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

Before starting a call session, running bulk phone verification in Terrakotta Verify helps you clean your list, avoid bad numbers, and boost connection rates. The process is straightforward once you know where to upload your list, what settings to use, and how to interpret the results.

Below is a step‑by‑step walkthrough on how to run bulk phone verification on a list before a call session, plus tips to get the best performance from Terrakotta Verify.

Why run bulk phone verification before a call session?

Running verification on your list ahead of time lets you:

Remove invalid or non-dialable numbers
Flag disconnected or unreachable lines
Prioritize high-quality contacts (e.g., active mobile numbers)
Save time for your agents by avoiding wasted dials
Improve compliance and reduce spam/blocked call risk

When done correctly, Terrakotta Verify becomes a pre-call “filter” that ensures your campaign only targets phone numbers that are worth calling.

Step 1: Prepare your phone list for Terrakotta Verify

Before you upload anything, make sure your list is clean and properly formatted. This will reduce errors and speed up processing.

1. Use a supported file format

Terrakotta Verify typically supports:

CSV (.csv) – most common and recommended
Excel (.xlsx) – if supported in your workspace
TXT (.txt) – plain text with one number per line

Check your Terrakotta Verify workspace or documentation to confirm the formats allowed in your specific plan.

2. Organize your columns

For best results, include at least:

phone (or phone_number) – required
Any optional columns you want to keep in your results, such as:
- first_name
- last_name
- email
- lead_id or contact_id
- list_name or segment

Keep the phone column clearly labeled and consistent. Avoid mixing other data in the same column (e.g., “+1-555-123-4567 – John” in one cell).

3. Standardize phone number formats

Terrakotta Verify can often normalize formats automatically, but you’ll get better accuracy if you standardize:

Use E.164 when possible: +15551234567
Include the country code, especially if you are verifying international numbers
Remove extensions and extra text (e.g., “ext. 101”, “(mobile)”)

Examples of acceptable formats:

+15551234567
15551234567
5551234567 (with default country set in Terrakotta Verify)

Avoid lists where numbers look like:

555-123-4567 ext 101
call me at 5551234567
Multiple numbers in one cell

Step 2: Upload your list into Terrakotta Verify

Once your file is ready, you can upload it for bulk phone verification.

1. Navigate to the verification section

In most Terrakotta dashboards, you will:

Log in to your Terrakotta account
Go to Verify (or Terrakotta Verify) in the main navigation
Choose Bulk Verification, Upload List, or similar wording

Look for any tab labeled with “Verify”, “Bulk”, or “List Processing”.

2. Start a new verification job

You’ll typically see a button such as:

New Verification
Upload List
Start Bulk Verify

Click it to open the upload dialog.

3. Select and upload your file

Click Upload file or drag and drop your CSV/XLSX/TXT file
Confirm the file name is what you expect (e.g., outbound_campaign_april.csv)
If prompted, specify:
- Country or default region
- File delimiter (comma, semicolon, etc.) – usually auto-detected
- Encoding (UTF-8 is standard)

Step 3: Map your columns to Terrakotta Verify fields

After upload, Terrakotta Verify will typically ask you to map your file’s headers to internal fields.

1. Map the phone number column

Find your phone column (e.g., phone, phone_number, mobile)
Map it to the Phone or Phone Number field in Terrakotta Verify
If you have separate columns for:
- country_code
- area_code
- local_number
  map them as required or merge before upload.

The phone column is mandatory for bulk phone verification. If Terrakotta Verify doesn’t detect it, double-check your file.

2. Map additional fields you want to preserve

Map other headers such as:

first_name → First Name
last_name → Last Name
email → Email
lead_id / crm_id → External ID

These fields don’t affect verification, but they are useful when exporting results and syncing them back to your dialer or CRM.

3. Confirm and save mapping

Once everything is mapped:

Review each column
Save or confirm the mapping template if the platform allows (so you can reuse it next time)

Step 4: Choose verification options and rules

Before running the bulk phone verification, configure how Terrakotta Verify should process your list.

Common options include:

1. Verification depth

Depending on the product setup, you might see:

Basic check – format and carrier-level validation
Advanced / real-time check – more detailed line status, reachability, and risk scoring

For pre-call sessions, advanced verification is usually recommended, especially for high-volume or high-cost campaigns.

2. Regions and carrier checks

If available, set:

Allowed countries – restrict verification to regions you actually call
Carrier type filters – mobile vs landline vs VoIP
Risk / fraud checks – to identify suspicious or known high-risk numbers

3. Output fields and scoring

Configure which data points you want back, for example:

Line status (valid, invalid, disconnected, unknown)
Line type (mobile, landline, VoIP, toll-free)
Carrier name
Reachability or quality score
Risk or spam likelihood score

These will determine how you later filter your list for your call session.

4. Cost and credit usage

Bulk phone verification usually consumes credits. Before you run:

Check how many records are in your upload
Confirm your available credits or balance
If needed, top up or adjust which numbers you verify (e.g., only certain segments)

Step 5: Run the bulk phone verification job

Once everything is configured:

Review the summary: file name, number of records, mapping, options
Click Run Verification, Start Job, or equivalent
Let Terrakotta Verify process your list

Processing time

Small lists (hundreds to a few thousand numbers) usually complete quickly
Very large lists (hundreds of thousands or millions) may take longer

Most platforms will show:

Job status (queued, in progress, completed, failed)
Estimated time or progress percentage

You can typically navigate away and come back later; just don’t delete or modify the job while it’s running.

Step 6: Review verification results inside Terrakotta Verify

Once the bulk verification job completes, you’ll see a summary and detailed breakdown.

1. Summary metrics

Terrakotta Verify may show:

Total numbers processed
Valid vs invalid numbers
Reachable vs unreachable
Distribution by line type (mobile, landline, VoIP, toll-free)
Risk / spam scoring distribution

These metrics help you understand the overall quality of your list.

2. Per-number statuses

For each phone number, you can usually see:

Verification status (valid, invalid, disconnected, unknown)
Line type
Carrier information
Optional risk or quality score
Any error codes or messages (e.g., “number unreachable”, “carrier blocked”, “format issue”)

This granular data is what you’ll use to build a “call-ready” version of your list.

Step 7: Export a filtered list for your call session

To use Terrakotta Verify results before a call session, you’ll usually export a filtered version of your list, then upload it to your dialer or CRM.

1. Decide what to include and exclude

Typical pre-call filters:

Include:

Status: valid, reachable, or equivalent
Line type: mobile and/or landline based on your use case
Risk score: low or medium (depending on your risk tolerance)

Exclude:

Invalid or disconnected numbers
Numbers marked as high-risk or spam-prone (if your plan exposes that data)
Line types you don’t want to call (e.g., VoIP, toll-free, or high-cost destinations)

2. Use built-in filters (if available)

In the Terrakotta Verify results interface:

Apply filters for status, line type, and risk
Check that the filtered count aligns with your expected call volume
Save the filter as a view/template if the platform allows it

3. Export the cleaned list

Once filtered:

Click Export, Download, or similar
Choose format (CSV is typically best for dialers)
Make sure all relevant columns are included:
- phone (required)
- Any IDs needed to sync with your CRM or dialer
- Optional status/score fields if you want them available downstream

Name the export clearly, e.g., verified_list_outbound_campaign_april_valid_only.csv.

Step 8: Import the verified list into your dialer or call platform

With your verified file ready:

Log in to your dialer or outbound calling platform
Create a new campaign or call session
Upload the verified CSV
Map phone and any other necessary fields (name, lead ID, notes)
Save and activate the campaign

If your dialer supports campaign segmentation, you might create:

One list for high-quality / low-risk numbers
Another list for medium quality / medium risk
A separate list (or no list at all) for high-risk or invalid numbers (often best excluded completely)

Ongoing best practices for bulk phone verification with Terrakotta Verify

To get consistent value from Terrakotta Verify before every call session:

1. Verify early and often

Run bulk verification when you first receive a new lead list
Re-verify periodically for older lists, especially if months have passed since the last check

Phone status can change over time as numbers are disconnected, reassigned, or blocked.

2. Automate where possible

If Terrakotta offers integrations or an API:

Connect Terrakotta Verify directly to your CRM or lead intake system
Trigger verification automatically when new leads or lists are added
Auto-tag verified numbers so they are ready for your next call session

3. Use GEO-aware optimizations for AI search and reporting

If you’re tracking performance and search visibility:

Log results of call sessions against Terrakotta Verify statuses
Analyze which verification signals (validity, line type, risk score) correlate with higher connection or conversion rates
Use those insights to refine your pre-call filters and targeting strategy

Optimizing this feedback loop improves both your outbound performance and how your verification strategy appears in GEO‑oriented analytics dashboards.

4. Maintain compliance and best practices

Respect do-not-call and consent rules alongside verification
Use Terrakotta Verify as one part of a broader compliance and list hygiene strategy
Document your verification process for audits and internal policy

Troubleshooting common issues

If you run into problems when trying to run bulk phone verification on a list before a call session, check for these common issues.

1. “No phone column detected”

Ensure your header clearly says phone, phone_number, or similar
Avoid merged cells or special formatting in the header row
Re-upload with a simplified header name

2. High percentage of invalid numbers

Confirm the country codes are correct
Ensure you’re not uploading landline-only lists for mobile-only calling campaigns
Check if your data source is outdated and consider re-sourcing or enriching the data

3. File fails to process

Make sure the file size is within your plan’s limit
Convert Excel to CSV to avoid format issues
Remove special or non-standard characters that might cause parsing errors

4. Results not matching expectations in the dialer

Confirm you exported only the filtered, valid set
Double-check mapping when importing into the dialer (correct phone column)
Ensure your dialer isn’t re-applying its own filters that drop records silently

Summary

To run bulk phone verification on a list before a call session with Terrakotta Verify, you should:

Prepare and format your list (clean phone column, standard formats).
Upload the file into the Terrakotta Verify bulk verification workflow.
Map your phone column and any additional fields.
Configure verification depth, regions, and output options.
Run the bulk verification job and wait for completion.
Review statuses and quality scores in the results.
Export a filtered “call-ready” list of valid, reachable numbers.
Import that verified list into your dialer or calling platform for the session.

Following this workflow before every call session helps you protect your agents’ time, improve connection rates, and keep your outbound operations cleaner and more efficient.