# Working with your opportunities
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## What is an Opportunity?
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 During the initial stages of the sales process, a sales representative assesses whether an interested individual (called *lead*) has the potential to become a customer. This assessment and validation phase is referred to as *Qualification*. Once a lead is deemed qualified and is considered to have a higher probability of converting to a customer, it is then classified as an *Opportunity*. 

## Working with Your Opportunities
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 Partners can manage opportunities created within their CRM systems and synchronize them with AWS Partner Central using the AWS Partner Central Selling API. This allows partners to track and manage opportunities from initiation to closure. 

### Creating an Opportunity
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 The first step in managing opportunities is creating an opportunity using the `CreateOpportunity` action. This creates an opportunity with the `Lifecycle.ReviewStatus` set to `Pending Submission`. However, the opportunity is not yet submitted to AWS for validation. 

 Once created, partners must associate at least one Partner Solution with the opportunity using the `AssociateOpportunity` action. This action clearly defines what the opportunity is attempting to sell. Partners can view the complete list of available solutions in their account using the `ListSolutions` API, and they can associate between one and ten solutions. 

 Optionally, partners can also associate relevant AWS Products with the opportunity using the `AssociateOpportunity` action. This step helps AWS sales teams understand what AWS products are expected to be sold in conjunction with the opportunity. 

 Once the required Partner Solution is associated and, optionally, AWS Products are linked, partners can start engagement on the opportunity by using the `StartEngagementFromOpportunityTask` action. The is when the opportunity gets submitted for starting an engagement. 

### Review Process
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 After starting the engagement on the opportunity using the `StartEngagementFromOpportunityTask` action, the opportunity enters the AWS validation phase, and its `Lifecycle.ReviewStatus` is set to `Submitted`. No changes can be made to the opportunity until the review process is complete. 

 During this validation phase, AWS ensures that the opportunity details are accurate and complete. While the validation is in progress, the `Lifecycle.ReviewStatus` is set to `In-Review`. 

 If there are changes or additional details required from the partner, AWS sets the `Lifecycle.ReviewStatus` to `Action Required`, and any required updates are communicated via the `Lifecycle.ReviewComments` field. 

 Once the opportunity passes validation, the `Lifecycle.ReviewStatus` changes to `Approved`, making the opportunity ready for co-selling activities. 

 Partners should monitor the `Opportunity Updated` event using Amazon EventBridge. This will notify them of any status changes or feedback from AWS. Upon receiving the event, partners can use the `GetOpportunity` API action to fetch the latest opportunity details and verify the `Lifecycle.ReviewStatus` field. 

### Resolving Validation Issues
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 If the `Lifecycle.ReviewStatus` is set to `Action Required`, partners need to address the issues highlighted by AWS. To resolve these, partners can update the opportunity using the `UpdateOpportunity` API action. 

 During the `Action Required` state, only certain fields are editable. These fields include: 

1. `Customer.Account.Address.City`

1. `Customer.Account.Address.Country`

1. `Customer.Account.Address.PostalCode`

1. `Customer.Account.Address.StateOrRegion`

1. `Customer.Account.Address.StreetAddress`

1. `Customer.Account.WebsiteUrl`

1. `LifeCycle.TargetCloseDate`

1. `Project.ExpectedCustomerSpend.Amount`

1. `Project.ExpectedCustomerSpend.Currency`

1. `Project.CustomerBusinessProblem`

1. `PartnerOpportunityIdentifier`

 After making the necessary changes, the opportunity re-enters the validation phase, and the process repeats until the opportunity's `Lifecycle.ReviewStatus` is set to `Approved` or `Disqualified`. 

### Post-Approval Updates
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 Once the opportunity is `Approved`, partners can continue to update the opportunity as needed using the `UpdateOpportunity` action, facilitating seamless co-selling activities. 

 Partners should continue monitoring the `Opportunity Updated` events through Amazon EventBridge to remain updated on any changes. For more information on tracking AWS updates, refer to the "Working with opportunity updates" section. Partners can also update select fields based on the business validation rules.