Distribution Rules Overview: How Lead Routing Works in Shape
Lead Management and Routing
Learn how leads enter Shape, get organized, & move through your workflow.
Distribution Rules Overview: How Lead Routing Works in Shape
Distribution rules are the engine behind automatic lead routing in Shape. Instead of manually assigning new leads or letting them sit unassigned, Shape can sort and deliver them to the right sales reps instantly. This keeps response times fast and ensures every lead goes somewhere it can be worked.
Why This Video Matters
Shape includes a few core rules out of the box. Round robin is the most common. It takes each new lead and rotates it evenly between eligible users. The next is Quickfire Connect, which pops an instant claim notification on screen for everyone who qualifies. Whoever clicks first gets the lead. It’s a simple way to support true speed to lead.
Here’s a breakdown of the main settings you’ll use as you build or fine-tune distribution rules.
Rule basics
Every rule has an active or inactive toggle, so the first thing to check if a rule isn’t running is whether it’s turned on. Give each rule a clear name so it’s easy to identify later, especially if your setup grows more complex.
Next, select the distribution method: round robin or Quickfire Connect. Then choose who should receive leads routed through this rule. You can target a department like “Loan Officer,” use branch-level targeting, drill down to specific teams, or even send leads to a single user.
Filtering options
Filters help you limit when and how a rule fires. Source filters are the most common. You might want all social leads to route a certain way or exclude specific channels from a rule entirely. You can also filter by fields, statuses, or other data points if you need something more targeted.
State licensing
If your business requires licensing by state, Shape can automatically match incoming leads to only the users who are licensed in that state. Just make sure each user’s licensing is filled out in their profile.
Status changes
You can optionally change the lead status when routing happens. It’s not required but can be useful if you want every newly assigned lead to move into an “Assigned” or “Working” status that triggers follow-ups or automations.
Distribution order
If you want to prioritize newer users or defer to more established users, you can control the order in which the rule distributes.
Advanced tools
Caps let you control how many leads each user receives daily, weekly, monthly, or even hourly. You can set global limits or customize caps per user. This helps balance workloads across your team.
You can also set a run schedule. This is especially important for Quickfire Connect, since it should only run when users are logged in and active. Outside those hours, you can redirect leads to a standard round robin flow.
Redistribution rules are one of the most powerful features. They look for leads that go untouched after distribution and automatically pull them back to reassign. You can choose the trigger (untouched, not contacted, not opened, etc.), how long to wait, and how many times to try redistribution. This ties directly into Shape’s Shark Tank logic and keeps leads from getting stuck.
Finally, you can apply distribution rules to file imports. If you import leads often and want them assigned automatically, this toggle handles it for you.
Managing your rules
The distribution rules page also includes a global “distribute unassigned records” option, which is helpful if leads occasionally bypass automated routing. You can also decide whether logged-off users should receive leads, set round robin behavior per rule, and apply global caps.
Rules run in order from top to bottom. If a lead doesn’t meet the criteria for rule one, Shape moves to rule two, then three, and so on. Once it reaches the end, it loops back up.
Distribution rules are flexible enough to support simple setups and large multi-team workflows. If you ever need help mapping out the best routing approach for your organization, the Shape team is always available to walk through use cases with you.
