The Smart CRM Pipeline gives you a bird's-eye view of every customer relationship. See where each lead is in your sales process, what actions are needed, and which opportunities are about to close.
Understanding Pipeline Stages
Your pipeline is divided into stages that represent your customer journey:
- New Lead: Just made contact, needs qualification
- Contacted: You've responded, waiting for their reply
- Qualified: Interested and fits your service criteria
- Proposal Sent: Quote or booking link shared
- Negotiating: Discussing details, pricing, or timing
- Won: Booked or purchased
- Lost: Not interested or went with competitor
Accessing Your Pipeline
Navigate to the Pipeline View
Go to CRM → Pipeline from the main menu
You'll see a kanban-style board with columns for each stage.
Viewing All Leads
Understanding the Pipeline View
Each card represents one lead and shows:
- Name: Customer or business name
- Value: Estimated deal size (if set)
- Last Contact: When you last interacted
- Tags: Quick identifiers (VIP, Hot Lead, etc.)
- Source: How they found you (WhatsApp, Instagram, etc.)
Click Any Lead for Details
Click a lead card to see:
- Full conversation history
- Contact information
- Notes and tasks
- Timeline of all interactions
- Booking history (if applicable)
Filtering and Sorting Contacts
Use Filters to Find Leads
Click the Filter button to narrow down your view:
- By Stage: Show only "Qualified" leads
- By Source: Instagram leads only
- By Tag: All VIP customers
- By Date: Leads from last 7 days
- By Value: Deals over $500
Sort Your Pipeline
Click the sort dropdown to organize by:
- Most Recent: Newest leads first
- Oldest: Leads needing follow-up
- Highest Value: Biggest opportunities first
- Name: Alphabetical order
Sort by "Oldest" once a week to find leads that have gone cold. A quick follow-up can revive many stalled conversations.
Pipeline Analytics
View Pipeline Metrics
At the top of the pipeline, you'll see key metrics:
- Total Leads: Number of active opportunities
- Pipeline Value: Total potential revenue
- Conversion Rate: % of leads that become customers
- Average Deal Size: Typical customer value
- Average Time to Close: Days from lead to customer
These metrics help you forecast revenue and identify bottlenecks in your sales process.
Customizing Pipeline Stages
Every business is different. Customize stages to match your process:
Edit Pipeline Stages
Click Settings → Pipeline Settings
You can:
- Rename existing stages
- Add new stages
- Remove unused stages
- Reorder stages
- Set stage colors
Example: Restaurant Pipeline
- Inquiry
- Menu Sent
- Reservation Requested
- Confirmed
- Completed
- Repeat Customer
Example: Service Business Pipeline
- New Inquiry
- Quote Requested
- Quote Sent
- Follow-up Needed
- Scheduled
- Job Complete
Automation Rules
Save time with automated pipeline actions:
Set Up Auto-Progression
Configure rules to move leads automatically:
- When booking confirmed: Move to "Won"
- When quote sent: Move to "Proposal Sent"
- When no response for 7 days: Move to "Cold Lead"
- When customer replies: Move to "Active"
Create Task Reminders
Automatically create tasks based on stage:
- New Lead: Task to call within 1 hour
- Proposal Sent: Task to follow up in 2 days
- Negotiating: Task to send final offer
Using the Pipeline Effectively
Daily Pipeline Review
Spend 10 minutes each morning:
- Check "New Lead" column for overnight inquiries
- Review "Proposal Sent" for follow-ups needed
- Move stale leads to appropriate stages
- Celebrate wins by moving to "Won"
Weekly Pipeline Cleanup
Every Friday:
- Archive or delete dead leads
- Update deal values for accuracy
- Review conversion rates by source
- Plan next week's follow-ups
Monthly Analysis
Once a month, analyze:
- Which stage has the biggest drop-off?
- What's your average time in each stage?
- Which lead sources convert best?
- Are you hitting revenue targets?
A cluttered pipeline is useless. Archive old leads regularly to keep your view clean and actionable.
Best Practices
- Update in real-time: Move leads as soon as status changes
- Add deal values: Helps prioritize high-value opportunities
- Use tags liberally: "Hot Lead," "VIP," "Referral" help you focus
- Set reminders: Never let a lead go cold by accident
- Review weekly: Consistent pipeline hygiene prevents chaos
- Celebrate wins: Moving leads to "Won" is motivating!
Frequently Asked Questions
How many stages should I have?
5-7 stages is ideal. Too few and you lose visibility; too many and it's overwhelming. Start simple and add stages as needed.
Can I have multiple pipelines?
Yes! Create separate pipelines for different services or locations. For example, one for new customers and one for repeat business.
What if a lead skips stages?
That's fine! Drag them directly to the appropriate stage. Not every lead follows a linear path.
How do I handle leads that come back later?
Move them from "Lost" back to "Qualified" or wherever appropriate. The pipeline is flexible.
Can I see archived leads?
Yes. Click "Show Archived" at the top of the pipeline. You can unarchive leads if they become active again.
Troubleshooting
Leads not appearing in pipeline
Solution: Check filters—you may have an active filter hiding leads. Click "Clear All Filters."
Can't drag leads between stages
Solution: Ensure you have edit permissions. Try refreshing the page. If using mobile, use the dropdown menu instead of dragging.
Pipeline value seems wrong
Solution: Check that deal values are set correctly on each lead. Update or remove incorrect values.
Automation not working
Solution: Verify automation rules are enabled in Settings → Automation. Check that trigger conditions are met.