How to build an effective sales pipeline using Solidroad step by step

Looking to actually get organized with your sales process, not just talk about it? This guide’s for you. Whether you’re tired of lost deals, scattered spreadsheets, or just want a clear view of what’s working, setting up a real sales pipeline is the answer. I’ll walk you through it step by step using Solidroad, a tool designed for folks who want clarity over clutter. This isn’t a hype piece—just practical advice, a few warnings, and some shortcuts you can actually use.

Step 1: Get Clear on Your Sales Stages (Don’t Overthink It)

Before you touch any software, map out the real stages your deals go through. This isn’t about copying someone else’s “perfect” pipeline—it’s about reflecting how your sales actually happen.

  • Grab a notepad or whiteboard.
  • List every distinct step a deal goes through, from first contact to close.
  • Keep it simple: Most small teams do fine with 4–6 stages. Typical examples:
  • New Lead
  • Qualified
  • Proposal Sent
  • Negotiation
  • Closed Won/Lost

Pro tip: If you’re debating two similar stages, merge them. You can always split later if you’re missing nuance. Don’t let “pipeline perfectionism” stall you.

Step 2: Set Up Your Pipeline in Solidroad

Now, hop into Solidroad. The UI is straightforward, but here’s how not to get lost:

  1. Create a new pipeline. Name it after your sales flow or team (“SaaS Deals,” “Enterprise Sales,” whatever matches your world).
  2. Add your stages. Use the list you made. You can drag and drop to reorder them—don’t get fancy with colors or emojis unless it helps you.
  3. Define what “done” means for each stage. This is key. For example:
    • “Qualified” = you’ve had a call and know their budget.
    • “Proposal Sent” = the doc is in their inbox.
    • “Negotiation” = you’ve exchanged at least one counter-offer.
  4. Decide who owns which stage. Even if it’s all you for now, flag it—this helps with handoff later.

What to ignore: Fancy automation or integrations at this stage. Seriously. Get your pipeline structure right first. Automation on a messy process just makes messes faster.

Step 3: Import (or Manually Add) Your Deals

You need real data in the pipeline to see how it feels:

  • If you have a list: Solidroad lets you upload from CSV. Map columns to fields (Deal Name, Contact, Stage, Value, etc.). Don’t stress if it’s a little messy—fix it as you go.
  • If you don’t: Just start entering live deals as they come in. No backlog? That’s fine. You’ll thank yourself for not cluttering things with six-month-old ghosts.

Quick reality check: Most teams never “finish” deal cleanup. Flag old deals as “Closed Lost” and move on. Your pipeline should be a living thing, not a graveyard.

Step 4: Define What Moves a Deal Forward

A pipeline only works if everyone knows when to move a deal along. This is where most teams get fuzzy—and pipelines fall apart.

  • Write down criteria for each stage change. Example:
    • “Qualified” → “Proposal Sent”: The prospect has confirmed interest and requested pricing.
    • “Negotiation” → “Closed Won”: Contract signed and payment terms agreed.
  • Keep criteria visible. Put them in Solidroad’s stage descriptions or pin a doc for your team. Don’t make folks guess.
  • If you’re solo: Still do this. You’ll spot holes in your own thinking.

What doesn’t work: “Gut feel” or “It’s close, I guess.” You want clarity, not wishful thinking.

Step 5: Set Up Your Deal Fields and Custom Views

Solidroad keeps it pretty simple by default, but you’ll want to capture details that matter to you—not just what’s built in.

  • Add custom fields: Typical ones are Deal Value, Close Date, Source (referral, cold email, etc.), Key Contact, and Probability.
  • Create views for your workflow:
    • “Deals closing this quarter”
    • “Deals stuck in Negotiation > 30 days”
    • “New leads from last week”
  • Use filters, not just columns. This lets you spot problems fast—like stalled deals or missing info.

Pro tip: Don’t add a field unless you’ll actually use it to make a decision. The more fields, the less likely they’ll stay up to date.

Step 6: Start Using the Pipeline—Every Day

A pipeline isn’t a dashboard you review once a month. It’s a daily tool. Here’s how to make it stick:

  • Update deals as soon as something changes. Got off a call? Move the deal right then.
  • Review your pipeline at the start or end of each day. What needs attention? What’s gone cold? This habit saves deals from slipping through the cracks.
  • Use reminders sparingly. Solidroad lets you set follow-ups, but don’t flood yourself. One or two nudges per deal is plenty.

What to ignore: Overly detailed activity logging (“sent email #3 at 4:52pm”). Focus on what moves deals, not busywork.

Step 7: Regularly Review and Prune

Even with good habits, pipelines get stale. Build a routine:

  • Once a week (or two), scan for dead wood. If a deal hasn’t moved in 45+ days, ping the contact or close it out.
  • Look for bottlenecks. Are deals piling up at “Qualified” because proposals take too long? That’s a process problem, not a pipeline problem.
  • Adjust stages if needed. Outgrown your original flow? Split or merge stages as you learn.

Honest take: Most teams let old deals rot because “maybe it’ll come back.” It almost never does. Clean pipelines > wishful thinking.

Step 8: Use Reporting—But Don’t Drown in Charts

Solidroad gives you basic reporting: conversion rates, deal velocity, pipeline value, etc. Use this to spot trends, not to impress anyone with pretty graphs.

  • Watch for:
    • Stages where deals die or get stuck.
    • How long (on average) deals take to close.
    • Realistic close rates—not just the ones that make you feel good.
  • Share insights, not exports. It’s better to say “40% of our deals stall at the proposal stage” than to pass around a spreadsheet no one reads.

What doesn’t work: Chasing vanity metrics (“pipeline value up 200%!”) if your actual closes aren’t improving.

What to Skip (for Now)

There’s a lot you could do—integrate with marketing, automate every notification, bolt on AI scoring. Here’s what’s usually not worth it early on:

  • Complex automations. They break easily and hide bad processes.
  • Scoring systems you don’t understand. “AI says this deal is hot!” is only useful if you know why.
  • Too many pipeline variants. Start with one. Add more only if your team truly needs separate flows.

Get the basics working, then layer on the fancy stuff. Most sales teams fail because they overengineer, not because they underthink.

In Short: Keep It Simple, Review Often, and Iterate

Sales pipelines aren’t magic. The best ones are simple, honest, and brutally up to date. Solidroad can help—but only if you focus on clarity over complexity. Set up your stages, use them daily, prune often, and don’t be afraid to tweak as you learn. You’ll actually know where your deals stand, and that’s half the battle.

Now get started—and remember, no pipeline survives first contact with real prospects. Adjust as you go. That’s how results actually happen.