Pipeline and qualification

Relationship Owner starts an opportunity in New and records its subject, customer account, expected USD value and expected close date. Those details make the opportunity recognizable in the pipeline. A probability estimate can add commercial context when the team has an agreed basis for it.

Qualification requires evidence from the customer relationship. The owner identifies that evidence before requesting the move from New to Qualified. The qualification action records the supporting activity and its operation outcome, so Sales Manager can inspect why the opportunity advanced. Qualification does not stand in for the independent proposal decision that follows later.

• Named sales work. The opportunity number and subject identify the case, while the account and owner show who the work concerns. Expected value and close date describe the current sales expectation and remain open to review as the discussion develops.
• Evidence-based qualification. Relationship Owner uses an existing customer discussion or other qualification evidence to support the requested action. The action records the evidence in the opportunity’s activity history rather than advancing the stage from an unexplained label.
• Visible progress. The open pipeline distinguishes New, Qualified, Proposal and Negotiation. Won and Lost record reviewed outcomes. Negotiation should reflect an actual negotiation discussion, and a completed technical evaluation does not automatically establish a sale.

Agree what the team considers sufficient qualification evidence. A meeting note should explain the result of the discussion and why the next action is appropriate. Decide how Relationship Owner will estimate expected value and probability, including how unknown estimates will be handled in reporting.

Choose the operating interpretation of expected close date. It is a sales expectation, so use it to prioritize review rather than treating it as a committed delivery date. Keep stage changes tied to the appropriate action and revision. When commercial scope changes after review, identify the changed content before reusing any earlier decision.

Prepare an opportunity for a customer assessing a technology platform. Record a discovery meeting with an outcome explaining the evaluation interest and the agreed follow-up. Relationship Owner requests qualification of the current New revision using that evidence.

Ask Sales Manager to trace the Qualified result to the activity and operation evidence. Then repeat the original request and confirm that it does not create duplicate qualification effects. Change the opportunity revision and attempt the old request again; the stale request must not advance the newer work. Review the expected value and closing date with the owner so the pipeline reflects the current discussion rather than an assumption carried from the first meeting.

• Qualification Queue — New opportunities needing evidence before qualification.
• Opportunity Pipeline — Open opportunities grouped by their commercial stage.
• Expected Closings — Open Qualified, Proposal and Negotiation opportunities due to close within a week or already overdue.

Rehearse qualification and activity before proposal and negotiation.