Why some contacts are set aside
The reasons a row is never called, where Review counts them, and how to download the set-aside rows to fix them.
Not every row of a list can be called. The builder sets those rows aside when it reads your file, says why for each one, and never calls them. A set-aside row costs nothing.
The reasons
| Reason shown | What it means |
|---|---|
| No phone number | The phone cell is empty. |
| Not a number we can call | The cell is not a ten-digit North American number, or it is a premium-rate number. |
| Has an extension | The number carries an extension after it, written with "ext" or "x". Keep the extension out of the phone column. |
| Two numbers in one cell | The phone cell holds more than one number. Keep one number in the phone column. |
| Shortened by Excel (format the column as text) | Excel cut digits off the number. Format the phone column as text and export again. |
| Toll-free number | A toll-free number is a service line, not a person's phone. |
| Outside Canada | The number is real, but its area code or its country code is outside Canada. |
| Duplicate | The same number appears earlier in the list. The first row with it is kept. When the builder knows that row, the reason reads "Duplicate of row" and its number. |
| Left out by you: a note on the name | You left the contact out because their name carries a note, such as "deceased". See Greeting people by first name. |
| Left out by you: voicemail too long | You left the contact out because one of their details made the voicemail too long. See Write a script people call back. |
Campaigns deliver to Canadian numbers only. A number outside Canada is set aside here, refused again before sending, and never sent. See Across Canada.
See the rows that were set aside
On Audience, go to Review.
Read the counts at the top: All, Ready and Set aside. Select one to show those rows.
Read the line beside Set aside. It counts each reason, for example duplicates, not a number we can call, outside Canada, without a phone number, and left out by you.
What you see
A table of your file's rows in the file's order: the row number, the contact, the number, and for a row set aside, its reason. The table shows the first rows of each view and counts the rest under it. Ready is the number of contacts the campaign will call.
Fix them and upload again
On Review, select Download the set-aside rows.
Open the file. It holds the set-aside rows with your file's own columns, and one more column at the end, "Why it was set aside".
Fix the numbers in your own list.
Upload the corrected list on Audience. A new file replaces the old one.
The phone cells in the download stay as your file had them, so you can see what needs fixing.
Every other cell is made plain text, so a spreadsheet never runs a cell as a formula.
When too few are ready
A campaign needs at least 25 contacts with a number we can call, whichever way its message is made. If fewer are ready, Review says so with Choose another file, and Next stays closed. Add rows to your file and upload it again, or email us and we'll help you plan the list.
People who opted out
Someone who opted out of messages from your business, for example by replying STOP or ARRET to your campaign line, is never sent a voicemail by your business either. They are not set aside on Review: their voicemail is closed before anything is sent, with the reason "Opted out of messages from this business." It spends no credit. See Opt-outs.
Good to know
A credit is spent only on a delivered voicemail. A row that is set aside is never called, so it never costs a credit. See How credits work.
A contact you left out comes back with Put back, in the notice that says they are left out. If the builder no longer holds your file's rows, they come back when you upload the file again.
If you opened a saved draft and the builder no longer holds your file's rows, Review counts the set-aside rows without listing them. Upload the file again to see them.
Related
Last updated October 21, 2026
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