Big Idea or Enduring Question:
How do you set automation to auto-convert marketing qualified leads?
When there is a chance of further negotiations with a lead, it can be converted into an account, contact, optionally an opportunity. In short, once the lead status has reached a certain stage, it can be qualified as a potential. On conversion, all the lead details are transferred in creating an account, contact, and optionally an opportunity. The lead conversion process is a manual process, if you want to automate it then you have to use Apex code. This article will help you to understand how to automate the lead conversion process using the Lightning Flow.
Objectives:
After reading this blog post, the reader will be able to:
- Use After-save Record-Triggered Flow to auto-convert marketing qualified leads
- Understand @InvocableMethod Annotation
- Use Schedule-Triggered Flow to call an Apex method
Business Use Case
Pamela Kline is working as a System administrator in Universal Container. She has received a requirement from the management to auto-convert marketing qualified (i.e. leads with Rating = Hot) leads and create an account and contact record.
Automation Champion Approach (I-do):
Let’s begin building this automation process.
Guided Practice (We-do):
There are 2 steps to solve Pamela’s business requirement using Lightning Flow. We must:
- Create an Apex class and test class
- Lightning Flow Steps:
- Define flow properties for record-triggered flow
- Adding an action to Call an Apex Class
Step 1: Create an Apex class and Test class
- Click Setup.
- In the Quick Find box, type Apex Classes.
- Clicks on the New button.
- Copy code from GitHub and paste it into your Apex Class.
- Click Save.
Repeat the above steps and click the Test class. You can get the code from my GitHub repo.
Step 2.1: Lightning Flow – Define Flow Properties
- Click Setup.
- In the Quick Find box, type Flows.
- Select Flows then click on the New Flows.
- Select the Record-Triggered Flow option and click on Next and configure the flow as follows:
- How do you want to start building: Freeform
- Trigger the Flow When: A record is created or Updated
- Run Flow: After the record is saved
- Object: Lead
- Select All Conditions Are Met (AND).
- Set Conditions
- Row 1
- Field: Lead | Rating
- Operator: Equals
- Value: Hot
- Row 1
- Choose the Option to Only when a record is updated to meet the condition requirements.
- Click Done.
Step 2.2: Lightning Flow – Call an Apex Class
The next step is to call the AutoConvertLeads class from flow so that when flow fires it auto-convert the leads.
- Under Toolbox, select Element.
- Drag-and-drop Action element onto the Flow designer.
- In the Action box, type AutoConvertLeads.
- Clicks on the AutoConvertLeads apex class.
- Enter a name in the Label field; the API Name will auto-populate.
- Set Input Values:
- Row 1:
- LeadIs: {!$Record.Id}
- Row 1:
- Click Done.
In the end, Steven’s Flow will look like the following screenshot: 
Once everything looks good, perform the below steps:
- Click Save.
- Enter Flow Label the API Name will auto-populate.
- Click Show Advanced.
- Type: Record-Triggered Flow
- API Version for Running the Flow: 50
- Interview Label: Auto Convert Leads {!$Flow.CurrentDateTime}
- Click Save.
Almost there! Once everything looks good, click the Activate button.
Proof of Concept
Now onwards, if a business user updates the Lead Rating to Hot, Lightning Flow will automatically convert such leads and create an account as well as a contact.
- Currently, the lead Gaurav Pradhan is Open and the Rating is Warm as shown in the following screenshot:
- Now we update the Rating to Hot and see the flow magic.
- Flow auto converts the Lead and create an Account and Contact or it.
Note: – I will suggest you implement this first in your developer org, test it and then move it to production. The same approach will work for the case assignment rule. Download Apex and Test class from GitHub.
Process Builder Approach
Formative Assessment:
I want to hear from you!
What is one thing you learned from this post? How do you envision applying this new knowledge in the real world?
Let me know by Tweeting me at @automationchamp, or find me on LinkedIn.
