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

# Managing Leads

> Create, edit, and organise leads with custom variables, secondary contacts, and manual status control.

## Creating a new lead

### Basic information

1. **Phone number** — Enter the primary contact number in international format (e.g., `+14155551234`).
2. **Campaign assignment** — Select the campaign this lead belongs to.
3. **Status** — Automatically set to "Created" for all new leads.

<Note>
  Use international format without spaces or parentheses for phone numbers: `+1234567890`. This format is required for automation and file imports.
</Note>

### Variable setup

When you select a campaign, the lead inherits the default variables configured on the assistant:

* **Pre-filled values** — The assistant's default variable values appear in the form automatically.
* **Customisation** — Override any value to personalise it for this specific lead.
* **Required fields** — Some variables may be marked as required for the campaign to function correctly.

**Common variable types:**

```json theme={null}
{
  "customer_name": "Sarah Johnson",
  "company": "TechStart Solutions",
  "last_interaction": "Requested demo of premium features",
  "preferred_contact_time": "Afternoon EST",
  "industry": "Software Development"
}
```

### Adding secondary contacts

Secondary contacts are additional phone numbers for the same lead. Add them when you have multiple ways to reach someone.

**When to use secondary contacts:**

* Multiple decision-makers at the same company
* Mobile, office, and home numbers for the same person
* Department-specific contacts within the same business
* Numbers that are more reachable at different times

**How to add them:**

1. Click **Add Secondary Contact** in the lead form.
2. Enter the phone number for the additional contact.
3. Optionally set contact-specific variables (for example, a different name and role if this is a different person).
4. Repeat for additional contacts.

<Tip>
  The campaign calls contacts in the order you add them. Put the most likely-to-answer number first.
</Tip>

**Example — Multiple decision-makers:**

```json theme={null}
// Primary: CEO
{
  "contact_name": "John Smith",
  "role": "CEO",
  "decision_authority": "Final approval"
}

// Secondary: CTO
{
  "contact_name": "Jane Doe",
  "role": "CTO",
  "decision_authority": "Technical decisions"
}
```

## Editing existing leads

### Updating lead information

* **Phone number** — Update if contact details change.
* **Campaign** — Move the lead to a different campaign if needed.
* **Status** — Manually change status to control campaign behaviour.

### Managing variables

* Update existing variable values as new information becomes available.
* Add new variables to give the AI more context.
* Remove variables that are outdated or no longer relevant.

<Warning>
  If you move a lead to a different campaign, make sure the variables you have set match the new assistant's configuration.
</Warning>

### Managing secondary contacts

* **Add contacts** — Include additional phone numbers at any time.
* **Remove contacts** — Delete invalid or unnecessary numbers.
* **Reorder contacts** — Change the calling priority order.
* **Update variables** — Modify contact-specific information.

## Lead status management

### Automatic status transitions

Statuses update automatically as the campaign runs:

| Transition                | When it happens                   |
| ------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| Created → Processing      | Campaign starts a call attempt    |
| Processing → Completed    | Call succeeds or goal is achieved |
| Processing → Rescheduled  | Call needs to be retried          |
| Rescheduled → Max Retries | Retry limit is reached            |

### Manual status control

You can override lead status when needed:

**Reset to "Created"** — Puts the lead back in the campaign queue for another call attempt.

* Use when a lead has requested a callback at a specific time.
* The lead will rejoin the queue and respect campaign retry limits.

**Set to "Completed"** — Removes the lead from the active calling queue.

* Use when the goal was achieved through another channel (e.g., email or in-person).
* The campaign will not call this lead again automatically.

**Other manual status options:**

* **Scheduled** — Queue for the next retry attempt
* **Max Retries** — Manually mark the lead as exhausted
* **Rescheduled** — Reset the retry timer

<Tip>
  Use manual status changes sparingly. Letting the campaign automation manage status updates results in more consistent behaviour.
</Tip>

## Bulk operations

### Bulk delete

1. Filter leads using the table filters to select the right group.
2. Check the boxes for the leads you want to delete.
3. Choose **Delete** from the bulk actions menu.
4. Confirm before the deletion is applied.

### Bulk export

Export lead data for external processing or analysis:

1. Apply filters (by campaign, status, date range, etc.).
2. Choose which columns to include in the export.
3. Optionally include secondary contact data.
4. Download the CSV file.

## Organising leads

Use the table filters, sort controls, and search bar to organise leads by:

* Campaign assignment
* Status
* Date range
* Variable content

## Best practices

* **Phone format** — Always use international format without spaces: `+1234567890`
* **Variable naming** — Use consistent, descriptive variable names across leads
* **Secondary contact order** — List the most reachable number first
* **No duplicates** — Avoid adding the same phone number as both primary and secondary
* **Data accuracy** — Keep contact information current and remove leads that are no longer valid
* **Privacy** — Follow applicable data protection requirements for storing contact data

## Next steps

* [Import leads in bulk](/leads/importing-leads) to upload large contact lists
* [Review lead statuses](/leads/index) to understand the full status lifecycle