If you’re responsible for a sales team, you know the “pipeline” can be a black box. Everyone talks about accurate forecasting, but most people are guessing—either too optimistic or too cautious. This guide is for sales managers, ops folks, or anyone tired of squinting at spreadsheets and wondering if their numbers mean anything. I’ll walk you through real steps to track your pipeline in Serper.dev so your forecasts aren’t just wishful thinking.
Let’s get practical.
1. Get your pipeline stages right (and don’t overcomplicate it)
Before you start tracking anything, you need to know what you’re tracking. Serperdev comes with default pipeline stages, but those might not match how your team actually sells. Don’t just accept whatever’s there—customize them.
What works: - 3–6 clear stages that everyone understands. “Contacted,” “Qualified,” “Proposal Sent,” “Negotiation,” “Closed Won/Lost” is a typical example. - Each stage should mean something concrete. If “Qualified” means different things to different reps, your data’s already suspect.
What doesn’t: - Endless micro-stages. More isn’t better; it just makes reporting a mess. - Vague labels like “In Progress” or “Working”—they don’t help with forecasting.
How to do it in Serperdev: 1. Go to your pipeline settings. 2. Edit existing stages or add new ones. 3. Write a one-line description for each stage and share with the team. (Seriously, do this. It cuts down on confusion.)
Pro tip: Ask your reps how they’d describe each stage to a new hire. If it isn’t clear in 10 seconds, rework it.
2. Make sure every deal is in the pipeline (no exceptions)
Garbage in, garbage out. If your pipeline doesn’t have all your active deals, your forecasts are nonsense.
Best practice: - Every opportunity, no matter how small, gets entered. Even if it’s “just a conversation.” - Set up a recurring reminder (weekly, ideally) for reps to review and update their deals.
How to do it in Serperdev: 1. Use the “Add Opportunity” button for new deals. 2. Import from a spreadsheet if you’re migrating from elsewhere. 3. Use integrations (like email or calendar) if you want Serperdev to auto-suggest new deals. But don’t trust automation alone—someone still needs to double-check.
What to ignore: The temptation to “clean up” by hiding deals that are embarrassing or behind. You’re only fooling yourself.
3. Keep deal info up-to-date (and don’t fudge the numbers)
Forecasts fall apart when deal data is stale. If a deal’s been stuck in “Proposal Sent” for two months, it’s probably not real. Be ruthless about updating—or closing—old deals.
What works: - Regular pipeline reviews (weekly or bi-weekly). Go down the list and ask: “What’s really going on here?” - Require close dates and deal values. If someone doesn’t know, make them estimate. It’s better than blanks.
How to do it in Serperdev: 1. Click into each deal and update stage, value, and expected close date. 2. Use the “Last Updated” filter to find deals that haven’t been touched in weeks. 3. Make it a team ritual: every Friday, everyone updates their pipeline before lunch.
What doesn’t work: Letting reps “sandbag” (hold back deals) or inflate numbers. Set the expectation—honest data beats happy talk.
4. Use filters and views to get clarity (not just pretty dashboards)
Serperdev has plenty of reporting options, but don’t fall for the “dashboard trap”—looking at graphs that don’t tell you anything new.
How to actually use reporting: - Filter by stage to see where deals are getting stuck. - Filter by owner to spot who’s overloaded or falling behind. - Save custom views (“This Quarter’s High-Value Deals”) for quick access.
How to do it in Serperdev: 1. Head to the Opportunities tab. 2. Use the filter bar: by stage, owner, value, or close date. 3. Save your favorite filter combos as custom views. Share with the team so everyone’s looking at the same reality.
Pro tip: If you find yourself explaining what a chart means every week, it’s probably not helping anyone.
5. Forecast using real numbers (not hope)
Here’s where most teams go wrong: they forecast based on “gut feel” or worst-case/best-case scenarios. You want to use actual pipeline data, weighted by deal stage.
What works: - Assign a probability to each stage (e.g., “Qualified” = 20%, “Negotiation” = 60%). - Multiply deal values by their stage probability for a weighted forecast. - Compare “committed” deals (ones the rep is sure about) vs. total pipeline.
How to do it in Serperdev: 1. Set stage probabilities in pipeline settings. 2. Run the “Forecast” report—it’ll show weighted pipeline, by rep and by stage. 3. Export the data if you want to crunch it in Excel. (Sometimes, simple is best.)
What to ignore: Forecasting based on gut feel, or letting reps “adjust” probabilities on the fly. Consistency is key.
6. Review, adjust, and don’t get sentimental
No pipeline is perfect. Deals die, new ones appear, people get promoted (or quit). The best teams treat pipeline management as an ongoing process—not a set-it-and-forget-it chore.
Keep it honest: - Regularly close out dead deals. You’re not “losing” if you admit something’s gone cold—you’re just being real. - Adjust your stage definitions and probabilities if you see patterns (e.g., deals always stall at “Proposal Sent”—maybe your proposals are confusing?). - Encourage reps to be blunt. Reward honesty over “good news.”
How to do it in Serperdev: 1. Use the “Bulk Update” feature to move or close multiple deals at once. 2. Review win/loss reports to spot trends. If you keep losing at the same stage, dig in.
What doesn’t work: Hoping that “next quarter will be different” if you’re not changing how you track and update your pipeline.
Pro tips for staying sane
- Automate reminders, not judgment. Use Serperdev’s notifications to chase updates, but still have real pipeline meetings.
- Beware of shiny features. If a report or integration doesn’t make your life easier, skip it.
- Simple beats perfect. A rough-but-honest pipeline beats a beautiful, fake one every time.
Trying to forecast sales is never going to be perfect, but it doesn’t have to be a black box. Keep your pipeline simple, update it brutally honestly, and use Serperdev as a tool—not a crutch. The more you treat pipeline tracking as an ongoing habit (not a quarterly scramble), the less surprised you’ll be when the end of the month rolls around. Don’t overthink it—just start, and tweak as you go.