Data retrieval at call start
With data retrieval at call start, your AI agent retrieves a URL stored by you as soon as an incoming call starts.
When does this make sense?
Data retrieval at call start is suitable for content that changes frequently or differs from call to call. Typical use cases:
Current availability querying (e.g. available appointments, stock levels)
CRM data or load customer history
Instructions up to date for the day (e.g. special opening hours, promotions)
Past interactions make available to the caller
Note: The initial data retrieval is intended for specific information about the current call. It does not replace a general knowledge base and is not suitable for extensive content such as PDFs, websites, or documentation. For permanent agent knowledge, use the file upload in the Knowledge.
Requirements
A URL that is reachable via HTTP or HTTPS (HTTPS recommended).
The endpoint should respond quickly; retrieval takes place at call start.
The response is embedded as text in the conversation context. Ideally, return well-structured, compact content.
Important: Do not use a publicly accessible URL. At present, there is no authentication between sipgate and the connected server. Otherwise, unauthorized third parties could use the endpoint and retrieve transmitted caller data.
Restrict access server-side to the following sipgate IP addresses:
217.116.118.254212.9.46.32
Use an allowlist for this, for example. This ensures that the server can verify that requests to the endpoint really come from sipgate.
Note: The server response should contain data only. Prompt instructions or behavior rules should not be passed via the server response. They will be ignored or not processed reliably.
How to set up data retrieval
Open the configuration of your AI agent
Go to the menu item "Integrations"
Find the "Data retrieval at call start" section and click the gear icon
In the "Configure data retrieval" dialog, enter the desired URL.
Optionally, you can also enable "Force retrieval" so that the retrieval must succeed for the call to take place at all
Click "Save"
The configured URL then appears directly in the user interface. The content will be retrieved automatically the next time an incoming call is received.
Which return formats does the agent support?
The agent can only process information from third-party applications if it is returned in a readable text format. The agent cannot directly read PDF files, websites, or other file formats.
Supported are: Plain text, Markdown, JSON
The desired return format must be specified in the request to the third-party application. The connected server must return the response in this format and set the appropriate Content-Typeheader .
Examples:
Plain text:
Content-Type: text/plainMarkdown:
Content-Type: text/markdownJSON:
Content-Type: application/json
Which parameters are passed to the server?
During the initial data retrieval, the agent can pass information to the connected server so that suitable data for the current call or previous conversations can be found there.
The following parameters are passed:
callerNumber
The phone number of the calling person.
destinationNumber
The phone number the agent was called on. If multiple phone numbers are assigned to the agent, only the phone number of the current call is passed.
sessionId
The unique ID of the current call. This ID can be used by the server to clearly assign the data retrieval to a specific conversation. The sessionId can also be used for live connections. This allows the server to recognize the same call across multiple queries, for example between the initial data retrieval and later live queries during the conversation.
assistantId
The internal ID of the agent. This ID is uniquely assigned to an agent and helps the server distinguish between multiple agents.
The connected server must be able to process these parameters and provide the appropriate information in the supported return format.
Option: "Force retrieval"
With the checkbox Force retrieval you decide how strictly the agent should handle errors in this retrieval:
Disabled (default): If the URL is unavailable, the call is still connected — just without the dynamic context.
Enabled: If the URL is unavailable, the call is rejected. Only choose this option if the context is indispensable for the call (e.g. if no meaningful conversation is possible without CRM data).
Remove data retrieval again
If data retrieval should no longer take place:
Open the configuration dialog again via the gear icon.
Click Delete data retrieval.
In the following dialog, confirm with Delete permanently.
After that, the section shows the status Inactive. No further data retrieval will take place for future calls.
Frequently asked questions
How long may the endpoint take to respond?
As short as possible. Data retrieval takes place synchronously at the start of the call. Long response times can therefore delay the start of the conversation.
The retrieval starts while the phone is still ringing and usually takes 2–5 seconds. If no data is available after 5 seconds, the agent continues the conversation without this information.
What happens if the 5 seconds are exceeded?
If the endpoint does not respond within 5 seconds, the data retrieval is canceled. The agent then starts the conversation without the requested information. This can happen, for example, if the connected third-party application responds slowly. The transcript does not note whether the data retrieval failed.
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