The optional Lead Manager allows you to create and track leads A lead is a possible sale opportunity for a new or existing client. , view details of past leads, and helps you manage those leads or opportunities.
Each client can potentially have many leads associated with them.
Leads are usually created as the first stage in the Typical job flow.
Before you begin
Before you create your first lead in , open the following drop-downs to find out more about:
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Lead activities
Lead activities are tasks or to-do items that you can add to a lead. They can act as reminders to ensure that you (or another staff member) fully progress the lead within a set time (such as following up with the client).
For details, see About lead activities.
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Lead categories
Lead categories are used to group leads for reporting purposes. For example, they could be used to identify:
- the probability of a lead becoming a job: Hot, Warm, Cold, or
- the type of work this lead relates to: Website, Brochure, Annual accounts, Property maintenance.
Lead categories are one of the three types of lead settings.
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Lead documents
Documents can be stored directly against leads so you can access relevant information directly within the lead. Everyone who can see the lead will be able to see the documents against it, streamlining collaboration within your team.
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Lead notes
Notes can be stored directly against leads so you no longer have to hunt around for sticky notes or scrap pieces of paper. Everyone who can see the lead will be able to see the notes against it, streamlining collaboration within your team.
For details, see About lead notes.
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Lead status
In , every lead has a lead status – a configurable stage in your sales pipeline, such as Initial Enquiry, Proposal Sent, Closed Won, or Closed Lost. Lead statuses replace the old fixed Current / Won / Lost system: you define the statuses that match your own sales process and arrange them into a pipeline.
Each status has a type – Standard, Won, or Lost – and the type sets the lead’s outcome:
- Standard – an open, in-progress lead that is still in your pipeline.
- Won – a successful lead. Moving a lead into a Won-type status runs the Mark as Won flow, so you can easily convert it into a job.
- Lost – an unsuccessful lead. Moving a lead into a Lost-type status runs the Mark as Lost confirmation.
A lead is won or lost simply by virtue of the status it sits in – there is no separate won/lost field to set. Leads in a Standard status appear on the Active Leads, My Leads, and All Leads tabs; Won and Lost leads appear on the My Leads and All Leads tabs.
To set up your statuses, see Manage lead statuses. To work with leads across them on the board, see Use the Pipeline view to manage your leads.
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Lead templates
A lead template allows you to identify pre-defined activities that need to be carried out as you progress each lead. Each lead template can specify the activities for a lead relating to a specific type of work.
Lead templates are one of the three types of lead settings.
Links between leads and quotes or estimates
Each lead can be linked to one or more quotes or estimates.
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More...
The linkage between leads and quotes or estimates:
- provides rapid access (in both directions) between the lead and any related quotes or estimates
- reduces the work required to create a job when the lead is won (or when the quote or estimate is accepted).
The link between a lead and a quote or estimate can be set up by:
- creating a quote or estimate based on a lead
- adding existing quotes or estimates to a lead
- creating a lead from a quote or estimate.
The last option above allows you to retrospectively create leads from quotes or estimates. This is useful, as it lets you use Lead Manager to track and manage all your quotes or estimates, not just those that were originally based on leads.
Working with leads
Related activities
- Import leads
- Move between leads and linked quotes or estimates