# Sales job lifecycle

## Sales job lifecycle at a glance

A sales job carries commercial work from an early opportunity through inquiry, offer, order, and
delivery. A Potential is an early sales opportunity you record before Inquiry work.

```mermaid
stateDiagram-v2
    [*] --> Potentials
    Potentials --> Inquiries: Inquiry
    Inquiries --> Offers: Offer
    Offers --> Orders: Convert To Order
    Orders --> Delivered: Deliver Order
    Potentials --> Missed: Missed Opportunity
    Inquiries --> Regretted: Regret To Offer
    Offers --> Regretted: Regret To Offer
    Inquiries --> Cancelled: Inquiry Cancelled By Client
    Offers --> Lost: Lost job
    Orders --> Rejected: Reject Order Acceptance
    Orders --> CancelledOrder: Order Cancelled By Client
```

| If you need to… | Go to |
|---|---|
| Find a saved job | [Find sales job work](find-sales-job-work.md) |
| Create the opening record | [Create a sales job](create-sales-job.md) |
| Work in Potentials | [Potentials](potentials.md) |
| Complete an Inquiry | [Inquiries](inquiries.md) |
| Prepare an Offer | [Offers](offers.md) |
| Move an Order toward delivery | [Orders](orders.md) and [From orders to delivered](from-orders-to-delivered.md) |
| Handle an exit | [Missed, regretted and cancelled jobs](missed-regretted-and-cancelled-jobs.md) |
| Read the record | [Sales job record](sales-job-record.md) |
| Maintain related work | [Sales job items](sales-job-items.md), [Sales job comments and tasks](sales-job-comments-and-tasks.md), [Sales job activities and files](sales-job-activities-and-files.md), or [Sales job contacts, guarantees, and history](sales-job-contacts-guarantees-and-history.md) |

The normal path is **Potentials**, **Inquiries**, **Offers**, **Orders**, then **Delivered**. The
lifecycle exits are **Missed Opportunity**, **Regret To Offer**, **Inquiry Cancelled By Client**,
**Lost job**, **Reject Order Acceptance**, **Order Cancelled By Client**, and the archived outcomes
for rejected and deleted work.

## Before you follow a sales job

Before you follow a sales job, make sure you can open the sales area and work with the record.

**Prerequisites**

- You are signed in.
- The record is saved before you use an existing-job stage action.
- You have edit access when an action changes the stage.
- Company setup determines whether **Order chance** is required.
- Your saved list layout determines the columns shown.

| Starting situation | How to begin |
|---|---|
| General new job | [Create a sales job](create-sales-job.md) |
| New Potential | [Potentials](potentials.md) |
| New direct order | [Sales job variants](sales-job-variants.md) |
| New instant job | [Sales job variants](sales-job-variants.md) |

Direct-order and instant-job records do not follow the same Potential-to-Inquiry route as a target
job.

**Result:** You know which access, record, job-type, and setup conditions affect the route.

## Find the job and its current work list

The sales-job list groups work by the stage or outcome you need to review. The Inquiry list shows
**Inquiry date**, **Inquiry type**, and **Inquiry stage**.

**Prerequisites**

- You are signed in.
- You know whether you need Potential, Inquiry, Offer, Order, or archived work.

**Steps**

1. Open **Sales jobs**.
2. Select **Inquiries**.
3. Select the list tab for the work you need.
4. Read **Inquiry date**, **Inquiry type**, and **Inquiry stage**.
5. Select a job row to open its record.
6. Select the list tool you need:

   | If you need to… | Select |
   |---|---|
   | Reload the list | **Refresh** |
   | Adjust the saved list layout | **Table Layout** |
   | Open list settings | **Settings** |

![The Inquiry list with stage tabs, list headers, and toolbar buttons](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/7517274068c93ed726e006d8e98f20b8.png)

**Result:** The selected list remains on screen, or the selected row opens the sales-job record.

## Read the job's lifecycle position

A sales-job record is the workspace for one job as it moves between commercial stages. The
available controls depend on the job type, current stage, edit access, and related records.

| Reader task | Control or field | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Open early opportunity work | **Potentials** | Target jobs that are not direct orders or instant jobs |
| Open inquiry work | **Inquiry** | Not direct-order, instant-job, or missed-potential work |
| Move toward an offer | **Offer** | Applicable job type, readiness for offer, and permission to edit |
| Read offer scoring | **Order chance** | From Offer until before Order; required only where configured |
| Read the stage | **Status** | Active stage range with stage-specific conditions |
| Move toward an order | **Convert To Order** | A valid offer |
| Return to inquiry work | **Back to Inquiry** | Applicable Offer branch with edit access |
| Read order work | **Order** | Active Order-to-Delivered range |
| Reject an order | **Reject Order Acceptance** | Applicable Order branch with edit access |
| Cancel an order | **Order Cancelled By Client** | Applicable Order branch with edit access |
| Prepare shipment | **Ready For Shipment Job** | Applicable Order branch with edit access |
| Deliver an order | **Deliver Order** | Applicable Order branch with edit access |
| Return to offer work | **Back to Offer** | Applicable Order branch with edit access |
| Open project work | **Project management** | Principal access and project-management edit permission |

The item area uses **Item Description**, **Unit**, and **Qty**. **Item Description** is required.
**Qty** must be greater than 0 and no greater than 999,999.00. **Unit** is unavailable for package
items or products.

On an active record, **Offer** and **Order** may be available. **Status** and **Regret To Offer**
may not appear. Availability varies by record; **Project management** and **Delivered** may not
appear on an active record.

![The offer-stage view reached from the lifecycle controls](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/420ccaabe5b7987c5c6d91a5113df44f.png)

![The order-stage view reached from the lifecycle controls](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/9c762d297041d5c7fd45bd59a8549125.png)

## Follow the happy path

The happy path moves one sales job from early opportunity work to delivery. Use the focused page
for the fields and committing action at each handover.

**Prerequisites**

- You can open the saved sales-job record.
- The current stage and job type meet the next action's condition.
- You have edit access for a stage-changing action.

**Steps**

1. Select the stage you need:

   | If you need to… | Select | When |
   |---|---|---|
   | Work with early opportunity information | **Potentials** | The job is a target job, not a direct order or instant job. |
   | Open inquiry work | **Inquiry** | The job is not a direct order, instant job, or missed potential. |
   | Open offer work | **Offer** | The job type and readiness conditions allow offer work. |
2. Select **Convert To Order** after a valid offer is available.
3. Select **Order** to review order work.
4. Select **Deliver Order** when the order conditions allow delivery.

![The Potentials work surface reached from the lifecycle route](https://atloriaassets.blob.core.windows.net/assets/a438221c-c1af-407c-b9e6-a56c986db846/5f2ae8ff6ceacfdf3d50c5a75add93a5.png)

**Result:** The job is in the next work area when the handover completes. Continue with
[Potentials](potentials.md), [Inquiries](inquiries.md), [Offers](offers.md), [Orders](orders.md),
and [From orders to delivered](from-orders-to-delivered.md).

## Handle exits and alternate branches

An exit records why a job no longer follows the normal route. Choose the outcome that matches the
job's current stage.

**Prerequisites**

- You know the current stage from the available stage controls.
- You have edit access for the outcome action.

**Steps**

1. Select the applicable outcome:

   | Current work | Control |
   |---|---|
   | Potential work that will not continue | **Missed Opportunity** |
   | Inquiry or Offer work that is regretted | **Regret To Offer** |
   | Inquiry work cancelled by the client | **Inquiry Cancelled By Client** |
   | Offer work that is lost | **Lost job** |
   | Order work rejected by the client | **Reject Order Acceptance** |
   | Order work cancelled by the client | **Order Cancelled By Client** |

2. Open [Missed, regretted and cancelled jobs](missed-regretted-and-cancelled-jobs.md).

**Result:** The outcome branch is identified and its focused procedure is available.

## When the route goes wrong

Use the exact message on screen to choose the next focused page.

| Message | Next action |
|---|---|
| `Custom fields saved successfully` | Continue with the saved custom fields. |
| `Job updated successfully` | Continue with the updated job. |
| `Job deleted successfully` | Continue with archived outcome work. |
| `Job regretted successfully` | Continue with the regretted branch. |
| `Job cancelled successfully` | Continue with the cancelled branch. |
| `Job missed successfully` | Continue with the missed branch. |
| `Job reactivated successfully` | Continue with the reactivated job. |
| `Converted to offer successfully` | Continue in Offer work. |
| `Converted to inquiry successfully` | Continue in Inquiry work. |
| `Converted To Regretted` | Continue with the regretted branch. |
| `Converted to cancelled` | Continue with the cancelled branch. |
| `Converted to lost` | Continue with the lost branch. |
| `Your request was completed successfully` | Check the list or record area for the completed request. |
| `An error occurred while processing your request` | Review the current stage and focused action page. |
| `Error saving custom fields` | Reopen custom-field work on the record. |
| `Error {{errorMsg}}` | Follow the specific text shown in place of `{{errorMsg}}`. |
| `Check mandatory field(s)` | Review the fields in the current work area. |
| `Cannot be un-delivered — a due invoice already exists` | Review the invoice state before attempting to change delivery. |
| `All offers must be in draft status to revert to inquiry` | Review the offer statuses before returning to Inquiry. |
| `An account with this name already exists` | Review the account name before saving the account-related work. |
| `A project with this name already exists` | Review the project name before saving the project-related work. |
| `Please save opened inquiry first` | Save the open Inquiry before continuing. |
| `All inquiries must be in draft stage to revert to potential` | Return only when the inquiries are in Draft. |
| `One or more items has ZERO quantity` | Review each item quantity and enter a value greater than 0. |
| `One or more items has no unit` | Review each item and select its applicable unit. |

These messages belong to focused pages:

| Message | Owning page |
|---|---|
| `Required Receiving Date`; `Required Receiving After` | Purchase jobs — MRQ details |
| `This field is required `; `Invalid input. The value must be greater than 0 and cannot exceed 999,999.00`; `Invalid input. Please enter a non-negative value` | Sales-job item, offer, order, purchasing, inquiry, and invoice panels |
| `Please enter action for each milstone `; `Please save opened cost sheet first` | Sales-job offer cost calculation |
| `Error: Vendor not saved yet`; `Error: Client not saved yet`; `You already have a contact with this name`; `This Field Is Required` | Sales-job account editing |
| `Booked quantity for this job is greater than the required BOM quantity`; `You cannot edit or delete the product after the purchase package is created`; `Cannot be deleted. Product is in purchasing`; `You cannot edit the product after the PO is created`; `Sales order is archived` | Sales job items — BOM |
| `This product is already included in BOM`; `The first variant cannot be deleted`; `An error occurred while connecting to your CRM system.`; `Please select one product` | Product selection or details |
| `Package must have at least one item`; `You cannot save without adding at least one product` | Purchase-job package or MRQ details |
| `Action not allowed`; `One topic and at least one note is required`; `Forbidden characters detected. Please remove them and try again.` | Sales activities or related record work |
| `Please enter at least one email`; `Inquiry must have at least one item`; `Offer must have at least one item`; `Order must have at least one item`; `Items labeled as ‘Ready for Shipment’ or ‘Delivered’ cannot be deleted`; `Please select one or more items to create a RFQ.` | Purchase jobs — purchasing details |
| `Required Offer Type`; `Required Bid Due Date` | Purchase jobs — purchasing inquiry |
| `Error loading accounts` | Sales-job delivery orders |
| `Serial you have entered already exist and belong to same manufacturer`; `There is error in serial you have entered`; `Minimum: At least one serial` | Sales-job reference list |
| `LG has one or more extensions or deductions and cannot be reverted to the requested stage`; `Please choose a date after the current expiry date` | L/G details |

## Continue the work

This page maps the route. Use the focused destination for the next action.

| Continue with… | Open |
|---|---|
| List search and row opening | [Find sales job work](find-sales-job-work.md) |
| Creation route | [Create a sales job](create-sales-job.md) or [Sales job variants](sales-job-variants.md) |
| Record information | [Sales job information and assessment](sales-job-information-and-assessment.md) |
| Items | [Sales job items](sales-job-items.md) |
| Comments and tasks | [Sales job comments and tasks](sales-job-comments-and-tasks.md) |
| Activities and files | [Sales job activities and files](sales-job-activities-and-files.md) |
| Contacts, guarantees, and history | [Sales job contacts, guarantees, and history](sales-job-contacts-guarantees-and-history.md) |
| Potential, inquiry, offer, or order work | [Potentials](potentials.md), [Inquiries](inquiries.md), [Offers](offers.md), or [Orders](orders.md) |
| Delivery work | [From orders to delivered](from-orders-to-delivered.md) |
| Exit work | [Missed, regretted and cancelled jobs](missed-regretted-and-cancelled-jobs.md) |

**Result:** You have a destination for the next sales-job action.