This guide answers the most common questions about why the number of calls in Ringostat can differ from other accounting systems (Google Analytics 4, your PBX, and other analytics platforms).
First, let’s look at the reasons for these differences and explain how Ringostat records calls.
How Ringostat records calls
When you open the Call log section of your Ringostat account, you see the general call report. It shows every call: outgoing, incoming, calls from the Ringostat Callback widget, internal calls between employees, transferred calls, and even calls that ended with an error.
You can read more about Ringostat call reports in the Call log article.
The most common mistake is to count the total number of calls in this report and compare it with the number sent through an integration. Remember: if you have configured data sending for incoming calls only, it is incorrect to also count outgoing and internal calls.
Transferred calls are recorded as two separate entries — these are effectively two calls, so we split them into two records.
Internal calls from one SIP account to another internal SIP number are not treated as incoming or outgoing. This is a separate call type.
Auto-answer and “no missed” status. If a greeting, IVR, call queue, or hold music is set up on the PBX we forward the call to, we start counting the conversation the moment that function is triggered on your PBX side, and we treat it as an operator answer. As a result, we may show an incorrect call status, wait time, or talk time. The easiest way to diagnose this is to listen to the audio recording of one call: if it starts with music or your audio message instead of an operator’s voice, that is the cause.
Data in GA4 reports
After you activate the integration, data appears in Google Analytics 4 within about 24 hours (provided the account had enough calls — if there were very few, GA4’s thresholds may still apply during the first data transfer). Read more about the limits in the [Data thresholds in GA4] article.
Also check the following:
The identifier (Measurement ID) and API key were entered without errors or extra spaces during activation.
At least 24 hours have passed since the integration was activated in your Ringostat account.
There were calls — and there were enough of them.
For calls from the website — the event appears in the Realtime report.
Once the event appears, mark it as a key event (see the screenshot below). After that, you can configure separate key events for different call types.
Google recommends viewing event and key-event data in the Engagement reports. There you can see all call key events and, by clicking one, sort them by various parameters — for example, by channel or by campaign.
Why the data may differ:
Several events from one user within a single session are counted as one.
Key events are not configured, so all events are counted together as “All calls”. Example: a client calls once and does not get through, then calls again 10 minutes later and reaches a manager. That is two calls but one event. You can configure key events for different call types — for example, one for missed calls and one for answered calls — so it counts as two key events.
Different attribution models.
IMPORTANT: By default, GA4 uses the data-driven attribution model, but it can be changed. Ringostat uses last non-direct click attribution.
You can choose an attribution model and lookback window at the property level and apply them across reports. To do this, go to Admin > Attribution settings.
Data discrepancy between Ringostat and a third-party PBX that Ringostat forwards calls to
A discrepancy in the number of calls is fairly common. It happens because it is hard to account for every place a company’s number is published, or to understand the call-recording specifics of each system. Often, some calls go directly to the company rather than through the call-tracking substitution number.
Based on our experience, here are the main reasons for call-data discrepancies between Ringostat and our clients’ PBX systems:
1. Old numbers.
Clients often connect Ringostat to their website and expect every call to appear in our reports immediately. But there are usually other offline channels where their real numbers have long been published (social media, ad extensions, business cards, billboards, and so on). In those cases, the number of calls reaching the PBX will be higher than in Ringostat reports.
Example: Ringostat is set up on the website with number substitution for all sources. Even then, some clients will call numbers they saved earlier or received by referral. As a result, Ringostat records fewer calls than the destination PBX, which receives all calls.
Solution 1: Find where the company’s direct numbers are published and replace them with virtual numbers using static call tracking. These are usually Google Business profiles and Facebook/Instagram pages. This reduces the number of unrecorded calls that bypass Ringostat.
Solution 2: Connect all old phone numbers to Ringostat and receive calls through SIP accounts. Even if your old numbers are not in SIP format, you can connect them to our PBX by forwarding them to a virtual SIP number already connected to the project. You can name the call source “Old phone number” or “Direct number”. This lets you record absolutely all calls in your call log.
2. Backup numbers.
Whether we forward calls to our SIP account registered in the client’s PBX or to the client’s external SIP, we always recommend setting backup numbers for stable, reliable operation.
Example of such a forwarding scheme: [screenshot]
If the receiving PBX cannot accept the call on the SIP account (no internet or power), the system immediately forwards the call to the backup number. Only in this case — if that number is not connected to statistics collection on the client’s side — will they have fewer calls than we do.
Solution: Use a filter in the Ringostat call report based on who answered the call (the “Connected with” field).
3. Third-party service.
If a business connects Ringostat but uses a third-party callback form that is not linked to Ringostat, those calls will also not appear in the project statistics.
Solution: Use the Ringostat Callback widget and our SIP accounts for outgoing calls.