# Create an outbound campaign An outbound campaign automatically calls a list of contacts using your AI agent. You configure all campaign settings in one place, then activate it to start dialing. ### Before you start You need the following before creating a campaign: * An agent configured for outbound calls. See [**Create an agent**](https://docs.agentalk.io/ai-agents/create-an-agent). * A phone number connected to that agent. See [**Configure and test your phone number**](https://docs.agentalk.io/phone-numbers/configure-and-test-your-phone-number). * A contact list with at least one contact. See [**Manage contacts**](https://docs.agentalk.io/contacts/manage-contacts). {% hint style="warning" %} **Verify your time zone** Agentalk uses your organization's time zone for all campaign scheduling, not your browser's time zone. See [**Manage your organization**](https://docs.agentalk.io/settings-and-administration/manage-your-organization). {% endhint %} Follow these steps: {% stepper %} {% step %} ### Create a new campaign Create a new campaign to start configuring your outbound workflow. 1. Go to **Campaigns** in the left navigation. 2. Click **+ New campaign**.
{% endstep %} {% step %} ### Set basic campaign information Define the core setup of your campaign. 1. Enter a campaign name. Use a descriptive name so you can easily identify the campaign later. 2. In the **Agent** field, select your outbound agent. Only agents with an assigned phone number will appear. 3. In **Outbound phone numbers**, select the number to use for this campaign. You can select a specific number or use automatic rotation if multiple numbers are available. 4. Click **Next** >.
{% endstep %} {% step %} ### Configure schedule Define when the campaign runs. 1. (Optional) Set a start and end date to control how long the campaign runs. 2. Set the start time and end time for each selected day. Operating hours follow your organization's time zone. If you leave the start and end dates empty, the campaign runs continuously within the operating hours you define. 3. Select the active days for the campaign. 4. Click **Next >**.
{% endstep %} {% step %} ### Configure dialing settings Control how calls are placed and retried. 1. Set the maximum number of concurrent calls.

Recommended concurrency settings

Start with 4 to 5 concurrent calls per supervisor as a baseline, then adjust based on your team's capacity.

2. Set **Attempts per lead**. 3. Set the **Retry interval** in minutes.

How retry settings work
For example, 3 attempts with a 30-minute interval means the agent retries up to three times, waiting 30 minutes between each attempt.

4. (Optional) In the **Lead Qualification Prompt** field, **e**nter **Guidelines for lead refinement**. 5. Click **Next >**.
{% endstep %} {% step %} ### Select contacts Choose which contacts will be included in the campaign. 1. Click **Select contacts** and choose your audience. You can select all contacts, filter by tag or custom field, or select contacts manually. 2. Click **Next >**.
{% endstep %} {% step %} ### Review and activate Verify your configuration and start the campaign. Review the campaign summary, including: * Agent * Schedule * Time zone * Contact count * Retry settings Confirm everything is correct, and click **New Campaign**. Then click **Activate**, and **t**he campaign starts immediately within the configured operating hours.
{% endstep %} {% endstepper %} ### Next steps Here are the recommended next steps after completing this guide: * [**Manage leads and priorities**](https://docs.agentalk.io/campaigns/manage-leads-and-priorities): Monitor call results and adjust priorities during the campaign. * [**Monitor live calls**](https://docs.agentalk.io/monitoring-and-analytics/monitor-live-calls): Watch active calls in real time and step in when needed.