How to set up automated alerts for deal progression in Vector

If you manage sales, you know the reality: deals slip through the cracks, reps forget to update you, and you end up chasing down status reports. Automated alerts can help—but only if they’re set up right, and only if you actually pay attention to them. This guide is for people who want to get real, useful deal alerts in Vector without drowning in noise.

Let’s break it down step by step: what works, what doesn’t, and how to get alerts that are actually worth your time.

Why Bother With Automated Alerts?

Before diving in, let’s be honest: most alert systems are either too noisy (so you tune them out) or too vague (so you ignore them). The trick is to set up alerts that catch just the important stuff—key deal progression events—so you can act fast but not get overwhelmed.

Automated alerts in Vector can help you:

Stay on top of deals moving (or stalling) in your pipeline.
Jump in when a big opportunity changes status.
Catch mistakes before they cost you.
Avoid nagging your team for updates.

But don’t expect magic. Garbage in, garbage out: if your data’s a mess, your alerts will be too.

Step 1: Get Your Pipeline Data in Shape

Don’t skip this. If your team isn’t updating deals properly, there’s no point in setting up alerts—you’ll just get notified about old or inaccurate info.

Checklist:

Make sure every deal in Vector has an owner and a clear stage.
Standardize your pipeline stages (no one-off “Negotiating-ish” statuses).
Get your team in the habit of updating deals as soon as things change.

Pro tip: Run a quick audit. Randomly spot-check a few deals. If you see missing data or outdated stages, fix that first.

Step 2: Decide What You Actually Want to Be Alerted About

This is where most people mess up. If you try to get notified about every little change, your inbox will implode. Instead, focus on events that really need your attention.

Common alert triggers that actually matter:

A deal moves to a critical stage (e.g., “Proposal Sent,” “Negotiation,” or “Closed Won/Lost”).
A deal is stuck in the same stage for too long.
A deal above a certain value changes stage.
A deal loses its owner or gets reassigned.
Close dates slip (i.e., someone keeps pushing them out).

What to ignore:

Every single field update (you don’t need to know if someone fixed a typo).
Deals below a certain value, unless you want total visibility.
Generic activities like “note added”—unless that’s truly important to you.

Write down (seriously, write it) which events you want alerts for. This will save you time in the next step.

Step 3: Find the Alerts or Automation Section in Vector

Most CRMs hide this stuff in settings. In Vector, you’ll usually find alert options under something like Automation or Workflow—the exact name might vary, but look for terms like “Rules,” “Notifications,” or “Workflows.”

How to get there:

Log in to Vector.
Click your profile or main menu.
Look for “Automation,” “Workflows,” or “Alerts.” If there’s a search bar in settings, just type “alerts.”
If you have admin rights, you’ll see global options; if not, you might only see alerts for deals you own.

If you’re stuck: Check Vector’s help documentation, or ask your admin. Some features might be restricted based on your plan or permissions.

Step 4: Create Your First (Useful) Alert

Now comes the actual setup. Most CRMs, including Vector, use a “trigger-action” model: If X happens, do Y.

Here’s a walk-through for a classic example: getting an alert when a deal moves to “Negotiation” or “Closed Won.”

Create a new alert or workflow.
Hit “Create New,” “Add Rule,” or whatever button starts the process.
Set your trigger.
Choose “When deal stage changes.”
Specify the stages you care about (e.g., only “Negotiation,” “Closed Won,” “Closed Lost”).
Add filters (optional but smart).
Only trigger for deals above $10,000, for example.
Or only for deals you own, or in a certain territory.
Choose your action.
Most likely: “Send alert” or “Send email.”
You can usually pick Slack, email, or push notification. Pick what you’ll actually notice, not what sounds cool.
Customize your message.
Write a clear, short subject line: “Deal [Name] moved to [Stage]”
Include key info: deal name, owner, value, old/new stage, and a link to the deal.
Decide who gets the alert.
Yourself? Your manager? The whole team? Be ruthless—too many recipients means nobody reads the alerts.
Save and test it.
Move a test deal through the stages and see what happens. If you don’t get the alert, double-check your filters and permissions.

Step 5: Set Up Alerts for Stalled Deals

Noticing when deals get stuck is just as important as seeing when they move forward. Here’s how to catch stagnant deals:

Create a new alert.
Set the trigger: “Deal has not moved stages for X days.”
Add filters: Only deals above a certain value, or only in key pipeline stages.
Action: Send yourself (or the owner) a reminder.
Message: “Deal [Name] has been in [Stage] for [X] days. Time to follow up?”
Save and test with a dummy deal.

Heads up: These alerts are only as good as your data. If your team “cheats” by moving deals back and forth just to reset the clock, you’ll need a culture fix, not just more alerts.

Step 6: Fine-Tune (and Ruthlessly Trim) Your Alerts

Set it and forget it does NOT work here. The first week, you’ll probably get too many or too few alerts. Don’t ignore them—adjust.

If you’re getting spammed, tighten your filters or up the minimum deal value.
If you’re missing stuff, loosen up your criteria or add new triggers.
Ask your team what’s genuinely useful vs. what’s just noise.

Pro tip: Schedule a 10-minute review every month. Delete alerts you never use. Add new ones if your process changes.

Step 7: Make Alerts Actionable

A notification you ignore is pointless. Make sure every alert tells you exactly what to do next, or at least makes it easy to follow up.

Include a direct link to the deal.
Make the subject line clear and specific.
If you use Slack, send alerts to a dedicated channel (not #general, please).
If it’s an email, set up a filter so these don’t get buried.

If you find yourself never acting on certain alerts, kill them. Don’t build a system you’ll just tune out.

Honest Takes: What Works, What Doesn’t

What works:

Alerts for big deals moving to key milestones.
Stalled deal reminders (if your data is reliable).
Clear, concise messages sent to the right people.

What doesn’t:

Alerting on everything (you’ll just ignore them).
Vague notifications (“Deal updated”) with no details.
Alerts no one’s responsible for.

What to ignore:

Fancy integrations unless you actually need them.
“AI-powered” suggestions that don’t match your workflow.
Overly complicated logic—start simple, then build up.

Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Keep It Useful

Automated alerts are only as good as the work you put in upfront. If you take the time to set up clear, actionable notifications in Vector, you’ll spend less time chasing deals and more time closing them.

Don’t overcomplicate it. Start with alerts for the most important deal progressions, test them, and tweak as you go. The goal isn’t to automate everything—it’s to make sure nothing important gets missed.

Iterate. Trim. Keep what’s useful. And remember: the best alert is one you actually act on.