Leads are the lifeblood of any sales pipeline, but capturing them is only the first step. The real game-changer lies in timely follow-up—reaching out while the lead is still warm, interested, and active. However, with so many daily responsibilities, it’s easy for sales reps to miss that crucial first touchpoint.
That’s where automation comes in.
In this blog, we walk you through a powerful Apex trigger that automatically generates a follow-up Task for the Lead Owner whenever a new Lead is created in Salesforce. This trigger ensures that no lead slips through the cracks and that every new opportunity gets the attention it deserves—without any manual effort.
The logic runs in the after insert context and assigns a high-priority Task to the owner of the newly created Lead.
🧠 Why This Trigger Is Essential
Sales success is often about speed and consistency. If you don’t engage a lead quickly:
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They may lose interest
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They might be contacted by competitors
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Your brand risks looking disorganized or slow
Manual task assignment works—but only when remembered. Relying on human memory or multitasking can lead to missed follow-ups and lost deals.
With this trigger:
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Every new Lead gets a Task automatically
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Lead Owners are instantly notified through task assignment
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Timely outreach becomes a default part of your lead process
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Your pipeline starts off strong, every single time
This automation brings structure and discipline to your sales process, without slowing anyone down.
🔍 What This Blog Covers
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How to build an after insert Apex trigger to handle lead follow-up
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Why automating Task creation improves lead conversion
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The benefits of assigning Tasks dynamically to the Lead Owner
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How clean Apex handler methods make your logic scalable and reusable
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Where this automation fits within your broader lead nurturing strategy
This is one of those small but mighty Salesforce triggers that boosts engagement and closes the gap between capturing and converting leads.
🎯 Real-World Use Cases for This Trigger
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Sales teams ensuring every new lead is followed up within 24 hours
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Startups automating CRM hygiene from Day 1
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Marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) being handed off to BDRs
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Call centers queuing new leads for outreach
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Account-based sales models initiating immediate engagement
No matter your industry or lead volume, this trigger guarantees you’re always taking that next best action.
👨💻 Developer & Admin Tips
Let’s break down the logic:
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This trigger runs after a new Lead is inserted
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It loops through each newly created Lead
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For each one, it creates a Task with:
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High priority
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Subject and description (“Follow up with the new lead”)
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Status as “Not Started”
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Assignment to the Lead Owner
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All Tasks are collected and inserted in a single DML operation (bulk-safe)
The logic is wrapped in a trigger handler method, which ensures:
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Separation of concerns
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Easier testing
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Cleaner deployment
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Future-proofing for additional logic (e.g., conditions, email alerts, task deadlines)
Want to enhance this trigger further?
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Add a Due Date for the Task (e.g., Today + 1)
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Use custom fields to personalize the Task content
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Send an email notification to the Lead Owner when the Task is created
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Link it to campaign records or opportunity flows if needed
Testing tips:
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Create leads manually and in bulk to ensure all tasks are created
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Check task assignment and field values
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Use different lead owners to verify dynamic ownership logic
This logic works well with flows, assignment rules, and lead scoring models—giving you a 360° automation experience.
🎥 Watch It Live – YouTube Playlist
Want to see this in action? Visit the Salesforce Makes Sense YouTube playlist where we break down:
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How the trigger and handler are written
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How to test task creation in real-time
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Common mistakes and how to avoid them
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Bonus tips for making the logic even smarter
The playlist is built for Salesforce learners at every level—whether you’re a solo admin or a seasoned dev looking to clean up your trigger logic.
Solution:
public class LeadTriggerHandler {
public static void handleActivitiesAfterInsert (List<Lead> leadRecords) {
List<Task> taskListToInsert = new List<Task>();
for (Lead leadRec : leadRecords) {
Task taskRecord = new Task();
taskRecord.Priority = ‘High’;
taskRecord.OwnerId = leadRec.OwnerId;
taskRecord.Description = ‘Follow up with the new lead’;
taskRecord.Status = ‘Not Started’;
taskRecord.Subject = ‘Follow Up’;
taskRecord.WhoId = leadRec.Id;
taskListToInsert.add(taskRecord);
}
if(!taskListToInsert.isEmpty()) {
insert taskListToInsert;
}
}
}