Auto-retry automatically redials a destination number when an outbound call does not connect with a live person. It applies to individual API-triggered calls and is also configurable per batch campaign. Retry settings determine what counts as a retryable outcome, how many times to reattempt, and how long to wait between attempts.
Retryable Outcomes
Not every call failure triggers a retry. The following outcomes are configurable as retry triggers:
| Outcome | Default Behavior | Description |
|---|
| No Answer | Retried | The destination rang but was not picked up within the ring timeout. |
| Voicemail | Configurable | The call reached an answering machine or voicemail system. You can choose to retry or treat voicemail as a final outcome. |
| Busy | Retried | The destination line was busy. |
| Failed | Not retried | The call could not be established (e.g., invalid number, carrier error). Failed calls are not retried as the same error is likely to repeat. |
| Completed | Not applicable | The call connected and ran. No retry is triggered. |
Voicemail detection uses DialNexa’s AMD (Answering Machine Detection) system. Detection accuracy depends on the voicemail greeting length and cadence. Short or unusual greetings may be misclassified.
Per Call (API)
Batch Campaign
Pass retry settings in the retry object when calling POST /calls:{
"from_number": "+14155550100",
"to_number": "+16505550199",
"agent_version_id": "av_01hx...",
"retry": {
"max_retries": 3,
"wait_minutes": 30,
"retry_on_voicemail": false,
"retry_on_no_answer": true,
"retry_on_busy": true
}
}
Set retry rules in the batch configuration UI when creating a batch campaign. The same settings apply to all recipients in the batch. See Batch Calling for the full batch setup flow. Retry Settings Reference
| Setting | Type | Description |
|---|
max_retries | integer | Maximum number of retry attempts. The first dial is attempt 1; retries are attempts 2 through max_retries + 1. Set to 0 to disable retries. |
wait_minutes | integer | Minutes to wait between retry attempts. Applies uniformly between all retries (not exponential). |
retry_on_voicemail | boolean | Whether to retry when voicemail is detected. If false, voicemail calls are marked final. |
retry_on_no_answer | boolean | Whether to retry when the call rings but is not answered. |
retry_on_busy | boolean | Whether to retry when the line is busy. |
How Retries Work
When an initial call ends with a retryable outcome:
- DialNexa waits the configured
wait_minutes interval.
- The call is redialed using the same
from_number, to_number, and agent_version_id.
- Variables and metadata from the original call are preserved across retries.
- If the retry also results in a retryable outcome and attempts remain, the process repeats.
- When
max_retries is exhausted or a non-retryable outcome occurs, the call is marked final.
Retries in Call History
Each attempt appears as a separate entry in Call History. All attempts for the same original call are linked by a common retry_group_id field. In the call detail view, a Retry History section shows all attempts in sequence with their outcomes and timestamps.
The parent call record (first attempt) shows a summary status:
| Summary Status | Meaning |
|---|
completed | At least one attempt reached a live person |
all_retries_exhausted | Max retries reached with no live connection |
voicemail_final | Reached voicemail and retry on voicemail is disabled |
Concurrency Impact
Retry calls consume workspace concurrency slots the same as initial calls. If you have a large batch with aggressive retry settings, peak concurrent calls may be significantly higher than the number of first-attempt calls active at any time. Monitor concurrency usage in your workspace dashboard. See Concurrency and Limits.
Set wait_minutes high enough that retry calls are spread across time rather than all firing at once. For 1000-recipient batches with 2 retries each, a 60-minute interval prevents a concurrency spike at the T+60 mark.
