How to set up an automated employee call out system

Most employee call-out systems rely on a live answering service or a clunky IVR phone tree. They work, but they're expensive to staff and difficult to change once they're set up.

Upfirst is an AI-powered employee call out hotline that picks up the phone 24/7, collects the details you need from the caller, and sends a text or email to the right manager within seconds. You can set the whole thing up in about 10 minutes, and change it yourself whenever your process changes.

Start a free trial or book a call and we'll set it up for you.

How to set up an automated employee call-off system with Upfirst

Here's the full process, step by step.

Step 1: Get your call-out number

When you create an Upfirst account, you'll get a dedicated phone number. This becomes your employee call-off line, the single number your team calls when they can't make it in.

You have two options. You can give this number directly to employees, or if there's already a number they're used to calling, you can forward those calls to your Upfirst number instead. Either way, every call gets picked up on the first ring, whether it's 6 AM or 2 AM.

That means second and third shift employees can report an absence at any hour, similar to how an after hours answering service works, without anyone having to call a supervisor's personal phone and hope someone picks up.

Step 2: Tell the AI what to collect

Next, you'll train the AI receptionist on how to handle call-outs. Open the agent settings and write your instructions in plain English. You're just telling it what to say and what to ask, the same way you'd brief a new front desk hire.

For a typical employee call-out system, you might have it collect:

• Employee name
• Which shift they're calling out from
• Reason for the absence
• Expected return date

You can adjust these anytime. If your process changes next month, just update the instructions. The AI handles the conversation naturally, so it doesn't feel like the caller is punching through a phone menu or reading off a form.

Step 3: Set up notifications

This is where it gets really useful. Under Agent > Notifications, you add the people who should be alerted when someone calls out. That could be a shift supervisor, an HR manager, or a department lead. You enter their email address or phone number, and they'll get a message after every call-out.

But you probably don't want every manager getting every notification. That's where conditional routing comes in.

Toggle "Only if" next to a contact and write a condition. For example, say you manage a grocery store. You could set it up so Dave, the produce manager, only gets a text when someone from the produce department calls out. The bakery manager only hears about bakery absences. Everyone gets the notifications that are relevant to them, and nothing else.

Every call-out also shows up in your Upfirst dashboard with a call summary, the full transcript, and a recording. If there's ever a question about whether someone called in or not, you have the record right there.

Step 4: Connect your other tools

If you track attendance in a Google Sheet, an HRIS, or any other system, you can connect Upfirst through our Zapier integration. Whenever an employee calls out, the details push automatically to wherever you keep your records.

That eliminates the step where someone has to manually log the call-out, which is usually the step where things get lost.

That's the whole setup

Four steps and you have a fully automated employee call-off system that handles calls around the clock, collects the right information, notifies the right people, and keeps a log of everything.

Start a free trial to set it up yourself, or book a call and our team will build it for you.

What is an employee call-out system?

An employee call-out system is a dedicated phone line that workers call when they can't make it to their shift. Instead of texting a manager's personal cell, leaving a voicemail, or calling an agency that might not pass along the message, employees call a single number. The system documents the call and alerts the right people.

Traditional systems rely on a live answering service or an IVR phone tree where callers press buttons to navigate options. These get the job done, but they're rigid. Changing who gets notified, or what information gets collected, usually means calling your vendor and waiting for them to make the update.

An AI-powered employee call-off system like Upfirst works differently. The employee calls and has a short conversation with the AI receptionist, which collects whatever information you've told it to ask for. You control the setup yourself, and you can change it whenever you need to.

Why your business needs an employee call-out system

Supervisors shouldn't have to give out their personal numbers

When employees call a supervisor's cell phone to report an absence, you've built a system that only works if that one person answers. If they're asleep because they worked the night before, or they're on PTO, the message doesn't get through. A centralized call-out line makes sure every call gets answered regardless of who's on duty.

You need documentation for every call-out

Without a system, call-outs become a he-said-she-said situation. The employee says they called. The supervisor says they never got a message. An employee call-out system logs every call with a timestamp, a recording, and a written transcript. That protects the employee and the company, and it gives HR something concrete to reference if attendance becomes an issue.

Night shifts and weekends need coverage

Most absences aren't reported during business hours. Second and third shift employees need to be able to report an absence at 3 AM on a Saturday, and they need to know the message actually went through. An automated system picks up every call regardless of the time or day.

Late notifications cost you money

When you find out about an absence after the shift has already started, you're scrambling. You're pulling someone off another task, calling in a replacement last minute, or running short-staffed. An automated employee call-off system sends the notification as soon as the call ends, giving you time to find coverage before the shift begins.

It creates consistency across the company

When every absence goes through the same system, every call-out gets the same treatment. The same information is collected, the same people are notified, and the same record is created. That consistency makes it easier to track attendance patterns, enforce policies fairly, and resolve disputes when they come up.

What to look for in an employee call-out system

If you're evaluating employee call-off systems, here are the features that matter most.

24/7 availability. Your employees work all shifts, and the system should too. If it only answers during business hours or has a queue, it's not solving the core problem.

Customizable information collection. Every company has a different call-out process. You should be able to control exactly what the system asks, whether that's an employee ID, a department, a shift, a reason, or all of the above.

Instant notifications with routing. The right person should find out about a call-out within minutes. Look for text and email notifications, and ideally conditional routing so each manager only gets notified about their own team.

Call logging and recordings. Every call-out should be searchable, exportable, and backed by a call recording. This is important for attendance tracking, HR reviews, and compliance.

Integrations. If you track attendance in a spreadsheet, an HRIS, or a workforce management platform, your call-out system should be able to push data there automatically through an integration like Zapier.

Self-service setup. If you need a vendor or an IT team to make changes, you'll always be waiting on someone else. The best systems let you update your call flow, notifications, and instructions yourself.

Set up your employee call-out system today

Your team needs a clear way to report absences, and your managers need to hear about it fast. Upfirst gives you an automated employee call-off system that's ready in minutes.

Start a free trial or book a call and we'll get you set up.