Managing Enquiry Stage on PL

Learn how to clean up your litigation referrals pipeline in Zoho CRM, log follow-ups with solicitors, send email templates, and manage stalled inquiries.

May 15, 2026 By Carmel Coman

This guide explains how to clean up and manage stages within the Zoho CRM pipeline to ensure client referrals progress smoothly. Maintaining an accurate pipeline helps identify bottlenecks, ensures clients are seen promptly, and keeps the team aligned on next steps.

This process is designed for administrative staff responsible for quality-assuring client referrals and communicating with solicitors. You will use these steps primarily when dealing with inquiries that have stalled or are awaiting further information.

Navigating to Litigation Referrals

The Litigation Referrals view provides a broad overview of where each client sits in the process, from initial inquiry to final invoice.

Step #1: Click the pipeline dropdown menu at the top left of the Kanban board. — Click the pipeline dropdown menu at the top left of the Kanban board.

Step #2: Select Litigation Referrals to view the correct pipeline board. — Select **Litigation Referrals** to view the correct pipeline board.

Following Up on Enquiries

Clients often sit in the "Enquiry" or "Waiting further information" stages when there is uncertainty about whether the solicitor wishes to proceed. You must follow up to determine the next steps.

Method	When to use	How it works	Where to find it
Phone Call	Quick clarifications or checking if a solicitor still needs the appointment.	You call the solicitor directly and manually record a summary of the conversation.	Use the Notes section on the client record.
Email Template	Official, standardized follow-ups for paper trails.	You select a pre-written template that auto-populates client and solicitor details.	Use the Send Mail button and Insert Template option.

Logging a Phone Call

Step #3: Click a client record card in the Enquiry column to open their details. — Click a client record card in the Enquiry column to open their details.

Step #4: Click the Add a note text field in the Notes section. — Click the **Add a note** text field in the Notes section.

5

Type a brief summary of your phone call, then save the note.

Adding a note ensures that anyone reviewing the record later can see a history of communication, preventing duplicate follow-ups.

Sending a Follow-up Email

Step #6: Click Send Mail at the top right of the client record. — Click **Send Mail** at the top right of the client record.

Step #7: Click Insert Template in the composition window. — Click **Insert Template** in the composition window.

Step #8: Select the relevant follow-up template from the list. — Select the relevant follow-up template from the list.

Step #9: Review the populated email to ensure accuracy, then click Send. — Review the populated email to ensure accuracy, then click **Send**.

Closing Stale Referrals

If a solicitor confirms they no longer need the appointment, the referral must be discharged so it stops clogging up the active pipeline.

Step #10: Click the Stage dropdown menu on the client's record. — Click the **Stage** dropdown menu on the client's record.

Step #11: Select Closed Lost from the list of options. — Select **Closed Lost** from the list of options.

Step #12: Click the blue checkmark icon to confirm the stage update. — Click the blue checkmark icon to confirm the stage update.

Step #13: Fill out the required date and details in the verification prompt, then confirm. — Fill out the required date and details in the verification prompt, then confirm.

Drag and Drop Pipeline Management

For simple stage updates without entering the full client record, you can move cards directly on the Kanban board.

Step #14: Click and drag a client card from its current column to the appropriate new stage column. — Click and drag a client card from its current column to the appropriate new stage column.

FAQ

Q: How do I know when a solicitor has replied to an email follow-up?

A: Incoming replies from solicitors are automatically routed into a specific task folder (e.g., "Ursula General"). You can check this folder periodically to review responses and update the pipeline accordingly.

Glossary

Term	Definition
CRM	Client Relationship Manager, the system used to track solicitors, practices, and individual clients.
Litigation Referrals	A specific pipeline view tracking the progression of client referrals from inquiry to final invoice.
Closed Lost	The pipeline stage used when an appointment is no longer needed and the referral is discharged.