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Sale Stages

Required Permission
Company Setup - You must have the Company Setup permission to access this setting.

Configure the stages for your sales pipeline to track opportunities from initial contact through closed sale.

Overview​

Sale Stages define the steps in your sales process. Projects move through these stages as they progress from lead to sold. Each stage can have:

  • A probability percentage for forecasting
  • A status type (Open, Won, Lost, Deferred)
  • Stage reasons to capture why projects move to this stage

Accessing This Setting​

  1. Go to Settings > Project Stages > Sale Stages
  2. You'll see a list of all sale stages in order

Stage List​

The stage list shows:

ColumnDescription
OrderDrag handle to reorder stages
NameStage display name
ProbabilityWin probability percentage
Stage ReasonsLink to configure reasons

Creating Stages​

Adding a New Stage​

  1. Click + Add Stage
  2. Fill in the stage details:
    • Stage Name - Display name for the stage
    • Probability - Win probability percentage (0-100%)
  3. Click Save

Stage Fields​

FieldDescriptionRequired
Stage NameName shown in dropdowns and on boardsYes
ProbabilityPercentage for forecasting (0-100%)No
Status TypeOpen, Won, Lost, or DeferredYes (defaults to Open)
Fall OffDrop projects from this stage at end of monthNo
Trigger WonMark project as won when moved to this stage (only for Won status)No

Editing Stages​

  1. Click on a stage row to edit
  2. Modify any field
  3. Click Save

What You Can Change​

  • Stage name
  • Probability percentage
  • Status type
  • Fall Off setting
  • Trigger Won setting (for Won status stages)

What You Cannot Change​

  • Stage ID is system-assigned

Stage Order​

The order of stages determines:

  • Pipeline progression (from first stage to last)
  • Dropdown order when changing stages
  • Default display order on boards that show sale stages

Reordering Stages​

  1. Click and hold the drag handle on a stage
  2. Drag up or down to new position
  3. Release to drop
  4. Order saves automatically

Status Types​

Each stage has a status type that affects how the system treats projects in that stage:

StatusCodeDescription
OpenOActive pipeline stage (default for new stages)
WonWClosed-won stage, enables Trigger Won option
LostLClosed-lost stage
DeferredDPaused/deferred projects

Stage Probability​

Probability percentages represent the likelihood of winning a deal at that stage:

StageTypical Probability
New Lead10%
Qualified20%
Appointment Set30%
Proposal Sent50%
Negotiating70%
Verbal Commitment90%
Sold100%
Lost0%

How Probability Is Used​

  • Weighted Pipeline - Predicted Amount × Probability = Weighted Value
  • Forecasting Reports - Estimate future revenue
  • Dashboard Widgets - Show weighted pipeline totals

Stage Reasons​

Stage Reasons capture why a project moves to a particular stage. This is especially useful for tracking:

  • Why deals are lost
  • Why deals are won
  • Why deals stall at certain stages

Configuring Stage Reasons​

  1. In the stage list, click the Stage Reasons link for a stage
  2. Click + Add Reason
  3. Enter the reason text
  4. Click Save

Common Lost Stage Reasons​

ReasonDescription
Price too highCustomer chose lower-priced competitor
Went with competitorCustomer selected another company
Project canceledCustomer decided not to proceed
Timing not rightCustomer postponing indefinitely
No responseCustomer stopped responding

Common Won Stage Reasons​

ReasonDescription
Best valueOur pricing was most competitive
Referral trustCame from a trusted referral
Design expertiseCustomer valued our design skills
ReputationOur reviews and reputation won them over

Deleting Stages​

Restriction

Only stages with Open status can be deleted. Won, Lost, and Deferred stages cannot be deleted.

To delete a stage:

  1. Click the delete icon on the stage row
  2. Confirm deletion

When You Can't Delete​

  • Stage has a non-Open status type (Won, Lost, Deferred)
  • Stage has projects assigned (move projects first)

Common Sale Stage Configurations​

Basic Sales Pipeline​

OrderStageProbability
1New Lead10%
2Qualified25%
3Proposal Sent50%
4Negotiating75%
5Sold100%
6Lost0%

Detailed Sales Pipeline​

OrderStageProbability
1New Lead5%
2Contact Made10%
3Qualified20%
4Needs Assessment30%
5Site Visit Scheduled40%
6Site Visit Complete50%
7Proposal in Progress60%
8Proposal Sent70%
9Negotiating80%
10Verbal Commitment90%
11Sold100%
12Lost0%

Reporting​

Stage data powers several reports:

  • Pipeline Report - Value by stage
  • Win/Loss Analysis - Reasons and patterns
  • Conversion Rate - Movement between stages

Best Practices​

Stage Design​

  • Keep stages meaningful and distinct
  • 5-8 stages is typical for most businesses
  • Each stage should represent a clear milestone
  • Avoid overlapping stage definitions

Probability Setting​

  • Base probabilities on historical data
  • Review and adjust quarterly
  • Higher probability = closer to close
  • Be realistic, not optimistic

Stage Reasons​

  • Keep reason lists manageable (5-10 per stage)
  • Make reasons specific and actionable
  • Review lost reasons regularly to improve
  • Use won reasons to replicate success

Troubleshooting​

Can't Delete Stage​

  • Check if stage has a non-Open status type
  • Move all projects out of the stage first

Probability Seems Wrong​

  • Review historical conversion rates
  • Compare weighted pipeline to actual results
  • Adjust probabilities based on data