> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://api.lawtte.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Inbound and outbound agents

> Lawtte gives your firm two kinds of AI phone agents: a receptionist that answers your calls, and outbound agents that make calls for you. What each does, which connector tools belong to which, and what they share.

Lawtte runs two kinds of AI phone agents for a firm. They're separate: one answers
calls, the other makes them. Claude sees the same split when you connect Lawtte. The
server describes both when it connects, and every tool belongs to one side.

| | **Inbound: your receptionist** | **Outbound: calls Lawtte makes for you** |
| - | - | - |
| What it does | Answers calls to your Lawtte number: greets callers, runs intake by practice area, books consultations or takes messages, and sends you summaries | Calls one person with one objective — an insurance adjuster, a client, a body shop — and reports what it learned |
| How many | One per firm | As many calls as you place; save the ones you repeat as **saved outbound agents** |
| Goes live | When you activate it on Lawtte's site, with a plan | After calling setup (a trial with a few calls) or once your receptionist is live |
| Who starts the call | The caller | You, from Claude or the dashboard, after confirming the person agreed to be called |
| Shows up in `list_calls` as | `direction: "inbound"` | `direction: "outbound"` |

## Connector tools by side

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Inbound: set up and run the receptionist" icon="phone-arrow-down-left">
    `get_onboarding_questions`, `list_voices`, `create_receptionist_draft`,
    `update_receptionist_draft`, `get_receptionist_draft`, then
    `create_activation_link` and `get_activation_status`.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Outbound: place calls" icon="phone-arrow-up-right">
    `place_call` and `check_call`; saved agents with `list_outbound_agents`,
    `create_outbound_agent`, `update_outbound_agent` and `archive_outbound_agent`;
    first-time setup with `get_calling_setup_status` and `set_up_calling`.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

`list_calls`, `get_call` and `get_transcript` cover both: each call says whether it
was inbound or outbound. See [connector tools](/mcp/tools) for each tool's inputs and
results.

## What they share

Both use your firm's **Lawtte number**, and both use your **firm's details**:
practice areas, office hours, address, website, attorneys, the area you serve,
your fee policy and your notes. You keep those in one place, your receptionist's
settings. Outbound calls read them fresh on every call, so an adjuster who asks
"what are your hours?" gets today's answer.

Otherwise they're independent. Changing your receptionist's greeting or intake
questions places no calls. Saving or running an outbound agent doesn't change how
your incoming calls are answered.

## Asking Claude for the right one

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="“Set up an AI receptionist for my PI firm” — inbound" icon="phone-arrow-down-left">
    Claude asks the setup questions, saves a receptionist draft, and gives you the
    activation link. Nothing answers your phone until you activate it on Lawtte's site.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="“Call the adjuster and confirm they got the demand” — outbound" icon="phone-arrow-up-right">
    Claude shows you the name, number and purpose, asks you to confirm the person
    agreed to be called, checks the call, and places it. It opens by introducing itself by name as a
    virtual assistant calling for your firm and saying the call is recorded.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="“Save that as an agent so I can reuse it” — outbound" icon="bookmark">
    Claude saves a **saved outbound agent** with `{{placeholders}}` for the details
    that change, like `{{claim_number}}`. Next time: "run the adjuster follow-up for
    Pat Lee's claim 88-123."
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="“Who called us this week?” — inbound results" icon="list">
    Claude lists the calls your receptionist answered (`direction: "inbound"`) with a
    summary of each.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>


## Related topics

- [The Lawtte MCP server](/mcp/overview.md)
- [Protocol reference](/mcp/server.md)
- [Initiates an outbound phone call from an AI agent to a specified phone number](/api-reference/voice-&-chat/initiates-an-outbound-phone-call-from-an-ai-agent-to-a-specified-phone-number.md)
- [Connector tools](/mcp/tools.md)
- [Creates a new outbound call campaign](/api-reference/campaigns/creates-a-new-outbound-call-campaign.md)


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