Your team is using Beside to manage business calls and messages. You've been invited to join - this guide covers everything you need to get up and running.
Setup takes about 10 minutes. Most of it happens in the Beside mobile app on your phone.
What is Beside and why am I getting this?
Beside is a business phone app. It gives your team a shared phone number - with an AI Receptionist that answers calls, takes messages, and routes callers to the right person.
Your account owner has set up Beside for your company and invited you to join. Once you're set up, calls to your team's number can ring on your phone - and you'll be able to make calls, send messages, and see everything that comes in on the shared line.
📌 Your personal number stays private. Beside works separately from your regular phone number. Calls you make from Beside show your team's Beside number - not your personal number.
Get set up in 4 steps
Step 1 - Accept your invitation
Check your email for an invitation from Beside. Click Accept invitation and follow the steps to create your account or sign in if you already have one.
💡 Tip: The invitation link works with any email or Google account - it doesn't have to match the email address it was sent to. Check your spam folder if you don't see it in your inbox.
Step 2 - Download the app
Download the Beside mobile app on your iPhone or Android phone and sign in with the account you just created.
Step 3 - Set up your AI Receptionist
Your AI Receptionist answers calls when you're unavailable. Even as a teammate, you can customize how it handles calls on your line - its greeting, voice, and what it does when it picks up.
In the Beside mobile app, go to the AI tab to configure your AI Receptionist.
Step 4 - Connect your phone number
How you receive calls on Beside depends on how your company is set up.
If you need to connect your existing phone number: You'll set up call forwarding to redirect calls from your personal number to Beside. Your personal number stays the same, Beside just handles the calls in the background.
In the Beside mobile app, go to Settings → Call Forwarding and follow the guided setup. The app will detect your carrier and walk you through activation.
It usually activates within a minute. If it doesn't work right away, give it a few minutes - some carriers take a little longer. If you're still stuck after that, your account owner or our support team can help.
💡 Not sure which applies to you? Check with your account owner - they'll know how your team's lines are configured.
What happens when someone calls your team's number
When a call comes in on your shared Beside line, all team members on that line are notified at the same time. The first person to pick up takes the call. If no one answers, the AI Receptionist handles it - taking a message, answering questions, or routing the caller based on the rules your account owner has set up.
After every call - whether you answered it or the AI did - you'll receive a call summary and transcript directly in the app.
Need help?
If you have a question or run into an issue at any point, we're here to help.
In-app chat: Tap the help icon in the Beside app to reach our support team directly.
Can't log in? If you're having trouble signing into your account, email us at [email protected] and we'll get you back in.
FAQ
Do I need my own Beside subscription?
Do I need my own Beside subscription?
No. You're joining your team's account as an invited member. You don't need to pay for anything separately - your account owner's 👥 Business plan covers your seat.
Will my personal contacts or messages be visible to my team?
Will my personal contacts or messages be visible to my team?
No. Your personal contact list stays private. Your team can only see calls and messages that go through your shared Beside line - not anything on your personal number or in your phone's contacts.
Can I make outbound calls from the shared number?
Can I make outbound calls from the shared number?
Yes. When you make a call from Beside, it shows your team's Beside number as the caller ID - not your personal number. This keeps your personal number private and ensures calls look professional.
What if I didn't receive the invitation email?
What if I didn't receive the invitation email?
Check your spam or junk folder first. If it's not there, ask your account owner to resend the invitation from the Members section of the web dashboard.
Can I use Beside on multiple devices?
Can I use Beside on multiple devices?
Yes. You can use Beside on iPhone, Android, and on your Mac with Beside for macOS. Sign in with the same account and your lines and history will sync across devices.
What can I see on the shared line?
What can I see on the shared line?
Once you've been added to a line, you have full visibility into everything on it: calls, call summaries, messages, voicemails, and AI Receptionist activity - including the full history before you joined.
What's my role on the team?
What's my role on the team?
By default, you join as an invited member. This means you can make and receive calls and messages on the lines you've been added to, but you can't change line settings or manage other members. Your account owner can give you more permissions if needed.