Note: This article is about the Transfer module — the Transfer step in a call flow. It does not cover the warm and cold transfer options in the Conference feature, which work differently and are not affected by this setting.
When a call flow transfers a call to another number — an agent, a partner, or an external destination — babelforce needs to decide which caller ID to show the person receiving the transfer. This is controlled by the Display as setting on the Transfer step of a call flow.
The choice matters most after an ACD callback. Because babelforce places the outbound call back to the customer, it becomes the caller on that leg — so the usual shortcut for “the caller’s number” no longer points at the customer by default. This article explains how each option behaves so you can choose the right one.
The three Display as options
The Display as setting offers three options for the outbound caller ID:
Custom number
Shows a specific number of your choosing. By default it holds a placeholder that resolves to the original caller’s number, but you can replace it with any value:
- A fixed number (for example, your support line, entered directly). Always shows exactly that number, regardless of the call path.
-
A dynamic placeholder such as
{call.from.number}. Resolves based on the current call leg, so its result depends on which leg it is evaluated on — see the next section.
The original caller’s number
Always shows the real, original customer’s number — even when babelforce placed an outbound call to the customer first, as in a callback. This guarantees the receiving party can identify and, if needed, call back the right customer, instead of seeing your own number.
No number
Sends no caller ID at all: the receiving party sees “Private” (or “Unknown caller”, depending on their carrier or device). This is absolute — it suppresses the number on every leg type, with no exceptions. Use it for privacy-sensitive workflows.
How {call.from.number} behaves by leg type
The {call.from.number} placeholder is the option most likely to surprise you, because it always reflects who is technically placing the call on the current leg:
| Call path | What {call.from.number} shows | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound call → Transfer directly | The customer’s real number | The customer is genuinely the party on this leg, so the placeholder reflects that. |
| Inbound call → ACD callback → Transfer | babelforce’s own number (the landing pad) | On the callback leg, babelforce placed the outbound call, so the “from” number is the landing pad number — not the customer’s. |
Note: On a direct inbound call, {call.from.number} and The original caller’s number give the same result; they only differ once a callback leg is involved. If you need the customer’s real number to appear reliably — including after a callback — use The original caller’s number instead of the placeholder.
Which setting should I use?
| If you want… | Choose |
|---|---|
| A single, consistent number shown on every transfer (for example, your support line) | Custom number, with a fixed value |
| The receiving party to always see, and be able to reach, the real customer — including after a callback | The original caller’s number |
| No caller ID shown at all | No number |
Best practices
-
Avoid
{call.from.number}in flows that may include a callback. On the callback leg it surfaces babelforce’s own number instead of the customer’s — use The original caller’s number when the receiving party needs to reach the customer. - Use a fixed Custom number for brand consistency when every transfer should show the same recognizable number (such as your main support line) rather than the customer’s.
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