. These calls are then sent to Google Ads as offline conversions.
R
Reports
In call tracking software, reports refer to detailed and organized summaries of call-related data and analytics. These reports provide valuable insights into various aspects of a business’s call performance and marketing efforts. Call tracking software typically generates call tracking reports based on the data collected from incoming phone calls, such as call volume, call sources, call duration, and more.
Robocalls
Robocalls are automated phone calls made by computerized systems, often with pre recorded messages or generated text-to-speech messages. These calls are typically used for various purposes, including telemarketing, political campaigns, debt collection, and scams. Robocalls can target tracking numbers and can be a nuisance to recipients, as they can disrupt their daily routines and privacy.
S
Swap Target Number
A swap target number is essentially the phone number(s) displayed on your website, when call tracking features are not in use. DNI (Dynamic Number Insertion) plays a vital role by substituting it with a tracking number. It’s worth mentioning that a single website can have numerous swap target numbers (groups).
T
Tracking Numbers
A tracking number refers to a unique phone number that you own and you can use to monitor and analyze incoming phone calls towards your business. Tracking numbers are typically associated with specific marketing campaigns, advertisements, marketing sources or are used in a number pool.
Tracking Sources
Tracking sources can encompass various channels, such as online ads, social media, email marketing, print media, radio, and more. Online tracking sources are used so the DNI script can know which number to display to a visitor.
Transcriptions
Call transcriptions refer to the process of converting phone call conversations from audio recordings into written text. It typically involves the use of state of the art speech recognition software and algorithms to analyze the audio and produce a written transcript of what was said during the conversation. They are also the base for AI call tracking: every AI Summary, AI Note and conversation intelligence insight is built from the transcript.
U
Users
Invite specific team members or clients to access and interact with your call data. Different user types have varying privileges, including editing, creating tracking numbers,viewing call data and managing settings.
V
Visitor Tracking
Visitor level tracking is suitable for companies that gather and analyze data at the user level i.e. the visitor’s journey before, during and after a call.
Each time a customer visits your website, he will be assigned a tracking number from your pool of tracking numbers.
Voicemail
Choose to route calls directly to Voicemail or when calls go unanswered. You can configure a personalized voice greeting that the caller will hear before they leave a message. Recorded messages are stored in your call tracking account for you to listen.
W
Webhooks
Webhooks are a way for web applications to communicate with each other in a real-time manner.
White label
A white label call tracking solution offers branded customization including: dashboards, emails and custom domain.
Workflow Builder
Workflows automate what happens after every call, so you don’t have to review and sort leads by hand. You set a trigger and filters based on conditions, like marketing source, call duration or AI-detected intent. Then you choose the actions: tag, score or rate the call, assign it a value, or add AI notes. Workflows can also send qualified calls to Google Ads as conversions, create or update contacts in HubSpot, add rows to Google Sheets, or alert your team in Slack or by email. Use split paths when one call should trigger different actions depending on what happened, for automated lead classification at scale.
Conclusion
This call tracking glossary is a work in progress. It currently features over 40 call tracking terms but new call tracking terms are added on regular intervals, so bookmark this page to be constantly up to date with call tracking terminology!
