Dynamics Community Forum Thread Details

Enquiry ID - Leads & Opportunities

I inherited the support of a Dynamics Sales module about 12 months ago. The configuration had been modified so that you cannot create an Opportunity without first creating a Lead. However, about 80% of our Opportunities are direct requests from current customers for quotes. The creation of a Lead first is therefore an unnecessary step.

The rationale for doing this is different depending on who I ask. One version says that you cannot count the number of Leads because the organization's definition of a Lead also includes an Opportunity. This appears to conflate the definition of a Lead and an Opportunity to something different to that Microsoft intended. It appears though you can probably calculate this count based on the Enquiry Id of Leads + Opportunities.

Another version from the consultant responsible for the implementation advised he was told by the Dynamics developer that "The reason why it was restricted was to ensure the universal number could never be broken. Developer had advised that it was possible to break the universal number if oppos could be created without leads so the call was made to force everything via a lead first." I'm assuming universal number means Enquiry Id as a primary key.

So, I am seeking advice on:

1. Am I correct in thinking that when a Lead is qualified the Enquiry ID is automatically passed to the Opportunity?

2. Is it possible in anyway to to "break" the Enquiry ID or anything else by creating Opportunities directly?

2. Has anyone else seen this modification and has a rationale for why you would want to route all Opportunities as a Lead first?

Thanks in advance.

Categories:

Dynamics 365 Sales

Let's address each of your questions:

1. Enquiry ID Pass-Through: In Dynamics 365, the system typically handles the data mapping between a Lead and an Opportunity when the Lead is qualified. If the system is set up to use an Enquiry ID (or a similar unique identifier) and that ID is defined as part of the Lead record, it can be passed to the Opportunity during the qualification process, assuming the data mapping is correctly configured. However, this isn’t standard Dynamics 365 functionality—it's a customization to create a unique ID (like an "Enquiry ID") and pass it on. So, yes, if implemented correctly, the Enquiry ID should carry over automatically when Leads are converted to Opportunities.

2. Breaking the Enquiry ID: Directly creating Opportunities without Leads generally doesn’t risk "breaking" the Enquiry ID if that ID is generated independently or through a specific process. In Dynamics 365, every record has a unique GUID that serves as a primary identifier and doesn’t rely on the "Enquiry ID" logic unless custom code or workflows are in place to enforce it. If the "Enquiry ID" is generated only when a Lead is created, and you create Opportunities directly, these new Opportunities might lack an Enquiry ID, but this doesn’t affect the Dynamics primary key or any underlying system structure. It could only impact reporting or tracking if your organization relies on this custom Enquiry ID logic.

3. Rationale for Requiring Leads Before Opportunities: While routing all Opportunities through a Lead can sometimes help standardize qualification processes, it’s not always beneficial in every setup. The primary purpose of a Lead is to qualify new business. However, if most Opportunities in your organization are generated from existing customers or repeat requests, forcing Leads before Opportunities creates unnecessary steps, as you’ve noticed. This approach might only make sense if:

The organization wants a strict pipeline where every opportunity starts as a Lead.

They need to track "conversion rates" from Leads to Opportunities to measure sales effectiveness.

They have strict data requirements or regulatory needs tied to tracking all potential sales as Leads first.

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