Lead Naming Rules

Lead naming rules let sales managers define patterns that automatically generate standardized lead names from CRM field data. This ensures consistency across the pipeline and makes leads easier to scan, search, and report on.

Important

Permissions Required: Sales / Administrator group to create, edit, or delete naming rules. All sales users can view active rules.

Accessing Naming Rules

Navigate to CRM ‣ Configuration ‣ Lead Naming Rules

The list view shows all naming rules with their name, pattern, and active status.

Creating a Naming Rule

  1. Navigate to CRM ‣ Configuration ‣ Lead Naming Rules

  2. Click New

  3. Configure the rule:

    • Name – A descriptive label (e.g., “Standard Sales Format”, “Inbound Lead Format”)

    • Pattern – The field combination template that defines how the lead name is built

    • Separator – The character(s) placed between field values (default: “ - “)

    • Active – Check to enable the rule

  4. Click Save

Pattern Configuration

The pattern defines which fields are included in the generated name and in what order. Common field codes include:

Field Code

Description

{company}

Company name from the lead

{contact}

Contact person name

{source}

Lead source (e.g., Website, Phone, Referral)

{medium}

Marketing medium (e.g., Email, Social, Direct)

{stage}

Current pipeline stage name

{team}

Sales team name

Example patterns:

{company} - {contact}
Result: "Acme Corp - Jane Smith"

{company} | {source} | {contact}
Result: "Acme Corp | Website | Jane Smith"

{contact} ({company}) - {stage}
Result: "Jane Smith (Acme Corp) - Qualification"

Tip

Start with a simple pattern like {company} - {contact} and add more fields only if your team needs them. Overly complex names become hard to read in the kanban view.

Empty Field Handling

When a field in the pattern is empty, it is automatically skipped and separators are adjusted to avoid double separators or trailing characters.

Example: Pattern {company} - {contact} - {source} with no source:

  • Result: “Acme Corp - Jane Smith” (not “Acme Corp - Jane Smith - “)

Editing a Naming Rule

  1. Navigate to CRM ‣ Configuration ‣ Lead Naming Rules

  2. Click on the rule to edit

  3. Modify the fields as needed

  4. Click Save

Warning

Editing an active naming rule does not retroactively rename existing leads. Only new leads or leads that are subsequently edited will use the updated pattern. Use the bulk apply wizard to update existing leads.

Activating and Deactivating Rules

Only one naming rule can be active at a time. To change the active rule:

  1. Navigate to CRM ‣ Configuration ‣ Lead Naming Rules

  2. Open the rule you want to activate

  3. Check the Active checkbox

  4. Click Save

The previously active rule is automatically deactivated.

Bulk Apply Wizard

The bulk apply wizard retroactively applies a naming rule to existing leads, regenerating their names based on the rule’s current pattern.

To use the wizard:

  1. Navigate to CRM ‣ Configuration ‣ Lead Naming Rules

  2. Select the naming rule to apply

  3. Click Apply to Existing Leads (or equivalent action button)

  4. The wizard opens showing:

    • The naming rule that will be applied

    • The number of leads that will be affected

    • A preview of sample name changes

  5. Review the preview to ensure the results look correct

  6. Click Apply to execute

Warning

The bulk apply wizard overwrites existing lead names. This action cannot be undone. Consider exporting your leads before applying to have a backup of the original names.

Tip

Use the wizard after cleaning up your CRM data (filling in missing company names, contact names, etc.) to get the best results from the naming rule.

Best Practices

  1. Keep patterns short. Names appear in kanban cards with limited space. Two or three fields is usually sufficient.

  2. Use consistent field data. Naming rules are only as good as the data they draw from. Ensure your team fills in company and contact fields consistently.

  3. Test before bulk applying. Create a few test leads to verify the pattern produces the desired results before running the bulk apply wizard.

  4. Document your convention. Let your team know what naming rule is active and what fields they need to fill in for it to work properly.

  5. Review periodically. As your sales process evolves, your naming convention may need updating. Review active rules quarterly.

Next Steps