Lead Router lets you limit how many leads a sales rep receives within a given time window. This article explains the two levels a capacity limit can apply to and the two window types that determine how a limit resets. To set these limits, follow set sales rep capacity in Lead Router.
Capacity is related to, but distinct from, distribution type: distribution type determines how leads are shared among reps in a queue, while capacity determines how many leads a rep can receive before they stop getting new ones. You can use both together.
Capacity levels
| Level | Scope | Where it's set |
|---|---|---|
| Global capacity | Maximum leads across all queues combined | Sales Reps table |
| Queue capacity | Maximum leads within a specific queue | Individual queue settings |
NoteGlobal capacity takes priority over queue capacity. If a rep hits their global limit, they stop receiving leads in every queue, even if they have not hit their individual queue limits yet.
Rep Lane has a global capacity of 30 leads daily, and they're part of 5 separate queues, each with a 20 leads daily capacity. They receive a total of 30 leads across 3 of those queues. They'll stop receiving leads for the day, even if they have not reached the capacity of some of their queues.
Capacity window types
Every capacity limit you set uses a time interval field (for example, Daily or N hours). Whether that interval behaves as a sliding window or a fixed window depends on one additional field: an effective from date.
You can only set an effective from date programmatically, using a Zap action. It is not currently available in the Lead Router UI, so limits you set directly in Lead Router always use a sliding window.
Sliding window
A sliding window tracks capacity based on a continuously moving timeframe. As older leads age out of the window, capacity frees up incrementally. For example, if you set a capacity of 10 leads over 1 hour, the rep is full once 10 leads are assigned. As time passes, the earliest leads fall outside the 1-hour window, and slots open up one by one.
A sliding window works best for short intervals (minutes or hours) where you want reps to have a steady, even flow of leads with built-in cooldown time. It's the default behavior: set the interval and leave the effective from date unset.
Fixed window
A fixed window resets capacity at regular intervals based on a start date. All capacity is restored at once when the next interval begins. For example, if you set a capacity of 10 leads per hour, effective from a specific date and time, all 10 leads could arrive in the last 5 minutes of the hour. When the next hour begins, the window resets and the rep can receive 10 more leads.
A fixed window works best for longer intervals (days, weeks, or months) where you want a fixed allocation per period. Set both the interval and an effective from date to use this window type.
Capacity mode reference
This table explains the behavior depending on which fields are set.
| Effective from | Interval | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Set | Set | Fixed window: capacity resets at each interval boundary from the effective date |
| Not set | Set | Sliding window: rolling lookback; capacity frees up as leads age out |
Related articles
- Set sales rep capacity in Lead Router to configure these limits.
- Distribution types in Zapier Lead Router to control how leads are shared among reps in a queue.
- Automate sales rep management in Lead Router to set capacity fields, including an effective from date, with a Zap action.