Registering the Salesforce Call Center is the configuration step that turns an installed adapter into a usable CTI System. These steps cover the standard Open CTI path; for new builds prefer Service Cloud Voice setup instead. You need the Manage Call Centers permission.
- Install the adapter or connector
Install the vendor's CTI Connector from AppExchange, or obtain the call center definition XML file the adapter provides. This delivers the JavaScript adapter and the configuration template Salesforce will register.
- Import or clone the call center
In Setup, open Call Centers. Click Import to load the definition file, or clone an existing call center and edit it. This creates the Call Center record that points Salesforce at the adapter.
- Assign users to the call center
Open the new call center record and add the agents who need phone access. A user must be assigned to a call center before any Call Center feature works, and each user belongs to one at a time.
- Set the softphone layout and console app
Configure a softphone layout to control which fields appear during a call, then make sure the softphone shows in the Lightning console app your agents use. Test an inbound and an outbound call end to end.
The XML file that describes the adapter to Salesforce. Imported on the Call Centers setup page to create the record.
Required to import, view, edit, or delete any call center. Grant it only to admins who own the telephony setup.
Controls the fields and related lists shown in the softphone during inbound and outbound calls, per call type.
The link between a Salesforce user and one call center. No assignment means no softphone, even with everything else configured.
- Classic and Lightning Open CTI adapters are not interchangeable. Confirm your vendor ships a Lightning-ready adapter before migrating off Salesforce Classic.
- A user assigned to no call center sees no softphone at all. This is the most common "nothing happens after install" cause.
- Open CTI is in maintenance mode and retires on February 28, 2028, and is already blocked for new Agentforce Service orgs. Do not start a new Open CTI System; use Service Cloud Voice.
- Screen pops can target a record the agent lacks permission to view. Align sharing and field-level security with the softphone layout.