Allocate leads

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What is lead allocation?

Lead allocation is the process of assigning incoming leads to the right sales reps, teams, or territories.

Getting this right is critical for maximizing speed-to-lead, rep productivity, and conversion rates.

Cargo lets you automate lead allocation using custom rules and real-time data, so every lead goes to the best possible owner, at the right time.

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Use cases

• Territory-based routing: Assign leads based on geography, company size, or industry.
• Round robin: Distribute leads evenly across your team to ensure a fair workload.
• Priority assignment: Route high-value or urgent leads to your top performers.
• Custom logic: Use any data point or business rule to create your allocation strategy.

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Step-by-step: Set up lead allocation

Follow these steps to configure automated lead distribution in your workspace.

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Step 1: Connect your sales organization

1. Navigate to Allocation in your Cargo workspace sidebar
2. Connect a tool containing your sales organization (such as your CRM)
3. Cargo automatically imports team members and keeps them synchronized

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Step 2: Create territories

Territories group members into logical units that match your sales structure:

1. Go to the Territories tab
2. Click + New Territory
3. Name your territory (e.g., “EMEA Enterprise” or “Healthcare Vertical”)
4. Add members who should receive leads in this territory
5. Optionally designate a fallback member for when others hit capacity

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Step 3: Configure capacity limits

Capacity settings prevent rep overload and ensure fair distribution:

1. Navigate to the Capacity tab
2. Click + New Capacity
3. Set the maximum allocations per member (e.g., 3 leads per day)
4. Define the timeframe for the limit

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Step 4: Add an allocation node to your play

1. Open or create a play that processes incoming leads
2. Add an Allocation node from the node picker
3. Configure how leads should be matched:
   • Territory — Assign to members within a specific territory
   • Email address — Route based on the lead’s email domain
   • Round robin — Distribute evenly across available reps
   • Connector matching — Use data from connected tools

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Step 5: Test and publish

1. Click Test to simulate an allocation with sample data
2. Verify the lead routes to the expected member
3. Publish your play to activate the allocation rules

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Best practices

• Start with round robin — Begin with simple even distribution, then add complexity as your routing needs evolve.
• Set realistic capacity — Base limits on your team’s actual throughput—overloading reps hurts conversion rates.
• Use fallback members — Always designate fallbacks so no lead ever goes unassigned.
• Monitor allocation history — Regularly audit assignments to ensure rules work as expected.

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Next steps