# Lead qualification and conversion process design

*Agentforce Sales Consultant Study Guide · Sales Lifecycle · Last updated October 15, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-sales-consultant/sales-lifecycle/lead-qualification-and-conversion-process-design*

What lead conversion creates, moves and leaves behind, why it can't be undone, which permissions and field mappings it needs, how duplicates behave during conversion, and how a shared qualification definition and stage design keep the marketing-to-sales handoff measurable.

- Certification: Salesforce Agentforce Sales Consultant
- Exam section: Sales Lifecycle
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-sales-consultant

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a scenario, discuss common sales and marketing processes and anticipate key implementation considerations.

## What the exam expects

- Explain what lead conversion creates (contact, new or existing account, optional opportunity) and what moves with it.
- Anticipate conversion consequences: it can't be reversed, converted leads become read-only, and cadence tasks stay behind.
- Configure least-privilege conversion access and custom lead field mapping.
- Predict duplicate behavior during conversion, including the cross-object rule gap.
- Design the qualification handoff: one Lead Status process, conversion gated by qualification, and stages mapped to forecast categories.

Key terms:
- **Lead conversion:** turning a qualified lead into a contact, an account and optionally an opportunity.
- **Lead field mapping:** the Setup mapping that carries custom lead fields into custom account, contact or opportunity fields.
- **Apex Lead Convert:** the current conversion engine; custom field mapping and the full convert window need it.
- **Business process:** a subset of one standard picklist (Lead Status, Stage) assigned to a record type.
- **Forecast category:** the bucket each opportunity stage maps to for forecast roll-ups.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Conversion output | Contact on a new or existing account; opportunity optional | [Convert Qualified Leads](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.leads_convert.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Existing opportunities | Lightning Experience lists up to 20 matching opportunities | [Convert Qualified Leads](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.leads_convert.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Reversal | A lead conversion can't be reversed | [Convert Qualified Leads](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.leads_convert.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Converted lead | Read-only, hidden without View and Edit Converted Leads, still in lead reports | [Considerations for Converting Leads](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.leads_notes.htm&type=5) |
| Conversion access | Create and Edit on leads, accounts, contacts + Convert Leads; Create on opportunities for a new one | [Convert Qualified Leads](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.leads_convert.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Cadence tasks | Completed cadence tasks don't appear on the new records' timeline | [Convert Qualified Leads](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.leads_convert.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Custom field mapping | Map Lead Fields; Customize Application; Apex Lead Convert only | [Map Custom Lead Fields for Lead Conversion](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.customize_mapleads.htm&type=5) |
| Cross-object duplicate rules | Not triggered during lead conversion | [Considerations for Converting Leads](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.leads_notes.htm&type=5) |
| Existing records | Lead data fills only empty fields; never overwrites | [Considerations for Converting Leads](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.leads_notes.htm&type=5) |
| Different stage sets | Sales process per opportunity record type | [Managing Multiple Business Processes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.customize_processes.htm&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why can't a wrongly converted lead be restored from the Recycle Bin?
- When does a custom lead field's value reach the new contact?
- Which lead-related items reach the opportunity but not Notes and Attachments?
- Why must each new opportunity stage be checked against a forecast category?

## Sources

- [Convert Qualified Leads](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.leads_convert.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Considerations for Converting Leads](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.leads_notes.htm&type=5)
- [Map Custom Lead Fields for Lead Conversion](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.customize_mapleads.htm&type=5)
- [Converting Leads](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.leads_convert_parent.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create and Convert Leads as Potential Customers](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/leads_opportunities_lightning_experience/create-and-convert-leads-lightning)
- [Manage Duplicate Records](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.managing_duplicates_overview.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Reassign Leads from a Queue](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.leads_assign.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Managing Multiple Business Processes](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.customize_processes.htm&type=5)
- [Work Your Opportunities](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/leads_opportunities_lightning_experience/work-your-opportunities)
- [Visualize Success with Path and Kanban](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/leads_opportunities_lightning_experience/visualize-success-with-path-and-kanban)
- [Configure Forecasting in Salesforce](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/sales-forecasting/configure-sales-forecasting-in-salesforce)
- [Campaign Influence](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.campaign_influence_parent.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Create an Effective Business Strategy with Agentforce Sales](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/sales-cloud-rollout-strategy/position-your-business)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 15 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Agentforce Sales Consultant pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams