> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.presolve.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Follow a lead through the case lifecycle
> Learn when leads appear, how a signed retainer converts a lead, and where active, closed, and referred matters belong.
**Converted means the client has signed a retainer.** After signing and handoff processing finish, a newly signed, open matter normally appears in both **Pending Leads → Converted** and **Active Cases**. When the matter closes, it leaves Active Cases and appears in Closed Cases, while remaining in Converted.
Open [My Cases](https://attorney.dearlegal.com/dashboard/cases) to follow the record. Converted is a history of signed clients; Active and Closed describe their current matter work. These views can overlap without creating another case.
## When a lead appears
Use the **Source** column in Pending Leads to check where a lead originated.
| Source | When the firm can see it |
| - | - |
| Partner API or a lead your firm creates or uploads | From creation, in the view for its current system stage. An ordinary new lead appears in Pending Leads → New Leads, even without a primary attorney. |
| Presolve-sourced lead, including DearLegal Web, Phone, HubSpot, and Affiliate sources | After signing/conversion, or after a final turn-down. Matching to your organization, intake progress, qualification, or a pending internal turn-down alone does not make it visible. |
Organization access, permissions, and selected filters still apply. Leads marked Test Lead, Hidden, or Duplicate Lead are excluded from normal attorney views. These visibility rules do not freeze firm assignments or change lead routing.
For example, an API lead can appear in New Leads while intake is still in progress. A Presolve-sourced lead can first appear in **Converted and Active Cases at the same time**, after its signed-retainer handoff completes.
## Find the right view
| View | What belongs there |
| - | - |
| [Pending Leads → New Leads](https://attorney.dearlegal.com/dashboard/cases?tab=pending\&subTab=new) | Visible leads at the beginning of the lead process. |
| Pending Leads → Under Review | Visible leads in Pending Qualification, Qualified, or Pending Turn Down. A sent but unsigned retainer belongs in review. |
| Pending Leads → Converted | Clients with recorded conversion, including signed matters that later close or are referred out. |
| [Active Cases](https://attorney.dearlegal.com/dashboard/cases?tab=active) | Converted, open matters for which the firm retains active responsibility. |
| [Closed Cases](https://attorney.dearlegal.com/dashboard/cases?tab=closed) | Completed lead turn-downs and closed or turned-down matters. |
| [Referrals](https://attorney.dearlegal.com/dashboard/cases?tab=referrals) | Outbound referrals and their history. Check each referral's status and receiving firm. |
The Presolve-source visibility rule above also applies during review: an unsigned Presolve-sourced lead does not appear in Under Review merely because qualification or internal turn-down review started.
## Understand stages and custom statuses
**Lead Stage** controls the broad lead workflow and its list placement. **Matter Stage** controls the active matter's progress and whether it belongs in Active or Closed. Referral acceptance also affects whether the originating firm retains active responsibility.
**Lead Status** and **Matter Status** provide more specific labels within those stages. Your organization can customize those labels. Changing a custom status does not move the record between lifecycle views. A custom label named “Signed” or “Converted” does not establish conversion. Custom-status filters can still affect which rows you see.
| Lead Stage | Meaning |
| - | - |
| New | Newly received lead awaiting review. |
| Pending Qualification | Intake or qualification is still being evaluated. |
| Qualified | Qualification is complete; this does not establish signing. |
| Converted | The client signed a retainer and conversion was recorded. |
| Pending Turn Down | A turn-down is being reviewed; it is not final. |
| Lead Turn Down | The unsigned lead was turned down. |
| Referred Out | Check the associated referral's progress and acceptance. |
These stages are not a required sequence for every lead. Use the appropriate qualification, signing, turn-down, or referral action rather than changing a custom label to imitate it.
## Move from a lead to a signed client
### Signing through Presolve
1. Review the intake and the retainer's client and firm details.
2. Send the retainer. Sending moves an eligible unsigned lead into review; it does not convert it. An unsigned Presolve-sourced lead remains hidden from the firm's lists.
3. Complete signing and allow the signing/handoff processing to finish.
4. Verify **Lead Stage: Converted** and the matter fields.
Conversion fills missing matter fields with **Pre Suit** and **Case Set Up**. Existing matter progress is preserved. When those fields were empty, the newly converted, open matter appears in **Active Cases → Pre Suit** automatically; the attorney does not need a separate “move to Active” action.
### Signing outside Presolve
If the client signed externally, an authorized user can select **Converted** in the lead-stage control and explicitly confirm that the retainer was signed. Canceling the confirmation makes no change. Confirming applies conversion and fills missing matter defaults.
Do not mark a lead Converted just because a retainer was prepared or sent.
Check the completed signature. If signing has finished but processing reports
an error, review the saved record and contact support instead of creating
another case or resending the retainer.
## Progress and close the matter
| Matter Stage | View |
| - | - |
| Pre Suit | Active Cases → Pre Suit |
| Litigation | Active Cases → Litigation |
| Partially Settled or Settled Not Closed | Active Cases → Settlement Pending |
| Closed | Closed Cases → Settled |
| Matter Turn Down | Closed Cases → Matter Turned Down |
A signed matter stays in **Pending Leads → Converted** after closure or a matter turn-down. An unsigned lead that is turned down appears in **Closed Cases → Lead Turned Down** and does not count as Converted. A Presolve-sourced lead becomes visible in Closed only when its internal turn-down is final, not while that decision is pending.
Closing a matter does not itself prove that every accounting or disbursement task is finished. Complete your firm's checks for remaining tasks, documents, client communication, and [disbursements](/docs/help/accounting/disbursements).
## Follow an outbound referral
For a signed, open matter:
| Referral outcome | Originating firm's views |
| - | - |
| Sent or acknowledged, without acceptance | Referrals, Active Cases, and Converted. |
| Accepted | Referrals and Converted; it leaves the originating firm's Active Cases. |
| Declined or withdrawn before acceptance | The firm retains active responsibility. The record remains in referral history and, if signed and open, Active Cases and Converted. |
Withdrawing a referral restores the previous lead stage when appropriate. It does not undo a newer lifecycle change or another outstanding or accepted referral.
Acceptance does not automatically mark the shared matter Closed or transfer its ownership. An incoming or same-firm referral does not remove a receiving firm's own matter from Active.
If **Auto-accept on acknowledge** is enabled, an acknowledgment can also
record acceptance. Check the resulting referral status rather than assuming it
is still awaiting acceptance. See [referral settings](/docs/help/admin/referrals).
## Check counts and unexpected results
Converted and Active are not permanent one-to-one totals. A newly signed, open matter normally appears in both. After closure it appears in Converted and Closed; after an accepted outbound referral it remains in Converted and Referrals. Do not add those counts together as if every row represented a different client.
If a record seems missing or in the wrong place:
1. Confirm the organization and your access. Removing a primary attorney preserves organization ownership and lifecycle stage, but can change what an attorney-specific filter returns.
2. Check the main view and subtab, then clear search and saved filters, including custom-status filters.
3. Check Source, Lead Stage, Matter Stage, the actual signed document, and any referral's acceptance status.
4. Wait for saving or handoff processing to finish, then reload. Review Case History, including lead history where available.
5. If the result is still wrong, [contact support](/docs/help/support) with the case number, source, action, approximate time, expected view, actual view, and relevant document or referral ID.
Older records may need review if signature evidence or matter stages are missing. Do not assume a historical label alone proves signing, and do not create a duplicate record to correct visibility.
For ongoing follow-up, assign [tasks with due dates](/docs/help/tasks/create-and-track). See also [custom matter workspaces](/docs/help/matters/custom-workspace) and [workflow activity](/docs/help/automations/publish-and-review).