--- schema_version: "1" id: d212e34c688ca6e2f39c50f6667b4b51435f9c7a282629de1fe9793e3ac0fae5 title: Compare the Conceptual Models of Open CTI and Salesforce Voice with Partner Telephony collection: developer version: current locale: en-us portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/developer/current/en-us/service-cloud/api-cti/guides/compare-opencti-voice.md canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/service/api-cti/guide/compare-opencti-voice.html source_site: developer.salesforce.com content_type: documentation content_hash: 4e81d1562143fc4d221149e61f77fb9776169f13e18d3f080fcfd523cfc671ed products: - Open CTI Developer Guide - Service Cloud Developer Content --- # Compare the Conceptual Models of Open CTI and Salesforce Voice with Partner Telephony Open CTI is a thin bridge: your CTI adapter runs in an iframe and calls `opencti` JavaScript APIs to invoke the Salesforce UI. All business logic lives in your adapter. Salesforce Voice with Partner Telephony inverts this: Salesforce owns the rep lifecycle through Omni-Channel, and your connector plays two distinct roles simultaneously. ## Role 1: Event Publisher (Connector to Salesforce) Your connector calls `publishEvent()` to push telephony events into Salesforce. When your telephony system fires a "call ringing" event, you translate it into `CALL_STARTED`; when the call ends, you publish `HANGUP`. These events drive everything downstream: VoiceCall record creation, AgentWork routing, screen pop, and presence sync. ## Role 2: Method Implementation Target (Salesforce to Connector) Connector API methods are what you implement to be notified when telephony actions are initiated from within Salesforce. When a rep clicks Accept in the softphone panel, Salesforce calls your `acceptCall()`. When they click End Call, Salesforce calls your `endCall()`. When a supervisor initiates listen-in from Command Center for Service (formerly Omni Supervisor), Salesforce calls your `superviseCall()`. **important:** Return a promise with the result; don't publish the event yourself. When Salesforce invokes one of your connector methods such as `acceptCall()`, `endCall()`, or `mute()`, return a promise that resolves with the appropriate result object (`CallResult`, `MuteToggleResult`). The framework publishes the corresponding event automatically based on your return value. Do not call `publishEvent()` yourself from inside these methods. That causes duplicate events and breaks the softphone state machine. Reserve `publishEvent()` for truly asynchronous backend-initiated events such as an inbound call arriving from the carrier. In Open CTI, the adapter pushes everything from the iframe. With Salesforce Voice with Partner Telephony, there's a bidirectional contract via the SDK. This bidirectionality is the core architectural shift. Your connector must implement both directions correctly or the integration is incomplete. ## Data Model Shift: From Task to VoiceCall The single biggest data model shift for migration is moving from Task records to VoiceCall records. ### Task: The Open CTI Model In Open CTI, your adapter typically: - Pre-creates a Task record at call start (via `opencti.saveLog` or custom Apex). - Updates that Task at wrap-up with duration, disposition, and notes. The Task is the canonical "call happened" record. Reports run on Activity and Task. #### Limitations - Task is generic. It's used for emails, meetings, and all activities. Voice fields are bolted on (`CallDurationInSeconds`, `CallType`, etc.) but the schema isn't voice-native. - The adapter is responsible for record creation. If the adapter crashes mid-call or has a bug, you may have no record. - Single record per call. There's no clean way to model multiparty, consults, or transfers. - No native recording link. You need a custom field or a parallel ContentDocument. ### VoiceCall: The Salesforce Voice with Partner Telephony Model For outbound calls, the Salesforce platform creates a VoiceCall record automatically when `CALL_STARTED` is published. For inbound and transfer calls, the telephony partner creates a VoiceCall record by calling the [Create a Voice Call Record](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.voice_developer_guide.meta/voice_developer_guide/voice_rest_voicecalls_create.htm) Telephony Integration API. VoiceCall is the de facto record for the call going forward, including voice-native fields, multiparty support, recording linkage, and supervisor view. | VoiceCall Field | Populated By | Replaces in Task Model | | ---------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | | `CallerId` | `CALL_STARTED phoneNumber` | Custom field on Task | | `CallDurationInSeconds` | Platform (computed at HANGUP) | Same field on Task, but populated automatically | | `Status` | Platform (Inbound/Outbound/Missed/Declined) | Custom field on Task | | `StartTime` / `EndTime` | Platform | Activity dates | | `OwnerId` | Platform (assigned rep) | `Task.OwnerId`, but auto-populated from Omni-Channel assignment | | `RelatedRecordId` | Your Omni-Channel flow (Contact/Case routed to) | `Task.WhatId` | | `CallDisposition` | Connector or rep ACW input | Custom field | | `VoiceCallRecordingId` | Platform (if recording enabled) | None — required custom field in Open CTI | | `AdditionalFields` | Connector (`callInfo.additionalFields` JSON) | Custom fields | | Multiparty linkage (`parentVoiceCallId`) | Connector at leg creation | None — not modeled in Open CTI | #### How VoiceCall Enhances the Experience - Recording is first-class. A linked VoiceCallRecording is automatically created and surfaced on the record page. No custom field, no signed URL configuration. - Multiparty is modeled. Each leg gets its own VoiceCall, linked via `parentVoiceCallId`. Reports across legs are simple SOQL. - Supervisor view runs on VoiceCall records. With Open CTI, you had to build your own supervisor dashboard. - AI features (transcription, conversation summary, sentiment) attach to VoiceCall natively. - Auditability and durability. The platform creates the record, not your code. If your connector crashes, the call is still logged. #### New Behavior for VoiceCall as the De Facto Record Don't call `saveLog`. The log already exists as VoiceCall. The question is no longer "how do I log this call?" The question is "what other records do I want to relate to this call?" Salesforce admins can choose to relate or create any record on top of VoiceCall, not just Tasks. Common customer patterns include: - **Case**: Customer support orgs typically relate the VoiceCall to a Case (new or existing). The VoiceCall ↔ Case relationship surfaces calls on the case timeline. - **Opportunity**: Sales orgs relate VoiceCall to an Opportunity for activity tracking and pipeline reports. - **Lead**: Inbound prospecting relates VoiceCall to a Lead. - **Account or Contact**: VoiceCall already exposes related Contact/Account via `RelatedRecordId`. - **Custom object**: For industry-specific use cases (Service Order, Patient Visit, Loan Application). - **Task**: Only when the customer specifically wants Task-based reporting (legacy reports, mobile activity feed, etc.). Not the default recommendation. This is built declaratively as a record-triggered flow on VoiceCall: same pattern, different target object. #### After Conversation Work Salesforce Voice with Partner Telephony has built-in after conversation work (ACW). When the rep clicks End Wrap-Up, `WRAP_UP_ENDED` is sent to your connector: ```javascript async wrapUpCall(call) { await myBackend.endAfterCallWork(call.callId); // Return a Promise; framework will publish WRAP_UP_ENDED from your return value. } ``` To configure ACW duration as a Salesforce admin, see Salesforce Help: [Configure After Conversation Work Time](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.omnichannel_configure_after_conversation_work_time.htm&type=5). ## Compare Open CTI Capabilities with Salesforce Voice with Partner Telephony Replacements This matrix maps every meaningful Open CTI capability to its Salesforce Voice with Partner Telephony equivalent. | Open CTI Capability | Salesforce Voice with Partner Telephony Replacement | Migration Action | | -------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | | `opencti.screenPop()` | Omni-Channel Flow → Screen Pop action | Eliminate. Rebuild in Flow Builder. | | `opencti.saveLog()` | VoiceCall (auto-created) + record-triggered Flow on whichever object the customer chooses | Eliminate. VoiceCall is the de facto record. | | `sforce.opencti.searchAndScreenPop()` | Omni-Channel Flow (Get Records + Screen Pop action) or LWC + Navigation API | Migrate or rebuild in Flow Builder. | | Custom presence via `runApex()` or Presence REST API | `setAgentStatus()` connector method | Eliminate. Omni-Channel owns presence. | | Other `runApex()` invocations | LWC `@wire` / imperative Apex + Toolkit API | Replace | | Custom status list fetch via Apex | Omni-Channel presence status configurations in Setup | Eliminate | | `opencti.setSoftphonePanelHeight/Width()` | Configure in Contact Center setup | Eliminate | | Custom adapter softphone panel (iframe contents) | Voice Extension LWC + VoiceExtension FlexiPage | Migrate to Voice Extension. | | Custom call-lifecycle event listeners in adapter | `lightning-service-cloud-voice-toolkit-api` events | Migrate to Voice Toolkit. | | Custom iframe ↔ page postMessage / DOM events | LMS via `ServiceCloudVoiceMessageChannel__c` | Migrate to LMS. | | `opencti.refreshView()` | `notifyRecordUpdateAvailable()` from LDS, or Flow that updates the record | Migrate | | `opencti.enableClickToDial()` and `disableClickToDial()` | Automatic. Handled by Salesforce Voice with Partner Telephony. | Eliminate | | Adapter pushes data to a Visualforce page | LMS channel; Visualforce subscribes via LightningMessageService JS library | Migrate | | `opencti.getPhoneContacts()` for contact search | Custom LWC with `@wire` on `getRecord` or SOSL via Apex | Migrate | | Custom IVR / routing logic | Omni-Channel Flows or Apex Actions in flows | Migrate | | External system webhooks | Trigger from VoiceCall record-triggered Flow | Migrate | | Custom analytics queries | VoiceCall SOQL / CRM Analytics Salesforce Voice with Partner Telephony template | Migrate | | Auth / SSO with your backend | Move into connector `init()` | Keep | | Custom supervisor dashboard | Command Center for Service (native) | Eliminate. Command Center for Service uses VoiceCall. | | Custom transfer / consult logic | `addParticipant()`, `dial(isConsultCall)`, `conference()`, `swap()` | Migrate to multiparty connector. |