Understanding the Lead Status Fields (and Why It Matters)

The Lead Status setup is one of the most important parts of your StudentIgnite configuration.

It’s how StudentIgnite understands what type of lead this is and where that lead is in their journey — and how we keep your CRM accurately updated as AI-led conversations progress.

Getting this right during onboarding ensures:

• Accurate reporting

• Clean, reliable CRM data

• No duplicate or conflicting follow-ups

• Clear handover points between AI and your team

This article explains:

• The two fields StudentIgnite uses

• What each status means

• How they work together

• What StudentIgnite updates

• How calendar sync affects booking visibility

• How opt-outs are handled

• Best practices for clean CRM behaviour

The Two Fields StudentIgnite Uses

StudentIgnite uses two CRM fields, each with a distinct purpose:

1. Lead Type

2. StudentIgnite Status

You can map these fields during onboarding to:

• The same CRM field, or

• Separate fields, including different objects (e.g. Lead vs Deal), if your CRM structure requires it

We work with your existing setup — we don’t force a specific CRM model.

1. What Is the Lead Type Field?

The Lead Type field tells StudentIgnite what kind of lead this is at the moment they enter our workflows.

During onboarding, you’ll map your CRM’s equivalent values for:

• New Lead (Speed to Lead)

• Cold Lead (Cold Lead Reactivation)

NEW LEAD (Speed to Lead)

A new enquiry that has just come in and needs an immediate first response.

This should match the status your CRM uses for brand-new leads that have just submitted an enquiry and have not yet been contacted.

Example CRM values:

• New Lead

• New Enquiry

• Uncontacted

• Fresh

• Incoming

• Open

• Not Contacted

COLD LEAD (Cold Lead Reactivation)

A lead that previously enquired but has gone quiet and hasn’t responded for some time.

This should match the status your CRM uses for older or inactive leads that you want to re-engage.

Example CRM values:

• Cold

• Inactive

• Dormant

• Stale

• No Response

• Unresponsive

• Aged Lead

• Nurture

• Long-term Follow-up

• Re-engage

⚠️ Lead Type is about how the lead starts, not how the journey progresses.

2. What Is the StudentIgnite Status Field?

The StudentIgnite Status field tracks what is happening to the lead as they move through the journey.

This is the field StudentIgnite updates as conversations progress.

During onboarding, you’ll map the following StudentIgnite statuses to your CRM.

Conversation Lifecycle Statuses

These reflect active conversation progress.

ACTIVE

StudentIgnite has started messaging this lead and the conversation is in progress.

The AI is sending messages, but the lead has not yet replied.

Example CRM values:

• In Progress

• Contacted

• Attempting Contact

• Working

• Open – In Progress

• Follow-up

• Outreach

• Pending Response

ENGAGED

The lead has replied positively to a message.

This means they are actively engaging in the conversation, even if they haven’t booked yet.

Example CRM values:

• Engaged

• Responded

• Interested

• Warm

• Qualified

• Active Conversation

• In Discussion

• Positive Response

CTA_CLICKED

The lead has clicked a booking or call-to-action link.

This indicates strong intent and usually means they are close to booking or enrolling.

Example CRM values:

• Hot Lead

• High Intent

• Link Clicked

• Booking Intent

• Ready to Book

• Sales Ready

• Meeting Requested

Outcome Statuses

These reflect confirmed milestones.

BOOKED

The lead has booked an appointment, call, or meeting.

This status is typically synced automatically by your calendar system (e.g. Calendly or StudentIgnite Calendar).

Example CRM values:

• Booked

• Appointment Set

• Meeting Scheduled

• Call Booked

• Demo Scheduled

• Consultation Booked

• Interview Set

ENROLLED

The lead has formally enrolled or signed up.

This should match the status your CRM uses once a student has converted.

Example CRM values:

• Enrolled

• Converted

• Won

• Closed Won

• Student Registered

• Accepted Offer

WITHDRAWN

The lead has clearly indicated they are no longer interested.

This includes explicit rejections, cancellations, or confirmed drop-offs.

Example CRM values:

• Withdrawn

• Lost

• Closed Lost

• Not Interested

• Rejected

• Dropped

• Cancelled

• Declined

• No Longer Pursuing

Exit / Override States

These can happen at any point in the journey.

UNCONTACTABLE

Messages could not be delivered (for example, invalid number or repeated failures).

StudentIgnite will stop attempting to contact this lead.

Example CRM values:

• Uncontactable

• Invalid Contact

• Bad Number

• Wrong Number

• Unreachable

• Bounced

• Failed Delivery

• Invalid Data

PROCESSED EXTERNALLY

The lead is being handled outside of StudentIgnite (for example, by a staff member or another system).

Selecting this prevents duplicate or conflicting follow-ups.

Example CRM values:

• Handled Manually

• Staff Follow-up

• Assigned to Rep

• External Process

• Manual Outreach

• Agent Assigned

• Transferred

• In-person Contact

• Phone Call Made

How Opt-Out / Unsubscribe Is Handled

Opt-out is not part of the StudentIgnite Status field.

Instead, it is handled through a separate Unsubscribe / Opt-Out field in your CRM.

When a lead replies with “STOP” (or equivalent):

• StudentIgnite suppresses further messaging immediately

• The unsubscribe field is updated in your CRM (based on your mapping)

• The lead remains in their last StudentIgnite Status

This separation ensures:

• Clean reporting

• Accurate lifecycle tracking

• Proper compliance handling

• No mixing of consent flags with journey states

Opt-out is a compliance state, not a lifecycle stage.

How the Two Fields Work Together

Think of it this way:

Lead Type = What kind of lead is this?
StudentIgnite Status = What’s happening to them right now?

Example:

Lead Type = New
StudentIgnite Status progresses as:

Active → Engaged → CTA_Clicked → Booked → Enrolled

Opt-out, if it occurs, is stored separately and does not replace the lifecycle stage.

What StudentIgnite Updates (and What We Don’t)

We update:

• The StudentIgnite Status field

• The Opt-Out / Unsubscribe field (if mapped)

We do not automatically update:

• Deal stages

• Opportunity pipelines

• Task assignments

• Internal owner fields

If you want a StudentIgnite Status change to:

• Move a deal stage

• Create a task

• Notify a staff member

You should create a CRM workflow that listens for the StudentIgnite Status change and performs that action.

Calendar Sync and Booking Visibility

With Two-Way Calendar Sync
(Calendly OAuth or StudentIgnite Calendar)

StudentIgnite can:

• Detect confirmed bookings

• Update StudentIgnite Status to Booked

• Track cancellations and reschedules

• Attribute bookings accurately in reporting

Without Two-Way Calendar Sync
(Link-only calendars)

StudentIgnite can only detect:

CTA_Clicked

This means:

We know the student clicked the booking link.
We do not know whether they completed the booking.

In this case, CTA_Clicked is the highest-confidence lifecycle state available.

In Summary

• StudentIgnite uses two lifecycle fields: Lead Type and StudentIgnite Status

• Opt-out is handled separately via a compliance field

• Lead Type determines workflow entry

• StudentIgnite Status tracks journey progress

• Additional behaviour should be handled via CRM workflows

• Booking visibility depends on calendar sync