Definition
One step in the sales pipeline, such as Qualified, Proposal sent or Negotiation, often with a probability of closing attached.
Pipeline stage explained
Stages should describe something a buyer has done, not just what the rep did, so the pipeline reflects real progress. Many CRMs let you set required fields to move a deal into a stage, which keeps data consistent.
Stage probabilities feed a weighted forecast: a $10,000 deal at a 40% stage counts as $4,000.
Also referenced in: Deal · Lifecycle stage