SimpleVoIP CRM Connect is a Chrome extension that connects your SimpleVoIP phone system directly to your CRM, so calls can be placed, received, and logged automatically without leaving your browser.
This guide covers installation, configuration, daily usage, and common questions.
Installation
1. Download the Chrome Extension
Install SimpleVoIP CRM Connect from the Chrome Web Store. Once installed, the SimpleVoIP icon will appear in your browser toolbar.
Tip: Pin the extension so it’s always visible during calls.
2. Allow Microphone and Speaker Access
On first use, Chrome will prompt you to allow access to:
Microphone
Speaker / audio output
These permissions are required for placing and receiving calls directly from your browser. If you accidentally deny access, you can re-enable it in Chrome’s site settings.
3. Log In with Your SimpleVoIP Credentials
Click the SimpleVoIP CRM Connect icon and log in using your existing SimpleVoIP username and password.
Once authenticated, the extension will connect to your phone system and load your available settings.
4. Enable Your CRM Integration
Navigate to the Options tab in the extension and enable your CRM integration (AppFolio).
If you do not see the AppFolio toggle:
Contact SimpleVoIP Support and ask for the AppFolio integration to be enabled for your company.
5. Configuration Options
Call Logging Options
From the Options tab, you can control how calls are logged:
Enable or disable call logging
Choose how call notes are created
Control which call types are eligible for logging
These settings determine what appears in CRM notes when calls are completed.
Usage
Making a Call with the Dial Pad
Open the extension and use the built-in dial pad to place an outbound call.
Note: Calls placed manually using the dial pad are not logged to a CRM contact, because there is no associated CRM record to attach the call to.
Click-to-Call (CRM Integration)
When the AppFolio integration is enabled:
Phone numbers in AppFolio are automatically highlighted
Clicking a phone number places the call through SimpleVoIP
The call is automatically logged to the correct contact record
This is the recommended way to place outbound calls when logging is required.
Handling Inbound Calls
When you receive an inbound call:
The extension displays caller information (when available)
The call is logged to the appropriate contact in AppFolio automatically
Call Transfer Features
CRM Connect supports both Blind Transfers and Attended Transfers directly from the active call window.
Blind Transfer
A Blind Transfer immediately transfers the caller to another phone number or extension without first speaking to the recipient.
Attended Transfer
An Attended Transfer places the caller on hold while you contact the destination. Once the recipient is ready, you can complete the transfer.
In addition to transferring to external phone numbers, CRM Connect supports transferring calls to internal extensions and users on your account.
Putting a Call on Hold
Use the Hold button during a call to temporarily pause the conversation without disconnecting.
Override Your Outbound Caller ID
You can change which number appears on outbound calls:
Click the Caller ID icon in the extension
-
Select the number you want to present:
Your assigned DID
Your office’s main number
An AppFolio SMS number
This override applies only to outbound calls.
Community Alerts
Within the SimpleVoIP CRM Connect extension, mass community alerts to entire properties can be created, tested, and scheduled in just a few clicks.
-
Click on the "Community Alerts" icon:
- Select your target property
- Select distinct tenants, or select all
- Enter the message you want your callers to hear when they answer, or for their voicemail box if they don't
- Schedule your message for some-time in the future when you want the calls to be sent to your selected tenants
- Optionally give your event a name, and click Schedule Call Message:
Your selected tenants will receive a call at the time you designated with your automated message. History of all community alerts can be seen at the bottom of the application.
Screen Pop Settings
CRM Connect can automatically open AppFolio contact records when an incoming call is received.
Screen Pop on Ring
When enabled, CRM Connect opens the matching AppFolio contact record as soon as the phone begins ringing.
Screen Pop on Answer
When enabled, CRM Connect opens the matching AppFolio contact record after the call has been answered.
Multiple Contact Matches
If multiple AppFolio contacts share the same phone number, CRM Connect displays a list of matching contacts, allowing you to select the correct record before proceeding.
AI-Powered Call Logging
CRM Connect integrates with SimpleVoIP's AI capabilities to provide enhanced call documentation directly within AppFolio.
Available logging options include:
- Call Summary
- Sentiment Analysis
- Call Transcript
- Call Recording Information
- Call Duration
- Caller and Recipient Details
Administrators can choose which AI components are logged to AppFolio notes.
AI Summary vs Transcript
AI Summary
Provides a concise overview of the conversation, including key discussion points and outcomes.
Sentiment Analysis
Provides insight into the overall tone of the conversation.
Call Transcript
Displays the complete conversation transcript generated from the call recording.
Because transcripts can be lengthy, transcript logging may be disabled by default depending on your organization's preferences.
Offline Logging
Offline Logging allows CRM Connect to log calls made or received from other SimpleVoIP devices associated with your account.
This includes:
- SimpleVoIP Mobile App
- SimpleVoIP Desktop App
- Supported desk phones
When Offline Logging is enabled and an exact AppFolio contact match is found, call activity can automatically be associated with the correct contact record.
SMS Logging
SMS conversations sent through CRM Connect can be automatically logged to AppFolio contact records.
To improve readability, messages exchanged within a short period of time may be grouped together into a single contact note.
For longer conversations that occur across separate time periods (after an hour), CRM Connect may create multiple notes to better organize message history.
Voicemail Features
CRM Connect provides access to voicemail directly within the extension.
Available actions include:
- Listen to voicemail messages
- Mark messages as new
- Return calls directly from voicemail
- Delete voicemail messages
- Download voicemail recordings
- Adjust playback speed during playback
Voicemail Transcription
Voicemail transcription can be enabled from the Settings section.
When enabled, voicemail messages are transcribed and included in voicemail notifications where applicable.
Note: Voicemail transcription is separate from call transcription and AI call summaries.
Directories
The Directories section provides quick access to available contacts and destinations for calling, transferring, and messaging.
Depending on your configuration, directories may include:
- Internal Contacts
- Personal Contacts
- CRM Contacts
- Site Contacts
- Customer Contacts
Directories can be searched to quickly locate users, phone numbers, and transfer destinations.
What's New
The What's New section provides release notes and feature updates directly within CRM Connect.
Users can review recent enhancements, fixes, and newly released functionality without leaving the application.
FAQs – AppFolio Integration
How does contact sync work?
Contacts are synced automatically when you enable the AppFolio integration.
Changes in AppFolio (new numbers or updates) sync every 6 minutes
If you click-to-call before the next sync, the call will complete but will not be logged
To force an immediate sync:
Disable and re-enable the AppFolio integration in the Options tab.
Why aren’t phone numbers highlighted for click-to-call?
Phone number highlighting requires the AppFolio integration to be enabled.
If:
The toggle is missing, or
Numbers are not clickable
Contact SimpleVoIP Support and request that the AppFolio integration be enabled for your company.
How do I enable the AppFolio integration?
There are two required steps:
In AppFolio Property Manager, click Add Functionality and search for SimpleVoIP in the AppFolio Stack™ Marketplace
After connecting, contact SimpleVoIP Support to complete activation on our side
Why aren’t manually dialed calls logging to a contact?
CRM Connect automatically logs inbound calls and outbound calls when a matching AppFolio contact can be identified.
In some cases, manually dialed outbound calls may not be logged automatically if CRM Connect cannot determine which contact record should be associated with the call.
If a call cannot be matched to a contact, users may be able to manually associate the activity with an existing contact record. Additional call matching and logging enhancements may be added in future releases.
Why don’t calls made from my mobile app or desktop phone log?
To log calls made from the SimpleVoIP mobile app or a desktop phone, make sure "offline logging" is enabled in the settings tab. This is enabled by default.
Can I click to call from the AppFolio mobile app?
Yes - as long as you set your mobile phone's default dialer to the SimpleVoIP Mobile App and ensure you have installed the app and logged in. This will allow any hyperlinked phone number on a web page or in an app on your phone to place calls using the SimpleVoIP Mobile App instead of your phone's native dialer.
How does Caller ID masking work with AppFolio?
You can select an AppFolio number as your outbound Caller ID. This affects outbound calls only. Click the icon on the left bar of CRM Connect to update your caller ID number.
To receive inbound calls to your SimpleVoIP number, set up call forwarding:
- Log into your APM database
- Click your name
- Choose General Settings
- Click Texting Settings
- Choose either your company phone number or portfolio phone number