> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.cloudtalk.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Skill Based Routing in Call Flow > Start designing call flows that direct your clients to the agent groups who can help them > [!NOTE] > > Here are some ways you can design a call flow that will ensure incoming calls make it to the agent teams with the most appropriate skillsets. **User level:** Admin *** ## What is skill based routing? *Skill-based routing* creates a logical call distribution system for situations where incoming callers have a wide range of needs. Your call center may receive calls in different languages, requests for technical assistance, or other cases that require agents with specific skill sets. When a call is routed to a skill group, CloudTalk rings agents based on their configured skill level: **Very good** is tried first, followed by **Good**, **Sufficient**, **Insufficient**, and finally agents whose skill is **Not set**. If multiple agents have the same skill level, CloudTalk alternates between them using a round-robin method to balance workloads. By using caller data or inputs to route calls this way, skill-based routing helps minimize queue times and ensures customers reach the right agents faster. ### When is it useful? There are many cases where a company benefits from [using skill groups](/en/articles/5799884-set-up-skill-groups-for-skill-based-routing) to classify their agents. For example: * You have an international company. Your support center has many bilingual agents with varying levels of language skill. * If an incoming call has a German area code, it should be sent to one of your German-speaking agents. If the call is from France, it should go to a French-speaking agent, and so on. * Agents who are better at a particular language should be prioritized for callers who speak that language. * You also want to use stored data about your contacts, like contact tags, to direct certain calls to agents with additional skill sets, like technical support. ## Skill Based Routing with IVR Menu Before building a skill-based call flow, make sure you have existing groups. To get the most out of skill-based routing, [add skills to agent profiles to create specialized skill groups](/en/articles/5799884-set-up-skill-groups-for-skill-based-routing). To open the Call Flow Designer: 1. From the **Dashboard**, click **Numbers**. 2. In the **My numbers** tab, find the number you want to configure. 3. Click **+ Configure** (or the flow name, if one exists) in the **Call Flow** column. ![](https://mintcdn.com/cloudtalk/Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC/images/help-center/articles/5802573/4d3eb4302a15-screenshot-2026-08-17-at-12-12-29.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC\&q=85\&s=ca70915a161e568999e2ebadd7babcc9) Use an **IVR Menu** when you want the caller to choose which language or skill group they need by pressing a key. For example, your prompt might say: *"Press 1 for English, Press 2 for Español, Press 3 for Français."* ### Build the flow 1. On the canvas, click the **`+`** button where you want to add the IVR Menu. 2. In the step library, under **Routing logic**, select **IVR Menu**. ![](https://mintcdn.com/cloudtalk/Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC/images/help-center/articles/5802573/3655a634a9d0-screenshot-2026-08-17-at-12-39-37.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC\&q=85\&s=8a0d314eaa967b9a207adbeb8033b205) 3\. In the IVR Menu config panel, set up the **prompt sound** (the recording that tells callers which key to press). You can create a new sound, upload one, use text-to-speech, or search your existing library. 4\. Set the **Seconds to wait on this step** (how long callers have to respond). 5\. Click **Save**. ![](https://mintcdn.com/cloudtalk/Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC/images/help-center/articles/5802573/d8531e6e6988-screenshot-2026-08-17-at-12-43-33.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC\&q=85\&s=f508799a07dbde5bfe1c40d262f5694d) #### Add branches for each language/skill group 6\. Click the **`+`** button below the IVR Menu step to add a new step. 7\. In the step library, under **Connect to agents**, select **Ring to**. 8\. In the Ring to config panel: * Set **Ring target** to **Group**. * Search and select the group that matches the language (e.g., your English-speaking agents group). * Set the **Ring for** duration. 9\. Scroll down to the **IVR settings** section at the bottom of the panel: * Pick the **IVR keyboard number** for this branch (e.g., ***1*** *for Support (EN)*). 10\. Click **Save**. ![](https://mintcdn.com/cloudtalk/Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC/images/help-center/articles/5802573/dbceada54a38-screenshot-2026-08-17-at-13-08-31.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC\&q=85\&s=fbe4e3c8d91321ee3a2d8d224c0b69e3) 11\. Repeat steps 6-10 for each department, assigning a different key number each time (e.g., 2 for Spanish, 3 for French). ![](https://mintcdn.com/cloudtalk/Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC/images/help-center/articles/5802573/87f9c7c4c60d-screenshot-2026-08-17-at-13-13-01.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC\&q=85\&s=6341df111cd51deb0495ccdfc4c26dd7) #### Add a failover branch 12\. On one of the branches, check the **Failover for no key pressed** checkbox in the IVR settings. This ensures calls are handled even if the caller doesn't press anything. 13\. Click **Save** in the top-right corner to make your flow live. Your call flow is now set up so that callers can choose their department via the IVR Menu. Within each group, CloudTalk rings agents by skill level (Very good first, then Good, and so on). *** ## Skill Based Routing with Condition Splitter Use a **Condition Splitter** when you want to route calls automatically based on caller data, without requiring the caller to press a key. The [Condition Splitter](/en/articles/5763009-caller-based-routing-with-conditions) filters calls through conditions you define, such as contact tags, country codes, or custom fields. **Use case:** Route all incoming calls tagged as "technical" to your technical support skill group, without the caller needing to do anything. ### Build the flow 1. On the canvas, click the **`+`** button where you want to add the Condition Splitter. 2. In the step library, under **Routing logic**, select **Condition Splitter**. ![](https://mintcdn.com/cloudtalk/Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC/images/help-center/articles/5802573/349210c51ead-screenshot-2026-08-17-at-13-16-35.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC\&q=85\&s=7b5855b9681c881ec18e6668563120d1) 3\. Click the Condition Splitter step on the canvas to open its config panel. #### Create the failover branch first 4\. Check the **No other condition is met** box. This creates a fallback for calls that don't match any of your conditions. 5\. Click **Save**. 6\. Below the Condition Splitter on the canvas, click the **`+`** button on the failover branch. 7\. Add a **Ring to** step targeting your general support group. ![](https://mintcdn.com/cloudtalk/Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC/images/help-center/articles/5802573/0496d3f9b495-screenshot-2026-08-17-at-13-20-30.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=Cdyt2I6w7OABieBC\&q=85\&s=80b38d3d9b44d9321089a33159c65854) #### Add a condition branch 8\. Click the Condition Splitter step again to reopen its config panel. 9\. Click **Add new**. 10\. Set up the condition: * **Property**: Contact - Tags * **Operand**: contains * **Value**: technical 11\. Click **Confirm**, then **Save**. `[SCREENSHOT: Condition Splitter config panel with condition: Contact - Tags contains "technical"]` 12\. Below the new condition branch on the canvas (showing "Contact - Tags..."), click the **`+`** button. 13\. Add a **Ring to** step targeting your technical support skill group. `[SCREENSHOT: Completed flow on canvas: Condition Splitter with "Contact - Tags..." branch (Ring to Technical Support) and fallback branch (Ring to General Support)]` 14\. Continue adding more condition branches as needed. Each condition branch can route to a different skill group. 15\. Click **Save** in the top-right corner to make your flow live. Calls tagged as "technical" will now be routed to your technical support group, where CloudTalk rings agents by skill level. All other calls go to the general support group. *** ## Skill Routing FAQ ### *In what order are skilled agents chosen for incoming calls?* When an inbound call is routed to a skill group, CloudTalk rings agents in this sequence: 1. **Availability**: only agents who are online and not idle are considered. 2. **Highest skill level**: "Very good" rings first, followed by "Good," "Sufficient," then "Insufficient," and finally agents whose skill level is "Not set" or is not set at all. **Ringing strategy:** Round-robin. If two or more agents share the same skill level, the system alternates between them to balance workloads. *** *Need help or have a question?* Just reach out through our [Support portal](https://support.cloudtalk.io/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=26305535257884) — we’re here for you. ## Related topics - [Routing & Call Flow Design guide](/en/articles/10559796-routing-call-flow-design-guide.md) - [Set Up Skill Groups for Skill Based Routing](/en/articles/5799884-set-up-skill-groups-for-skill-based-routing.md) - [Introducing the New and Improved Dashboard](/en/articles/10516696-introducing-the-new-and-improved-dashboard.md) This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.