Table of Contents
Support Guide
How to Use Shark Tank in Shape Software | Shared Lead Distribution Guide
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Shape Software
Learn how to use Shark Tank in Shape Software to redistribute neglected leads, create shared lead pools, configure advanced rules, prioritize records, and improve lead response times. Includes setup instructions, best practices, FAQs, and troubleshooting tips.
Shark Tank in Shape Software
Not every lead gets the attention it deserves the first time around. Whether a sales representative becomes overwhelmed, priorities shift, or opportunities simply go cold, neglected records can quickly accumulate and represent missed revenue.
Shark Tank in Shape Software helps your team recover those opportunities by creating a shared lead pool where qualified users can claim and begin working eligible records. Instead of allowing valuable leads to sit untouched, Shark Tank gives your organization complete control over when records become available, who can access them, and how they are prioritized.
With powerful filtering, customizable rules, intelligent prioritization, and flexible viewing options, Shark Tank helps ensure opportunities are always available for your team to pursue while maintaining accountability and ownership throughout the sales process.
Whether you're redistributing aging leads, creating shared sales queues, or balancing workloads across your organization, Shark Tank gives administrators the flexibility to build a lead management strategy that fits their business.
What Is Shark Tank?
Shark Tank is Shape Software's shared lead management system.
Shark Tank is Shape Software's shared lead management system. Rather than allowing neglected records to remain assigned to users who are no longer actively working them, Shark Tank places qualifying records into a shared queue where other eligible users can claim ownership and continue working the opportunity.
Unlike a traditional lead queue, Shark Tank is entirely configurable. Administrators determine:
- Which records qualify
- When records become eligible
- Which users can access each Shark Tank
- How records are prioritized
- When Shark Tanks become available
- What information users can see before claiming a record
This flexibility allows organizations to build multiple Shark Tanks that support different teams, products, workflows, and business goals.
Why Use Shark Tank?
Shark Tank helps organizations maximize the value of every lead by ensuring opportunities don't remain untouched for long periods of time.
Common uses include:
- Redistributing neglected leads
- Recovering opportunities that would otherwise be lost
- Supporting shared lead models
- Increasing speed to lead
- Creating fair lead distribution
- Balancing workloads across sales teams
- Giving users access to additional opportunities after working their assigned leads
- Creating specialized lead pools for different products, campaigns, or departments
Instead of manually reviewing aging records each day, Shark Tank automatically identifies eligible records based on your rules and makes them available to qualified users.
How Shark Tank Works
At a high level, Shark Tank follows a simple process.
None
Record is Assigned
│
▼
Matches Shark Tank Rules
│
▼
Appears in Shark Tank
│
┌──────┴────────┐
▼ ▼
List View Pull Queue
Cherry Pick Get Lead
│
▼
User Claims Record
│
▼
Record Assigned
│
▼
User Begins Working the Record
Once a record meets your configured Shark Tank rules, it becomes available to users with access to that Shark Tank.
Depending on the view you've configured, users can either select the specific record they'd like to work or allow Shape Software to automatically assign the next eligible record.
After a record is claimed:
- The record is immediately assigned to the claiming user.
- It is removed from the Shark Tank for all other users.
- A Shark Tank activity is recorded, indicating that the record was claimed.
- The user can then begin calling, texting, emailing, creating notes, or performing other activities.
If the record later meets your Shark Tank rules again, it can re-enter the Shark Tank based on your configuration.
List View vs. Pull Queue
When creating a Shark Tank, you'll choose between two different viewing experiences.
List View
List View displays every available Shark Tank record in a list.
Users can review available information and decide which record they'd like to claim.
This approach is often called Cherry Picking because users choose the opportunity they believe they have the best chance of converting.
List View works well when:
- Users specialize in certain lead types
- Different records require different expertise
- Teams benefit from choosing opportunities manually
Pull Queue View
Pull Queue provides a much simpler experience.
Instead of displaying a list of records, users simply click Get Lead.
Shape Software automatically assigns the next eligible record based on your configured prioritization rules.
Pull Queue is ideal when:
- You want fair and consistent lead distribution
- Users should not choose their own leads
- You want to eliminate competition over available records
- Speed and simplicity are more important than manual selection
Pull Queue still respects your configured prioritization, ensuring records are distributed according to the rules you've defined.
Claiming Records
Claiming a record transfers ownership of that record to the user who claimed it, allowing them to begin working the opportunity.
The claiming process is designed to be quick while ensuring only one user can claim a record at a time.
When a record is claimed:
- The record is immediately assigned to the claiming user.
- The record is removed from the Shark Tank for all other users.
- A Shark Tank activity is logged in the record's activity history.
- The user can immediately begin working the record.
Once claimed, the record behaves like any other assigned record within Shape Software.
What Happens if Two Users Claim the Same Record?
Shark Tank uses a first come, first served model.
If two users attempt to claim the same record at nearly the same time, the first successful claim receives ownership of the record.
The second user will receive an error indicating that the record has already been claimed.
This prevents duplicate ownership and ensures each Shark Tank record is only assigned to one user at a time.
Setting Up Shark Tank
Administrators can create multiple Shark Tanks to support different teams, departments, workflows, or business objectives.
To access the Shark Tank settings:
Settings → Shark Tank
From here, select Create New Rule to build a new Shark Tank.
Each Shark Tank consists of several configuration areas:
- View Settings
- Access & Assignment
- Rule Settings
- Field Filters
- Prioritization
- Optional Features
Each section gives you additional control over which records appear and who can work them.
Configure Your Shark Tank
View Type
The first decision is choosing how users will interact with available records.
List View
Displays every available Shark Tank record in a list where users can review available information before claiming a record.
This option is ideal when users should decide which opportunity they want to pursue.
Pull Queue View
Displays a Get Lead button instead of a list.
When selected, Shape Software automatically assigns the next eligible record based on your prioritization settings.
This option works well for organizations that want a fair, automated distribution process.
Name Your Shark Tank
Assign a descriptive name that clearly identifies its purpose.
Examples include:
- Aged Leads
- Contract Follow Up
- Refinance Opportunities
- Internet Leads
- Realtor Leads
- Insurance Renewals
Using descriptive names makes it easier for administrators and users to understand the purpose of each Shark Tank.
Select the Record Type
Choose which record type this Shark Tank applies to.
Available record types vary depending on your organization's configuration and enabled features.
Configure User Access
Next, determine who can access this Shark Tank.
Access can be granted by:
- Individual users
- Teams
- Departments
Only authorized users will be able to view and claim records from that Shark Tank.
Daily Caps
Optionally, administrators can configure Daily Caps to limit the number of records a user can claim from a particular Shark Tank within a rolling work period.
Unlike a traditional daily limit that resets at midnight, the Daily Cap begins when a user claims their first Shark Tank record. The claim limit remains in effect for the next 8 hours, after which the user's available claims automatically reset.
Daily Caps can help:
- Distribute opportunities more evenly across your team.
- Prevent a small number of users from claiming all available records.
- Encourage fair participation in shared lead environments.
- Balance workloads throughout the day.
Example: If a user claims their first Shark Tank record at 9:00 AM, their Daily Cap window remains active until 5:00 PM. Once the 8-hour period ends, their available claims reset automatically.
State Eligibility
Organizations operating across multiple licensed states can enable State Eligibility.
When enabled, Shark Tank only presents records located in states where the user's profile indicates they are eligible to work.
This helps ensure compliance while preventing users from claiming records outside of their licensed territory.
Change Status Upon Assignment
Administrators can automatically update a record's status when it is claimed.
This helps teams immediately identify that ownership has changed and allows workflows, automation, or reporting to begin as soon as the record is assigned.
Creating Shark Tank Rules
Rules determine which records become eligible for your Shark Tank.
Think of rules as the qualification criteria.
Only records that satisfy your configured rules will appear.
Each rule can include criteria such as:
- Included Statuses
- Excluded Statuses
- Marketing Channel Types
- Marketing Campaign Sources
- Tags
These criteria allow you to create Shark Tanks that focus on very specific groups of records.
For example:
- Records in a "Contract Sent" status
- Leads from a specific marketing provider
- Contacts with a particular tag
- Opportunities from one campaign
Multiple rules can be created to support different workflows.
Advanced Field Filters
Beyond basic rule settings, Shark Tank supports powerful field filters that allow administrators to build highly targeted lead pools.
Field Filters can evaluate dozens of different data points, including:
- Create Date
- Conversion Date
- Last Assigned Date
- Last Contact Attempt
- Total Contact Attempts
- Total Call Attempts
- Last Call Attempt Date
- Last Status Change Date
- Next Calendar Event Date
- Shape IQ AI Lead Score
Each filter supports multiple comparison options, including:
- Within
- Not Within
- Equals
- Greater Than
- Less Than
These filters can be combined to create highly specific qualification criteria.
For example, you could create a Shark Tank that includes:
- Leads that haven't been contacted in seven days
- Opportunities assigned more than two days ago
- Records with fewer than three call attempts
- Contacts without an upcoming calendar event
- Leads that match a specific custom field value
By combining multiple filters, administrators can automate lead redistribution based on virtually any business process.
Custom Field Filters
In addition to the standard filtering options, Shark Tank also supports filtering by custom fields.
This allows organizations to build Shark Tanks around information unique to their business.
Examples include:
- Product type
- Territory
- Loan officer
- Agent
- Customer segment
- Internal classifications
- Any custom field configured within Shape Software
Custom field filtering provides virtually unlimited flexibility, allowing Shark Tank to adapt to your organization's existing workflows instead of requiring your workflows to adapt to the software.
Prioritization
Once records qualify for a Shark Tank, Shape Software determines the order in which they are presented.
Administrators can choose how records are prioritized using a variety of built-in sorting options.
Common prioritization options include:
- Created Date
- Conversion Date
- Last Status Change Date
- Last Call Attempt Date
- Total Call Attempts
- Shape IQ AI Lead Score
Each option can be sorted in ascending or descending order depending on your organization's goals.
For example:
- Prioritize the oldest neglected records.
- Show records with the fewest contact attempts first.
- Surface records with the highest AI Score.
- Present recently converted opportunities before older ones.
When using Pull Queue, these prioritization rules determine which record is automatically assigned when a user selects Get Lead.
Can a Record Appear in Multiple Shark Tanks?
Yes.
A single record can qualify for multiple Shark Tanks if it satisfies the rules for each one.
While this flexibility allows organizations to create specialized lead queues, it's generally considered a best practice to avoid overlapping rule criteria whenever possible.
Clearly defining the purpose of each Shark Tank helps reduce duplicate opportunities and creates a more predictable experience for users.
If multiple Shark Tanks intentionally overlap, your configured rules and prioritization determine how those records are presented throughout the system.
Advanced Shark Tank Features
Shark Tank includes several advanced configuration options that give administrators even greater control over how records are distributed and how users interact with available opportunities.
These settings allow you to tailor the Shark Tank experience to match your organization's sales process and business goals.
Run Schedules
Run Schedules allow administrators to control when a Shark Tank becomes active and available to users.
Instead of making a Shark Tank available at all times, you can configure a schedule based on your company's time zone. When the schedule begins, eligible records become available for users to claim. Outside of the scheduled hours, the Shark Tank remains inactive.
This feature is particularly useful for organizations that want users to prioritize their assigned workload before accessing shared opportunities.
For example:
- Assigned leads are worked during the morning.
- The Shark Tank becomes available at 1:00 PM.
- Users can then claim additional opportunities after completing their assigned work.
Each Shark Tank can have its own independent run schedule, allowing different teams or workflows to follow different availability windows.
Best Practice: Use Run Schedules to encourage users to focus on newly assigned leads before moving on to shared opportunities later in the day.
Lock Columns
By default, users can customize the columns displayed on many list pages throughout Shape Software.
When Lock Columns is enabled for a Shark Tank, administrators define exactly which columns are displayed to users.
This creates a consistent experience while preventing users from exposing additional information that may influence how they choose records.
Some organizations use this feature to provide only a limited preview before a record is claimed, helping ensure users make decisions based only on the information administrators choose to display.
Benefits of Lock Columns include:
- Standardized list views
- Consistent user experience
- Controlled record previews
- Reduced information overload
- Greater administrative control
Hide Quick Actions
Shark Tank List Views normally display Quick Actions, allowing users to call, text, email, create notes, schedule calendar events, and perform other actions directly from the list page.
Some organizations prefer users to establish ownership before beginning any work on a record.
When Hide Quick Actions is enabled:
- The Claim button remains available.
- Quick Action buttons such as Call, Text, Email, Notes, and Calendar Events are hidden.
- Users must first claim a record before they can begin working it.
This setting helps improve accountability by ensuring users only interact with records that have been assigned to them.
Note: This setting only affects Shark Tank List Views. Quick Actions remain available throughout the rest of Shape Software.
Best Practice: Enable Hide Quick Actions if your organization requires users to claim ownership before contacting or updating a record.
Working Records from Shark Tank
Once you've claimed a record, it becomes part of your assigned workload.
From there, you can begin working the record just as you would any other assigned record in Shape Software.
Depending on your permissions and enabled features, you can:
- Make phone calls
- Send text messages
- Send emails
- Create notes
- Schedule calendar events
- Update statuses
- Complete follow-up activities
- Continue moving the opportunity through your sales process
Claiming a record simply transfers ownership. What happens next follows your organization's normal workflow.
Administrator Best Practices
A well-designed Shark Tank helps users find the right opportunities quickly while reducing confusion and duplicate work.
Consider these recommendations when building your Shark Tanks.
Create Purpose-Built Shark Tanks
Each Shark Tank should have a clearly defined objective.
Instead of placing every neglected record into one large queue, consider creating separate Shark Tanks for different products, campaigns, or workflows.
Examples include:
- Internet Leads
- Aged Opportunities
- Refinance Leads
- Renewal Opportunities
Smaller, focused Shark Tanks are generally easier for users to understand and manage.
Avoid Overlapping Rules
Although records can qualify for multiple Shark Tanks, overlapping rules can create confusion and duplicate opportunities.
Whenever possible, build rules that clearly separate different workflows.
If overlapping is intentional, carefully review your prioritization settings to ensure records are presented as expected.
Use Advanced Filters Strategically
Shark Tank becomes significantly more powerful when multiple filters are combined.
Rather than relying solely on statuses, consider incorporating additional criteria such as:
- Last contact attempt
- Number of call attempts
- Last assignment date
- AI Score
- Shape IQ
- Calendar activity
- Custom field values
Combining multiple filters allows administrators to create highly targeted lead pools that closely match their sales process.
Choose the Right View Type
Both List View and Pull Queue serve different purposes.
Use List View when users should evaluate available opportunities before claiming them.
Use Pull Queue when records should be distributed automatically and fairly without allowing users to choose their own leads.
Encourage Users to Claim Before Working
If ownership and accountability are important, consider enabling Hide Quick Actions.
Requiring users to claim records before interacting with them creates a cleaner workflow and prevents multiple users from working the same opportunity.
Review Shark Tank Performance Regularly
Business needs change over time.
Periodically review your Shark Tank rules to ensure they continue matching your team's workflow and that neglected opportunities are being redistributed effectively.
Small adjustments to filters or prioritization can often produce significant improvements.
Conclusion
Shark Tank is one of Shape Software's most powerful tools for managing shared leads and recovering neglected opportunities. With configurable rules, advanced filtering, flexible prioritization, and customizable user experiences, organizations can build lead distribution strategies that align with their unique sales processes.
Whether you're creating a collaborative lead pool, redistributing aging opportunities, or ensuring every lead receives timely attention, Shark Tank provides the flexibility to automate and optimize how opportunities are shared across your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't I see any records in Shark Tank?
A Shark Tank will only display records that match its configured rules.
If no records qualify, the Shark Tank will appear empty.
It's also possible that your user account doesn't have access to that Shark Tank.
Why can't I claim a record?
There are a few reasons you may be unable to claim a Shark Tank record.
If another user claims the record before you, your claim will fail and you'll receive a message indicating that the record has already been claimed. Since Shark Tank uses a first come, first served model, only one user can successfully claim a record.
If you receive a message indicating that no records are available, even though your administrator can see eligible records, it's often due to your Shark Tank configuration. For example, State Eligibility may be enabled, preventing you from claiming records outside the states assigned to your user profile. Other Shark Tank rules or filters may also limit which records are available to you.
If you believe records should be available, contact your Shape administrator to review your Shark Tank access, filters, and eligibility settings.
What happens after I claim a record?
The record is immediately assigned to you and removed from the Shark Tank for other users.
A Shark Tank activity is logged, after which you can begin working the record using your normal workflow.
Can a record return to Shark Tank?
Yes.
If a record meets your organization's Shark Tank rules again in the future, it can become eligible for another Shark Tank.
Whether this occurs depends entirely on your configuration.
Can a record appear in more than one Shark Tank?
Yes.
Records can qualify for multiple Shark Tanks if they satisfy the rules for each one.
For the best user experience, it's generally recommended to avoid unnecessary overlap between Shark Tanks.
What's the difference between List View and Pull Queue?
List View allows users to browse available records and choose which one to claim.
Pull Queue automatically assigns the next eligible record based on your configured prioritization.
Can different Shark Tanks have different schedules?
Yes.
Each Shark Tank can have its own Run Schedule, allowing administrators to control when each one becomes available.
Does Pull Queue use prioritization?
Yes.
Pull Queue automatically assigns the next eligible record according to the prioritization settings configured for that Shark Tank.
Why are Quick Actions missing?
Your administrator may have enabled Hide Quick Actions for that Shark Tank.
When enabled, users must claim a record before actions such as calling, texting, emailing, or creating notes become available.
Can I customize what users see before they claim a record?
Yes.
Administrators can enable Lock Columns to control which columns are displayed in Shark Tank List Views.
Related Guide: Shark Tank: https://setshape.com/support-guides/shark-tank-in-shape-software
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