If you're using a CRM and feel like you're cramming your sales process into someone else's boxes, you're not alone. Vinna lets you set up deal stages the way you actually work—not the way some consultant thinks you should. This guide is for sales managers, team leads, and anyone who wants Vinna to fit their sales process, not the other way around.
Let’s cut through the noise and walk through the real steps to customize deal stages in Vinna, without getting lost in settings hell or building a Rube Goldberg machine.
Why Bother Customizing Deal Stages?
Default deal stages in any CRM are generic by design. That’s fine if your sales process is textbook, but most aren’t. If you want clear forecasting, accurate reporting, and a team that actually uses the CRM, you need stages that match how you actually sell.
Some reasons to customize:
- Your sales process isn’t linear. Maybe you revisit demo calls, or skip proposals for small deals.
- You want to forecast better. Accurate stages mean more honest pipelines.
- You’re tired of reps gaming the system. If reps are always “stuck” in a stage, something’s off.
The trick is to keep it simple. Don’t create a dozen stages “just because you can.” Focus on what actually reflects your process.
Step 1: Map Out Your Actual Sales Process (Before You Touch Vinna)
Don’t open Vinna yet. Seriously. First, grab a whiteboard or a notepad and sketch your real process. Not what’s in the handbook—what actually happens.
Ask yourself:
- What’s the first thing that happens after a lead is qualified?
- What are the real “milestones” where a deal meaningfully moves forward?
- Where do deals actually stall, and what’s missing from the current stages?
- Are there steps you never use or always skip?
Pro tip: Talk to your best reps. They know where deals live or die. Ignore what marketing or “the playbook” says for now.
Write down each stage in plain English. Don’t worry about perfect names yet.
Step 2: Audit Your Existing Vinna Deal Stages
Now, log in to Vinna and pull up your current deal pipeline. Here’s what you’re looking for:
- Which stages do you never use? That’s clutter.
- Are there ambiguous stages? (“Negotiation/Review/Legal” is a warning sign.)
- Are reps shuffling deals back and forth? That means the stages don’t match reality.
If you’re inheriting someone else’s setup, assume it’s outdated. Most CRMs fill up with “maybe someday” stages over time.
Step 3: Get to the Deal Stages Settings in Vinna
Vinna’s UI is refreshingly straightforward, but you still need to know where to go:
- Click the Settings gear in the main navigation.
- Under Pipeline Settings (sometimes just called “Pipelines”), select your sales pipeline.
- Find the Deal Stages or Stages section. Here’s where you’ll add, remove, or reorder stages.
Note: If you don’t see these options, you might not have admin rights. Talk to whoever manages your Vinna account.
Step 4: Add, Remove, or Edit Deal Stages
Remember that list you made earlier? Time to translate it into Vinna.
To add a new stage: - Click Add Stage. - Name it clearly (“Demo Scheduled” beats “Stage 2”). - Optionally, assign a probability (how likely a deal at this stage is to close). Don’t overthink this—ballpark is fine.
To remove or rename a stage: - Hover over the stage and look for Edit or Delete (trash icon). - Rename it in plain language. - Delete it if you never use it—but check if deals are currently sitting there first.
To reorder stages: - Drag and drop. (If Vinna’s UI won’t let you, that’s a bug—report it.)
Pitfalls to avoid: - Don’t duplicate steps. If “Contract Sent” and “Contract Emailed” mean the same thing, merge them. - Don’t get too granular. “Initial call booked” vs. “Initial call completed” can be overkill unless you measure both. - Don’t make it all about you. If reps won’t use a stage, it’s just noise.
Pro tip: Limit yourself to 5–7 stages. If you need more, make sure each one really represents a distinct milestone.
Step 5: Map Probabilities (But Don’t Obsess)
Assigning probabilities to each stage helps with forecasting, but don’t get bogged down. For most teams, it’s enough to use rough estimates:
- 10%: Just entered pipeline
- 30%: Qualified, discovery done
- 50%: Demo or proposal sent
- 80%: Contract out, verbal yes
- 100%: Closed Won
If your team sells differently, adjust these numbers, but avoid decimal points or endless debates. Probabilities are a tool, not gospel.
Step 6: Test With Real Deals
Don’t just hit “Save” and call it a day. Test your new setup:
- Move a few real deals through the stages. Does each stage make sense?
- Ask a couple of reps to walk through their current deals using the new flow.
- Watch for stages where deals get stuck or skipped. That’s a sign something’s off.
What to ignore: Feedback from people who don’t actually use the CRM. It’s your sales process, not a committee project.
Step 7: Train Your Team (Without a 2-Hour Meeting)
Roll out your changes with a quick Loom video or a Slack post. Show the new stages, explain what each one means, and set expectations.
- Be clear: “If you don’t know what stage to use, ask.”
- Be brief: Nobody likes a 30-slide deck for a 3-stage pipeline.
- Be open: Let people point out if a stage doesn’t work—then actually fix it.
Pro tip: Ask for feedback after two weeks and adjust. No setup survives first contact with real deals.
Step 8: Review and Iterate
Check back after a month:
- Are deals bunching up in one stage?
- Are reps skipping stages or using “Other” as a catch-all?
- Is forecasting any clearer?
Tweak as needed. Customizing deal stages isn’t a “set it and forget it” thing. Your process will change, and so should your pipeline.
What Works (and What Doesn’t)
Works: - Keeping it simple. More stages = more confusion. - Naming stages after real milestones, not buzzwords. - Getting feedback from people who actually close deals.
Doesn’t Work: - Copying someone else’s pipeline just because it “looks good.” - Making stages for every little task (“Sent follow-up email #3”). - Letting the CRM drive your process instead of the other way around.
Ignore: - Fancy CRM features that automate every stage transition. They break, they confuse, and they’re never as smart as you are.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Customizing deal stages in Vinna isn’t rocket science, but it does take a bit of honest reflection. Don’t aim for perfection on day one. Start with the basics, see how it fits, and tweak as you go. The best sales pipelines are the ones people actually use—and that means keeping it clear, flexible, and grounded in reality.
You can always add more stages later. Just don’t let the tool run your process. You know your deals better than any software—make Vinna work for you, not the other way around.