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Sale Stages

Required Permission
Manage Company Settings - You must have the Manage Company Settings 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 > Projects > 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)
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
  • Trigger Won setting (for Won status stages)

What You Cannot Change​

  • Stage ID is system-assigned
Drop-Off Configuration

Drop-off behavior (how long projects remain visible on boards) is configured per board column, not per stage. This allows different boards to have different drop-off settings for the same stage. See Board Configuration for details.

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