Terrakotta Verify: how do I run bulk phone verification on a list before a call session?

Running bulk phone verification with Terrakotta Verify before a call session helps you avoid bad numbers, wasted agent time, and carrier flags. The process is straightforward: prepare your list, upload it, run verification, then sync the clean list back into your dialer or CRM before your session.

Below is a step-by-step guide to using Terrakotta Verify for bulk phone verification, along with best practices to keep your campaigns compliant, efficient, and high-converting.

Why bulk phone verification before a call session matters

Before diving into the steps, it helps to clarify why bulk verification is worth the effort:

Reduce failed calls and dropped connections by removing invalid or disconnected numbers.
Protect your caller ID reputation by avoiding repeated dials to bad or risky numbers.
Increase agent productivity by focusing only on live, reachable contacts.
Improve compliance with TCPA and carrier rules by verifying line type and risk signals.
Optimize lead lists so your call session starts with the highest-quality data possible.

Terrakotta Verify is designed to run this verification in bulk, so you can clean an entire list at once instead of checking numbers one by one.

Preparing your list for Terrakotta Verify

Before you run bulk phone verification on a list, make sure your data is structured correctly. This will reduce errors and speed up processing.

1. Choose your source list

Typical sources include:

CRM exports (HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho, etc.)
Dialer lists (e.g., from your power dialer or predictive dialer)
Lead vendor CSV files
Internal lead databases

Export your list to a CSV or Excel file, as these are the most commonly supported formats for bulk upload.

2. Standardize phone number formatting

Bulk verification tools like Terrakotta Verify work best when phone numbers follow a consistent structure:

One phone number per column (e.g., phone, mobile_phone, home_phone)
Include country code where relevant (e.g., +1 for US and Canada)
Avoid letters, extensions, or notes in the phone field (e.g., do not use 555-123-4567 x2 or 555-123-4567 (bad))

Good examples:

+15551234567
15551234567
5551234567 (if you specify country during upload)

Bad examples:

555-123-4567 ext 2
John’s cell 555-123-4567
N/A, null, or mixed text in the same columns

Terrakotta Verify typically normalizes numbers, but clean data at the start will produce more accurate verification results.

3. Include useful fields for post-verification filtering

To get the most value from Terrakotta Verify, include additional columns in your list:

Lead ID or record ID (for syncing back to your CRM/dialer)
Name (first and last)
Email
Lead source or campaign
Time zone or location (if available)

These fields allow you to filter verified results and re-import them without losing record alignment.

Uploading your list to Terrakotta Verify

Once your file is ready, you can upload it into Terrakotta Verify for bulk processing.

1. Log in to your Terrakotta account

Go to your Terrakotta dashboard.
Navigate to the Verify or Phone Verification section (the exact label may vary depending on your plan and interface).

2. Start a new bulk verification job

Look for an option similar to:

“New verification”
“Bulk verify”
“Upload list”
“Start verification job”

Click this to begin setting up your bulk phone verification run.

3. Upload your file

Select the CSV or Excel file you prepared.
Confirm encoding and delimiter if prompted (most exports are fine with defaults).
If Terrakotta Verify offers a preview, review it to ensure columns appear correctly.

Mapping fields for phone verification

Correct field mapping is essential for successful bulk phone verification.

1. Map your phone number columns

When Terrakotta Verify prompts you to map fields:

Set your main phone column to Phone or Primary Phone.
If you have multiple numbers (mobile, home, work), map each one to the correct type if supported:
- mobile_phone → Mobile
- home_phone → Landline/Home
- work_phone → Work

If the tool only accepts a single “Phone” field per run, start with your primary contact number, or run separate batches for each column.

2. Map identifiers and metadata

Map any of the following fields if they exist:

id or lead_id → External ID / Record ID
first_name, last_name → Name fields
email
source, campaign
Any custom fields you want to preserve

This ensures that when you download the verified list, you can match results back to your original records.

Configuring verification options before a call session

Terrakotta Verify may offer additional options that influence how verification is run and which data points you receive.

Typical settings to review:

1. Verification depth

Choose the verification level that matches your use case:

Basic verification: Checks number format, carrier, line type, and active status.
Advanced or deep verification: Adds risk scoring, potential spam indicators, and more detailed metadata.

For pre–call session cleaning, advanced verification is often worth the extra cost, especially for outbound sales or high-volume calling.

2. Line type and risk indicators

If available, enable:

Line type detection (mobile, landline, VoIP, toll-free, etc.)
Risk scoring (potential fraud, virtual numbers, disposable numbers)
Do-not-call / known spam flags if Terrakotta provides such signals

This makes it easier to filter out risky or low-value numbers before your agents start dialing.

3. Country or region settings

If your list spans multiple countries:

Confirm default country for numbers lacking country code.
Enable multi-country verification if supported.

This improves accuracy for international lists.

Running the bulk phone verification

Once everything is mapped and configured, you can launch the verification job.

1. Start the job

Click Start, Verify, or Run job.
Terrakotta Verify will process your list in the background.

2. Monitor job progress

You’ll typically see:

Percentage completion or a progress bar
Number of records processed
Estimated time remaining (for large lists)

You can usually leave the page and return later or wait for a notification/email when the job is complete.

3. Handling processing errors

If Terrakotta Verify shows any errors:

Check for unreadable phone formats
Confirm that the correct column was mapped as the phone field
Re-upload a corrected file if needed

Most errors will be logged per row so you can inspect and fix them in your source data.

Understanding Terrakotta Verify results

After the bulk phone verification job completes, you’ll receive a results file or report. This is where you decide what to keep for your upcoming call session.

1. Typical output fields

Common fields in Terrakotta Verify output may include:

phone_original – the number as uploaded
phone_normalized – standardized E.164 format
status – valid, invalid, inactive, unreachable, etc.
line_type – mobile, landline, VoIP, toll-free, unknown
carrier – current carrier or network
risk_score – numeric risk rating or low/medium/high flag
is_reachable – yes/no
is_ported – whether the number was ported
country and time_zone (if detected)

Refer to Terrakotta’s documentation for the exact field names in your account, but these are the kinds of insights to expect.

2. Key statuses to focus on before a call session

For a practical outbound calling workflow, consider:

Keep for calling:
- status = valid or reachable = yes
- Acceptable line types for your campaign (often mobile + landline)
- Low or medium risk ratings
Remove or deprioritize:
- status = invalid, disconnected, unreachable
- Numbers marked as high risk, spam-like, or fraudulent
- Line types you don’t call (e.g., toll-free, certain VoIP ranges, if they perform poorly)

Filtering these results before importing into your dialer drastically improves call session performance.

Exporting and cleaning the list after verification

Once you’ve reviewed the Terrakotta Verify results, you’ll want to create a “clean” list for your upcoming call session.

1. Export verification results

From Terrakotta Verify:

Download the full results as CSV/Excel.
Make sure you include all columns, especially your original IDs and mapped metadata.

2. Filter your list in Excel or your data tool

Open the results file in Excel, Google Sheets, or your preferred data tool and:

Filter status to include only valid/reachable numbers.
Filter risk_score to exclude high risk or flagged entries.
Limit line_type to those appropriate for your call session.
Optionally, filter by country, time zone, or campaign to align with your calling strategy.

Save the filtered list as a new file, such as:

verified_list_for_call_session_YYYY-MM-DD.csv

3. Keep an archive of original + verified data

For audit and optimization:

Save the raw export from Terrakotta Verify.
Save the filtered, call-ready list separately.

This helps you analyze performance later (e.g., how valid vs. invalid numbers behaved, risk score correlations, etc.).

Importing the verified list into your dialer or CRM

Now that your list is fully verified and filtered, you’re ready to load it into your calling environment.

1. Map fields to your dialer/CRM

When importing:

Match ID → record or contact ID
Match phone_normalized (or your selected phone column) → primary phone number
Map any other critical fields: name, email, campaign, time zone

If your dialer supports multiple phone fields, you can:

Use the verified normalized number as the primary phone.
Retain original numbers for reference but not for dialing.

2. Create a dedicated calling campaign

To keep your session clean and trackable:

Create a new campaign or call list based only on the verified file.
Label it clearly (e.g., “Q2 Verified Leads – Terrakotta Verify – [date]”).

This avoids mixing unverified numbers with your newly verified, high-quality list.

3. Set call rules based on verification data

Some dialers let you:

Skip or deprioritize numbers with certain flags.
Limit call attempts per number.
Schedule calls by time zone (if Terrakotta provided it).

Configure these rules to align with the verification insights you received.

Recommended timing: when to run Terrakotta Verify before a call session

To keep your list as fresh and accurate as possible:

Run bulk verification close to the call date
Ideally within 24–72 hours of your call session, especially for high-velocity leads.
Re-verify older lists periodically
Phone status can change (ports, disconnections, carrier changes). If you’re reusing a list after weeks or months, consider re-running Terrakotta Verify.
Automate for ongoing campaigns
If your workflow allows, set up a recurring job where new leads are:
1. Collected from your lead source.
2. Passed to Terrakotta Verify for bulk verification.
3. Automatically pushed into your dialer once verified.

Best practices for using Terrakotta Verify with call sessions

To get maximum value from bulk phone verification on your lists:

1. Always preserve unique IDs

Never remove or overwrite your lead ID or record ID during verification. This is the key to syncing results back to your CRM and tracking performance.

2. Use normalized numbers in your dialer

Where possible, dial with the normalized E.164 format provided by Terrakotta Verify. This reduces carrier issues and helps with accurate call routing.

3. Segment by line type and risk

Instead of one giant list, consider:

One campaign for low-risk mobile numbers
Another for landlines
A separate, deprioritized campaign for medium-risk numbers (if you choose to call them at all)

This allows more precise call strategies and better reporting.

4. Monitor outcomes to refine filters

After a few call sessions:

Compare answer rates, conversion rates, and complaint rates by:
- Verification status
- Line type
- Risk score

Use these insights to refine how aggressively you filter numbers after Terrakotta Verify for future campaigns.

5. Maintain compliance

Verification is not a substitute for legal compliance, but it supports it by:

Helping identify line types (important for certain rules).
Reducing calls to invalid or obviously problematic numbers.

Combine Terrakotta Verify with your standard compliance processes, internal DNC lists, and legal guidance.

Troubleshooting common issues

If your bulk phone verification run doesn’t behave as expected, check these areas:

Issue 1: Many numbers show as invalid

Possible causes:

Wrong country assumption (e.g., US logic applied to international numbers).
Inconsistent formatting in your original file.
Mismapped columns (email or ID column mapped as phone).

Fix:

Confirm country settings in Terrakotta Verify.
Clean your file so only phone numbers are in the phone column.
Re-map fields and re-run verification.

Issue 2: File upload errors

Check:

File size limits.
Supported formats (typically .csv or .xlsx).
Encoding (UTF-8 usually works best).

Split very large lists into multiple files if necessary.

Issue 3: Difficulty matching results back to your CRM

This usually happens when the import/export process drops the ID field.