sales
What is Pipeline Stage?
A defined step in your sales process that represents where a deal currently stands, such as 'Proposal Sent' or 'Negotiation.'
In plain English
Pipeline stages give your sales process structure and visibility. By defining stages like Lead → Qualified → Proposal Sent → Negotiation → Closed Won, you can see at a glance where every deal stands and forecast revenue based on how many deals are in each stage. Automating stage transitions — such as sending a follow-up email when a deal moves to 'Proposal Sent' — ensures consistent follow-through without relying on salespeople to remember every step.