Skip to content
EN
Demo
Platform
CallsQueues and routingIVR (phone menu)Smart transferAuto dialerBrowser-based softphoneClick-to-call
Messaging and customer dataUnified inboxForm builderCustomer portalCustomer success platform
ManagementHistorical reportingReal-time monitoringShift scheduling
Deployment and securityIn our cloudOn your serversHybrid deploymentData security
Platform →
Solutions
IndustriesRetailReal estateBanking and insuranceTravelHealthcareEducation
Customer serviceFAQ self-serviceOrder status without an agentAfter-hours coveragePeak days without overloadConversation quality assurance
SalesLead qualificationAppointment bookingRepeat salesLoyalty program
Outbound communicationPayment and overdue remindersNotifications and confirmationsPost-interaction survey
Who it's forBy company sizeBy role
Solutions →
AI agents
For customersVoice AI consultantAI consultant in chat
For employeesAI assistant for calls and salesAssistant for work questionsNew hire onboarding
TechnologyKnowledge baseSpeech analyticsAI connectorModelsData security
ServicesAI agent trainingMachine learning
AI agents →
Integrations
CRM systemsSalesforceHubSpotDynamics CRMSAP CXZoho CRMPipedrive
ERP systemsSAPNetSuiteBusiness CentralSageOdoo
Help desk and team chatZendeskFreshdeskServiceNowSlackMattermost
Messaging and socialWhatsAppViberInstagramFacebookSMSLive chat
Websites and online storesWebsites and online stores
Telephony, API, and AIAsteriskAMI, AGI, and ARIKamailioFreeSWITCHCarriersOffice PBXs and IP phones
Integrations →
Pricing
Company
ResourcesBlogCalculatorsComparisonsLibraryGlossary
ServicesOpen SourceImplementationDevelopmentSupportTraining
ContactsContact usAboutFacts and figures
Company →
Language: English
Demo

Integrations

Software PBX and your contact center

If your phone system runs on a software PBX such as 3CX or Elastix, keep it – you can still get a contact center. The office keeps calling through its own PBX, while CONTACT.WORK handles your sales and support lines: the next available agent takes the call, the conversation is recorded, and the call goes to your CRM. The platform can sit in front of the PBX and answer incoming calls from the carrier first, or sit behind it and receive only the calls for specific departments. We link the two systems with a SIP or IAX trunk and, if you choose, move departments to the platform one at a time.

Get a quotePricing
Anysoftware PBX3CX, Elastix, and others
SIP, IAXtrunk between systemsTransfers both ways
2 setupsin front of or behind the PBXChosen for your goals
$0platform license feesYou pay for setup work

Capabilities

What you get with Software PBX

Your PBX and office routine stay as they areStaff keep calling from their own phones and PBX apps. Only the people moving to the sales or support line need training.
Visibility into the lineCalls to the line are distributed and recorded, and reports show answered and missed calls.
Calls move between systemsAn agent transfers a customer to an extension on the office PBX, and an office employee sends them back to the contact center.
Call outcomes go to the CRM automaticallyEvery conversation on the line is logged to the contact record, so managers don't enter anything by hand.

Examples

Common setups

Three setups for companies running a software PBX.

The sales line gets queues and reports

The office has run on its own PBX for years, and nobody wants to change it. The sales team moves to the platform: calls are distributed, recorded, and sent to the CRM, and the sales manager sees reports for the line. If a customer needs accounting, the rep transfers them to an extension on the PBX.

  • Office PBX unchanged
  • Sales queues and reports
  • Transfers to PBX departments
Example 1 of 3

If your PBX caps the number of channels by license, as 3CX does, we check this in advance.

How it works

Trunk, call events, and data sync

Trunk

PBX and platform linked by a trunk

The software PBX and the platform are connected by a SIP trunk, or by IAX if your PBX supports it. We agree on the codec and keep extension ranges from overlapping. The trunk carries transfers between systems and calls to short extensions.

  • SIP or IAX
  • No overlapping ranges
  • Channels per PBX license

Events

What the platform knows about PBX calls

If the PBX is built on Asterisk, as Elastix is, the platform receives its call events through AMI: who is calling whom, when the call was answered, and how long it lasted. With other PBXs, such as 3CX, data comes through their API, and what's available depends on the version.

  • Asterisk-based PBX – via AMI
  • Other PBXs – via their API
  • A shared call log

CRM

Call outcomes in the customer record

Every call on the line stays in the history with its audio and outcome, then syncs to your CRM – Bitrix24, Kommo (amoCRM), or any system that has an API. Sales and support see one history, even if some staff call through the PBX.

  • Recording and outcome on the customer
  • Sync to the CRM
  • One history for every department

Setup

How we connect your software PBX

  1. 01AssessmentWe review your PBX and its version, the number of users, license limits, and how your carriers are connected.
  2. 02DesignWe decide which system answers calls first – the platform or the PBX – and which lines move to the platform.
  3. 03TrunkWe link the PBX and the platform with a trunk so calls pass freely between them.
  4. 04EventsWe connect PBX call events: through AMI if the PBX runs on Asterisk, or through its API.
  5. 05CRMWe set up syncing of calls and outcomes to your CRM so managers see them in the customer record.
  6. 06TestingWe test transfers to and from the office, short extensions, and call recording on the line.

Requirements

What you'll need

PBX
3CX, Elastix, or another software PBX with SIP
Trunk
Free channels on the PBX side
Access
A PBX administrator to configure the trunk
Events
AMI for Asterisk-based PBXs, API for others
Platform
Hosting option of your choice
Billing
Trunk and event setup – support hours

Preparation

What to have ready

Which PBX and version?The PBX name and its version number.
How many users?The number of extensions and departments.
Any license limits?Caps on the number of concurrent calls.
Which lines are moving?Sales, support, or all calls.
Your CRM and its APIWhere call outcomes and recordings should go.
Who manages the PBX?Whoever looks after your PBX – your admin or a contractor.

Q&A

Frequently asked questions

Do we need to replace our PBX?

No. The two systems are linked by a trunk and work together.

Which software PBXs do you connect?

Any PBX that supports SIP trunks, such as 3CX and Elastix. FreeSWITCH and Kamailio have their own connection setups.

FreeSWITCH →

Can calls be transferred between the PBX and the contact center?

Both ways: an agent hands a customer off to the office, and an office employee sends a caller to the sales or support line.

Can the platform answer calls before the PBX?

It can. Incoming calls go through the platform's IVR first, and calls for departments on the PBX are passed over the trunk.

Will managers see calls that go through the PBX?

With an Asterisk-based PBX, its call events land in the platform's shared call log. With other PBXs, it depends on their API.

Asterisk →

Does the PBX license limit the number of calls?

Some PBXs, such as 3CX, cap concurrent calls by license. We check this up front to make sure you have enough channels.

Will calls show up in the CRM?

Both the audio and the outcome of each call show up in the customer record and in your CRM.

CRM integrations →

Will calls be recorded?

The platform records calls that go through its queues. Calls inside the PBX are recorded by the PBX itself, if recording is turned on in its settings.

Call recording →

Can we move to the platform completely later on?

You can. Departments move one at a time, and the PBX keeps running until the last user has moved, serving as a backup.

How is the work priced?

You pay nothing for licenses. Work on the trunk, event sync, and the CRM comes out of your support plan hours, and we estimate it once we've looked at your PBX.

Pricing calculator →

Glossary

Terms on this page

IP PBX
A company phone system that runs over the internet and your local network. Learn more →
CRM – customer relationship management
Where a company keeps its customers, deals, and full communication history. Learn more →
API (application programming interface)
The way programs exchange data with each other without a person in the loop. Learn more →
SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)
The protocol that sets up calls in IP telephony. Learn more →
AMI – Asterisk Manager Interface
The channel where Asterisk reports calls and takes commands. Learn more →
Support tiers
A support tier: tier 1 handles common issues, tier 2 handles complex ones. Learn more →
IVR (interactive voice response)
A phone menu: the caller hears a greeting and picks the right department. Learn more →
Backup
Data is regularly copied to a separate place so it can be restored if something goes wrong. Learn more →
Customer record
The screen of customer data an agent sees during a conversation. Learn more →
SIP trunk
A phone line from the carrier over the internet instead of a wire. Learn more →
Call recording
Calls are saved so they can be replayed and disputes settled. Learn more →
Call queue – callers waiting to be answered
Callers waiting for an available agent. Learn more →
Hosting
You rent a server from a provider instead of buying one. Learn more →

More

Other integrations

MCP connectors Our agents work in your systems, and your AI sees your contact center. Learn more Email Inquiry emails go straight to your CRM and a sales rep – nothing lost, no delays. Learn more Viber Viber bot and Business Messages chats in the agent's window. Learn more API and protocols Connect your contact center to any system you use – via API, a database, or files. Learn more

Blog

Fresh from the blog

All articles →
Services · 7 min read Custom development of your contact center platform for your processes When contact center settings are not enough: integrations, modules, AI workflows. How to tell development from configuration and estimate the payback. Read the article → Management · 9 min read How many agents does your contact center need? Erlang C in plain English Calculate contact center staffing with Erlang C: workload, service level, shrinkage, and headcount by shift – all in one worked example. Read the article → Integrations · 7 min read CRM and phone system integration: what it does and how it works How to connect your phone system to your CRM: calls and recordings in the record, screen pop, click-to-call. What to decide first and how to check it works. Read the article →

Updated: