A successful sales organization isn’t built on luck—it’s built on structure, clarity, and momentum.
At the center of that structure is the sales pipeline: a simple but powerful framework that allows teams to track every opportunity, from the first conversation to the final handshake.
Understanding how the sales pipeline works—and managing it effectively—is essential for working smarter, driving consistent results, and scaling your success.
What Is a Sales Pipeline?
A sales pipeline is a visual roadmap of how sales opportunities progress through the stages of your sales process.
Each stage marks a critical step in the buyer’s journey, and moving deals forward through these stages is how sales are ultimately closed.
While the specifics vary across businesses, a typical pipeline might include stages such as:
- Needs Analysis – Understanding the customer’s requirements and challenges.
- Proposal Sent – An offer including pricing and delivery details is shared.
- Negotiation – Aligning expectations and finalize the commercial terms.
- Closing – Getting formal approval and waiting for the purchase order or contract.
A structured pipeline allows sales teams to manage every deal proactively, avoid missed follow-ups, and focus on the right opportunities at the right time.
Using the Pipeline in TeamGram CRM: Step-by-Step
Where is Your Sales Pipeline?
To access the sales pipeline view in TeamGram CRM, click Opportunities in the top menu. Then select the Sales Pipeline tab.
Depending on the sharing settings, the sales pipeline view may display opportunities owned by other users in your company. The round icon inside each opportunity card shows its owner.
If you want to see only your own opportunities in the pipeline, click the filter icon (funnel symbol) near the upper left corner of the pipeline view and click my open opportunities.
When to Create an Opportunity
Create a new opportunity in TeamGram CRM when:
- A qualified lead expresses real interest in buying
- You have identified a specific product or service they may purchase
- There’s a clear potential for a sale within a realistic timeframe
Each opportunity should represent one potential sale. If a customer is considering separate purchases independently from each other, create separate opportunities.
Tip: Make sure to link the opportunity to the correct company and contact, so you can track the full customer journey.
How to Update the Stage of an Opportunity
As the opportunity progresses, move it through the stages of your pipeline.
In TeamGram CRM, this is as simple as dragging and dropping the opportunity card to the appropriate stage.
Update the stage when a milestone is reached (e.g., proposal sent, negotiation started)
Keeping your pipeline current ensures more accurate forecasting and better prioritization.
When to Add or Update the Value of an Opportunity
The value of an opportunity should reflect the expected revenue from that deal.
- Set the value when you have a rough idea of what the customer may buy.
- Update the value when the scope changes—if additional items are added or the quantity increases.
- If pricing becomes more firm (e.g., after sending a proposal), adjust the value to match.
This value is critical for revenue forecasting, so regular updates are key.
How to Set the Probability of an Opportunity
Each opportunity has a probability—your estimate of how likely it is to end with a successful sale.
Use probability to:
- Reflect how close you are to winning the opportunity
- Help managers forecast revenue weighted by confidence level
- Spot which pipeline stages have the highest drop-off
In TeamGram CRM, you can either set the probability manually or use default values tied to each pipeline stage. If you manually adjust it, update it based on real signals from the customer—strong buying intent, verbal confirmation, etc.
When to Mark an Opportunity as Won or Lost
Mark an opportunity as Won when:
- The customer confirms the purchase and you receive a purchase order or contract
- Payment is arranged and delivery is scheduled
Mark it as Lost when:
- The customer decides not to proceed
- They choose a competitor
You may also want to mark it as Abandoned if you are no longer interested in pursuing it beacuse:
- The opportunity is no longer viable
- The timeline is indefinitely delayed
If unexpected developments occur and the customer is unable to proceed with the purchase, you may want to mark the opportunity as Cancelled. Reserve this status for unusual events like bankruptcies and reorganizations only.
Pro Tip: Always log a reason when marking an opportunity as lost. This helps the team learn from patterns and refine strategies over time.
Why Pipeline Discipline Matters
An efficient pipeline isn’t just a reflection of how deals progress—it’s the engine that powers your revenue. When everyone on the team consistently uses and updates the pipeline, it enables:
- Better planning and execution
- Stronger team collaboration
- More accurate forecasts
- Less time chasing cold leads
TeamGram CRM Makes It Easy
TeamGram CRM was built to make pipeline management intuitive and powerful:
- Move deals with drag-and-drop ease
- Log every customer interaction within the opportunity
- Track progress visually at every stage
- Customize pipeline stages to match your exact sales process
- Use multiple pipelines to accommodate different sales processes.
Final Thoughts
A well-managed pipeline turns daily sales activity into reliable, repeatable outcomes.
It helps you close more deals, spot bottlenecks, and plan smarter—while making your sales process easier to manage and scale.With TeamGram CRM, you don’t just track your pipeline—you turn it into a competitive advantage.