> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.custral.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Sending Pools

> Group the numbers you send FROM so outbound messages rotate across them and stay under daily limits.

## Overview

A sending pool decides which number a message goes **out** on. It is the
outbound counterpart to [routing rules](/comms/inbox/routing), which decide who
an inbound message reaches. A pool never picks a person.

Find them at **Settings → Channels → Phone & SMS → Sending pools**.

Pools group several channels together so Custral can pick one automatically
for outbound activity, spread volume across them, and keep each channel under
a daily sending limit. A pool covers one channel type: **phone**, **SMS**, or
**email**, so a phone pool rotates across multiple phone numbers, an SMS pool
across SMS senders, and so on.

## How it works

Each pool has a type and a set of **members** (the channels in it), and every
member has its own **daily limit**. When Custral needs to start a new outbound
thread from a pool, it selects a channel using round-robin: it walks the
members in order, skips any that have already hit their daily limit for the
day, and remembers the last one used so the next request continues from there.
If every member is at its limit, no channel is selected.

<Info>
  Daily usage is counted per channel for new threads and resets each day. Round-robin position is tracked per pool and
  rolls over after 24 hours.
</Info>

Pools can also be **assigned** to users or teams, and each pool's row shows
how many channels it contains. Daily limits and live usage are visible when
you open a pool to manage its members.

<Note>
  This screen manages channel pools across phone, SMS, and email. For provisioning and routing individual phone numbers,
  see [Numbers](/comms/voice/numbers).
</Note>

## Using it

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Pools">Go to **Pools** in settings and choose **Create Pool**.</Step>

  <Step title="Name the pool and pick a type">
    Give it a name and select **Phone**, **SMS**, or **Email**. The type determines which channels can join.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add channels and set daily limits">
    Open the pool's **Manage Members** action, add channels of the matching type, and set a daily limit for each.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign to users or teams (optional)">
    Use the **Assigned Users & Teams** tab to assign the pool to a user or team.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom                                      | Likely cause                                                         | What to check                                                            |
| -------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| A channel doesn't appear when adding members | Channel type doesn't match the pool type                             | The member list only shows channels of the pool's type (phone/SMS/email) |
| Outbound stops sending from a pool           | All members reached their daily limits                               | Raise a member's daily limit or add more channels to the pool            |
| One channel seems overused                   | Other members are at their limit, so rotation skips them             | Check each member's usage and limit in **Manage Members**                |
| Rotation doesn't feel even                   | Members hit limits at different rates; round-robin skips capped ones | Balance daily limits across members                                      |
| No channels available from a pool            | Pool has no members                                                  | Add at least one channel to the pool                                     |

<Note>
  When reporting an issue, include the request id shown in the error toast. It links the in-app error to the server
  logs.
</Note>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Numbers" href="/comms/voice/numbers" icon="phone-volume">
    Provision and route individual phone numbers.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


## Related topics

- [Phone & SMS Numbers](/comms/voice/numbers.md)
- [Phone & SMS System](/blocks/widgets/dialer.md)
- [Settings](/start/settings/overview.md)
- [Caller ID](/comms/voice/caller-id.md)
- [Routing Rules](/comms/inbox/routing.md)