If you’re using a CRM, odds are you need more than just a pretty dashboard. You want to dig into the numbers, show your team (or your boss) what’s actually happening, and maybe even spot where deals are getting stuck. This guide is for anyone who wants to actually wrangle useful, detailed sales reports out of Pipedrive—not just look at vague charts.
Whether you're a sales manager, operations lead, or the one-person sales army, I'll walk you through generating and exporting detailed sales reports in Pipedrive, with no fluff and no skipped steps. Let's get your data working for you.
1. Know What You’re After (And What Pipedrive Can Actually Do)
Before you dive in, it's worth pausing for a reality check. Pipedrive can do a lot, but it's not a full-on business intelligence tool. It’s built for sales teams who want a clear, focused view of their pipeline and results. If you’re looking for deep custom analytics or want to mash up data from a dozen sources, you’ll probably hit its limits fast.
But for most sales teams—especially if you’re focused on deals, revenue, and activities—Pipedrive’s built-in Reports and Insights features are plenty to get started. You can break down performance by rep, product, pipeline stage, and more. Exporting the data for further analysis is straightforward… once you know where to click.
Pro tip: If you’re on a lower-tier plan, some reporting features might be locked. The “Advanced,” “Professional,” and above plans offer better reporting. Check your plan first so you don’t waste time hunting for features you don’t have.
2. Generate Detailed Sales Reports in Pipedrive
Let’s get to the actual steps. We’ll start with reports you can make right inside Pipedrive.
Step 1: Head to the “Insights” Section
- In the main Pipedrive menu, look for “Insights” (sometimes called “Reports” in older versions).
- This is your home base for all reporting features.
Step 2: Pick Your Report Type
Pipedrive offers a few main categories:
- Deals: Track closed, open, lost, or progressing deals.
- Activities: Calls, meetings, emails, tasks—see what your team is actually doing.
- Revenue: View sales numbers over time or by team member.
- Goals: If you’ve set targets, see how you’re tracking.
For detailed sales breakdowns, “Deals” and “Revenue” are usually where you’ll spend your time.
Step 3: Use Filters to Get Granular
Don’t settle for the default views—they’re fine for a quick glance, but not for detailed analysis.
- Click “Add filter” or “Customize filter.”
- Slice your data by:
- Owner (who worked the deal)
- Deal status (won, lost, open)
- Date ranges (last month, custom dates, etc.)
- Pipeline stage
- Custom fields (e.g., region, product type)
- You can stack multiple filters to get super specific (e.g., “Deals won by Jane in Q1 for Product X”).
What works: Filters in Pipedrive are actually quite flexible. You can get pretty detailed if your data is clean and you’ve set up custom fields well.
What doesn’t: If your team hasn’t been diligent about entering data (or if you’ve got a bunch of half-filled custom fields), your reports will be messy. Garbage in, garbage out.
Step 4: Customize Your Columns and Groupings
- Click the gear/settings icon or “Columns” button (depending on your view).
- Add, remove, or rearrange columns—choose what matters to you (deal value, expected close date, products, etc.).
- Use the “Group by” option to summarize data by owner, stage, month, product, or custom fields.
Pro tip: For most sales teams, grouping by “Deal Owner” and “Stage” gives you the clearest picture of who’s closing and where deals get stuck.
Step 5: Drill Down
Want to go deeper? Click on any summary stat or chart segment to see the underlying deals. You can keep slicing and dicing data as long as your filters and columns make sense.
Step 6: Save Your Report
- Once you’ve set up the filters, columns, and groupings you like, hit “Save as report.”
- Give it a clear name (“Q2 Closed Deals by Rep” beats “Custom Report 3” every time).
- Saved reports are easy to revisit or tweak later.
3. Exporting Your Sales Reports
Alright, you’ve got the data the way you want it. Now let’s get it out of Pipedrive so you can slice it further, share it, or drop it into a presentation.
Step 1: Find the Export Button
- In most table or list views (Deals, Activities, or custom reports), look for the three-dot “More” menu or the “Export” button.
- Click it, and you’ll usually see “Export as Excel” or “Export as CSV.”
Heads up: You can’t export some of the pre-built dashboard charts or graphs as images or PowerPoint slides directly. But you can export the underlying data and build your own charts in Excel or Google Sheets.
Step 2: Choose Your Export Type
- Excel (.xlsx): Best for most users—keeps column formatting.
- CSV: Useful if you want to import the data somewhere else (like a BI tool or Google Sheets).
Pick what works for your workflow.
Step 3: Download and Check Your File
- Open the exported file right away. Double-check that all your columns, filters, and groupings came through as expected.
- Sometimes, custom fields or special characters can get weird in export. Better to catch it now than later.
4. Building More Advanced Reports (and When to Get Outside Help)
If you’re hitting the limits of what Pipedrive’s built-in reporting offers, you have a couple of options:
a) Use Third-Party Reporting Tools
If you need cross-pipeline reporting, blending with marketing or support data, or advanced charting, consider tools like:
- Google Data Studio: Free, connects to Pipedrive via third-party connectors like Supermetrics or Databox.
- Power BI or Tableau: Overkill for most, but handy if your company already uses them.
- Zapier or Make (formerly Integromat): Automate exports to Google Sheets for custom analysis.
Caveat: These tools cost money and take time to set up. Don’t dive in unless you really need more than Pipedrive offers.
b) Clean Up Your Data First
No fancy tool will save you from messy data. Make sure:
- Custom fields are filled out consistently.
- Deal stages actually mean something to your team.
- Owners and dates are up to date.
Pro tip: The best reports start with the most boring work—cleaning up your data.
5. What to Ignore (and What Not to Overthink)
- Ignore: The pretty “Insights” dashboards if you need raw data. They’re nice for a quick look, but you can’t always export exactly what you see.
- Don’t Overthink: Making everything perfect before you export. Get the report close, export it, and tweak in Excel or Sheets. You’ll move faster.
- Ignore: Overly complex custom fields. Simpler is almost always better—if you can't explain a field to a new teammate in one sentence, it's probably too convoluted.
6. Pro Tips for Getting the Most Out of Pipedrive Reports
- Save and Share Reports: Once you nail down a useful report, save it and share it with your team. No need for everyone to reinvent the wheel.
- Automate Regular Exports: Set a calendar reminder to export reports on the same day each week or month. Consistency beats perfection.
- Check for Silent Failures: Sometimes, exports quietly skip records with errors or missing data. Always spot-check your exports.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Pivot: If a report isn’t telling you what you need, change the filters or groupings—or start over. There’s no “one right way.”
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Pipedrive’s reporting is as powerful as you make it—but only if you keep your data clean and your reports focused. Start with a basic report, export it, see what’s missing, and adjust. Don’t waste time chasing the “perfect” dashboard. The best reports are the ones you actually use—and share—with your team.
If you need something more advanced, that’s fine. But most sales teams can get 90% of what they need with the built-in tools and a well-aimed Excel export. Keep it simple, stay skeptical of shiny features you don’t need, and let your data do the talking.