Getting Started with CPaaS
Overview
In this guide, you will learn how to use the CPaaS Console’s main features to create applications, register clients and phone numbers, check calls and message logs, and recordings.
Get Started with the CPaaS Console Interface
CPaaS Console
This is the home page you will see after you log in. Here you can find the latest news about CPaaS, new features announcements, as well as an overview of your account activity.
CPaaS Account Settings
To access your account settings, click on the drop-down menu representing the name of your account, then navigate to Account at the top right corner of the window as shown in the screenshot below. You will be able to:
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Retrieve your Account SID and Auth Token, which are required in order to use the CPaaS API to place outbound calls or send SMS.
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Retrieve your account information such as First Name, Last Name, Email, Role.
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Change your Account password.
All of the information presented visually under the CPaaS Account Settings is also accessible through the CPaaS Accounts API.
Get Started with CPaaS Applications
CPaaS Applications
This section allows you to create, delete, update, and search your CPaaS applications. When you first log in to the workspace, no applications are present yet, so you need to create one to get started.
To create a new application, click on the Add New App button on the right corner of the screen. You will be prompted to choose between three -ways of creating an application.
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Create a Visual Designer Application: Build a CPaaS Visual Designer Application which will be hosted by CPaaS and will contain the logic of your application to be executed upon receiving a call or a message. Visual Designer is a fast and effective way to create voice and messaging applications with minimal or no programming skills. This option will let you define a name and the type of application (Voice or SMS). This choice is the quickest to get started and you can already choose from a list of existing templates covering popular application use cases.
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Import a Visual Designer Application: This function lets you import a pre-existing CPaaS Visual Designer Application which will be hosted by CPaaS and contain the logic of your application to be executed upon receiving a call or a message. This option will let you define a name and the type of application (Voice or SMS).
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Create a URL Application: This option allows you to create an RCML application which will be hosted externally, outside of CPaaS and will contain the logic of your application which will be executed upon receiving a call or a message. The REST communications markup language needs to be used to design your application. You will need to define a name, URL of the RCML application hosted outside of CPaaS, and the type of application (Voice or SMS). This is the longest way to get started and requires a good understanding of how CPaaS works. To get started quicker, create a Visual Designer Application instead.
CPaaS Numbers
Create, delete, update, and search your numbers. When you first log into the CPaaS Console, no numbers are present yet, so you need to register one to get started. This section also allows you to link a number to an application created in the previous section.
Register a Number
When you click on the Register Number button, you will see a screen similar to the screenshots below. This will allow you to create a new phone number that can be attached to a CPaaS application. You can register two types of numbers:
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SIP Number: These numbers are virtual numbers which are not tied to any PSTN Provider. They can be reached via a registered CPaaS Client using SIP or WebRTC. Type the name of the SIP number you want to create in the SIP Address field. Make sure you are entering a name you can easily remember in the Friendly Name field at the top of the screen. Click on the Register button, which will lead you to the Edit Number section. Then link your newly purchased number to a CPaaS application.
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Provider Number: These are numbers tied to a PSTN provider and can be reached via a landline or mobile phone as well as through a registered CPaaS Client using SIP or WebRTC. You need to first search for a number from the provider in order to purchase. This requires you to select a country from the dropdown, and an optional number as an additional filter in case you are looking for a specific number pattern. Optional capabilities (SMS or Voice), and optional type (Landline, Mobile, Toll-Free) can be also applied as an additional search filter. Click on the Search icon. Then choose the number of your choice from the list. Click on Register Number. You will then be redirected to the Edit Number section below to link your newly purchased number to a previously created CPaaS application.
Edit/Update a Number
Editing a CPaaS Number can be done after purchase or creation, or by clicking on the number in the Numbers list. The screenshot below shows how you can edit a SIP number but is also applicable for a provider number. You can set or update the Voice or SMS Application to which the number is bound.
You have two options for binding the application to a number:
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Application: Use the dropdown list to select one of the applications previously created with Visual Designer.
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RCML URL: You can use this field and paste the URL to your externally hosted RCML Application
In addition to that, you can also set the RCML URL to link to another application under the advanced list menu. Click on the Advanced link to see more options for both SMS and voice applications.
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Voice or SMS Fallback URL: The RCML URL that CPaaS will request if an error occurs retrieving or executing the Application set previously.
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Voice or SMS Callback URL: The URL that CPaaS will request to pass status parameters (such as call ended or SMS delivered) to your application.
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Voice REFER URL: The RCML URL that CPaaS will request when receiving a SIP REFER request to this number. Read the CPaaS REFER Tutorial to learn more about CPaaS support for REFER.
CPaaS Clients
CPaaS lets you create, delete, update, and search your CPaaS Clients. When you initially start with CPaaS, this section has a default client which you can use. Its username and password are the same as your CPaaS account credentials. A CPaaS Client is an abstraction for storing credentials related to a typical SIP or WebRTC (using SIP Over WebSockets) endpoint that can be used through traditional SIP softphone or hardphone or through our CPaaS WebRTC SDKs (Currently in Preview).
CPaaS Logs
The log section gives you an overview of all inbound and outbound CPaaS calls or sent and received SMS.
Call Logs
A list of all calls that have been received or sent by CPaaS. This section will be empty until you make or receive any calls to a CPaaS number.
Call Details
If you click on any call details in the list, you will be able to see the full details of the call, including its status. Calls that have been recorded will have a corresponding link to download the recording.
Recordings
A list of all recordings (using the Record Verb) for calls that have been received or sent by CPaaS on which the recording function was enabled. This section will be empty until you record any calls with CPaaS.
