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Numbers live on the Channels page in the Command Center. Every number shows its assigned destination, its provider, its capabilities, and its caller ID status, so you can tell at a glance what’s connected and what isn’t.

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Buy a number

1

Start the wizard

On Channels, select Add number.
2

Choose how it will be used

Pick Inbound, Outbound, or both. Most numbers should keep both on: a contact who misses an outbound call and dials the caller ID back reaches an agent instead of dead air.
3

Search by location

Enter a city or a 3-digit area code. A local number lifts answer rates, so pick where your callers are. To search toll-free instead, enter a toll-free prefix such as 800 or 888 in place of an area code.
4

Pick a number

Browse the results. Each one shows its locality, its provider, its features, and its monthly cost.
5

Confirm and activate

Review the number and select Buy & activate. This sets up call routing and starts caller ID registration for your firm automatically. Occasionally a carrier asks for more documentation before it activates; if that happens, the number shows as pending until it clears.
You can release a number at any time after buying it. See Release a number below.

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Import or sync a number you already have

If you manage a number outside Compensable, select Import number on Channels. Enter it in E.164 format (for example +14155551234), choose the provider it’s hosted with, optionally assign an agent, and give it a name. If you’ve connected your own carrier account (see Bring your own carrier), use Sync from provider instead. It compares your Compensable inventory against everything currently in that account: numbers it finds but you haven’t imported are added automatically, and numbers your inventory still lists but the carrier no longer has are flagged so you can clean them up.

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Assign a number to an agent

Open a number and select Route calls to an agent. Choose the agent that should answer, or leave it unassigned. Unassigned numbers show as “No agent” in the list and are counted separately in the summary at the top of the page, so it’s easy to spot a number that’s live but not going anywhere. You can also start from the agent side: an agent without a number offers Find a number and Use an existing number directly from its setup screen. See Agents overview.

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Capabilities and caller ID

Each number carries capability badges: Voice, SMS, and either Local or Toll-free. A number that hasn’t confirmed a capability yet shows no badge for it rather than a guess. The Caller ID column shows one of four states: Verified caller ID, Verifying, Action needed, or Not verified. A verified number is registered to your firm with full caller ID attestation, which helps your calls display as trusted instead of “Spam Likely.” See Sender registration and trust for what each state means and what to do about “Action needed.”

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Release a number

Open the number, select Remove number, and confirm. Calls to a removed number need to be reassigned, so re-route or clear its routing first if you don’t want inbound calls going nowhere in the meantime; removal itself can’t be undone.
A number that’s winding down before release can show a “Cooling off” status for a period first. That’s deliberate: it keeps the number reachable a little longer so a caller who dials back doesn’t hit a dead line.

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Next steps