GoHighLevel Complete Guide
GoHighLevel (GHL) — Complete Guide for Crowned Credit
GoHighLevel (GHL) is the central nervous system of Crowned Credit's operations.CRM, automation engine, payment processor, and sales pipeline — all in one platform. Every lead, every client, every payment, and every communication flows through GHL. IfMastering it happened,is essential for every team member who interacts with clients.
⚠️ CRITICAL RULE — READ FIRST: GHL has 536 workflows, 402 of which are ACTIVE. Modifying, deleting, or pausing any workflow without explicit approval from Jethro can break client communications, billing automations, and sales processes. When in doubt — DON'T TOUCH IT. Ask first.
What GHL Does for Crowned Credit
GoHighLevel serves as the operational backbone of Crowned Credit. Here is a breakdown of every major function we use:
FunctionHow We Use It
CRM / ContactsAll leads and clients stored here. Full contact history, notes, tags, pipeline stage.
Pipeline / OpportunitiesLead qualification → Consultation → Closed Won/Lost. Tracks every deal from first touch to payment.
Automations / WorkflowsWelcome emails, SMS follow-ups, billing reminders, onboarding sequences (536 total, 402 active).
Payments / InvoicesAll client invoices, setup fees, and recurring monthly subscriptions managed here.
CalendarAppointment scheduling for sales consultations. Integrated with automated SMS confirmations and reminders.
Calls (Closers)Closers use GHL's built-in dialer for ALL sales calls. NEVER use Aircall for outbound sales.
SMSAutomated and manual SMS to clients. Merge tags for personalization by rep name and client name.
Reputation ManagementReview requests sent automatically via GHL after client milestones.
ReportingClose rates, revenue tracking, appointment show rates, and call logs by rep.
Login & Navigation
GHL is a web-based platform. Access it mustfrom beany inbrowser GHL.— Thisno guidedownload coversrequired everythingfor youthe needdesktop version.
How to navigate GHL confidently from Day 1.
1. LoggingLog 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,
makeselect sure"Crowned youCredit"
areYou insidewill land on the
CrownedDashboard Credit— sub-accountthis shows a summary of recent activity
Bookmark💡 theIf you don't have login URL.credentials, contact your direct manager. Do not share your login credentials with anyone.other Ifteam youmembers suspect— youreach person has their own account hasfor beentracking compromised,purposes.
notify
Icon / LabelWhat It DoesWho Uses It
📋 ContactsSearch, view, and manage all leads and clientsAll team
leadmembers
immediately.🎯 OpportunitiesPipeline view — kanban board or list view of all dealsClosers, Sales Managers
📅 CalendarView and manage appointments and consultation scheduleClosers, Schedulers
🤖 AutomationsAll 536 workflows — DO NOT edit without Jethro's approvalAdmin only
💰 PaymentsInvoices, subscriptions, payment history, failed chargesBilling team, Managers
📣 MarketingEmail and SMS campaigns for leads and existing clientsMarketing team, Admin
📊 ReportingClose rates, revenue data, rep performance, call logsManagement
⚙️ SettingsSub-account configuration — admin access onlyJethro / Admin
2.Common DashboardTasks: OverviewStep-by-Step
The
How dashboardto givesSearch youfor 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 ContactClient
- Click Contacts in the left sidebar
- Use the
Searchsearch bar at the top — you can search by name, phone number, or email address
ApplyClick filtersthe usingcontact Smartname Liststo (e.g.,open "Activetheir Clients",full "Newprofile
LeadsThe Today")profile shows: all activity, notes, tags, current pipeline stage, and full payment history
3.2How Creatingto aView NewClient ContactHistory
- Open the client profile (Contacts → Search → Click name)
The activity feed on the right panel shows all interactions: calls, emails, SMS, notes, pipeline moves
Scroll down for the full conversation history in chronological order
Click the "Appointments" tab to see their full consultation history
Click the "Payments" tab to see all invoices and billing history
How to Add a Note to a Client
Open the client profile
Click the "Notes" tab in the profile menu
Click
"+ Add ContactNote" (top right)
FillType inyour ALLnote available— fields:always Firstinclude: Name,date, Lastyour Name,name, Phone,and Email,the Address,action DOB,you Lasttook 4or SSNthe (inoutcome notes)of the interaction
SetExample Contactformat: Type"2026-03-20 —| LeadMaria or| CustomerCalled Addclient relevantto Tagsfollow (e.g.,up new-lead,on new-client,onboarding. onboarding)Client confirmed SmartCredit is set up. No issues."
Click
Save
Rule: Never create duplicate contacts. Always search first. If a duplicate exists, merge them.
3.3 Contact Record — What Each Tab Contains
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 relatedHow to
thisCheck contactPayment NotesInternal notes — always log interactions here
PaymentsInvoices, subscriptions, and payment history
ActivityFull audit trail — every action taken on this contact
3.4 Adding NotesStatus
After every interaction with a client or lead, add a note. Notes are permanent records.
OpenGo to Payments in the contactleft record
Click the Notes tabsidebar
Click
+ Add NoteInvoices
Write a clear, dated summary: what was discussed, what was decided, whatSearch the
nextclient's stepname isor email in the search bar
View invoice status: Paid / Pending / Failed / Void
Click
Saveany invoice to see full details: amount, date, payment method, and transaction ID
For failed payments, escalate to the billing team (Khryzza or Regine) immediately
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 — handoffHow to
onboarding
EnrolledFully onboarded, active in program
LostDid not convert — reason noted
- Go to Opportunities in the left sidebar
- Find the
contact'scontact card— you can switch between Kanban view (drag cards) or List view
ToIn move:Kanban: drag the card from one column to the next
In List: click the
cardcontact →
open it → changeselect the
Stagenew stage from the dropdown → click Update
DoMoving NOTto drag"Closed andWon" dropautomatically cardstriggers the onboarding workflow — do not do this canunless causepayment automationhas errorsbeen ("rubber banding")confirmed
4.3How Opportunityto DetailsSend a Manual SMS
Inside each opportunity card, you can:
ViewOpen the client profile
Click Send SMS (speech bubble icon) in the action bar
Type your message — keep it professional and
updateon-brand
Do NOT send SMS that contradict or override automated sequences without checking with your manager
Your message will appear in the
pipelineconversation stagethread automatically
Add
tasks and follow-up reminders
Log notes specific to the sales process
Book appointments directly
See the lead's contact history
5.Pipeline ConversationsStages Explained
The Conversationspipeline tabtracks isevery yourprospect unifiedfrom inboxfirst —contact SMS,to email,enrolled calls,client. andUnderstanding voicemailseach allstage appearhelps hereensure inthe realright actions happen at the right time.
5.1
HowStageMeaningWho's toResponsibleNext UseAction
Conversations
New ClickLeadLead Conversationscame in thefrom leftMeta sidebarad, Filterform by channel (SMS, Email, All)submission, or byreferralSystem unread/starred/ ClickSchedulerCloser 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: Respondcalls within 5 minutes of
leadappointment submissionbeing booked
Consultation BookedAppointment confirmed in GHL calendarCloserAutomated confirmation SMS + reminder sequence fires automatically
Consultation CompleteCall happened — verified by call record over 60 secondsCloserSend follow-up email + proposal same day
Proposal SentPricing/offer sent to the prospectCloserFollow up same day via SMS, and again next morning
Follow-UpNo decision made after proposal was sentCloser + AutomationAutomated + manual follow-up sequence (multiple touchpoints over 7–14 days)
Closed Won ✅Payment received — setup fee confirmedCloserOnboarding workflow triggers automatically. DO NOT move here without confirmed payment.
Closed Lost ❌No purchase, no response after full follow-up sequenceSystemContact enters long-term nurture sequence (30/60/90-day touchpoints)
Key Workflows (Do Not Modify Without Approval)
GHL runs 402 active workflows. These power nearly every automated communication Crowned Credit sends. Touching the wrong workflow can break client onboarding, billing, or sales follow-up at scale.
WorkflowPurposeRisk LevelNotes
Initial Payment AutomationSends welcome email and onboarding instructions when a new client pays their setup fee🔴 Critical — DO NOT touchTriggers immediately on payment
Monthly Billing RemindersNotifies clients 3 days before their billing date🔴 CriticalReduces failed payments and chargebacks
No-Show Follow-Up (25+ versions)Sends follow-up from rep's individual phone number after missed appointment🟡 Medium — per-rep, intentionalSee note below on why there are 25+ versions
Lead Nurture SequenceEmail + SMS follow-up for leads who didn't convert🟡 MediumMulti-week cadence
Onboarding ChecklistGuides new client through portal setup and SmartCredit sign-up🔴 CriticalFirst impression for every new client
Review RequestsSends Google and BBB review requests after key milestones🟢 Low riskDrives 4.9★ rating
Referral ProgramTriggers when a client sends a referral🟢 Low riskTracks referral commissions
Long-Term Nurture (Closed Lost)Keeps in touch with unconverted leads over 6–12 months🟢 Low riskBrings back cold leads
💡 Why 25+ No-Show Workflows?
Each closer sends follow-up messages from their individual phone number. GHL cannot dynamically send from different numbers in one workflow, so each rep has their own dedicated workflow. These are intentional — do NOT consolidate them.
Reporting: What to Track
GHL's Reporting section gives management full visibility into sales and operational performance. Key reports include:
ReportWhere to Find ItWhat It Shows
Appointment ReportReporting → AppointmentsTotal appointments booked, showed, no-showed, and cancellation rate by closer
Opportunity ReportReporting → OpportunitiesPipeline conversion rates, revenue won, deals in progress by stage
Call ReportReporting → CallsCall volume, duration, connected rate per closer — used for performance reviews
Revenue ReportPayments → TransactionsTotal revenue, recurring subscription revenue, setup fee revenue by time period
Troubleshooting Common Issues
IssueLikely CauseFix
Can't find a contactWrong spelling or contact is in another sub-accountTry searching by phone number or partial name. Check that you're in the correct Crowned Credit sub-account.
Workflow not firingContact missing a required tag or trigger condition not metCheck the workflow trigger conditions. Do NOT manually re-trigger without checking with admin first.
Payment showing as failedClient's card expired or insufficient fundsEscalate to billing team. Do NOT manually charge from the client profile — follow the billing escalation process.
Client not receiving SMSPhone number invalid, opted out, or SMS credits exhaustedVerify phone number format in the contact. Check if the client has opted out (look for "Unsubscribed" tag). If opt-out, do not send manual SMS.
Wrong pipeline stageContact was moved accidentallyMove it back to the correct stage. Add a note explaining the correction. Never move to "Closed Won" without confirmed payment.
Calendar appointment missingBooking confirmation didn't save or was deletedCheck under the contact's activity feed. If the appointment is gone, have the client rebook via their confirmation link.
Rules & Etiquette
Never edit or pause workflows without explicit written approval from Jethro.
ActiveNever clients:move a contact to Closed Won Respondwithout withinconfirmed 2payment hours during business hoursreceipt.
AfterAlways hours:add a note Respondafter byany 10client AMinteraction the— nextcall, businessSMS, dayor at the latestemail.
Never 5.3delete Callinga from Conversations
Important:contact The— archive or tag instead. Deleted contacts cannot be recovered.
Closers/SalesClosers Team uses theuse GHL dialer for
ALL outbound
calls.sales Closerscalls do— NOT use Aircall.never Aircall
is exclusively for
the inbound Customer Service team.
Open the contact's conversation or contact recordsales.
ClickDo thenot phone icon
Selectshare your GHL
phonelogin. numberEach fromrep thehas dropdownindividual tracking tied to their account.
TheWhen callin willdoubt connectabout throughany theaction browser orin 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 hrask 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 Appointmentclicking.
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.
