Salesforce Lead Routing SOP

Standard operating procedure for assigning Salesforce leads based on routing criteria, meeting SLA targets, handling reassignment, and escalating exceptions.

Steps

• Review the inbound lead record
  The Salesforce administrator or routing specialist opens the new lead record and verifies the minimum routing fields are populated, including lead source, geography, product interest, company size, and priority flags. The actor confirms the record is eligible for routing and notes any missing or conflicting data.
• Match the lead to the routing criteria
  The routing specialist compares the lead attributes against the approved routing criteria and determines the correct owner, queue, or territory. The actor applies the most specific matching rule first and documents the rule used when multiple criteria could apply.
• Assign the lead in Salesforce
  The Salesforce administrator updates the lead owner or queue assignment in Salesforce and confirms the assignment is saved successfully. The actor ensures the assignment timestamp is recorded and that the lead is visible in the correct work queue or owner view.
• Verify SLA timing and response ownership
  The sales operations lead verifies that the assignment occurred within the required SLA window and that the assigned role is responsible for the next customer response. If the SLA is at risk or already breached, the actor records the deviation and triggers escalation.
• Handle reassignment requests
  The sales manager reviews any reassignment request, ownership conflict, or territory dispute and determines whether the request is valid under the routing policy. The actor documents the reason for reassignment, updates Salesforce if approved, and rejects requests that do not meet policy criteria.
• Update ownership and notify stakeholders
  The Salesforce administrator updates the lead owner or queue and notifies the affected sales representative, manager, or queue owner of the reassignment. The actor confirms the new owner acknowledges receipt when required by the SLA.
• Escalate routing exceptions
  The sales operations specialist escalates unresolved routing conflicts, missing data, duplicate assignments, or policy exceptions to the designated manager or system owner. The actor records the issue, the impact on SLA, and the corrective action required.