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# Leads Pipeline

# Leads Pipeline

Track and convert prospects into customers using the visual leads pipeline board.

## What is the Leads Pipeline?

The leads pipeline is a visual Kanban board that shows your sales process. Move leads through stages from initial contact to closed deal.

## Pipeline Overview

### Visual Board

The pipeline displays as columns:
- Each column = a pipeline stage
- Each card = a lead
- Drag and drop to move leads between stages

### Pipeline Stages

Common stages include:
- **New**: Just received lead
- **Qualified**: Lead is qualified
- **Proposal**: Proposal sent
- **Negotiation**: Negotiating terms
- **Won**: Deal closed successfully
- **Lost**: Deal lost

**Customize Stages:**
- Add custom stages
- Reorder stages
- Set stage colors
- Configure stage behavior

## Creating a Lead

### Quick Create

1. Go to **CRM** → **Leads Pipeline**
2. Click **"New Lead"** button
3. Fill in lead information
4. Select initial stage
5. Save

### Lead Information

**Required Fields:**
- **Title**: Lead name or subject
- **Status**: Pipeline stage

**Optional Fields:**
- **Company**: Link to company (or create new)
- **Contact**: Link to contact
- **Source**: How lead found you (website, referral, etc.)
- **Value**: Estimated deal value
- **Probability**: Likelihood of closing (%)
- **Assigned To**: Who owns this lead
- **Description**: Lead details
- **Notes**: Additional information
- **Custom Fields**: Your custom data

## Moving Leads Through Pipeline

### Drag and Drop

1. **Find Lead**: Locate lead card on board
2. **Drag**: Click and hold lead card
3. **Drop**: Move to new stage column
4. **Auto-Save**: Lead status updates automatically

### Manual Status Change

1. **Open Lead**: Click lead card
2. **Status Dropdown**: Select new status
3. **Save**: Status updated

## Lead Details

Click any lead to view:

**Information Tabs:**
- **Overview**: Basic information
- **Activities**: Timeline of interactions
- **Related Records**: Invoices, projects, bookings
- **Notes**: Additional notes
- **Custom Fields**: Your custom data

## Converting Leads

### Convert to Contact

When lead becomes a customer:

1. **Open Lead**: Click lead card
2. **Click "Convert"**: Convert button
3. **Select Action**:
   - Create contact
   - Create company (if applicable)
   - Create project (optional)
   - Create invoice (optional)
4. **Confirm**: Lead converted, contact created

**After Conversion:**
- Lead marked as "Won"
- Contact record created
- Company linked (if applicable)
- Related records created (if selected)
- Lead history preserved

## Lead Sources

Track where leads come from:

**Common Sources:**
- Website
- Referral
- Social Media
- Trade Show
- Cold Call
- Email Campaign
- Other

**Setting Source:**
1. Create/edit lead
2. Select **"Source"** from dropdown
3. Or create custom source
4. Save

**Source Analytics:**
- See which sources generate most leads
- Track conversion rates by source
- Optimize marketing efforts

## Lead Value & Probability

### Setting Value

Estimate deal value:
1. Open lead
2. Enter **"Value"** (dollar amount)
3. Save
4. Used for pipeline value calculations

### Setting Probability

Estimate closing likelihood:
1. Open lead
2. Enter **"Probability"** (percentage)
3. Save
4. Used for weighted pipeline value

**Weighted Value**: Value × Probability = Weighted Pipeline Value

## Assigning Leads

### Assign to Team Member

1. **Open Lead**: Click lead card
2. **Assigned To**: Select team member
3. **Save**: Lead assigned
4. **Notification**: Assignee notified (if configured)

### Unassigned Leads

- Leads can be unassigned
- Show in "Unassigned" view
- Can assign later

## Filtering Leads

Filter pipeline by:
- **Status**: Show specific stages
- **Assigned To**: Filter by owner
- **Source**: Filter by lead source
- **Value Range**: Filter by deal value
- **Date**: Filter by created/updated date
- **Search**: Search by title, company, contact

## Customizing Pipeline

### Adding Stages

1. Go to **CRM** → **Leads Pipeline** → **Settings**
2. Click **"Add Stage"**
3. Configure:
   - **Name**: Stage name
   - **Color**: Visual color
   - **Sort Order**: Position in pipeline
4. Save

### Reordering Stages

1. Go to pipeline settings
2. Drag stages to reorder
3. Save
4. Pipeline updates

### Stage Colors

Set colors for visual organization:
- **New**: Blue
- **Qualified**: Green
- **Proposal**: Yellow
- **Won**: Green
- **Lost**: Red

## Pipeline Analytics

View pipeline metrics:
- **Total Leads**: Count of all leads
- **Pipeline Value**: Sum of all lead values
- **Weighted Value**: Value × probability
- **Conversion Rate**: % of leads that convert
- **Average Deal Size**: Average lead value
- **Time in Stage**: How long leads stay in each stage

## Best Practices

1. **Track Sources**: Always note where leads come from
2. **Set Values**: Estimate deal values for forecasting
3. **Update Regularly**: Keep lead status current
4. **Move Promptly**: Move leads through pipeline quickly
5. **Convert When Ready**: Convert to contact when qualified
6. **Use Custom Fields**: Add industry-specific data
7. **Set Reminders**: Follow up on leads promptly

## Common Workflows

### New Lead Process

1. **Create Lead**: Add lead from source
2. **Qualify**: Move to "Qualified" if valid
3. **Engage**: Contact lead, send information
4. **Proposal**: Move to "Proposal" when ready
5. **Negotiate**: Move to "Negotiation" if needed
6. **Close**: Move to "Won" or "Lost"
7. **Convert**: Convert "Won" leads to contacts

### Lead Nurturing

1. **Add to Pipeline**: Create lead record
2. **Set Reminders**: Follow-up reminders
3. **Track Interactions**: Log calls, emails, meetings
4. **Move Through Stages**: Progress as relationship develops
5. **Convert When Ready**: Convert to contact when qualified

## Integration with Other Modules

Leads link to:
- **Companies**: Link to company records
- **Contacts**: Link to contact records
- **Projects**: Create projects from leads
- **Invoices**: Create invoices from leads
- **Proposals**: Send proposals to leads

## Troubleshooting

**Can't create lead?**
- Verify CRM module is active
- Check required fields filled
- Try refreshing page
- Check permissions

**Lead not moving?**
- Verify drag and drop enabled
- Try manual status change
- Check lead is not locked
- Refresh page

**Pipeline not showing?**
- Check module is active
- Verify leads exist
- Check filters not hiding
- Refresh page

For more help, see [Common Issues](../troubleshooting/common-issues.md).

## Next Steps

- [Managing Contacts](https://help.swellsystem.com/en/article/managing-contacts-mzfqpe/) - Convert leads to contacts
- [Managing Companies](https://help.swellsystem.com/en/article/managing-companies-bt8d7d/) - Link leads to companies
- [Custom Fields](https://help.swellsystem.com/en/article/custom-fields-1l78mte/) - Add custom data
- [Reminders](https://help.swellsystem.com/en/article/reminders-18tfevf/) - Set follow-up reminders