Convert and Merge Colabs

Your Inbox Is Also Your Lead Funnel

A Colab isn't just a conversation. It's a lead you can turn into real work. Every Colab can become one of two things:

• A Job, when the customer is ready to book.
• An Estimate, when you need to quote a price first.

Converting works on both plans, Basic and KeyBolt Pro. Owners, managers, and dispatchers can convert.

You Do Not Need a Customer First

A Colab converts whether or not it's tied to a customer. When the convert sheet opens, the first step gives you three ways to go: pick an existing customer, add a new customer on the spot, or Skip, no customer.

Skip is there for real situations: a Google lead with no name attached, or a caller who wants a price before they'll give you anything. Take the work now, attach the customer later from the job or the Colab. See Linking a Colab to a Customer.

One thing to know: if the Colab is already linked to a customer, that customer wins. You can't convert it onto a different one. Fix the link first, then convert.

Create a Job

Open the Colab. Across the top you'll see an action bar. Tap Create Job.

1. The job sheet opens. If the Colab has a customer, they're already filled in. If not, pick one, add one, or tap Skip, no customer.
2. Pick a job type and fill in the schedule, the tech, the address, and the pricing.
3. Tap Save.

The Colab's status changes to Job Created and the new job is linked. A Linked Job chip appears on the Colab so you can jump to the job any time. The Colab stays active, so you can keep texting or emailing the customer about the work.

Create an Estimate

If the customer isn't ready to commit, tap Create Estimate instead.

1. The estimate builder opens. As with a job, you can pick a customer, add one, or skip.
2. Add a line item for each part of the work, with prices.
3. Save the estimate. Send it to the customer from the estimate so they can view and approve it from their phone. (Sending needs an email address, so you'll want a customer on it by then.)

The Colab's status changes to Estimate Created and a Linked Estimate chip appears.

Turn an Approved Estimate Into a Job

Once the customer approves the estimate and you're ready to do the work, open the Colab and tap Promote to Job in the top bar. KeyBolt creates the job and keeps the estimate link too. From here, the normal auto-close on paid (below) applies.

Using the AI Draft

When a lead comes in by phone or email, KeyBolt's AI often reads the conversation and pulls out the customer name, the address, the job type, and a description. When it finds enough, a blue AI read this email banner sits near the top of the Colab. Tap Add details to a job and pick where they go: the job already on this Colab, another open job, or a brand-new job. Review what it filled in, fix anything that's off, and save. Create Estimate does the same into an estimate. Tap Dismiss or the X to hide the banner if it isn't useful.

Merging Two Colabs

Sometimes one customer reaches you two ways and KeyBolt makes two separate Colabs for the same job. Example: they call at 8 AM, then email a photo at 8:14 AM from an address KeyBolt hasn't matched yet. Now you have two threads. Merging combines them into one.

From inside a Colab:

1. Open either Colab and tap Merge in the top action bar.
2. KeyBolt lists possible matches. Check one or more and review the customer, source, status, dates, and recent activity.
3. Choose the Main Colab. New activity will use that record.
4. Review which Colab stays main, then tap Merge Colabs.

Merging does not move or delete anything. KeyBolt links the Colabs into one case and hides the extras from your Inbox. The main Colab's timeline then shows every call, text, email, note, and photo from all of them in one place, and each entry that came in from another Colab carries a small From merged Colab #N chip so you can see where it started.

Merging From the Inbox List

You can also merge straight from the Inbox without opening each thread. Owners, managers, and dispatchers see a checkbox on each row. Select two or more, then tap Merge in the bar that appears. Pick which one survives, and confirm.

Important Merge Rules

• Both Colabs must belong to the same customer (or one must have no customer set). If they're linked to two different customers, KeyBolt blocks the merge and tells you to fix that first.
• You can undo a recent merge from the Related work card on the main Colab.
• A Colab that's already been merged can't be merged again.

Auto-Close When the Invoice Is Paid

When a Colab is converted to a Job and that job's invoice gets paid, the Colab moves to the Closed tab on its own. You don't have to do anything. This keeps your active list focused on work that still needs attention. The timeline records an 'Invoice paid, Colab auto-closed' event so there's a clear trail.

A converted Colab can't be Closed by hand. The lead was already booked, and closing it with a reason like spam would tell Google the wrong thing about work you actually took. Cancel still works, and so does Archive. If you need to undo a conversion, delete the linked Job or Estimate first, which returns the Colab to Open. See Colab Statuses, Closing, and Reopening.