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

# How lead routing works

> Understand boards, stage deadlines, advisor pools, escalation, and outcome reporting.

export const Availability = ({lang = 'es', plan, addon, permission, route, status}) => {
  const L = lang === 'en' ? {
    plan: 'Plan',
    addon: 'Add-on',
    permission: 'Permission',
    route: 'Where',
    status: 'Status',
    addonNote: 'enabled on request',
    allPlans: 'All plans',
    beta: 'Beta',
    nuevo: 'New',
    soon: 'Coming soon'
  } : {
    plan: 'Plan',
    addon: 'Add-on',
    permission: 'Permiso',
    route: 'Dónde',
    status: 'Estado',
    addonNote: 'se activa a pedido',
    allPlans: 'Todos los planes',
    beta: 'Beta',
    nuevo: 'Nuevo',
    soon: 'Próximamente'
  };
  const items = [];
  if (plan) items.push([L.plan, plan]);
  if (addon) items.push([L.addon, `${addon} · ${L.addonNote}`]);
  if (permission) items.push([L.permission, permission]);
  if (route) items.push([L.route, route]);
  if (status) items.push([L.status, L[status] || status]);
  return <div style={{
    display: 'flex',
    flexWrap: 'wrap',
    gap: '6px 22px',
    padding: '12px 16px',
    margin: '4px 0 24px',
    border: '1px solid rgba(2, 82, 255, 0.28)',
    borderLeft: '3px solid #0252ff',
    borderRadius: '8px',
    background: 'rgba(2, 82, 255, 0.05)',
    fontSize: '13.5px',
    lineHeight: '1.5'
  }}>
      {items.map(([k, v]) => <div key={k} style={{
    display: 'flex',
    gap: '6px',
    alignItems: 'baseline'
  }}>
          <span style={{
    fontSize: '10.5px',
    fontWeight: 600,
    letterSpacing: '0.07em',
    textTransform: 'uppercase',
    opacity: 0.65
  }}>{k}</span>
          <span style={{
    fontWeight: 500
  }}>{v}</span>
        </div>)}
    </div>;
};

<Availability lang="en" route="Settings → Organization → Lead routing" permission="lead_routing.read" addon="Lead routing" />

Lead routing is an organization add-on for getting each contact to an eligible advisor within a deadline. The engine works on one selected contact board; each stage can define entry, assignment, requirements, and outcomes.

## Six parts

| Part                   | Role                                                                         |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Board                  | The one contact board selected for the engine.                               |
| Stage                  | A column that can receive new leads, measure handling, or mark an outcome.   |
| Card and clock         | A contact with an assignee and a stage deadline.                             |
| Pool                   | A team participating in the stage’s assignment chain.                        |
| Strategy               | Chooses among eligible people using least load, round robin, or percentages. |
| Escalation and outcome | Reassigns missed work and records won/lost completion.                       |

## Example journey

A new conversation creates a card in **New** when entry is enabled and its conditions match. AI qualification hands it to a measured stage such as **Contacted**. The first eligible pool assigns an advisor within their active-card cap and starts the clock.

The advisor sees outstanding requirements in the conversation’s **Management** tab: for example, sending a message, logging a call, and applying a contact tag. Alerts at configured consumed-time percentages explain what is still missing.

Meeting all requirements stops the clock and optionally moves the card. Expiry triggers reassignment within the pool, then escalation to another eligible pool, and eventually the configured exhausted-chain action. Moving into a stage marked **Won** or **Lost** closes the journey.

## Read the clock

The clock shows remaining time, amber when 30% or less remains and red at 15% or less. These colors do not change the deadline. Expired cards show how long overdue they are. Business-hour clocks pause outside the team’s configured working schedule and show their next resume time.

Remaining business time is not wall-clock time. A three-hour deadline created when the team has finished for Friday can remain at three hours until the next working period.

## Who sees it

Advisors use Management to inspect requirements, log a call outcome, apply contact tags, and move their own card to a stage. Board cards show clocks and conversation links. Supervisors use the routing report for compliance, first contact, conversion, and the critical queue.

The add-on enables the feature; `lead_routing.read` controls clock visibility and scope. Configuration editing requires `lead_routing_config.update`, with board access also required. Contact access controls the conversation panel; report access requires `reports.read`.

Configure team schedules, holidays, and time zones in **Organization → Teams**. The current journey settings do not expose event webhook/email configuration; coordinate those requirements with support. The engine supports one board per organization.

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Why don’t I see clocks?">
    Check the add-on, lead\_routing.read scope, and whether the column measures deadlines.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does a customer message count as advisor work?">
    Only if the condition explicitly counts inbound messages. Outbound messages, notes, and logged calls are separate facts.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can routing manage two boards?">
    The engine selects one contact board per organization.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What happens when nobody is eligible?">
    Retry and escalation settings determine how long it waits and which pool follows. Review the final exhausted-chain action and alert recipients.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## See also

* [Stages and pools](/en/lead-routing/stages-and-pools)
* [Conditions and alerts](/en/lead-routing/conditions-and-notifications)
* [Routing report](/en/lead-routing/report)