Creating leads
Dynamics 365 Sales supports various methods of lead generation:
| Creation method | Description |
|---|---|
| Manual entry | Create individual leads directly in Sales Hub, using Quick Create, or by scanning business cards on mobile |
| Email conversion | Convert email activities into lead records without re-entering contact information |
| Bulk import | Upload leads from CSV or Excel files with column mapping to align external data with Dynamics 365 fields |
| Customer Insights integration | Automatically sync leads from Customer Insights – Journeys campaigns or Customer Insights – Data segments |
Let’s take a look at teach of these methods in greater detail.
Create leads manually
Manual lead entry works well when you receive inquiries individually — a phone call, a conversation at an event, or a direct email. You create leads manually in the Sales Hub app by selecting Leads from the navigation, then selecting New. This opens the full lead form where you enter all available information.
For faster data capture, use the Quick Create dialog box. You access Quick Create from the navigation bar or from the Related tab on account and contact records. Quick Create displays only the most essential fields, letting you capture basic information quickly and fill in details later. This approach works well when you’re entering multiple leads in succession or when information is limited.
On mobile devices, the Dynamics 365 Sales mobile app includes a business card scanner. You scan a business card with your device camera, and Dynamics 365 extracts the contact information into a new lead record. This feature is useful at trade shows or networking events where you collect many cards in a short time.