Sales Territories

Sales territories use sales rules to determine how NetSuite distributes new potential customers to your sales reps, sales groups, and sales teams.

In NetSuite, you can define sales territories by using multiple sales rules. The information in a lead, prospect, or customer's record must match one or all of the criteria of the sales rules to be assigned to that territory.

Note:

Territory assignment works on a first come first served basis. When NetSuite encounters a successful Sales Territory rule and assigns the Lead, the processing of Sales Territory rules stops. Subsequent rules are not considered and cannot overwrite the initial assignment.

For example, Wolfe Electronics assigns most of their leads to traveling sales reps based on geographic location. The company also purchases lists of leads to cold call and assigns them to telesales reps.

Wolfe sales administrators want leads from purchased lists assigned to the telesales team, regardless of their geographic location. They set up a specific sales territory that filters all leads that have the lead source: Imported List.

On the Manage Sales Territories page, the sales administrator gives this territory priority over the geographic territories. This priority ensures that NetSuite separates these leads before it assigns them based on their location.

When a new lead record is created, if it has the Imported List lead source, NetSuite assigns it to the internal sales team. This is true even if the lead's address matched the criteria of the Mountain West territory. If it has a different lead source, NetSuite assigns it to the geographic sales territory that matches its telephone area code.

To automate lead prospect and customer assignment, all new leads and prospects should fall within the sales rules. Go to Setup > Sales > Sales Management > Sales Rules to edit or add sales rules. After you group the rules into territories, NetSuite assigns sales reps and sales groups to the territories. Then, NetSuite automatically distributes new customers to the correct sales person or team.

By default, NetSuite assigns customers to sales reps by a round robin process, if they are not assigned by sales territories.

Note:

NetSuite assigns only newly created lead, prospect, and customer records by sales territories. NetSuite does not reassign entities that were previously assigned to a sales rep or sales team. To reassign an entity, you can use the Reassign Customers by Sales Territory Rules mass update. For more information, see Reassigning Customers to Sales Territories.

Setting Up a Sales Territory

To set up a sales territory:

1. Go to Setup > Sales > Sales Management > Sales Territories > New.

2. On the Sales Territory page, enter a name for this territory.

3. Enter a description for this territory.

4. Choose Match all rules if customers must meet all of the criteria for the rules you select for with this territory.

   Choose Match any rule if customers can meet any of the criteria for the rules you select for this territory.

5. Check the Inactive box to inactivate this sales territory.

6. On the Configure Rule Definitions subtab, in the Apply Rule column, select a sales rule to apply to this territory, and then click Add.

7. Repeat the preceding step for all rules for this territory.

8. Click the Lead Assignment subtab.

9. In the Sales Rep field, select a sales rep, sales group, or sales team to assign this territory, and then click Add.

   For information on how to make an employee a sales rep, see Marking an Employee as a Sales Rep.

   Note:

   If you do not use the Team Selling features, you can make a sales group appear in this list. Check the Sales Group box on an employee group record.

10. For each sales person or group you want assign to this territory, repeat the preceding step.

    NetSuite evenly distributes leads, prospects, and customers that meet these rules to all of the sales reps and groups you select.

11. Click Save.

After you set up the sales territories, you can prioritize them. For more information, see Prioritizing Sales Territories.

Making Changes to Territories

You can make changes to a territory. Go to Setup > Sales > Sales Management > Sales Territories > List. Click the Edit link for the territory you want to change. After you have made your changes, click Save.

Note:

You can also go to Setup > Sales > Sales Management > Sales Territories to change a territory. From this page, click the territory name’s link. Click Edit to make changes, and then click Save.

Updating Territory Assignments

If your company periodically updates lead, prospect, and customer assignments through your sales territories, there are two other options you can use:

• Keep Current Sales Rep – This option lets you choose to maintain the sales rep or team selected on lead, prospects, or customer records.

  For example, if you use scripts to apply sales rules and territories, you can choose to not reassign records that meet some sales rules.

• Clear Sales Rep Assignment – This option lets you remove the assigned rep or team from leads, prospects, and customers who meet the territory's criteria.

  For example, leads with no recent activity can be promptly addressed. If you clear the Sales Rep field, your sales team can manually reassign them.

You can choose either of these options in the Sales Rep column on the Lead Assignment subtab of a sales territory.

Related Topics

• Customer Statuses
• Sales Rules
• Team Selling
• Reassigning Customers to Sales Territories

General Notices