Stages
Use configured criteria so everyone knows what moving a deal means.
CRM + pipeline
Make every deal stage explicit enough to run.
Pipeline control is not a prettier spreadsheet. It is shared definitions, ownership, next actions, and outcome learning.
Ownership
Make owner, next step, and stalled-state visible.
Outcomes
Capture won and lost reasons in a way the team can learn from.
Migration with a cutover boundary
Migration with a cutover boundary
Spreadsheet or CRM migration begins with inventory, mapping, cleanup rules, a test import, exceptions, and a written cutover plan.
Operating reports
Operating reports
Pipeline reporting covers stage aging, next-action coverage, activity quality, source attribution, and won/lost reasons when those fields are configured.
Pipeline record
The account record carries the deal, not just the stage.
CRM and pipeline are configurable now as object model, account record, stage rules, owner, history, next action, reporting fields, migration path, and export boundary.
ObjectNorthstar exampleOperating rule
AccountNorthstar Components, owner Maya Lee, priority 79, confidence high.Every account has source, owner, status, next action, and suppression state.
OpportunityDiscovery scheduled, expected value scoped after qualification.Stage changes require entry criteria, next action, and owner.
OutcomeWon, lost, no decision, timing, competitor, or disqualified reason.Outcomes feed calibration and improve future targeting.
Stage behavior
Pipeline stages should be specific enough to run.
Configured stages can define entry criteria, exit criteria, required fields, owner, next action, stale-state timer, automation trigger, reporting rollup, and outcome reason.
Stage rules
Qualified, discovery, proposal, negotiation, won, lost, no decision, or buyer-specific stages.
Automation
Tasks, sequence stops, reminders, stage-aging notices, and handoff prompts are configured to the scoped workflow.
History
Account activity, sequence status, notes, source, owner changes, stage movement, and outcome remain visible.
Export
Data export, deletion, migration, and retention terms are quoted before onboarding.
Migration and reporting
The cutover plan names what moves and what stays behind.
- InventoryCurrent CRM, spreadsheet, inbox, source files, fields, owners, duplicates, stale records, and sensitive-data limits.
- MapAccount, contact-if-supported, opportunity, activity, task, stage, source, suppression, and outcome fields.
- Test importSample rows, exceptions, duplicate rules, stage mapping, owner mapping, and report validation.
- Launch reportsStage aging, next-action coverage, source attribution, activity quality, outcome reason, and calibration review.
Next step
Start with the workflow before configuration starts.
Use the working session to decide what belongs in the first configured version and what stays out of scope.