# Update AI Receptionist Settings

The general settings control how an AI receptionist presents itself and behaves on a call, from the name it goes by and the languages it speaks to the model that drives its responses. Revisit these settings whenever your requirements change.

## Before you begin

If you want outside callers to reach the receptionist directly by dialing a specific number, assign that DID (Direct Inward Dialing, the public phone number a call arrives on) to the appropriate trunk first. Only DIDs that already exist on a trunk are available to select later in this procedure.

## Update the settings

1. Sign in to the PBX (Private Branch Exchange) web portal and go to **AI > AI Receptionist**.
2. Select the receptionist you want to edit, then open the **Settings** tab.
3. Adjust the settings below to suit your needs.

   **Basic**

   | Setting | What it does |
   |---------|--------------|
   | **Name** | The name that identifies this AI receptionist. |
   | **Direct DID** | One or more DIDs (already assigned to a trunk) that route straight to this receptionist. A call placed to any of these numbers is answered by the receptionist directly. |
   | **Failover Destination** | Where a call goes when the receptionist can't resolve the caller's request or no transfer rule applies. |

   :::tip
   Always set a **Failover Destination**. It is the safety net that catches any call the receptionist cannot handle, so callers reach a person or voicemail instead of being left stranded.
   :::

   **Call Settings**

   | Setting | What it does |
   |---------|--------------|
   | **End Call on Silence Timeout (s)** | How long, in seconds, the receptionist waits through caller silence before hanging up. Maximum 3600. |
   | **Max Call Duration (s)** | The longest a single call may run, in seconds. The system ends the call once this limit is reached. Maximum 3600. |

   :::caution
   Both timers cap at **3600** seconds (one hour). A higher value will not be accepted, so keep this ceiling in mind when planning for long calls.
   :::

   **Personalization**

   | Setting | What it does |
   |---------|--------------|
   | **Primary language** | The main language the receptionist uses. |
   | **Receptionist** | The voice profile used for the primary language. |
   | **Additional languages** | Any secondary languages the receptionist can switch to, each with its own voice profile. |

   :::caution
   Changing the primary language does not update the greeting automatically. This is easy to miss and leaves the greeting in the old language. After you switch it, [update the greeting](/pbx/ai-guide/manage-skills-for-an-ai-receptionist/#manage-skills-for-an-ai-receptionist__section_atl_4p5_l3c) so it matches the new language.
   :::

   **LLM**

   | Setting | What it does |
   |---------|--------------|
   | **LLM** | The large language model (LLM) that handles the receptionist's understanding and replies. Pick a model that fits your priorities, such as reasoning depth, response speed, context window, or compliance requirements. For example, choose **Claude Sonnet 4** when calls call for careful reasoning, or **Gemini Flash** when you want the fastest possible responses. |
   | **Prompt** | Sets the receptionist's persona, tone, goals, and limits. Choose **Default** to use the built-in prompt, or **Custom** to supply your own. Selecting **Custom** unlocks the **Prompt Content** field. |
   | **Prompt Content** | The instructions your custom prompt uses to shape the receptionist's behavior. Available only when **Prompt** is set to **Custom**. |

   When you write a custom prompt, keep the instructions structured, clear, and specific, and stay within the 10,000-character limit. For example:

   - `You are a professional customer service agent. Speak concisely and clearly.`
   - `If you cannot answer a question, transfer the call to a human agent. Never fabricate or guess an answer.`
   - `Transfer legal issues directly to a human agent.`

   :::tip
   Whatever persona you define, include a clear fallback instruction (for example, transfer to a human agent when the receptionist cannot help, and never guess an answer). This keeps callers from getting stuck when the model has no reliable response.
   :::

4. Click **Save**.