Sales Pipeline Stages: How to Design a CRM Pipeline
Build CRM stages that reflect meaningful sales milestones and support reliable automation.
Stages are states
A stage should describe where an opportunity is now, not every task a salesperson performs.
Define entry criteria
Document what must be true before an opportunity enters each stage. This improves reporting and automation.
Keep lost reasons separate
A lost reason explains why an opportunity ended; it usually should not become a long list of pipeline stages.
Review with real deals
Test the pipeline against recent won, lost and stalled opportunities. If deals cannot be placed consistently, simplify the model.