This explains how to create a lead in the system and how the lead becomes a customer.

Table of Contents

Leads Overview

Leads are Debtors that are not yet a Debtor. This gives them many capabilities you are familiar with from the Debtors - however it does not clutter up your debtors lists.

If an order is placed by a lead - the order goes on hold. The debtor can then be reviewed by accounts before the order is released.

How is a lead different to a customer?

As you can see from the above a lead is related to a customer - so you will see many of the same fields.

Creating a Lead in the system

Enter a Company or Person as the parent.

You might want to check if the company (or person) does not exist already in the system before you create a lead by doing a search

From the Lead Form

Saving the company (or person) will give a search code (unless you defined one) and a card number

Once the company or person details have been added then they will populate to the lead form

Enter the required details and save

Orders entered for Leads

An order indicates that the lead is about to become a customer. Customers need to be reviewed before orders are shipped to them.

Leads have Stop Supply - an order can be entered - but cannot be released to a lead.

For the Order to be removed from hold - the lead must be converted to a Debtor.

Lead to Debtor for companies with an Approval Process

If your host company has New Debtors Require Approval

Lead Wizard - for companies

The lead wizard is designed to enter high volumes of leads - through a formal process that includes approval of the lead

Sales Reps and Delivery Patterns (if required)

If the customer has departments you deal with separately

Contacts at the company

If a sales order is entered for a lead that is not approved - the sales order and the customers is put on hold with reason "Lead"

To remove the Stop supply - the lead must be approved and converted to a customer (requires appropriate authorisation)

New Accounts Dashboard = leads to be approved

Review the new debtors dashboard - this shows all the leads or debtors in proposed status

Fill in the details required to make the debtor Active

Lead to Debtor for companies without an Approval Process

Activate the lead via the Status menu

Sets status to OK
Sets Stop Supply off
Sets terms to COD
Unholds any held orders
Sends an email to the new debtor, copied to the sales rep and the activating user

Status changes are logged on the Debtors form, Orders/Audit tab

Only users with the Secure Feature "Can Maintain Debtor Terms" can convert a lead to a debtor

Email Template sent is Usage Context: Debtor, System Usage: Approved

Setups

Next Actions List

Note that the Next Actions are setup as Lookups and can be maintained

Lead Sources

Lead sources includes

Phone
Website
Any Organisation that is flagged as a Lead Source
1. Turn on the "Provides Leads" flag on Debtor and Creditor on your Host Company