Creating Your First Deal: Two Quick & Easy Methods
Ready to add a new opportunity to your pipeline? There are two super-efficient ways to create deals directly from the pipeline view:
Method 1: The Quick "+" Button in the Column Header
Locate the "+" icon: Each stage column (like "Prospecting" or "Qualifying") has a small "+" icon in its header at the top.
Click the "+" icon: Click this icon within the column header where you want to create the new deal.
Deal Creation Dialog: A dialog box will instantly appear, ready for you to enter the deal details.
Stage is Pre-set: Notice that the Stage field in the dialog is already filled in for you! It automatically selects the stage of the column you clicked from – saving you a step.
Method 2: The Hover "+" Button at the Column Bottom
Hover over a column: Move your mouse cursor over any stage column in your pipeline.
Find the "+" button: As you hover, a "+" button will appear at the bottom of the column.
Click the "+" button: Click this button.
Deal Creation Dialog: The same deal creation dialog will pop up, ready for your input.
Stage is Pre-set: Just like with Method 1, the Stage field will be automatically pre-filled to match the column you clicked in.
Inside the Deal Creation Dialog:
No matter which method you choose, the dialog box will guide you to enter essential deal information:
Main Contact (Required):
Search existing: Type to search for a contact already in your system.
Create new: If it's a new contact, you can create and link them directly within this dialog.
Company (Optional):
Search existing: Find and link an existing company.
Create new: Create a new company and link it to the deal.
Auto-fill Smart Feature: If you select a Main Contact who is already associated with a company, this field will often auto-fill for you!
Deal Details:
Deal Name (Optional): Give your deal a descriptive name for easy identification.
Stage: As mentioned, this is pre-filled based on the column.
Estimated Contract Value: Enter the potential value of the deal in your organization's currency.
Expected Close Date (Optional): Set a target date for closing the deal.
💡 Pro Tip: Creating deals directly from the pipeline is a fantastic shortcut! The stage is automatically set for you, streamlining your workflow and ensuring deals are placed in the correct stage from the get-go. You can also create deals from the Company Overview page within the Deals tab if you prefer to start from the company perspective.
Effortlessly Move Deals Through Stages: Drag & Drop Simplicity
As your deals progress through the sales process, keeping your pipeline updated is crucial. Moving deals to reflect their current stage is incredibly intuitive:
Click and Hold: Click your mouse button and hold it down on the deal card you want to move.
Drag to the New Stage: While holding the mouse button, drag the deal card across the screen to the column representing its new stage.
Release to Drop: Once you've positioned the card in the correct stage column, release the mouse button.
That's it! The system instantly saves the deal's new position in the pipeline. It’s as simple as dragging and dropping!
💡 Helpful Hint: Keep an eye on the top of each stage column! You'll see the total value of all deals currently in that stage displayed there. This is a powerful way to quickly assess the potential revenue within each stage of your pipeline and identify bottlenecks or areas of strength.
Customize Your Pipeline View: Focus on What Matters Most
Your Deals pipeline is designed to be flexible, allowing you to tailor the view to highlight the information most relevant to you. You can control what information appears directly on each deal card.
Accessing View Settings: Your Customization Hub
Look to the Top Right: Find the "View Settings" button. It's typically located in the top-right corner of your Deals pipeline, serving as your command center for personalization.
Click "View Settings": Click this button to open the customization options.
Choose What to Display on Deal Cards:
Within the View Settings, you'll find a list of information options you can display on each deal card. Select the checkboxes next to the details you want to see at a glance:
Point of Contact: The main contact person for the deal.
Deal Value: The estimated monetary value.
Company: The associated company name.
HQ Country: The headquarters country of the company.
Estimated Org Size: The estimated size of the organization.
Estimated ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue): The estimated annual recurring revenue.
Assignee: The deal owner or assignee.
Remember to Save Your Settings!
After selecting your preferred information to display, make sure to save your changes within the View Settings. This ensures your customized view is retained for your future sessions.
Filter Deals to Sharpen Your Focus
Need to narrow down your view to focus on specific deals? Filtering is your answer! You can quickly filter your pipeline to see only the deals that match certain criteria.
Filtering by Deal Owner:
Focus on Individual or Team Performance: If you want to see deals owned by a specific person or team, the filter by "Deal Owner" is incredibly useful. This allows team leads to monitor individual progress and for team members to focus on their own responsibilities.
(Instructions for applying "Deal Owner" filter would be added here depending on the UI - e.g., dropdown menu, search bar etc.)
(Further filtering options, if available in the platform, would be listed and explained here - e.g., Filter by Stage, Filter by Value, Filter by Close Date etc.)
Stay Informed: Tracking Deal Changes Automatically
The system automatically keeps a record of all important changes to your deals, ensuring everyone on your team stays informed and on the same page.
Automatic Tracking of Key Updates:
Every time you:
Move a deal to a new stage: The system logs the stage change and the timestamp.
Update any deal information: Edits to deal name, value, contacts, etc., are recorded.
Change the expected close date: Adjustments to close dates are tracked.
Benefits of Automatic Tracking:
Transparency: Provides a clear history of deal progression.
Accountability: Shows who made changes and when.
Collaboration: Keeps the entire team aligned on the latest deal status.
Historical Record: Useful for reviewing deal history and identifying trends.
💡 Best Practice: Make it a habit to regularly update your deal stages and expected close dates. This ensures your pipeline remains a current and accurate reflection of your sales efforts, providing valuable insights for forecasting and team management.
Mastering Deal Stages: Your Pipeline's Foundation
Deal stages are the backbone of your pipeline, defining the different phases of your sales process. Understanding and customizing your deal stages is key to tailoring the Deals feature to perfectly match your sales workflow.
What are Deal Stage Groups?
To provide a structured framework, deal stages are organized into six main groups:
Prospecting: Stages for new opportunities and initial leads.
Qualifying: Stages for evaluating and determining deal viability.
In Progress: Stages for active deals moving towards closure.
Blocked: Stages for deals that are currently facing obstacles or delays.
Closed Won: Stages for successfully completed deals.
Closed Lost: Stages for unsuccessful opportunities.
These groups provide a logical flow for your sales process, from initial interest to final outcome.
Accessing Deal Stage Settings:
You can access the deal stage configuration pages through two convenient links:
Via Settings Menu: Navigate to your main Settings menu and then select Deals. You'll typically find a "Manage Stages" option within the Deals settings.
Directly from Pipeline: When viewing your Deals pipeline, look for a "Manage Stages" button, often located in the top-right corner, near the "View Settings" button.
Both paths will lead you to the Deal Stage Management area where you can customize your pipeline's stages.
Configuring Your Deal Stages: Tailor Your Pipeline
Once you're in the Deal Stage Management area, you have full control to customize each stage group and the individual stages within them.
Customizing Each Stage Group:
For each of the six main groups (Prospecting, Qualifying, etc.), you can adjust the following:
Set Color:
Click the Color Circle Icon: Locate the color circle icon associated with the stage group.
Choose a Color: Select from a variety of colors to visually represent the stage group in your pipeline.
Benefit: Colors help you quickly identify the general status of deals at a glance, making pipeline navigation faster and more intuitive.
Add New Stages:
Click the "+" Icon: Within each stage group, look for a "+" icon to add a new stage.
Give it a Clear Name: In the dialog box, enter a descriptive name for your new stage (at least 4 characters). Choose names that clearly reflect the action or status of a deal in that stage.
Stage Order: New stages are typically added to the end of the stage list within their group, but you can easily reorder them (see "Organizing Your Stages" below).
Manage Existing Stages: For stages that are already set up, you have management options:
Rename Stages:
Click the "..." (More Options) Icon: Find the "..." icon (usually three vertical dots) next to the stage name.
Select "Edit": Click "Edit" from the dropdown menu.
Enter New Name: Type in the new name for the stage and save.
Change Stage Order: (See "Organizing Your Stages" below)
Delete Unused Stages:
Click the "..." (More Options) Icon: Next to the stage name.
Select "Delete": Click "Delete" from the dropdown menu.
Organizing Your Stages within Groups:
The order of stages within each group is important as it reflects the progression of deals through your sales process. You can easily adjust the stage order:
Use Up/Down Arrows: Next to each stage name in the stage management list, you'll find up and down arrow icons.
Move Stages: Click the up or down arrows to move a stage up or down within its current group.
Impact of Order: The stage order directly affects how deals progress visually in your pipeline and helps ensure a logical flow.
Deleting Stages - Important Considerations:
Before deleting a stage, keep these points in mind:
No Active Deals: You can only delete a stage if there are no active deals currently assigned to that stage. You'll need to move any deals out of the stage before you can delete it.
Not the Only Stage in Group: Each stage group must have at least one stage. You cannot delete a stage if it would leave its group empty.
Deletion Warning: The system will typically display a warning message if you attempt to delete a stage that cannot be deleted due to the above reasons, guiding you on how to proceed.
Need help setting up your perfect pipeline stages? Just ask our support team! We're here to help you optimize your deal management process.