Managing Lead to Opp Conversions

Sounds like you need to change your incentives or start reporting leads to me...purely a process problem.

You need to identify what consistutes an opportunity vs. lead, who can convert it, when it should be converted, what happens to accepted vs. rejected opps, etc.

Are they contacting each lead and converting them to unique Acconts? Instead of adding the lead to an existing Account?

You may be able to track reports by Account or set a flag for unique Accounts. I'd have to see more of what you mean to offer better advice.

We already track by unique account once the lead is converted over; but they are gaming the system by converting over any lead they contact instead of those that have been properly qualified. 

We think we might just create a validation rule within salesforce that doesn't allow them to convert without answering certain qualification questions (and it will be dependent on the answers relating to a qualified lead)

We have discussed changing incentives, but we are trying to address our ability to prospect and reach unique accounts, so it may be just including "SQLs" or a similar "kind" of lead.

Tabitha,

Agree with the previous posters that a change of process is needed. In my opinion, you are undermining your reporting and hindering future reporting by encouraging this kind of lead conversion behavior.

Salesforce works best when only qualified opportunities are converted from leads, since that conversion point is a crucial point in the lead lifecycle.