If you’re sick of leads slipping through the cracks or wasting time manually passing them around, this is for you. Automated lead routing can shave hours off your sales response time, but only if you set it up right. This guide walks you through the real nuts and bolts of automating lead routing in Endgame, focusing on what actually works, what to skip, and how to avoid “automation theater.”
Let’s get your sales team responding faster—and stop leads from dying in the inbox.
Why Bother With Automated Lead Routing?
Manual lead assignment is a pain. It slows down your response time, creates confusion, and lets hot leads go cold. Automation promises to fix this, but only if you set up rules that make sense for your business. Endgame’s automation isn’t magic, but if you stick to the basics, it can save your team a lot of headaches.
Who should read this? - Sales managers tired of chasing stuck leads. - RevOps folks looking to cut out spreadsheet gymnastics. - Anyone who’s inherited a messy CRM and wants to clean it up without starting over.
Step 1: Map Out Your Lead Routing Logic First (Seriously)
Before you even log into Endgame, grab a notepad, whiteboard, or that stack of sticky notes in your drawer. The biggest mistake is jumping into setup without a clear plan.
Ask: - What kinds of leads do you get? (By industry, size, region, etc.) - Does every lead go to the same team, or do you split by product, territory, or something else? - Who’s responsible for following up—and when?
Pro tip: Don’t overcomplicate this. Start with no more than 3-5 routing rules. You can always add more later.
Example logic: - All leads from North America go to Team A. - Leads from companies over 500 employees go to Enterprise Sales. - Anything else goes to General Queue.
If you can’t draw your rules in a simple flowchart, they’re too complex. Pare it down.
Step 2: Clean Up Your Data Inputs
Automated routing is only as smart as the data you feed it. If your lead records are missing info or full of junk, your rules will break—or worse, send leads to the wrong person.
Checklist: - Make sure your lead forms actually collect the data you want to route by (region, company size, etc.). - Standardize field values (e.g., “United States,” not “USA” or “U.S.A.”). - Run a quick audit: Are there leads missing required info? Fix those gaps first.
What to ignore: Fancy enrichment tools that promise to fill in all your data gaps. They’re hit-or-miss. Start with what you already have and fix the obvious stuff.
Step 3: Set Up Routing Rules in Endgame
Now you’re ready to dive into Endgame and actually set up the automation. Here’s where you put your plan into action.
3.1. Go to the Lead Routing Section
- Log into Endgame.
- Navigate to the “Lead Routing” or “Automation” area. (If you can’t find it, use the search bar—Endgame’s navigation is decent but not perfect.)
3.2. Create Your First Routing Rule
- Click “Add Rule” or whatever Endgame calls it.
- Give the rule a name that makes sense. Not “Rule 1.” Try “North America to Team A.”
- Set the conditions. For example:
- Field: Country
- Operator: Equals
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Value: United States, Canada, Mexico
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Choose the assignee: Pick the team, queue, or specific rep.
3.3. Set Fallbacks
Every routing system needs a “catch-all” for leads that don’t match any rules. Otherwise, stuff goes missing.
- Make a final rule: “If no other rule applies, assign to General Queue/Sales Ops.”
3.4. Order Matters
Endgame processes routing rules in order. Put the most specific rules first, and broad catch-alls last.
Example: 1. Enterprise US Leads → Enterprise Team 2. SMB US Leads → SMB Team 3. All Others → General Queue
Step 4: Test Before You Go Live
Don’t trust that everything works just because it “looks right.” Routing mistakes can cost you real money.
How to test: - Use a test lead for each rule scenario. - Confirm each one lands where you expect. - Double-check for edge cases (e.g., if the country field is blank or spelled wrong).
What to watch out for: - Rules firing in the wrong order. - Leads getting assigned to inactive reps (it happens more than you’d think). - Data mismatches (e.g., “USA” vs. “United States”).
Pro tip: Keep a spreadsheet of your test cases and the expected results. It’ll save you time when troubleshooting.
Step 5: Turn It On—But Watch Closely
Once you’ve tested, activate your routing automation. But don’t walk away just yet.
For the first week: - Check daily where new leads are going. - Ask your sales team if they’re seeing anything weird or missing leads. - Be ready to tweak your rules—sometimes real-world leads don’t fit your nice, tidy logic.
What not to do: Don’t set it and forget it. Even the best automation needs a human in the loop at first.
Step 6: Optimize as You Go
Once things are running smoothly, you can start iterating.
Ideas: - Add new rules for big customers or VIP accounts. - Route based on product interest or deal size, if that data is reliable. - Build in round-robin assignment if your team wants leads distributed evenly.
Skip for now: - Overly complicated scoring or AI-based routing. These are great for big sales orgs, but most teams just need simple, fast rules.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
Works: - Simple, clear routing rules based on real data. - Regular check-ins with your team to catch missed leads early. - Keeping fallback rules in place so nothing gets lost.
Doesn’t work: - Overly complex logic from day one. - Relying on perfect data—there’s always some messiness. - Assuming the tool will fix bad sales process. It won’t.
Ignore: - Shiny new AI features unless you have the basics nailed. They’re often more flash than substance.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Automated lead routing in Endgame can absolutely help your team respond faster and close more deals—but only if you keep it simple, test your rules, and check in regularly. Start with the basics, fix obvious problems fast, and don’t let “automation” become just another buzzword. Real speed comes from clarity and consistency, not fancy features.
Get the basics right, and you’ll spend less time firefighting—and more time selling.