Understanding Leads, Prospects, and Customers

When you import Lead, Prospect, or Customer data into NetSuite, you import into the Customer record. The Stage field on the Customer record defines the stage of “Customer” that is currently in the system - a Customer can be a Lead, Prospect or Customer. Leads automatically can become Prospects, and Prospects can become Customers.

Following are specific definitions of the three record types:

• Lead: allows you to track all the information you need to convert a lead into a customer. Leads have no estimates, opportunities or transactions associated with them. If an estimate or opportunity is created for a lead, the lead becomes a prospect. If you create a sales transaction for a lead, the lead becomes a customer.
• Prospect: allows you to track all the information you need to convert a prospect into a customer. Prospects have no sales orders, invoices, cash sales or other sales transactions associated with them. They can have opportunities and estimates associated with them, however. If a sales transaction is created for a prospect, or an opportunity is closed for a prospect, the prospect becomes a customer.
• Customer: allows you to track all the information on your current customers.