Ever get the feeling your CRM is working against you? If you’re stuck forcing your sales or outreach process into someone else’s idea of a “pipeline,” you’re not alone. This guide is for anyone using Closelyhq—maybe you just signed up, or maybe you’re tired of wrestling with the default setup. We’ll walk through setting up custom pipelines that actually match the way you work, plus how to keep things organized once you start getting leads and deals in the system.
No jargon, no wild promises. Just a real-world guide to making Closelyhq’s CRM pipeline feature do what you want.
Why Custom Pipelines Matter (and When They Don’t)
Let’s be honest: most built-in CRM pipelines are too generic. If you’re a solo founder doing B2B sales, your process isn’t going to look like a 50-person sales org. The good news? Closelyhq lets you create custom pipelines and stages.
But don’t get too excited—more customization isn’t always better. You need just enough structure to see what’s going on at a glance, without turning your CRM into an Excel sheet with pretty colors.
Do you actually need custom pipelines?
- Yes, if your sales/outreach process is different from “Lead → Contacted → Demo → Closed.”
- Yes, if you run multiple sales or partnership processes in parallel.
- No, if your team ignores the CRM and just updates deals once a month. In that case, fix the habits first.
If you’re ready to actually use your CRM (not just look at it guiltily every few weeks), keep reading.
Step 1: Get Familiar With Closelyhq’s CRM Basics
First off, you’ll need a Closelyhq account. If you don’t have one, sign up here. The CRM is built with LinkedIn outreach in mind, but you can use it for any deal or client pipeline.
What you get out of the box: - One default pipeline (“Sales” or similar) - A handful of generic stages - The ability to add, edit, or delete stages and pipelines - Drag-and-drop board view for deal progress
What’s missing:
- Advanced automation (if you want auto-magic, look elsewhere)
- Super deep reporting (it’s basic, but gets the job done)
- Built-in lead scoring (you’ll need to DIY this, if you care)
Bottom line: The tools are there, but you’ll only get value if you tailor things a bit.
Step 2: Map Your Real Process First
Before you start clicking around and renaming stages, sketch out your actual process. Seriously—grab a notepad or open a doc.
Questions to ask yourself: - What are the main steps for a deal, from “I found a lead” to “money in the bank”? - Where do things usually stall or get stuck? - Do you have multiple types of deals or client journeys?
Pro tip:
Don’t overcomplicate it. 5–7 stages is plenty. “Lead → Contacted → Qualified → Proposal Sent → Negotiation → Won/Lost” covers most use cases. If you find yourself adding “Sent Follow-up Email #2” as a separate stage, you’re overthinking it.
Step 3: Create or Edit Your Pipeline in Closelyhq
Now, let’s build your pipeline in Closelyhq.
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Log in.
Get into your Closelyhq dashboard. -
Go to the CRM section.
Look for “Pipelines” or “Board.” This is where your deals live. -
Create a new pipeline (if needed).
- Click “Add Pipeline” (usually a plus button near the top).
- Name it something clear: “Outbound Sales,” “Recruiting,” “Partnerships,” etc.
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Don’t create more than you need. One or two pipelines is plenty for most people.
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Edit stages.
- Click on a pipeline and look for the option to add, rename, or delete stages.
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Enter the stages you mapped out earlier. Keep the names short—long stage names just get cut off.
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Reorder stages.
- Drag and drop to match your real process flow.
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Put the “Won” and “Lost” stages at the end, not in the middle.
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Save your changes.
Closelyhq usually auto-saves, but double-check before you leave the page.
What works:
- The drag-and-drop interface is actually pretty smooth.
- You can set up multiple pipelines if you really need them (one for sales, one for partnerships, etc.).
What to ignore:
- Don’t bother making “micro-stages” for every tiny action. You’ll never keep up with updating them.
Step 4: Add and Organize Deals
Once you’ve got your pipeline set up, start adding actual deals or leads.
- Add a new deal.
- Click “Add Deal” or the plus button within a pipeline.
- Fill out the basics: Name, company, contact info, value, etc.
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Attach any notes right away—don’t trust your memory.
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Assign deals to stages.
- Drop them into the right stage based on where they are right now.
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If you’re importing leads in bulk, take a bit of time to sort them. Messy data now means a messy pipeline forever.
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Use tags or labels (sparingly).
- Tags help if you have a lot of deals, but don’t go nuts. “Priority” or “Follow-up” is fine. “Tag for every minor detail” is not.
Pro tip:
If you’re migrating from another CRM, import just your active deals. Old, cold, or dead deals just clutter things up.
Step 5: Keep Your Pipeline Updated (Without Losing Your Mind)
A CRM pipeline is only as useful as it is current. If you fall behind, it quickly becomes a graveyard.
Tips for staying on top of things: - Update as you go. Move deals between stages right after you take action (sent an email, had a call, etc.). - Do a weekly review. Block 10 minutes on Fridays to scan your pipeline. Move stale deals, archive dead ones, and sanity-check your stages. - Automate what you can. Closelyhq isn’t super-automated, but you can set reminders or use integrations for tasks like follow-ups.
What works:
- Drag-and-drop makes it easy to move deals, so no excuses for not updating.
- Less is more: A short, clean pipeline gets used. A cluttered one gets ignored.
What to ignore:
- Don’t obsess over keeping every detail perfect. The point is to see where things stand, not to create a second job for yourself.
Step 6: Adjust and Improve Over Time
Your first pipeline setup won’t be perfect. That’s fine.
How to improve: - Watch for bottlenecks. Are lots of deals stuck in one stage? That’s a sign you need to tweak your process or get more specific. - Cut unused stages. If you’re never moving deals into a certain stage, kill it. - Get team feedback. If you work with others, ask how they actually use the pipeline. Listen to complaints—they usually point to real issues.
Don’t fall into the trap:
- Don’t keep adding stages or pipelines just “because you can.” Every extra field or step is one more thing to forget about in a month.
What About Reporting and Filtering?
Closelyhq’s reporting is basic, but it covers the essentials—stage counts, deal values, conversion rates. If you need heavy-duty analytics, export your data and slice it up in a spreadsheet.
Filtering and search:
- You can filter deals by stage, tag, or owner.
- Don’t expect ultra-advanced filtering (e.g., “Show me deals with three emails sent in the last week”). That’s not what this tool is for.
If you’re spending more time building reports than moving deals forward, you’re missing the point.
A Few Common Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
- Overcomplicating pipelines: If you need a cheat-sheet to remember your stages, you’ve gone too far.
- Letting deals go stale: Set a recurring reminder to check in on old leads.
- Ignoring feedback: If your team isn’t using it, ask why. Usually, it’s because the pipeline doesn’t match reality—or it’s just too much work to keep updated.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Building a custom CRM pipeline in Closelyhq isn’t rocket science, but it does take a bit of upfront thought. Start simple, make it a habit to update as you go, and don’t be afraid to trim what isn’t working. Your pipeline should help you close more deals, not just look nice in a screenshot.
Remember: done is better than perfect. Set up your pipeline the way you actually work, keep it tidy, and tweak as you learn what works for you. That’s how you get real value out of your CRM—without drowning in features you’ll never use.