Auto Dial Level

Auto dial level is the core VICIdial setting that determines how many outbound lines the system dials per available agent. A value of 1.0 means one call per agent (progressive mode), while higher values like 3.0 mean three simultaneous calls per agent. Setting it to 0 disables automatic dialing entirely, requiring agents to dial manually.

How It Works in VICIdial

The auto_dial_level setting is configured at the campaign level and can be adjusted in real time from the campaign dashboard. When set to a static value, the dialer maintains that exact ratio throughout the campaign’s operation — this is power dialing. When adaptive dialing is enabled, the auto dial level becomes a starting point that the system adjusts automatically based on the abandon rate target and real-time performance metrics.

The effective dial level is calculated against agents in the “waiting” state by default, though the available_only_ratio_tally setting can change this behavior. A higher dial level produces more calls per hour but increases the risk of exceeding the target abandon rate.

Why It Matters

The auto dial level is the single most impactful setting for outbound campaign performance. Setting it too low wastes agent time with excessive idle periods between calls. Setting it too high results in dropped calls, compliance violations, and poor customer experience. Finding the right balance depends on your list quality, contact rate, average talk time, and the number of active agents.

For most campaigns, starting at 1.0 and gradually increasing — or enabling adaptive mode — is the safest approach. See our predictive dialer settings guide and dialer tuning features for detailed optimization strategies.