IN BRIEF
Lead Settings let you control how the System tracks and organizes your leads. From a single screen, you can define how long a lead can sit without communication before it is flagged as stale, and you can manage the default and custom stages that move leads through your pipeline. Use these options to keep your lead list accurate, tailor stages to your studio's process, and make sure your leads show up correctly in List view, Kanban/Visual Board view, automation, and reporting.
Overview
Lead Settings is where you configure how the System manages leads behind the scenes. It groups two key controls in one place:
- Stale Lead Threshold sets the number of days a lead can go without communication before the System marks it as stale, helping your team spot leads that need attention.
- Lead Stages define the steps a lead moves through, from first contact to a final outcome. These stages drive how leads are grouped and displayed across the System.
You use Lead Settings when you first set up your lead pipeline and any time you want to adjust it, such as adding a stage that matches a step in your own follow-up process or changing how quickly leads are considered stale. Getting these settings right matters because the stages and threshold you choose here flow through to every place leads appear: List view, Kanban/Visual Board view, automation, and reporting.
Accessing the Feature
To open Lead Settings, navigate to Settings > Setup > Lead Settings.
When you expand the section, the System displays the available options, including Stale Lead Detection and Stage Management.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Setting the Stale Lead Threshold
- Expand the Stale Lead Detection section.
- In the Days Without Communication field, enter a whole, positive number between 1-365.
This setting tells the System how many days a lead can go without communication before it is marked stale. A lower number flags leads sooner, while a higher number gives your team more time before a lead is treated as stale. Choose a value that matches how quickly your business expects to follow up.
Managing Lead Stages
Click the pencil/edit icon to launch the "Stage Management" view.
From this view you can manage the default and custom lead stages used in List view, Kanban/Visual Board view, automation, and reporting. The System includes a set of default stages that cannot be deleted:
- New
- Working
- Contacted
- Trial Booked
- Trial Completed
- Trial Missed
- Retargeting
- Closed – Won
- Closed – Lost
These default stages cover the most common steps in a lead's journey and are always available, so you can build on them rather than start from scratch.
Adding a Custom Lead Stage
- In the "Lead Stages" view, click the Add New Stage button.
- In the "New Stage" window, enter the following details:
- Stage Name — the label for the stage as it appears throughout the System.
- Stage Color — set a color to help you identify a stage more quickly at a glance.
-
Stage Type
- Not a Closed Stage
- Closed Stage - Won
-
Closed Stage - Lost
- NOTE: Closed stages represent final outcomes and are pinned to the end of the pipeline.
- Click Save to create the new stage.
The new stage becomes available immediately and can be used alongside the default stages wherever leads are displayed.
Restoring Deleted Stages
In the "Lead Stages" view, click the Show Deleted Stages button.
This lets you view lead stages that have been deleted and restore them if needed, so a stage removed by mistake does not have to be rebuilt from scratch.
Additional Notes
What does a closed stage do?
A closed stage represents a final outcome for a lead, such as Closed – Won or Closed – Lost. Because these stages mark the end of the journey, the System pins them to the end of the pipeline rather than placing them in the normal flow of active stages. Marking a stage as closed keeps your pipeline organized and makes it clear which leads have reached a final result.
Where do my lead stages appear?
The stages you manage here are shared across the System. They control how leads are grouped in List view, how columns are arranged in Kanban/Visual Board view, which steps automation can act on, and how leads are categorized in reporting. A change made in Lead Settings updates each of these areas.
Why can't I delete the default stages?
The default stages are built into the System and support standard lead workflows, so they cannot be deleted. You can add custom stages around them to match your own process, but the defaults will always remain available.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
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Why is a lead being considered stale?
- The lead has gone longer than the number of days set in Days Without Communication without any communication. Adjust this value in Stale Lead Detection area if leads are being flagged sooner or later than you would like.
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Can I delete a default lead stage?
- No. The default stages cannot be deleted. You can add custom stages to fit your process, but the defaults remain in place.
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I deleted a lead stage by mistake. Can I get it back?
- Yes. Open the "Lead Stages" view and click Show Deleted Stages to view deleted stages and restore the one you need.
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Why does my new stage appear at the end of the pipeline?
- The stage was created with a Closed Stage type enabled. Closed stages represent final outcomes and are pinned to the end of the pipeline. Edit the stage if it should sit within your active stages instead.
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I changed a stage but don't see it in my board. Where is it?
- Lead stages are shared across List view, Kanban/Visual Board view, automation, and reporting. Refresh the screen and confirm you are viewing the correct area, since updates apply everywhere leads are displayed.