How to assign leads to users in Salesforce: native vs. Plauti Assign

Before we move forward, let’s establish some prerequisites:

• Salesforce admin permissions
• Lead object access (fields, Queues, Assignment rules)
• Optional but highly recommended: a sandbox for testing
• Stakeholder inputs: territories, skills, coverage rules, out-of-office policy

4 steps to assign leads with native Salesforce tools

Step 1: Define who gets which leads

• Go to Setup -> search “Lead Assignment Rules”.
• Click New, name the rule (e.g., “US enterprise leads”), set Active = true.
• Add Rule Entries (priority matters; first match wins).
• Example criteria: Country = US AND AnnualRevenue ≥ 1,000,000.
• Assign to a User or a Queue (queues help with team sharing).

Expected result: incoming leads that match the criteria are assigned to the chosen user/queue.

Step 2: Handle web-to-lead and imports

• Web-to-lead submissions always evaluate Lead Assignment Rules.
• In rule entries, set “Do Not Reassign Owner” where needed to avoid overrides.
• For imports/API, consider routing into Queues and post-import Flows for reassignment.

Expected result: leads from all entry points adhere to the rules consistently.

Step 3: (Optional) DIY round robin with flow

• Create a custom number field Round_Robin_Counter_c on Lead.
• Build a Record-Triggered Flow on Lead Create:
  • Get the current counter (e.g., from a custom setting or Lead field).
  • Increment, then assign owner based on counter modulo team size.
  • Reset counter when it exceeds team size.

Note: Ongoing maintenance is required when the team changes. Native round robin isn’t built-in.

Step 4: Test and monitor

• Create test leads that match and don’t match your criteria.
• Confirm assignments in list views and activity history.
• Build a report: Leads by owner (Last 7 days) to verify distribution.

Expected result: confidence that rules behave as intended across use cases.

Where native lead assignment falls short

• No true round robin without custom flow/config maintenance.
• No availability-aware routing (out of office, working hours, calendar busy).
• No simple overflow routing to backup teams.
• Limited skills-based routing; complex criteria become brittle.
• Ongoing upkeep: every territory/role change means rule rework.
• Visibility gaps: hard to track fairness and throughput at a glance.

Set up lead routing with superpowers: meet Plauti Assign

Plauti Assign is a 100% native Salesforce app that turns lead routing into a set-and-forget system—no code, no custom maintenance. It adds true round robin and load balancing, respects availability (OOO, working hours, calendar busy), supports overflow to backup teams, and routes based on skills. Below is the quick setup to get results in minutes.

In short, what does Plauti Assign do?

• Instant lead routing
• Faster follow-ups, more deals
• Right lead, right person
• Custom rules for routing
• Track and ensure accountability

The 17-minute setup to say goodbye to manual assignments and routing errors

Step 0: test in a sandbox

• Install Plauti Assign in a separate sandbox.
• Sketch routing: territories, skills, backup teams.
• Prepare 10-20 sample leads for validation.

Step 1: install and prep (5 minutes)

• Install Plauti Assign from AppExchange.
• Assign permission sets to admins and routing owners.
• Add values to the Lead “Use Round Robin” picklist: TRUE, FALSE, ASSIGNED, NOMATCH, QUEUED, REJECTED.

Why? This enables state tracking for routing and diagnostics.

Step 2: create your first MatchGroup (5 minutes)

In this example, we use US Enterprise Leads.

• Rules: Country = US AND AnnualRevenue > 1,000,000.
• Team: Add Sarah, Mike, Jessica.
• Distribution: choose Round Robin or Load Balanced (give more to whoever has fewer leads).
• Availability: respect Out of Office and calendar busy times.

Expected result: leads matching the rule are distributed fairly to an available rep.

Step 3: configure Overflow (5 minutes)

• Create a backup MatchGroup (priority 2).
• Team: international reps or managers.
• Enable Overflow so leads route to backup when the primary team is unavailable.

Expected result: no stuck leads; continuous coverage.

Step 4: prevent native overrides (2 minutes)

• Add a final native Lead Assignment Rule entry:
  • Criteria: blank (catch-all).
  • Action: check “Do not reassign owner”.

Expected result: Plauti Assign becomes the source of truth for lead ownership.

Frequently asked questions

Does Salesforce support round robin lead assignment natively?

Not out of the box. You can build it with Flow and custom fields, but most teams prefer Plauti Assign for maintainability and availability-aware routing.

How do I prevent assignment overrides?

Add a catch-all Lead Assignment Rule with “Do Not Reassign Owner” checked, and review automation order for Flows or Processes that change Owner.

Will Web-to-Lead respect my assignment rules?

Yes. Web-to-Lead evaluates active Lead Assignment Rules. Test with sample submissions to confirm expected ownership.

Get started

Ready to stop being the lead routing help desk? Try Plauti Assign in your sandbox first, build one MatchGroup, and see the difference. Then roll out to Production when you’re confident.

If you want to have a quick glimpse of what Plauti Assign is capable of, check out this interactive demo.

Give Plauti Assign a try for yourself, no strings attached. Get your free trial here.