What is DTMF Testing?
DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency) testing allows you to simulate phone keypad button presses during test calls. This is essential for testing:
- IVR (Interactive Voice Response) navigation
- Menu selection scenarios
- Account number or PIN entry
- Call transfer requests (“Press 1 for sales”)
- Any interaction requiring keypad input
Two Ways to Use DTMF
Enable DTMF tools on your evaluators to give them the ability to send or receive button presses during calls.
Send DTMF: Evaluator sends button presses to the main agent (testing IVR navigation)
Receive DTMF: Main agent sends button presses, evaluator receives them
2. Via Conditional Actions
Use the <dtmf> tag in conditional actions to send specific button sequences at precise moments during the conversation.
To enable DTMF functionality for your testing agents:
Navigate to Your Agent
Go to your Agents section and select the agent you want to test.
Access Evaluators
Click on the Evaluators tab and select the evaluator you want to configure.
Enable DTMF Tools
Scroll to the Tools section, find Send DTMF or Receive DTMF in the list of available tools, and toggle the switch to enable it. | Tool | Description |
|---|
| Send DTMF | Allows the testing agent to send DTMF tones during the call. Use this when you want to test scenarios where the agent needs to send button presses. |
| Receive DTMF | Allows the testing agent to receive DTMF tones from the call. Use this when you want to test scenarios where the agent needs to accept button presses from the user. |
When Send DTMF is enabled, the evaluator can intelligently decide when to press buttons based on the conversation context.
Using the DTMF Tag in Conditional Actions
The <dtmf> tag allows you to send specific button sequences at exact moments in your test scenarios.
Syntax
Parameters
- digits: The buttons to press (valid characters:
0-9, *, #, A-D)
Example Scenario
Here’s a practical example of testing an agent that requires menu navigation:
{
"conditions": [
{
"id": 0,
"condition": "FIRST_MESSAGE",
"action": "Hi I am here for ordering a pizza.",
"type": "standard",
"fixed_message": true
},
{
"id": 1,
"condition": "contains \"pull \" OR contains \"moment\" OR contains \"1234\" OR contains \"help you\"",
"action": "Great I want to order a pizza, let me enter the account number, can you please repeat what you received.",
"type": "standard",
"fixed_message": true
},
{
"id": 2,
"condition": 1,
"action": "<dtmf digits=\"123\" />",
"type": "action_followup",
"fixed_message": true
},
{
"id": 3,
"condition": "contains \"123\" OR contains \"1 2 3\"",
"action": "<endcall />",
"type": "standard",
"fixed_message": true
}
],
"role": "A customer who presses phone keypad buttons while talking"
}
- Evaluator starts the conversation
- When the agent asks for account number, evaluator responds
- Immediately after, the
<dtmf> tag sends “123” via keypad
- Agent confirms receiving “123” and the call ends
Combining DTMF with Text
You can combine DTMF tags with text messages:
{
"action": "Let me enter that now. <dtmf digits=\"*99\" />"
}
*99 button sequence.
DTMF-Only Actions
To send button presses without speaking:
{
"action": "<dtmf digits=\"1\" />"
}
Valid DTMF Characters
The following characters are supported for DTMF tones:
| Character | Description |
|---|
0-9 | Numeric digits |
* | Star/asterisk key |
# | Pound/hash key |
A-D | Extended DTMF keys (rarely used) |
Invalid characters in the digits parameter will cause the DTMF send to fail. Always use only the characters listed above.
Common Use Cases
Test agents that navigate phone menus:
{
"action": "<dtmf digits=\"1\" />",
"type": "action_followup"
}
2. Account Number Entry
Test multi-digit input scenarios:
{
"action": "<dtmf digits=\"123456789\" />",
"type": "action_followup"
}
3. PIN Verification
Test secure input flows:
{
"action": "Let me enter my PIN. <dtmf digits=\"9876\" />"
}
4. Transfer Requests
Test call transfer scenarios:
{
"action": "<dtmf digits=\"0\" />",
"type": "action_followup"
}
5. Star Codes
Test special IVR functions:
{
"action": "<dtmf digits=\"*99#\" />",
"type": "action_followup"
}
How DTMF Appears in Transcripts
When DTMF tones are sent during a call, they appear in the transcript for tracking:
- Via Tool: Shows as a function call with the digits sent
- Via Tag: Automatically recorded in the conversation flow
- Received DTMF: Shown as user input in the transcript
This helps you verify that button presses were sent and received correctly during testing.
Best Practices
Only enable Send/Receive DTMF tools for evaluators that need to test DTMF functionality.
2. Use Conditional Actions for Precise Timing
When you need exact control over when buttons are pressed, use the <dtmf> tag in conditional actions rather than relying on the LLM to decide.
3. Clear Instructions
When using DTMF tools (not tags), be explicit in your evaluator instructions:
✅ Good: "When the agent says 'Press 1 for sales', press 1"
❌ Vague: "Navigate the menu appropriately"
4. Test Both Scenarios
Test both sending DTMF (evaluator → agent) and receiving DTMF (agent → evaluator) to ensure bidirectional functionality works correctly.
5. Validate with Metrics
Use metrics to verify:
- Agent correctly recognizes DTMF input
- Agent responds appropriately to button presses
- Navigation flows work as expected
Next Steps
