Duration and Call Length

Updated: July 9, 2024

Go to: Reports > Recent Calls

The Recent Calls report includes two table columns: Duration and Call Length. Duration indicates the time when a call starts and ends. Call Length represents the billed time for the connected (answered) call. The two columns, although similar, convey distinct information about the calls. Duration and Call Length offer different insights into the timing and billing of the calls.

Duration and Call Length

Duration begins counting when the call starts. During this time, call setup and ring time occur. On an outbound call, the phone rings while attempting to establish a connection or get an 'answer' from the other party. For instance, if an outbound call rings for 30 seconds and the agent hangs up, the Duration will display 00:30.

Call Length refers to the 'answered' or 'connected' time, which includes live persons, answering machines, queues, or PBX destinations. An 'answered' disposition can encompass various types of call responses. For example, if an agent's outbound call rings for 30 seconds before connecting with a live person or PBX destination for another 30 seconds, the Duration will be 1:00 and Call Length will be 00:30. Call Length specifically reflects the time the call is answered or connected. Understanding the distinction between Duration and Call Length is essential for accurately interpreting call data.



Inbound and Outbound

Behavior for call counts differs for inbound and outbound calls. The descriptions above correlate more with outbound calls. For inbound calls, both Duration and Call Length time start accruing when the phone connects with our server. For example, if an inbound call displays 1:00 Duration, Call Length will also display 1:00 (or 1:01 if it rounds up). Keep in mind, this may not always be the case 100% of the time as there are many scenarios and variables that can affect these counts.

After a call reaches a queue and connects with an agent, the Duration and Call Length will display the same time, including any rounding up. If a call is transferred externally, the Duration and BillSec will still continue to accumulate time. This means that even after a transfer, the call duration metrics will keep increasing. For example, if a call lasts 2 minutes and 1 second, both the Duration and Call Length will show 2:01. So, regardless of transfers, the call duration metrics will accurately reflect the total time of the call.

Conclusion

Understanding the difference between Duration and Call Length is crucial. It's essential for interpreting billing reports and improving productivity metrics. This understanding can contribute to the development, growth and success of your business.