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.

Link a Customer First

You can only convert a Colab once it's tied to a customer, because the new Job or Estimate has to belong to someone. If you tap Create Job or Create Estimate on a Colab with no customer, KeyBolt pops a message and opens the Link to customer screen so you can set one. See Linking a Colab to a Customer. Once a customer is linked, the convert buttons work.

Create a Job

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

1. The job sheet opens with the customer already filled in.
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 with the customer filled in.
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.

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's confident, you'll see a blue AI extracted these details banner near the top of the Colab. Tap Create Job from draft to open the Create Job sheet with those fields already filled in. Review them, fix anything that's off, and Save. Tap the X or Dismiss 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 the Colab you want to keep (this one survives the merge).
2. Tap Merge in the top action bar.
3. KeyBolt lists other Colabs for the same customer. Check one or more to fold into this one.
4. Tap Merge into this, then confirm.

All the activity, calls, texts, emails, notes, photos, tags, and collaborators from the other Colabs moves into the one you kept. The merged-away Colabs get archived, and if anyone opens their old link they're sent to the survivor automatically.

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.
• There is no Undo on a merge. Read the confirmation before you tap Merge.
• 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.

Because a converted Colab is tied to a Job or Estimate, you can't simply Close or Cancel it by hand while it's converted. 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.