Skip to main content

First Steps After Installation

Congratulations โ€” LeadHub is installed and you are logged into the admin panel. This guide walks you through everything you should do in the first session to get LeadHub fully operational. Follow these steps in order and you will be up and running in under 30 minutes.

Getting Familiar with the Admin Panelโ€‹

Before diving into setup tasks, take 60 seconds to get oriented. The LeadHub admin panel has a sidebar on the left. The main sections are:

  • Dashboard โ€” your overview with key statistics: total leads, new leads today, this week, this month, conversion rate, active pipeline count, and average response time. Charts show lead volume over time, leads by source, and pipeline distribution.
  • Leads โ€” the full list of all leads in your system. You can filter, search, sort, star, tag, assign, and manage leads from here.
  • Kanban Board โ€” a visual drag-and-drop board showing your leads sorted by pipeline stage (like Trello, but for leads).
  • Pipelines โ€” where you create and manage your sales/qualification stages.
  • Lead Sources โ€” where you connect external sources like Facebook Lead Ads, Google Ads, Typeform, etc.
  • Forms โ€” the built-in web form builder for embedding lead capture forms on your website.
  • Automations โ€” where you build automated workflows that trigger when certain things happen to leads.
  • Integrations โ€” pre-built connections to third-party tools.
  • Email Templates โ€” reusable email templates for automated emails.
  • Team โ€” manage users, roles, and invitations.
  • Reports โ€” detailed reports on lead volume, source performance, agent performance, pipeline funnel, conversion rates, and more.
  • Settings โ€” all configuration: general settings, email, branding, security, API keys, license, and more.
  • API Keys โ€” create and manage API keys for connecting external tools.

The Settings section is expanded in the sidebar and contains multiple sub-pages: General, Email, Branding, Security, License, and others.

Step 1 โ€” Set Up the Cron Jobโ€‹

Do this first, before anything else. The cron job is what makes LeadHub work in real time. Without it:

  • Leads arriving from Facebook, Google Ads, and other sources will sit in a queue and not appear in your dashboard
  • Automations will not run
  • Scheduled emails will not send
  • IMAP email sources will not be checked
  • Scheduled reports will not be delivered

The cron job runs every minute in the background and handles all of this automatically. You set it up once and forget about it.

For complete instructions on how to add the cron job in cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin, see the Shared Hosting Guide โ€” Setting Up the Cron Job.

The command you need to add (running every minute) is:

php /home/yourusername/leadhub/cron.php >> /dev/null 2>&1

Replace the path with the actual path to your cron.php file on your server.

Step 2 โ€” Configure Email (Settings โ†’ Email)โ€‹

LeadHub needs your SMTP email details to send any kind of email โ€” invitation emails to team members, lead notification emails, automation emails, scheduled report emails, and test emails.

How to configure emailโ€‹

  1. In the admin panel, click Settings in the sidebar.

  2. Click Email under the Settings section.

  3. Fill in the SMTP Configuration form:

    FieldWhat to enter
    HostYour email provider's SMTP server address (e.g., smtp.gmail.com, smtp.mailgun.org, email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com)
    PortUsually 587 for TLS, or 465 for SSL. Check with your email provider.
    EncryptionChoose TLS (most common) or SSL. Use None only if your provider requires it.
    UsernameYour SMTP username (usually your email address, or an API key depending on the provider)
    PasswordYour SMTP password or API key

  4. Fill in the From Address section:

    FieldWhat to enter
    From NameThe name that will appear in recipients' inboxes (e.g., "Acme CRM" or your name)
    From EmailThe email address emails will appear to come from (e.g., [email protected])

  5. Click Save Settings.

  6. Click Send Test Email (the button in the top-right of the page). LeadHub will send a test email to your admin account's email address. If it arrives, you are good. If it fails, you will see an error message telling you what went wrong (usually wrong SMTP credentials or blocked port).

Common SMTP settings by providerโ€‹

Gmail / Google Workspace:

  • Host: smtp.gmail.com
  • Port: 587
  • Encryption: TLS
  • Username: your full Gmail address
  • Password: an App Password (not your regular Gmail password โ€” you need to generate an App Password in Google Account โ†’ Security โ†’ 2-Step Verification โ†’ App passwords)

Mailgun:

  • Host: smtp.mailgun.org
  • Port: 587
  • Encryption: TLS
  • Username: your Mailgun SMTP username (from your Mailgun domain settings)
  • Password: your Mailgun SMTP password

Amazon SES:

  • Host: email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com (region may differ)
  • Port: 587
  • Encryption: TLS
  • Username & Password: your SES SMTP credentials (created in the SES console under SMTP Settings)

For other providers, check their documentation for "SMTP settings" โ€” they all provide the exact values you need.

Step 3 โ€” Create Your First Pipelineโ€‹

A pipeline is the sequence of stages a lead moves through as you work with it. For example: New Lead โ†’ Contacted โ†’ Qualified โ†’ Proposal Sent โ†’ Won (or Lost). Every lead in LeadHub lives in a pipeline at a specific stage.

How to create a pipelineโ€‹

  1. Click Pipelines in the sidebar.
  2. Click the "New Pipeline" button (top right).
  3. Give your pipeline a name (e.g., "Sales Pipeline", "Marketing Funnel", or whatever makes sense for your business).
  4. Optionally write a description.
  5. Tick the "Default Pipeline" checkbox if you want new leads to automatically be placed in this pipeline. (You can change this later.)
  6. Click Save.

Adding stages to your pipelineโ€‹

After creating the pipeline, you will see it in the list. Click on it (or click the Edit / Manage Stages button) to open it and add stages.

  1. Click "Add Stage".
  2. Enter a stage name (e.g., "New", "Contacted", "Qualified", "Proposal Sent", "Won", "Lost").
  3. Choose a color for the stage (helps visually distinguish stages in the Kanban board).
  4. Click Save.
  5. Repeat for each stage you want.
  6. Drag and drop the stages to reorder them if needed.

Your pipeline is now ready. Leads will move through these stages as you work with them.

Step 4 โ€” Connect Your First Lead Sourceโ€‹

A lead source is how leads enter LeadHub. You can connect multiple sources simultaneously. LeadHub supports 19 different sources.

How to add a lead sourceโ€‹

  1. Click Lead Sources in the sidebar.
  2. Click "New Lead Source" or "Connect Source".
  3. Choose the source type from the list.
  4. Give the connection a name (e.g., "Facebook โ€” Summer Campaign").
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions for that specific source.

Lead source types explainedโ€‹

Advertising platform integrations (webhook-based):

These sources send lead data to LeadHub automatically whenever someone fills out a lead form on the advertising platform. You connect them once and leads flow in automatically.

  • Facebook Lead Ads โ€” when someone fills out a lead form on your Facebook ad, their details are instantly sent to LeadHub. You connect this via the Facebook Lead Ads webhook URL that LeadHub generates.
  • Instagram Leads โ€” same as Facebook Lead Ads, since Instagram ads are managed through Meta's platform.
  • TikTok Lead Generation โ€” lead forms from TikTok campaigns.
  • Google Ads Lead Forms โ€” leads from Google's lead form ad extensions.
  • LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms โ€” leads from LinkedIn advertising.
  • YouTube Lead Forms โ€” leads from YouTube ad campaigns.
  • Microsoft Advertising โ€” leads from Microsoft/Bing ad campaigns.
  • Snapchat Lead Ads โ€” leads from Snapchat advertising.
  • Pinterest Lead Ads โ€” leads from Pinterest advertising.
  • Twitter / X โ€” leads from Twitter/X advertising.

Messaging platform integrations (webhook-based):

  • WhatsApp Business โ€” messages or opt-ins from WhatsApp Business.
  • Telegram โ€” leads via Telegram bot.
  • Viber โ€” leads via Viber.

Form tool integrations (webhook-based):

These connect to third-party form builders so that form submissions are automatically sent to LeadHub.

  • Typeform โ€” submissions from your Typeform forms. Connect via the webhook URL shown in LeadHub.
  • JotForm โ€” submissions from your JotForm forms. Connect via JotForm's webhook integration.
  • Calendly โ€” when someone books a meeting via Calendly, they are added as a lead in LeadHub.

Email-based:

  • Email (IMAP) โ€” LeadHub connects to an email inbox via IMAP and converts incoming emails into leads. Good for capturing leads who email you directly. You provide the IMAP server address, port, username, and password. The cron job checks the inbox regularly.

Built-in forms:

  • LeadHub Web Form โ€” a form you create entirely within LeadHub (see the Forms section in the sidebar). You embed it on your website with a small code snippet. Submissions go directly into LeadHub โ€” no third-party service needed.

Manual:

  • Manual Entry โ€” simply add leads by hand. Click "New Lead" from anywhere in the Leads section and fill in the details. Good for leads that come in via phone call, business card, or other offline methods.

Step 5 โ€” Invite Team Members (Settings โ†’ Team)โ€‹

If other people will be using LeadHub with you, invite them here.

How to invite someoneโ€‹

  1. Go to Settings โ†’ Team (or click Team if it appears in your sidebar).
  2. Click "Invite Member".
  3. Enter their email address.
  4. Choose their role (see role descriptions below).
  5. Click Send Invitation.

LeadHub will send them an email with a link to accept the invitation and set up their account. (Email must be configured for this to work โ€” see Step 2.)

Roles explainedโ€‹

LeadHub has five roles. Each one determines what the person can see and do.

RoleWhat they can do
Super AdminComplete access to everything โ€” all leads, all settings, all team management, all billing. The account that installs LeadHub starts with this role. There should be only one or two Super Admins.
AdminAlmost the same as Super Admin. Can manage everything including team members, settings, and all leads. Cannot manage the license or system-level settings. Suitable for a trusted manager or co-owner.
ManagerCan view and manage leads (including import, export, and assign), manage pipelines, create and edit forms and automations, view integrations, view reports, and view team members. Cannot invite new users or change settings.
AgentCan view and create leads, add notes and activities, assign leads, view forms and automations, and view reports. Cannot delete leads, manage pipelines, or change any settings. Good for sales staff or lead handlers.
ViewerRead-only access. Can see leads, pipeline stages, forms, and reports but cannot make any changes. Suitable for stakeholders who need visibility without being able to modify anything.

Step 6 โ€” Create Your First Automationโ€‹

Automations let LeadHub do things automatically when something happens to a lead โ€” without you having to be there. For example: "When a new lead comes in from Facebook, assign it to Sarah and send Sarah a notification email."

How to create an automationโ€‹

  1. Click Automations in the sidebar.

  2. Click "New Automation".

  3. Give it a name (e.g., "New Lead โ€” Assign and Notify").

  4. Choose a Trigger โ€” the event that starts the automation. Options include:

    • New Lead Received โ€” fires whenever any new lead arrives (from any source)
    • Lead Stage Changed โ€” fires when a lead moves to a different pipeline stage
    • Lead Assigned to User โ€” fires when a lead gets assigned to someone
    • Tag Added to Lead โ€” fires when a specific tag is added
    • Lead Score Crosses Threshold โ€” fires when a lead's score goes above or below a number
    • No Activity (Time-based) โ€” fires when a lead has had no activity for a set number of days
    • Form Submitted โ€” fires when a specific form is submitted
    • Manual Trigger โ€” fires only when you manually click "Run" on a lead

  5. Add Steps โ€” the actions the automation takes. You can add as many steps as you like, in order. Available step types:

    • Condition โ€” only continue if the lead meets certain criteria (e.g., "only if the source is Facebook")
    • Delay โ€” wait a specified amount of time before the next step
    • Action โ€” do something. Available actions include:
      • Send an email to the lead
      • Send an internal notification to users
      • Assign the lead to a specific user
      • Add or remove a tag
      • Move the lead to a pipeline stage
      • Change the lead's status
      • Send a webhook to an external URL
      • Create a task or reminder
      • Send a Slack notification
      • Send an SMS to the lead

  6. Toggle the Enabled switch to turn the automation on.

  7. Click Save.

The automation will now run automatically every time the trigger condition occurs. The cron job (which runs every minute) processes the automation queue in the background.

Step 7 โ€” Customize Your Branding (Settings โ†’ Branding)โ€‹

LeadHub can be fully white-labeled โ€” you can replace the name, logo, colors, and login page appearance with your own brand.

How to configure brandingโ€‹

  1. Go to Settings โ†’ Branding in the sidebar.
  2. Fill in the Identity section:
    • Application Name โ€” replace "LeadHub" with your brand name (e.g., "Acme CRM"). This appears in the top bar, the login page, email subjects, and browser tab titles.
    • Upload Logo โ€” upload your logo file (PNG or SVG recommended, ideally 300ร—80 pixels). Or paste a URL to a logo image hosted elsewhere.
    • Upload Favicon โ€” the small icon that appears in browser tabs (32ร—32 pixels, ICO or PNG format).
  3. Fill in the Colors section:
    • Primary Color โ€” click the color picker and choose your brand's main color. This affects buttons, links, and highlighted elements throughout the panel.
    • Accent Color โ€” a secondary color used for highlights and badges.
  4. Fill in the Login Page section:
    • Background Color โ€” the color behind the login form.
    • Upload Login Background Image โ€” optionally upload a full-page background image for the login screen (recommended size: 1920ร—1080 pixels).
  5. Fill in the Email Branding section:
    • Email Sender Name โ€” the name that appears in the "From" field of emails LeadHub sends (e.g., "Acme Support").
    • From Email Address โ€” the email address outgoing emails are sent from.
    • Footer Text โ€” text that appears at the bottom of all outgoing emails and public forms (e.g., "ยฉ 2026 Acme Corp. All rights reserved.").
  6. Click Save Branding.

The changes take effect immediately for all users on your workspace.

Step 8 โ€” Enable AI Features (Optional)โ€‹

LeadHub includes optional AI-powered features for lead enrichment, scoring, and summaries. These features require an OpenAI API key.

What the AI features doโ€‹

  • Lead enrichment โ€” automatically fills in missing lead details (company, job title, LinkedIn profile, industry) based on the lead's email address
  • Lead scoring assistance โ€” AI-assisted suggestions for lead quality
  • Lead summaries โ€” generate a plain-English summary of a lead's activity and notes

How to enable AI featuresโ€‹

  1. First, you need an OpenAI API key. Go to platform.openai.com, sign up or log in, go to API Keys, and create a new key.
  2. In your LeadHub installation, open the .env file (in the root LeadHub folder โ€” you may need to enable "Show Hidden Files" in cPanel File Manager to see it).
  3. Find the line OPENAI_API_KEY= and add your key after the equals sign: 
    OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  4. Save the file.

The AI features will be available immediately. You will see AI-related buttons on individual lead records.

Note on cost: OpenAI charges per use. Lead enrichment and summary features make API calls to OpenAI each time they are used. Costs are typically very small (fractions of a cent per lead) but will accumulate over high volumes. Monitor your OpenAI usage dashboard.

Step 9 โ€” Check Your Dashboard and Reportsโ€‹

With your first leads flowing in, your pipeline set up, and your team invited, explore the dashboard and reports to understand how everything looks.

Dashboardโ€‹

The Dashboard (the home page of the admin panel) shows:

  • Stats cards โ€” Total Leads, New Today, New This Week, New This Month, Conversion Rate, Active in Pipeline, and Average Response Time. Each card shows a trend indicator (up/down arrow) comparing to the previous period.
  • Leads Over Time chart โ€” a line or bar chart showing lead volume by day or week.
  • Leads by Source chart โ€” a breakdown of which lead sources are delivering the most leads.
  • Pipeline Distribution chart โ€” how many leads are in each stage of your pipeline.
  • Live Lead Feed โ€” a real-time feed of the most recently added leads.

Reportsโ€‹

Click Reports in the sidebar to access detailed analytics:

  • Lead Volume Report โ€” leads over time with date range filtering
  • Source Performance Report โ€” which sources deliver the most leads, best conversion rates, and fastest response
  • Pipeline Funnel Report โ€” how many leads pass through each stage, and where drop-off happens
  • Agent Performance Report โ€” how many leads each team member is handling, response times, and conversion rates
  • Response Time Report โ€” how quickly leads are being contacted after arriving
  • Automation Stats Report โ€” how many times each automation has run, success/failure rates
  • Form Analytics Report โ€” submission rates, views, and conversions for each web form
  • Audit Log โ€” a full log of every action taken in the system, by whom, and when

Step 10 โ€” Set Up API Keys (If Needed)โ€‹

If you want to connect LeadHub to an external tool (like a custom website, a CRM, or a no-code platform like Zapier or Make), you can create an API key to authorize those connections.

How to create an API keyโ€‹

  1. Click API Keys in the sidebar (or go to Settings โ†’ API Keys if it appears there).

  2. Click "New API Key".

  3. Give the key a descriptive name (e.g., "Website Integration" or "Zapier Connection").

  4. Choose the scopes (permissions) this key should have. Scopes control what the external tool is allowed to do:

    • read:leads โ€” view leads
    • write:leads โ€” create and update leads
    • delete:leads โ€” delete leads
    • read:pipelines โ€” view pipelines
    • write:pipelines โ€” create and update pipelines
    • read:tags / write:tags โ€” manage tags
    • read:users / write:users / delete:users โ€” manage users
    • read:forms / write:forms / delete:forms โ€” manage forms
    • read:automations / write:automations / delete:automations โ€” manage automations
    • read:integrations / write:integrations โ€” manage integrations

    Only grant the scopes the external tool actually needs.

  5. Optionally set an expiry date for the key (good for security โ€” forces renewal).

  6. Optionally set a rate limit (maximum API calls per hour).

  7. Click Create Key.

Important: The full API key (starting with lh_) is shown only once, immediately after creation. Copy it and store it in a safe place (like a password manager). If you lose it, you will need to create a new key โ€” there is no way to retrieve the original.

Use the API key in the Authorization header of your HTTP requests:

Authorization: Bearer lh_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Full API documentation is available in the API section of these docs.

You Are Readyโ€‹

If you have completed the steps above, LeadHub is fully operational. Here is a summary of what you should have done:

  • Cron job set up and running every minute
  • Email configured and test email received
  • First pipeline created with stages
  • First lead source connected
  • Team members invited (if applicable)
  • At least one automation created (optional but recommended)
  • Branding customized with your logo and colors
  • AI features enabled (optional)
  • Dashboard reviewed and looking good
  • API keys created (if connecting external tools)

From here, explore the rest of the documentation to learn about advanced features like lead scoring rules, scheduled reports, web form embedding, outbound webhooks, and more.