Set up inbound calling with Patch
Patch can answer incoming calls, answer questions from your business information, and take messages. With the appropriate booking tools connected and configured, it can also make appointments. Start with a Patch number and an enabled inbound agent.
1. Understand your two numbers
Your verified caller ID number is the existing number you verify with Patch. It can appear on outgoing calls, but its incoming calls still go to your current provider. Your Patch number is the line your inbound agent answers. Choosing a new Patch number does not move or replace your existing number.
2. Get a Patch number
Open your Patch workspace and choose a plan that includes a number. Choose an available US or Canadian number during setup, or add one from your workspace. Availability varies by area code; if your preferred area has no numbers, choose another available area. Review current plans and usage allowances.
3. Set up the inbound agent on that number
Select your Patch number and enable inbound calls in Number settings. In its inbound agent settings, choose a voice and greeting, add your hours, location, services, and instructions for taking messages. Set answering hours and after-hours behavior. Save Changes to apply edits to new calls.
Tell the agent what it may promise and what needs your follow-up. Connect and configure the relevant tools before asking it to check live availability or save bookings; instructions alone do not connect a booking system.
4. Connect tools so your agent can do work during calls
MCP (Model Context Protocol) connects your phone agent to tools in other systems. With the right tools connected, your agent can check appointment availability, save a booking, look up an order, or update a customer record while talking to the caller. Each connection supplies its own actions; what the agent can do depends on those actions and the access you grant.
- Open Tools. In your workspace, go to Tools, or choose Manage tools from the agent page.
- Add your MCP server. Choose Add MCP, give the connection a name, and enter the hosted MCP server URL supplied by your tool provider. Use its MCP endpoint, not its ordinary website address.
- Connect your account. Select the transport and authentication method your provider specifies. Patch supports Streamable HTTP and legacy SSE, with OAuth sign-in, an API key or bearer token, or no authentication when the server supports it. Enter credentials in the connection form, not in the agent’s instructions.
- Choose the agent that can use it. Review the phone number assignments and select Inbound for the Patch number that answers your calls. New connectors initially select all eligible agents, so adjust the selection before connecting. Complete sign-in if prompted and check that the connector shows Connected with tools available.
- Apply changes. A new connection gives the selected agents access immediately once connected. If you change an existing connector’s phone number or inbound/outbound assignments, choose Publish changes.
- Tell your agent how to use the tools. Add your workflow and decision limits to its inbound instructions, then Save Changes. For example: check availability before offering a time, confirm the caller’s choice before creating a booking, and only say it is booked after the tool confirms success.
- Test the whole workflow. Make a test call that uses the tool, then check the call history and the connected system. Confirm that the appointment, message, or record was actually saved. If the tool fails, instruct the agent to take a message for follow-up rather than claim the action succeeded.
Tools are assigned separately to each number’s inbound and outbound agents. For forwarded calls, assign tools to the inbound agent on the destination Patch number.
Need a custom connection? We offer custom MCP solutions for your business’s needs. Email leko@patchmcp.com with the software you use and the work you want your agent to handle on calls. We can discuss the integration, required access, and next steps.
5. Choose how callers reach Patch
- Share your Patch number. Put it on your website, listings, or business cards. Customers call it directly; no forwarding is needed.
- Keep using your existing number. Forward missed calls or all calls from your current provider to the Patch number. Follow the call forwarding guide.
- Request a number transfer. To move your existing number’s service to Patch, Contact Patch to check transfer eligibility and next steps. Wait for confirmation before changing your existing service.
6. Make a real test call
From another phone, call your Patch number directly. Check the greeting, ask a typical customer question, and leave a message. Review the call in your workspace’s call history, including its transcript and recording when available. If you enabled forwarding, also call the original number and test the forwarding mode you chose. A browser agent test does not verify your carrier’s forwarding setup.
If the assistant does not answer
Check that you dialed the Patch number, that the number is active, inbound calls are enabled, and your plan has available usage. Review answering hours and after-hours settings. If direct calls work but calls to your original number do not, check forwarding with your existing provider. If direct calls still fail, contact Patch with the number called and the time of the attempt.
Inbound calling FAQs
How does a new Patch number work?
A Patch number is a separate phone number for your AI assistant. Choose an available US or Canadian number on an eligible plan, then enable and configure its inbound agent. Customers can call it directly, or your existing phone provider can forward calls to it. Getting a Patch number does not replace your existing number or change its service. See the inbound setup guide and current plans.
Can Patch answer calls to my verified caller ID number?
Verifying your existing number lets Patch use it as outbound caller ID; incoming calls still go to your existing phone provider. To have Patch answer those calls, forward that number to your Patch number. Alternatively, share your Patch number with callers, or contact us about transferring your existing number to Patch. Verification alone does not enable inbound answering.
Can I keep my existing business number?
Yes. Keep it with your current provider and forward missed calls or all calls to your Patch number, where supported. Customers keep dialing the number they already know. You can also ask us about transferring the number to Patch.
Can Patch answer only missed calls?
Yes, where your phone provider supports conditional forwarding. Your phone rings first, and unanswered calls go to Patch; busy and unreachable calls may need separate settings. Forwarding all calls sends them straight to Patch without ringing your phone first. Select the mode in Patch’s setup instructions, then activate it with your provider and test from another phone.
Do callers need an app or a new number to reach me?
Callers use an ordinary phone call. If you forward your existing number, they keep calling it. If you share your new Patch number instead, they must dial that number to reach your assistant. An outbound call showing your existing caller ID does not automatically send callbacks to Patch.
Can I transfer my existing number to Patch?
Contact Patch to check transfer eligibility and next steps. A number transfer, also called porting, moves the number’s service to Patch instead of forwarding calls from your current provider. It is an assisted request, not an instant switch in the workspace. Eligibility and timing need confirmation. Keep your current service active until the transfer is confirmed complete.
What happens to voicemail, and how do I stop forwarding?
Forwarded calls go to Patch instead of your usual voicemail. Save your current settings before changing them. To stop forwarding, use your provider’s cancellation instructions and restore your previous voicemail settings. Turning off the Patch agent does not cancel forwarding at your carrier. Test the original number afterward.
Can my agent do work in my tools during a call?
Yes. Connect a hosted MCP server in your workspace’s Tools page and assign it to your Patch number’s inbound agent. MCP (Model Context Protocol) lets the agent use the actions that server provides—for example, checking appointment availability, creating a booking, looking up an order, or updating a customer record. Available actions depend on the connected server and its permissions. Adding business information to the agent’s instructions alone does not connect your software.
How do I connect my tools through MCP?
Open Tools → Add MCP, enter your provider’s MCP server URL, choose its connection and sign-in method, and select the phone numbers and agents that should use it. Complete the connection and check that its status is Connected with tools available. New connections apply to the selected agents immediately; later assignment edits need Publish changes. Save the agent’s instructions for using those tools, then test a call and verify the result in your connected system.
What if my software does not have an MCP server?
We offer custom MCP solutions for your business’s needs. Email leko@patchmcp.com with the software you use and what you want your agent to do during calls. We can discuss a custom integration, the access it would need, and next steps.
Does forwarding cost extra?
Incoming calls use your Patch plan’s allowance. Your existing provider may also charge for forwarded calls. Check your carrier’s terms and Patch pricing before enabling forwarding.
Set up your inbound assistant
Choose a Patch number and decide how customers reach you.
Open your workspace