Pipedrive Sales Pipelines
Structure your sales cycle into clear stages. A good pipeline = reliable forecasting and sales reps who know exactly what to do next.
⏱️ TL;DR: Create 5 to 7 stages maximum that reflect your actual sales cycle (not the ideal one). Each stage should correspond to a concrete action from the prospect. Use multiple pipelines if you have different sales cycles (new business vs upsell).
What is a Pipeline in Pipedrive?
A pipeline is a visual representation of your sales process. Each column represents a stage of your cycle, and deals (opportunities) move from left to right until closing.
Pipedrive displays your pipeline in Kanban view: you immediately see where all your deals stand, their value, and how long they've been stagnant.
💡 Pipedrive Philosophy
Pipedrive is built around activities, not deals. A deal progresses when you take action (call, email, meeting). If you don't have a planned activity on a deal, that's a problem.
How Many Stages in Your Pipeline?
The golden rule: 5 to 7 stages maximum. Beyond that, your pipeline becomes unreadable and your sales reps won't know where to place their deals.
| Number of Stages | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 3 or less | ❌ Too few | Not enough visibility on progress |
| 4 to 7 | ✅ Ideal | Balance between clarity and granularity |
| 8 or more | ⚠️ Too many | Confusion, misclassified deals |
Stages of a Classic B2B Pipeline
Here's the structure I use with 80% of my B2B clients. Adapt it to your reality, but keep the logic.
| Stage | Entry Criteria | Probability | Expected Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Qualification | First contact established | 10% | Qualify the need (BANT, MEDDIC...) |
| 2. Discovery | Need confirmed, budget mentioned | 25% | Deepen context, identify decision-makers |
| 3. Demo / Proposal | Presentation meeting scheduled | 40% | Present solution, send proposal |
| 4. Negotiation | Proposal sent, feedback received | 60% | Negotiate terms, handle objections |
| 5. Closing | Verbal agreement obtained | 80% | Send contract, get signature |
⚠️ Common Mistake
Don't create a "Waiting" or "To Follow Up" stage. These aren't sales stages, they're an admission that you don't know where the deal stands. A stagnant deal should be lost or reactivated.
Configure Closing Probabilities
Each stage has a probability percentage of closing. This is what allows Pipedrive to calculate your weighted value.
To configure probabilities:
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Access pipeline settings
Click on the pipeline name → ⚙️ icon → "Edit pipeline"
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Edit each stage
Click on a stage and adjust the probability %
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Base on your actual data
If 40% of your deals in "Demo" end up closing, set 40%
📊 Calculation Example
A $10,000 deal in the "Negotiation" stage (60%) is worth $6,000 weighted. Your monthly forecast is the sum of these weighted values.
When to Create Multiple Pipelines?
Pipedrive allows you to create multiple pipelines. Use this feature if you have fundamentally different sales cycles.
✅ Create separate pipelines for:
- New business vs Upsell/Expansion — Different cycles and stakeholders
- Inbound vs Outbound — Very different conversion rates
- SMB vs Enterprise — Incomparable cycle duration (2 weeks vs 6 months)
- Different products — If sales processes are distinct
❌ Do NOT create separate pipelines for:
- Each sales rep — Use filters by owner
- Each region — Use a "Region" custom field
- Each lead source — Use the "Source" field
💡 Simple Rule
If the stages are the same, it's the same pipeline. If the stages are different, it's another pipeline.
Create a New Pipeline
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Access pipeline management
Pipeline dropdown menu → "..." → "Manage pipelines"
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Create the pipeline
Click "+ Add pipeline", give it an explicit name
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Configure stages
Add your stages, name them clearly, set probabilities
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Set rotting days
Number of days without activity before a deal is marked "at risk"
Managing Rotting Deals
Rotting deals are deals without activity for X days. Pipedrive displays them in red to grab your attention.
Configure the "rotting period" for each stage:
- Qualification: 3-5 days (fast cycle)
- Discovery: 7 days
- Demo/Proposal: 14 days
- Negotiation: 7 days
- Closing: 3 days (should be fast)
⚠️ Iron Rule
A deal rotting for 2x the rotting period should be marked Lost. Not "waiting", not "to follow up". Lost. You can always reopen it if the prospect comes back.
Lost Reasons: Configure Them from the Start
When you mark a deal as lost, Pipedrive asks for a reason. Configure relevant reasons to analyze your losses.
Recommended Lost Reasons:
- No budget — Qualification issue
- Competitor chosen — Differentiation or pricing problem
- Project postponed — Timing, not a real "no"
- No response — Prospect went dark
- Not a good fit — Not our target
- Decision-maker not convinced — We didn't talk to the right person
📊 Analyze Your Losses
Every month, look at the distribution of your lost reasons. If 40% are "No budget", your qualification needs work.
Template: The 5 Pipeline Types
Here are the pipeline structures I implement most often:
1. B2B New Business Pipeline
Qualification → Discovery → Demo → Proposal → Negotiation → Won
2. Inbound Pipeline
New Lead → Qualified → Meeting Scheduled → Proposal → Closing
3. Upsell/Expansion Pipeline
Opportunity Identified → Need Validated → Proposal → Closing
4. Partnerships Pipeline
Initial Contact → Mutual Qualification → Contract Negotiation → Active Partnership
5. Recruiting Pipeline (bonus)
Application → Screening → Interview 1 → Interview 2 → Offer → Hired
Checklist Before Launching Your Pipeline
- ☑️ 5 to 7 stages maximum
- ☑️ Each stage has a clear entry criteria
- ☑️ Probabilities reflect your historical data
- ☑️ Rotting periods are configured
- ☑️ Lost reasons are defined
- ☑️ Your team understands when to advance a deal