GoHighLevel Complete Guide
GoHighLevel (GHL) — Complete Guide for Crowned Credit
GoHighLevel (GHL) is the central nervous system of Crowned Credit's operations. Every lead, every client, every payment, and every communication flows through GHL. If it happened, it must be in GHL. This guide covers everything you need to navigate GHL confidently from Day 1.
1. Logging In
Go to app.gohighlevel.com
Enter your assigned email and password
You will land on the Dashboard view — this is your home base
If you see multiple sub-accounts, make sure you are inside the Crowned Credit sub-account
Bookmark the login URL. Do not share your login credentials with anyone. If you suspect your account has been compromised, notify your team lead immediately.
2. Dashboard Overview
The dashboard gives you a real-time snapshot of business performance. Here's what each section means:
Opportunities by Stage: Shows how many leads are in each pipeline stage (New Lead, Contacted, Consultation Scheduled, etc.)
Revenue: Tracks payments processed — useful for monitoring daily/weekly intake
Conversations: Shows open/unread messages across SMS, email, and other channels
Tasks Due: Any tasks assigned to you or your team that need attention today
Appointments: Upcoming scheduled consultations or calls
The dashboard resets to whatever filters are set. If the numbers look wrong, check the date range filter in the top right corner.
Contacts are the database of every person who has ever interacted with Crowned Credit — leads, current clients, past clients, and referrals.
3.1 Finding a Contact
Click Contacts in the left sidebar
Use the Search bar at the top — search by name, phone number, or email
Apply filters using Smart Lists (e.g., "Active Clients", "New Leads Today")
3.2 Creating a New Contact
Click + Add Contact (top right)
Fill in ALL available fields: First Name, Last Name, Phone, Email, Address, DOB, Last 4 SSN (in notes)
Set Contact Type — Lead or Customer
Add relevant Tags (e.g., new-lead, new-client, onboarding)
Click Save
Rule: Never create duplicate contacts. Always search first. If a duplicate exists, merge them.
TabWhat's In It
InfoPersonal details, address, tags, custom fields
ConversationsAll SMS, email, and call history with this contact
AppointmentsBooked and past consultations
OpportunitiesWhich pipeline stage they are in
TasksTo-dos assigned related to this contact
NotesInternal notes — always log interactions here
PaymentsInvoices, subscriptions, and payment history
ActivityFull audit trail — every action taken on this contact
3.4 Adding Notes
After every interaction with a client or lead, add a note. Notes are permanent records.
Open the contact record
Click the Notes tab
Click + Add Note
Write a clear, dated summary: what was discussed, what was decided, what the next step is
Click Save
Example note: "2026-03-20 — Client called asking about status of Round 1. Checked DisputeFox — letters sent 3/5. Advised results expected by 4/5–4/20. Client satisfied. Follow-up scheduled for 4/8."
4. Pipelines & Opportunities
Pipelines are visual boards showing where every lead or client is in the process. Crowned Credit uses a Sales Pipeline and a Client Pipeline.
4.1 Sales Pipeline Stages
StageWhat It Means
New LeadLead just came in — not yet contacted
ContactedFirst contact made via call or SMS
Consultation ScheduledCall booked on calendar
Consultation CompletedCall happened — decision pending
Payment CollectedSetup fee paid — handoff to onboarding
EnrolledFully onboarded, active in program
LostDid not convert — reason noted
Go to Opportunities in the left sidebar
Find the contact's card
To move: click the card → open it → change the Stage dropdown → click Update
Do NOT drag and drop cards — this can cause automation errors ("rubber banding")
4.3 Opportunity Details
Inside each opportunity card, you can:
View and update the pipeline stage
Add tasks and follow-up reminders
Log notes specific to the sales process
Book appointments directly
See the lead's contact history
5. Conversations
The Conversations tab is your unified inbox — SMS, email, calls, and voicemails all appear here in real time.
5.1 How to Use Conversations
Click Conversations in the left sidebar
Filter by channel (SMS, Email, All) or by unread/starred
Click any thread to open the full conversation history with that contact
Reply directly from the conversation window
Use the Template button to pull in pre-written SMS or email templates
5.2 Response Time Rules
New leads: Respond within 5 minutes of lead submission
Active clients: Respond within 2 hours during business hours
After hours: Respond by 10 AM the next business day at the latest
5.3 Calling from Conversations
Important: The Closers/Sales Team uses the GHL dialer for outbound calls. Closers do NOT use Aircall. Aircall is exclusively for the inbound Customer Service team.
Open the contact's conversation or contact record
Click the phone icon
Select your GHL phone number from the dropdown
The call will connect through the browser or GHL mobile app
After the call, log notes in the contact record
6. Workflows (Using Existing Automations)
Workflows are automated sequences that GHL runs based on triggers (e.g., lead submits a form, appointment is booked, payment is received). The Crowned Credit team uses pre-built workflows — do not edit or create workflows without authorization from your team lead.
6.1 Key Workflows That Run Automatically
Workflow NameWhat It Does
New Lead — Speed to LeadSends auto-SMS within 5 min of new lead submission
Lead Nurture SequenceDay 1/2/3/5/7 follow-up if no response
Consultation ConfirmedSends confirmation SMS + calendar invite to prospect
Payment ReceivedSends welcome email, tags contact as new-client, notifies onboarding team
Appointment ReminderSends SMS 24 hrs and 1 hr before scheduled consultation
Monthly BillingCharges recurring subscription 30 days after setup fee
6.2 If a Workflow Isn't Firing Correctly
Check the contact's Activity tab — it shows every workflow action taken on that contact
Do NOT manually retrigger a workflow without confirming the contact won't be double-messaged
Escalate to your team lead with the contact name, the workflow in question, and what you expected vs. what happened
7. Calendars
GHL calendars are used to book consultation calls with prospects. The Sales team books all prospect consultations here.
7.1 Viewing the Calendar
Click Calendars in the left sidebar
Toggle between Day / Week / Month views
Filter by team member to see individual calendars
Appointments show the contact's name, time, and type
7.2 Booking an Appointment Manually
Open the contact's record
Click the Appointments tab → Book Appointment
Select the calendar (e.g., "Consultation — Sales")
Choose date and time — confirm with the prospect before booking
The system will send an automated confirmation SMS/email to the contact
The appointment appears on your calendar and in the contact's record
7.3 Marking Appointment Outcomes
Showed / Completed: Change pipeline stage to Consultation Completed
No-show: Mark as no-show in the calendar, trigger follow-up sequence, move to appropriate stage
Rescheduled: Reschedule directly in the calendar — do NOT delete and re-create
8. Payments
GHL handles all payment processing for Crowned Credit via Stripe integration.
8.1 Sending a Payment Link
Go to Payments → Invoices
Click + New Invoice
Select the contact
Add the product (Setup Fee or Monthly Subscription)
Set due date and send via email or text the payment link
Stay on the line with the client when possible — completion rates are higher
8.2 Setting Up Recurring Billing
Go to Payments → Subscriptions
Find or create the client's subscription
Set start date to Day 30 from setup fee payment
Confirm amount matches the client's plan
Log in contact notes: "Recurring billing set up on [date], starting [billing date]"
8.3 Failed Payment Process
GHL will alert you when a payment fails — check the Payments tab daily
Contact the client within 24 hours via SMS: "Hi [Name], we had a small issue processing your payment. Could you give us a call or update your card info? We want to make sure there's no interruption to your service."
Offer an alternative payment method or a short deferral (up to 7 days — beyond that, escalate to Khryzza/Billing)
Log all payment discussions in the contact's Notes tab
9. Settings You Should Know
9.1 Your Profile Settings
Go to Settings → My Profile to update your name, email, profile photo, and notification preferences
Connect your Google Calendar here for two-way sync with GHL appointments
Set your availability here — this controls when prospects can book with you
9.2 Notifications
Turn on new lead and new message notifications — you must respond fast
Download the Lead Connector mobile app (iOS/Android) to receive push notifications on your phone
The app mirrors all conversations, contacts, and pipeline views from desktop
10. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not logging notes: Every call, every message — log it. If it's not in GHL, it didn't happen.
Dragging pipeline cards: Always click and update the stage inside the card. Dragging causes automation errors.
Duplicate contacts: Always search before creating. Duplicates break automation sequences.
Missing payment follow-up: A failed payment not addressed within 24 hours can become a chargeback.
Using Aircall for outbound sales calls: Closers use the GHL dialer only. Aircall is for inbound CS.
