# Several assistants and numbers

> The number that was dialled decides which assistant answers: how to create, silence or delete an assistant and how to assign, add or return numbers.

https://scoco.ai/en/docs/several-assistants/

An assistant answers the calls to its phone numbers. With several assistants you handle calls differently, for example per location or department, each with its own greeting, rules and knowledge. When you are done, you know how assistants and numbers fit together, how to create another assistant, and how to assign, add and return numbers.

## How assistants and numbers fit together

- The number that was dialled decides which assistant answers. **Every active number belongs to exactly one assistant.**
- One assistant can have several numbers. Its header shows only one of them; you see them all under **Settings › Phone numbers**.
- Each assistant has its own settings in **Behaviour**, **Knowledge**, **Voice & language** and **Appointments**. Assistants do not share their knowledge.
- You connect calendars and contacts per assistant, under **Settings › Integrations**.
- The status at the top of the sidebar applies to all assistants together, see [Status](https://scoco.ai/en/docs/assistant-status/).
- VIP on a contact applies to every assistant. **Block** and **Always put through** apply to the assistants that exist when you switch them on; for one created later, switch it on again at the contact, see [Contacts](https://scoco.ai/en/docs/contacts/).
- The **Inbox** shows the calls of every assistant. With the **Assistant** filter you see one assistant's only.

## Create another assistant

1. Open **Assistants**.
2. Click **Assistant** with the plus sign. The **New assistant** window opens.
3. Choose a **Template**. **What's included?** shows what the template brings, see [Industry templates](https://scoco.ai/en/docs/industry-templates/).
4. Enter **Name**, **Contact person** and **Town**. All three are required.
5. Click **Create**.

The new assistant starts with no knowledge documents and with the template's rules. Fill in its knowledge before it answers calls, and check it with a [test call](https://scoco.ai/en/docs/test-call/).

If your plan still has a free number, the new assistant gets a new number from it straight away. Otherwise you see **Assistant created — it has no phone number yet. Assign one under Settings → Phone numbers.** A paid number is never booked in this step.

> **Note:**
>
> You cannot change an assistant's name later.

## Silence, switch off or deactivate an assistant, for example on holiday

You switch off, pause or deactivate a single assistant for a while, with or without a phone number, and keep its number. For this every assistant has its own switch next to its name. It applies to this assistant only, and at once, without **Save**.

1. Open the assistant and click **Active** next to its name at the top.
2. Choose what callers get:
   - **Active**: the assistant works as set up. This applies at once.
   - **Messages only**: the assistant answers calls, puts nobody through and takes messages.
   - **Offline**: the assistant holds no conversation. Callers hear "This number is currently not available" and, if you picked a day, from when you are back. Then the call ends.
3. Under **Active again on**, pick the day the assistant works again, or leave the field empty. Empty, the state holds until you switch back to **Active**.
4. Click **Apply**.

On holiday, **Messages only** with your return day under **Active again on** usually fits best: callers leave their request, you find it in the **Inbox**, and from that day the assistant works again by itself. **Offline** fits when nobody should leave a message, for example while the business is closed.

A call to an assistant that is offline shows in the **Inbox** with the caller's number, under **Open**, as **No interaction**. So you can call back when you are back. It costs no minutes, no call-back SMS goes out, and you get no e-mail about it. On WhatsApp an assistant that is offline does not reply; you read the messages yourself in the **Inbox**.

A [test call](https://scoco.ai/en/docs/test-call/) reaches the assistant even while it is offline, so you can check it before you switch it back on.

The [status in the sidebar](https://scoco.ai/en/docs/assistant-status/) applies to all assistants as well. When both apply, the stricter one wins: **Offline** over everything, **Messages only** over **Paused**.

> **Note:**
>
> If you switched off your call forwarding to scoco, no call reaches scoco anyway. Switch the assistant off all the same: its page then says what applies, and a call that does arrive hears the announcement.

You can also have [Ask scoco](https://scoco.ai/en/docs/ask-scoco/) or a [connected AI](https://scoco.ai/en/docs/ai-tools/) switch the assistant on and off. From there, **Messages only** and **Offline** always need an end, at most 14 days ahead, and you confirm the card yourself. For a holiday, Ask scoco proposes **Messages only**, unless you explicitly want the assistant offline.

## Delete an assistant

1. If the assistant still has a phone number, assign the number to another assistant or return it, see below. The same goes for a connected WhatsApp number.
2. Open the assistant and scroll to the bottom of the **Behaviour** tab. Under **Delete assistant**, click **Delete**.
3. Type the assistant's name to confirm and click **Delete assistant**.

The assistant disappears from the list. Its calendar and contacts are disconnected; contacts already taken over stay in your contact list. Calls, appointments and messages are kept, and the **Inbox** still shows the assistant's name. You can restore the assistant for 30 days. After that scoco deletes its instructions, greeting, rules, knowledge and history for good.

## Restore a deleted assistant

Under **Assistants**, below the list, **Deleted assistants** shows each one with the day until which it can come back. Click **Restore** next to it.

It comes back as it was, but without a phone number and without a calendar or contacts connection. Assign it a number and connect the calendar and contacts again.

## Assign a number to an assistant

1. Open **Settings › Phone numbers**.
2. Open the menu in the number's row and choose **Assign assistant**.
3. Under **Assistant**, choose the assistant.
4. Click **Assign**.

From then on the chosen assistant answers calls to this number. The number moves: if the previous assistant had only this one, it can no longer be reached. A number without an assistant does not exist: if you no longer need a number, return it.

## Add another number

How many numbers your plan includes is under [Plans, minutes and trial](https://scoco.ai/en/docs/plans/#plans). **Your numbers** shows how many of them are in use.

- **Your plan still has a free number:** click **Add a number**. The number is ready straight away.
- **All numbers are in use:** the button names the price of another number. In the **Add another phone number** window, confirm with **Add for a fee**.

Booking a paid number only works once you have booked a plan with payment details, even if your trial is still running then. An **Admin** can book one too. You can book up to five numbers yourself; for more, contact us. You cannot choose a particular area code.

A new number first belongs to the assistant created last. Assign it to the right assistant afterwards. If your line should forward to the new number, set up separate [call forwarding](https://scoco.ai/en/docs/call-forwarding/) for it: under **Set up forwarding**, choose with **Forward to** which number the guide is for.

## Return a number

1. First point your line at another number.
2. Under **Settings › Phone numbers**, open the menu in the number's row and choose **Return number**.
3. Confirm with **Return**.

The number stops taking calls, and you cannot get it back yourself. We give it to someone else six months later at the earliest, so nobody gets calls that were meant for you. If it was an assistant's only number, that assistant can no longer be reached. If you hold more numbers than your plan includes, the number of charged additional numbers drops at once. You cannot return your last number; the menu item is missing then.

## Common problems

**The add button cannot be clicked.** The reason is shown below it: either your account cannot be charged for an additional number right now, for example with no plan booked, after a cancellation or because we bill it personally, or you have reached the most numbers you can book yourself.

**Instead of the new number you see a message that we are setting your number up and will be in touch.** No number is free right now. We set one up for you and get in touch.

**There is already an assistant with this name.** Names are unique within an account. Choose another one. A deleted assistant does not count.

**Deleting shows “Manage phone numbers” instead of “Delete assistant”.** The assistant still takes calls or WhatsApp messages. Assign its number to another assistant or return it first.

**Next to the name it says “Active”, and nothing happens on a click.** Only **Owner** and **Admin** switch an assistant. Everyone else sees what applies.

**An assistant that was offline answers calls again.** The day under **Active again on** has come. From midnight that day it works as set up again.

**Restoring is refused because another assistant has the name.** Delete the other one first; it too can be restored for 30 days.

**I do not see “Assistants” or “Settings › Phone numbers”.** Only **Owner** and **Admin** see them.

_Last checked: 31 October 2026_