If you’ve ever tried to cram your sales process into a CRM that doesn’t fit, you know how much of a headache that can be. Generic deal stages rarely match the way your team actually works. This guide is for folks who want to make their CRM serve them, not the other way around. If you’re using Velaris and want to tweak your deal stages to fit your go-to-market (GTM) process—whether you’re sales-led, product-led, or somewhere in between—this will walk you through, step by step.
No fluff, no vague advice—just what you need to get it done, and what’s worth ignoring.
Why Custom Deal Stages Matter (and Why Most CRMs Get it Wrong)
Let’s get this out of the way: default deal stages are built for “average” companies that don’t exist. If you’re serious about forecasting, coaching, or just keeping your reps sane, you need deal stages that reflect your reality, not someone else’s.
Here’s what happens when you settle for the defaults: - Reps skip steps or fudge data to make the CRM happy. - Pipeline reports are garbage. - Coaching is a guessing game. - Everyone spends more time fighting the tool than selling.
So, yes, customizing your deal stages in Velaris is worth the effort. But don’t overthink it—start simple and tweak as you go.
Step 1: Map Out Your Actual GTM Process (Before Touching Velaris)
Don’t just open Velaris and start clicking around. First, sketch out how deals really move through your pipeline. Grab your team (or at least your most honest rep) and answer:
- What are the major checkpoints a deal goes through?
- Where do deals get stuck or die?
- Are there big differences between SMB, mid-market, or enterprise?
- Do you need separate pipelines for different segments or products?
Pro tip: Don’t create 10+ stages just because you can. Each stage should be a meaningful milestone, not a checkbox.
What to ignore: Don’t try to map every little micro-step. You’re not running an assembly line.
Step 2: Review Velaris’s Deal Stage Setup
Log into Velaris and head to your pipeline settings. Here’s what you’ll find (as of early 2024):
- Default pipeline: Usually called “Sales Pipeline” or something equally bland.
- Existing deal stages: Probably things like “Qualified,” “Proposal,” “Negotiation,” etc.
- Stage settings: Add, rename, reorder, or delete stages. You can also set probabilities (for forecasting), colors, and descriptions.
Quick reality check: Velaris lets you customize stages, but not every field is fully flexible (for example, some locked fields or system requirements). Don’t fight the tool if it won’t bend—just work around it.
Step 3: Create or Edit Your Deal Stages
Here’s the practical bit. In Velaris:
- Go to Settings → Pipelines & Stages.
- Select your pipeline (or create a new one if you need separate flows for different teams).
- Edit existing stages or hit “Add Stage” to create new ones.
When adding or editing a stage: - Name: Keep it short and specific (e.g., “Demo Scheduled” vs. “Qualification”). - Probability: Assign a rough win percentage. Don’t worry about being perfect—just make sure it gets more likely as deals move forward. - Description (optional): Spell out what must happen for a deal to enter or exit this stage. This helps everyone stay on the same page. - Order: Drag and drop to reorder stages. Start with 5–7 stages max.
What works well: - Naming stages after real-world actions (e.g., “Contract Sent”). - Using descriptions so new reps aren’t left guessing. - Keeping your pipeline short and meaningful.
What doesn’t: - Stages like “Follow-up” or “Waiting”—these are usually just reminders, not milestones. - Overcomplicating with too many stages or splitting hairs.
Step 4: Set Up Stage Requirements (If You Want to Get Fancy)
Velaris lets you add requirements or fields for each stage—things like required notes, documents, or tasks. This can be handy for enforcing process, but it’s easy to go overboard.
Use this for: - Critical steps you never want skipped (e.g., “Attach signed NDA before moving to Discovery”). - Key data points you need for forecasting or handoffs.
Skip this if: - You find yourself adding requirements “just in case.” - Reps complain about busywork or spend more time checking boxes than moving deals.
Honest take: Only lock down what truly matters. Otherwise, your team will find creative ways to game the system or just stop using it.
Step 5: Test the Flow (Don’t Skip This)
Before rolling out your new stages to the whole team, test the pipeline yourself—or with a friendly rep. Move a few test deals through each stage.
Check for: - Confusing stage names or unclear transitions. - Stages that are never used (or only used because the system demands it). - Missing steps that create headaches later (handoffs, renewals, etc.).
Tweak as needed. Don’t be precious about your setup—almost nobody gets it right the first time.
Step 6: Go Live (and Actually Tell the Team Why)
Once you’re happy, publish the changes. But don’t just hit “Save” and walk away. Tell your team: - What the new stages are. - Why you made the change (hint: to make their lives easier, not harder). - How you want them to use it—be specific.
Tip: Show examples. Walk through a real deal from start to finish.
What to ignore: Lengthy training decks or “change management” meetings unless you’ve got a huge team. Most folks just want to know what’s new and what they’re supposed to do.
Step 7: Review and Adjust (Seriously, Don’t Skip This Either)
After a month or so, review how it’s going: - Are deals moving as expected? - Any stages always empty or overloaded? - What’s confusing people?
Schedule a quick feedback session—don’t wait for complaints to pile up. Be ready to remove, rename, or combine stages as you learn what actually works.
Rule of thumb: If a stage isn’t pulling its weight, cut it. Simple pipelines always beat complex ones.
Pro Tips and Common Pitfalls
What works: - Keep it simple. Fewer, clearer stages almost always lead to better data and happier reps. - Use real-world language. If your reps say “Kickoff Call,” so should your pipeline. - Regularly review. Your GTM process will change—so should your pipeline.
What doesn’t: - Setting and forgetting. If nobody’s checked the pipeline setup in a year, it’s probably out of date. - Forcing one pipeline for very different sales motions. If you’re selling both $1k and $100k deals, they need different flows.
Ignore: - Fancy automations until you’ve nailed the basics. - Over-engineering “exit criteria” for every stage. If people need a checklist to get through your pipeline, it’s probably too complex.
Keep it Simple, Iterate Often
Customizing deal stages in Velaris isn’t magic, but it can make a real difference. The best pipelines are clear, easy to use, and reflect how your team actually sells. Start simple, get feedback, and don’t be afraid to adjust as you go. Most importantly, remember: your CRM should work for you—not the other way around.