# Add a Lead

> Create a lead for a contact by hand, pick its pipeline, and add its first note.

Source: https://jobwisepro.com/help/leads/add-a-lead
Category: Leads
Updated: 2026-10-22

Add a lead by hand from the [**Leads**](/go/leads) page or the sidebar. Every lead belongs to one contact, so the form requires you to choose one. For the basics, see [Introduction to Leads](/help/leads/introduction-to-leads) and [Introduction to Contacts](/help/contacts/introduction-to-contacts).

## Open the New lead form

Start from any of these three controls. Each one opens the same dialog, titled **New lead**.

1. Click the add control on the **Leads** item in the sidebar. It appears only for members who can edit leads.
2. Click **New lead** in the Leads page header. It appears only for members who can edit leads.
3. Click **Add lead** in a stage column. The new lead goes into that stage.

## Fill in the form

The form has four fields and a footer. The footer names the pipeline and, once one is set, the stage the lead will enter.

1. Choose a pipeline in the **Pipeline** field. It starts on the pipeline shown on the board. To change a pipeline's stages, see [Customize Pipelines and Stages](/help/leads/customize-pipelines-and-stages). If you change the pipeline after a stage is set, the form picks a stage in the new pipeline.
2. Choose a contact in the **Customer** field. The field is required, and **Create lead** stays disabled until you choose one. If the contact does not exist, choose **Create new customer** in the dropdown. The **New Customer** dialog opens, and the contact list refreshes after the contact is saved.
3. Enter the deal value in the **Deal value (USD)** field, in dollars.
4. Enter the first note in **Notes**. It is saved under your name, up to 4,000 characters.
5. Click **Create lead**. On success, the dialog closes and the lead appears on the board.

## What a new lead starts with

- It is assigned to you, the member who adds it.
- It is open, so its card shows no status badge.
- It is placed after the leads already in its stage.
- Its source is manual, because this form does not send one.
- Its deal value is stored in cents, in US dollars.

To move it to another stage, see [Move a Lead Through Your Pipeline](/help/leads/move-a-lead-through-your-pipeline).

> **Note:** The lead is saved even if its first note does not save.

## Who can add leads

- Adding a lead requires edit access to leads.
- The sidebar add control, the **New lead** button, and **Add lead** in a stage column appear only for members who can edit leads.
- Which roles can edit leads is set in [Create and Edit Roles and Permissions](/help/team/roles-and-permissions).