Getting Started Without Code
You have successfully signed up for a SignalWire account, and now you may wonder where to start. The answer is: from your Dashboard. The Dashboard UI is sometimes referred to as your SignalWire Space. It is the main connection point to SignalWire services, and with it you can get started using SignalWire products without writing a single line of code.
Depending on what you are building, you can skip directly to the section you are interested in:
Simple calling and messaging functions
Buying numbers
For all of these functions, you will need a SignalWire phone number. On the left sidebar of your Dashboard, find the space labeled Phone Numbers. To purchase a new number, click the blue "+ New" button in the upper right hand corner. If you're okay with any number, you can simply select "Buy" on the first one that catches your eye. However in most cases, there are specific area codes or regions that you are looking for. You can narrow down your search by including area code, region, or region & city. You can also search for all numbers that contain, start with, or end with a certain sequence of numbers or even a word. Once you find the number you want, select "Buy" and go back to your Phone Numbers space to see your newly purchased number.
See Your SignalWire Phone Numbers Space for a full look at all of the available tools and options in this Phone Numbers space.
XML bins
After you have at least one SignalWire phone number, you can use your Dashboard to handle calls, messages, and faxes with the help of XML bins, sometimes called LaML Webhooks. You can create and manage bins from the LaML section of your Dashboard under the Bins tab.
XML bins are useful tools that rely on simple logic that you can direct with Compatibility XML. Although you may not be familiar with these tools, they use intuitive syntax that you may pick up easily. Your XML will be wrapped in a <Response> verb tag that answers the incoming call or message, then you can choose what you want to do from there. Here are some XML bin examples of the simplest use cases to get you started.
Answer an incoming call with text-to-speech
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Response>
<Say>You have reached your SignalWire test line.</Say>
</Response>
Respond to an incoming sms message
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Response>
<Message>Hello from SignalWire!</Message>
</Response>
After creating a new bin in your LaML space, you will see a list of existing bins with their Request URLs. Each URL is able to be copied by clicking on the copy icon next to it. We can link individual phone numbers to a bin with this URL to handle incoming calls.
This no-code solution works well to handle incoming call and message logic, but to send messages or make calls, take a look at our guide to Your First API Calls.
Assigning bins to numbers
Now, we can match up each of our SignalWire phone numbers with the bin we would like to use. For a phone number that you would like to handle incoming Voice calls, go to that number's settings in your Phone Numbers Space.
Under "Voice and Fax Settings," choose to accept incoming calls as Voice Calls and handle calls using LaML Webhooks. Then copy the Request URL of the XML bin you created to answer incoming calls and paste it into the field labeled "WHEN A CALL COMES IN."
The same phone number can also handle incoming text messages by repeating the process above. In the "Messaging Settings" section, paste the Request URL of the XML bin you created to respond to incoming texts into the "WHEN A MESSAGE COMES IN" field.
You can also create a single LaML application under the "Apps" tab in your LaML space to group XML bins and refer to that single application in your phone number settings for both calls and messages. While you are still creating the same number of bins to build the application, you may have multiple numbers pointing to one application. Then, that single application can be updated as needed without needing to go through and update bins on multiple numbers.
Logs
You can view logs all of the traffic directed through your XML bins in the same LaML Dashboard space. There are tabs with separate logs for each resource: Voice, Messaging, Conferences, Queues, Faxes, and Recordings.
Clicking a message label opens up details about that instance. For example, clicking on a Message log provides information on sender, recipient, timestamps, character count, and more.
The last 3 tabs in the LaML space are for managing your Apps, Bins, and Alerts. We have already described Apps and Bins above. The Alerts tab is a log of usage that resulted in errors from any of your LaML resources.
Embedding video in web pages
If you prefer to use video communication, SignalWire offers a no-code embeddable video room option in the Video space of your Dashboard. From the Overview tab, there is a handy shortcut at the bottom that explains the process: "Copy. Paste. Done. with Video Conferences." Whether you use the shortcut or choose to go to the Conferences tab and and click the blue "New" button, you can create a new video room. While there are two room type options, the option with UI included will create a video room that you can use with no coding required.
For information on configuring your video room, see our Video Conferences guide. You might also find a full walkthrough of integrating your video room into an existing website useful.
In short, after you create a new video room on your Dashboard, you will see the room settings page. You can click "Moderator Embed Code" or the arrow beside it for "Guest Embed Code" to open a modal where you can copy the code snippet. If you have access to the HTML of the page on which you would like to embed a video room, all you need to do is paste that Embed Code wherever you would like the video room to appear.
For example, if you paste it into your HTML body like this:
<body>
<h1>Hello World!</h1>
<p>Lorem ipsum...</p>
<!-- Embed code here -->
<footer>Made by me</footer>
</body>
Your video room will be embedded like this:
And just like that you have a full featured, active video room on your website.
Conversational AI (Dialogflow)
Another tool available in your Dashboard is a one-click integration with Google's Dialogflow for creating conversational AI applications. Whether you already have a Dialogflow agent you would like to connect or if you would like to try out Dialogflow with your existing SignalWire numbers, the setup process is the same. Start in the Dialogflow space in your Dashboard and follow our step-by-step guide Integrating with Dialogflow Agents.
After your integration is complete and you have linked your Dialogflow agent to a SignalWire phone number, you may also want to read Caller ID and SMS with Dialogflow to extend functionality.
At any time, you can access detailed settings by clicking the agent name in your Dialogflow space.
In these settings, you can change the agent name, set the default text-to-speech voice, and turn on or off a welcome message that can play before the Dialogflow agent is initiated. On the top right, you will find a link to edit the current agent on Dialogflow. You can also remove the agent with the button at the bottom of the page.
You can access call logs in the second tab of the Dialogflow space labeled "Logs." Inbound and outbound calls for all agents will be recorded here with details about the phone numbers involved, duration, and accrued costs.
SIP phone usage
If you are not already familiar with SIP, it transmits calls through the cloud, enabling Voice over IP (VoIP) and eliminating the need for physical phone lines. While it can be an alternative to traditional phone network PSTN usage, they also work well together. For example, an inbound PSTN call to a SignalWire phone number can be directed to a SIP endpoint. SIP endpoints are the hub for inbound and outbound calls. Many resources, from XML bins to phone numbers, can point to the same SIP endpoint. To create an endpoint, start by clicking the "Create a SIP Endpoint" button, configure your settings, and click "Save."
For an in-depth look at these settings and all of your SIP space tools, see the complete guide to your SIP space.
Now that you have a SIP endpoint, you can direct incoming calls to the endpoint by changing your SignalWire phone number settings. To simply redirect incoming calls from a number to the endpoint, go to that number's settings and change "HANDLE CALLS USING" to "a SIP Endpoint" and specify which endpoint you would like to use.
You can also direct calls to your SIP endpoint using XML bins. These are especially useful if you would like to perform some action before the caller is directed to the endpoint. For example, you may want to play a welcome message with text-to-speech before the call is forwarded to an agent's SIP device.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Response>
<Say>Hello. Thank you for your call. Our normal hours of operation are 10am to 6pm Monday through Friday. Our address is 1234 Main street in City. Please stay on the line to speak with an agent.</Say>
<Dial>
<Sip>sip:SWHub@example.com</Sip>
</Dial>
</Response>
See the technical reference for the XML <Sip> noun for many more options to make your call handling as robust as you need it to be.
As for call management on your end, you can connect your SIP endpoint to any SIP device you like. You can find guides to several device integrations such as Bria SoftPhone and 3CX Softphone in our Voice guides under Integrations. Outbound calls from these SIP devices will be handled according to the settings you saved during the endpoint setup.
Auto-topping up your account
Auto Top-Up is a billing feature that allows you to add a card on file and specify a minimum balance. When your account balance reaches the minimum, your designated card will be automatically charged the amount you set.
You can enable this feature from the dropdown menu in the top navigation bar of your Dashboard. From the menu, select "Billing" to see your account billing settings. Auto Top-Up settings are on the "Low Balance Settings" page. You can select your minimum account balance, top-up amount, and method of payment. Note that you must already have at least one method of payment set from your Billing home page to select the payment method for Auto Top-Up.
For new accounts, Auto Top-Up will be enabled automatically with a $10 minimum top-up amount. For full instructions on the process, check out Auto Top Up & Card Rejection Errors.