Opportunity Pipeline

Relationship Owner creates an opportunity in New with a subject, account, expected value and expected close date. The record identifies the person responsible for the relationship. Qualification evidence gives Sales Manager a basis for deciding whether the opportunity is ready to move forward.

Qualified, Proposal and Negotiation describe different customer positions. Proposal follows a reviewed scope and next activity. Negotiation is recorded when negotiation has actually started. Won and Lost retain the eventual outcome, with the evidence needed to explain why the opportunity left the open pipeline.

• Qualification. The owner records the fit discussion and relevant activity outcome. Sales Manager checks the account, ownership and applicable call consent before approving qualification. An unsuccessful review leaves the opportunity New with its explanation in the evidence.
• Proposal progress. Prepare the proposal scope and next activity before asking for approval. The reviewer considers the submitted version, and the team records the resulting customer discussion in activity history.
• Forecast context. Expected value, probability and close date support the operating review. Keep Won and Lost outside the open weighted forecast and retain their earlier expected values for the outcome discussion.

Agree what evidence makes a prospect qualified and what the reviewer expects with a proposal. Define how owners maintain probability and expected close dates. The recorded opportunity value is in USD; use that basis consistently when discussing the pipeline.

Decide who can review an owner’s submission and how a returned item reaches the owner for correction. A changed opportunity needs review against the version being acted on. Keep the acceptance evidence and won date ready for a successful close, or a useful loss reason when the customer outcome is Lost.

Relationship Owner opens a prospect opportunity after a call about the customer’s needs. The owner records the outcome and next activity. Sales Manager reviews the fit and ownership before moving the opportunity to Qualified. If the evidence does not establish a fit, keep it New and explain the remaining question.

The owner then prepares a proposal and the next follow-up. After review, the opportunity reaches Proposal. Sending the document does not by itself establish that negotiation has started; record Negotiation when the customer discussion reaches that point.

Use a second opportunity with a changed expected value during review. Check that the reviewer considers the current submitted version before a decision is used. At the pipeline meeting, separate the still-open opportunities from Won and Lost records, and inspect the close date alongside stage rather than interpreting an old date as a confirmed customer outcome.

• Open Pipeline — Open opportunities are grouped by stage with expected values and assigned owners.
• Closing Soon — Open opportunities due within a week or overdue stay visible for close-date follow-up.
• Won Opportunities — Successful outcomes retain the won date and earlier expected value for review.

Use account qualification and proposals, then customer outcome review.