Pipedrive Deal Stages: Best Practices for B2B Sales

Pipedrive's visual pipeline is one of its biggest strengths—you can see exactly where every deal stands at a glance. But that visibility is only as good as your stage definitions. Poorly designed stages lead to deals getting stuck, inaccurate forecasting, and reps who don't trust the system.

Here's how to set up Pipedrive deal stages that actually work for B2B sales.

The 5-7 Stage Sweet Spot

The most common mistake is having too many or too few stages:

• Too few (3-4): Deals pile up in stages, making it impossible to see what's actually happening. "Negotiation" becomes a catch-all for everything from first proposal to contract redlines.
• Too many (10+): Reps don't update stages because it feels like busywork. Moving a deal through 12 micro-stages kills adoption.

For most B2B sales cycles, 5-7 stages provides enough granularity without overwhelming reps.

A B2B Stage Template That Works

Here's a proven 6-stage structure for B2B sales:

Stage 1: Qualified Lead (10%)

Entry criteria: Initial conversation completed. Confirmed they have a relevant problem and budget authority (or path to it).

Exit criteria: Discovery call scheduled.

What to track: Lead source, company size, initial pain points mentioned.

Stage 2: Discovery (20%)

Entry criteria: Discovery call scheduled or completed.

Exit criteria: Qualified using BANT/MEDDIC. Clear understanding of their problem, timeline, and decision process.

What to track: Pain points confirmed, budget range, decision timeline, stakeholders identified.

Stage 3: Demo/Solution Presented (40%)

Entry criteria: Demo scheduled or completed.

Exit criteria: Prospect has seen your solution. Initial feedback positive. Next steps confirmed.

What to track: Demo date, attendees, key features demonstrated, objections raised.

Stage 4: Proposal Sent (60%)

Entry criteria: Formal proposal or quote delivered.

Exit criteria: Proposal reviewed by prospect. In active negotiation or moving to contract.

What to track: Proposal amount, terms proposed, competitor mentions, procurement requirements.

Stage 5: Negotiation (80%)

Entry criteria: Active contract/terms discussion. Verbal commitment or clear buying signals.

Exit criteria: Terms agreed. Contract in legal review or signature process.

What to track: Final pricing, contract terms, legal/procurement contacts, expected close date.

Stage 6: Contract Sent (90%)

Entry criteria: Contract sent for signature.

Exit criteria: Signature received → Won. Or deal falls through → Lost.

What to track: Contract send date, signer name, follow-up actions if delayed.

Common Stage Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Activity-Based Stages

Stages like "Email Sent" or "Called" describe what you did, not where the deal is. This creates false precision—a deal in "Second Email Sent" tells you nothing about buyer commitment.

Fix: Base stages on buyer actions and commitments, not sales activities.

Mistake 2: Overlapping Definitions

When "Demo Scheduled" and "Demo Completed" are both options, reps will use them inconsistently. One rep's "Completed" is another's "Scheduled."

Fix: Clear entry and exit criteria for every stage. Train on the definitions.

Mistake 3: The "Waiting" Stage

Adding a stage called "Waiting for Response" or "On Hold" is a symptom of poor stage design. Deals are always waiting for something. This stage becomes a dumping ground.

Fix: If a deal goes cold, it either stays in its current stage (with a note) or moves to Lost with a reason. "Waiting" isn't a stage—it's a status within a stage.

Mistake 4: No Lost Reasons

Pipedrive lets you require lost reasons when deals are marked lost. Use this feature. The data on why deals fail is invaluable for improving your process.

Setup: Settings → Company Settings → Lost Reasons. Create specific options like: "Lost to Competitor," "No Budget," "Timing Not Right," "Went Silent," "Chose to Do Nothing."

Pipedrive-Specific Best Practices

Use Probability Percentages Wisely

Pipedrive lets you assign probability to each stage. Don't just use the defaults—analyze your historical win rates by stage and adjust accordingly.

If your deals in "Proposal Sent" historically close 45% of the time (not 60%), update the probability. This makes your weighted pipeline value accurate.

Set Rotting Days

Pipedrive's "rotting" feature flags deals that haven't moved. For each stage, set realistic rotting thresholds:

• Qualified Lead: 7 days
• Discovery: 14 days
• Demo: 14 days
• Proposal: 21 days
• Negotiation: 14 days
• Contract: 7 days

When deals rot, it's a signal to either advance them or update expectations.

Leverage Required Fields

Pipedrive lets you require certain fields at each stage. Use this to ensure data quality:

• Discovery exit: Require "Budget Range" and "Decision Timeline"
• Proposal exit: Require "Proposal Amount"
• Negotiation exit: Require "Expected Close Date"

This ensures you're not advancing deals without critical information.

Getting Your Team to Use It

The best stage design fails if reps don't update deals. Adoption tips:

• Train on the "why": Explain how accurate stages help forecasting and help them get coaching.
• Make it easy: Use Pipedrive's mobile app and automations to reduce manual work.
• Review weekly: In team meetings, quickly audit the pipeline for stale deals and stage accuracy.
• Celebrate good hygiene: Recognize reps who keep their pipeline current.