A Lead needs three fields to save and one decision to convert.
- Open the Leads tab and select New
From the App Launcher choose Sales, open the Leads tab, then select New. If the org uses Lead record types you pick one first, which sets the picklist values you see.
- Fill the required fields
Last Name, Company and Lead Status are the minimum Salesforce accepts. Add Email and Phone too, because duplicate rules and Einstein Lead Scoring both read them.
- Set Lead Source before the first save
Lead Source feeds every attribution report you run off this record. Populate it at creation, then consider making it read-only so nobody rewrites the origin.
- Work the record and move Status
Log calls and emails against the Lead and advance Lead Status as the conversation goes. Those activities follow it through conversion.
- Select Convert once it qualifies
On the Convert Lead window, match or create the Account and the Contact, optionally create or attach an Opportunity, pick a Converted Status, then confirm.
The only name part Salesforce enforces.
Blank only for Person Accounts.
Tracks the stages before conversion.
- You need Create and Edit on leads, accounts, and contacts plus the Convert Leads permission. Creating an Opportunity during conversion also needs Create on opportunities.
- Company is required on a standard Lead. For Person Accounts, make Company optional on the layout and leave it blank so conversion produces a Person Account.
