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

# Lead to booked gig

> The pipeline recipe — capture an inquiry, qualify it, convert it into a gig and customer, get the contract signed, and put the client in the portal.

This is the workflow for teams whose gigs start as inquiries — corporate bookers, wedding bands, venues with a booking funnel. It runs the full arc: inquiry → qualified lead → gig + customer → signed contract → client working alongside you in the portal.

<Info>
  Lead tracking and the customer directory require the Team plan with CRM features enabled. See the [billing FAQ](/faq/billing).
</Info>

## The flow

<Steps>
  <Step title="Capture the inquiry">
    Give inquiries somewhere to land that isn't your inbox:

    * **Built-in lead intake** — a public booking-request form attached to your organization. See [lead intake](/crm/leads/lead-intake).
    * **Portal forms** — a branded form built in JotForm or Form.io, embedded on your site; lead-intake submissions become pipeline leads automatically. See [portal forms](/crm/integrations/portal-forms).
    * **Manual entry** — phone call or referral? Add the lead directly in [lead tracking](/crm/leads/overview).

    However it arrives, you get a lead with contact, event type, potential date, location, budget, and notes.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Qualify it">
    Work the lead through its statuses — **New → Contacted → Qualified → Negotiating** — logging a note after each conversation so the pipeline stays honest. Not every inquiry deserves a gig; convert only when the details are strong enough to book.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Convert to a gig">
    Click **Convert to Gig**. [Lead conversion](/crm/leads/converting-leads) does four things in one step: creates the gig from the lead's details, creates (or reuses) the [customer](/crm/customers) record with a primary contact, links the customer to the gig, and completes the lead. No re-typing, no orphaned records.

    The gig can start thin — a name, date, and event type is enough. Location is optional, so an unconfirmed venue doesn't hold up the booking.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send the contract">
    From the gig, send the event agreement for e-signature. [Contracts](/features/contracts/overview) track each signer through **Draft → Sent → Signed**, and the executed document lives on the gig next to the roster and the money it covers. On enterprise plans the signing experience carries [your brand](/features/contracts/white-label-branding).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Invite the client to the portal">
    Once the booking is real, bring the client inside. From the customer's page, click **Invite to portal** — the primary contact gets an email invitation into your [client portal](/features/client-portal/overview), where they see their events, contracts, invoices, forms, and a message thread with your team. No more "can you resend the contract?" emails. See [inviting clients](/features/client-portal/inviting-clients).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Collect the details with forms">
    Need the shot list, the do-not-play list, dietary requirements? Send an event questionnaire through the portal's Forms area (or a connected [portal form](/crm/integrations/portal-forms)) — responses route to the right customer and event instead of a shared inbox. See [contracts, invoices & forms](/features/client-portal/contracts-invoices-and-forms).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Staff and deliver">
    From here it's the standard gig flow: build the team, send invitations, and run the show. See [quick gig setup](/faq/workflows/quick-gig-setup). After the event, the [closeout workflow](/faq/workflows/closeout-and-payouts) takes it the rest of the way to Settled.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Common pitfalls

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="I converted a lead too early and the date changed">
    That's fine — the gig is editable like any other. Change the date and confirmed members are notified. If the booking dies entirely, use **Cancel gig**; the record is preserved but marked called-off.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The same client books again next year">
    Convert the new lead as usual — conversion **reuses** the existing customer record instead of duplicating it, so the client's gig history accumulates in one place.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The client declined the contract">
    A decline routes the signer back to your portal so you can adjust terms and resend — the negotiation stays attached to the gig instead of scattering across inboxes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I can't find the Invite to portal button">
    It appears on the customer's page when the primary contact has an email address and the client portal is enabled for your organization. The portal is rolling out per organization — [contact support](mailto:support@soundcheck.live) if you don't see it.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Lead tracking" icon="bullseye" href="/crm/leads/overview">
    Work inquiries through your pipeline.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Converting leads" icon="arrow-right" href="/crm/leads/converting-leads">
    Turn a qualified lead into a gig and customer.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Client portal" icon="door-open" href="/features/client-portal/overview">
    What your clients see once they're invited.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Contracts & e-signatures" icon="file-signature" href="/features/contracts/overview">
    Send agreements and track them to signed.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>