If you work in sales, you know the difference between “tracking” and actually understanding your pipeline. Looking at a dashboard with pretty charts is one thing. Spotting which deals are stuck, which reps need backup, or where your forecast is about to go off a cliff? That’s a whole different ballgame.
This guide is for anyone who wants to use Oppwiser reporting tools to get a real grip on their sales pipeline—not just to tick a box for management, but to actually make better decisions. I’ll walk you through what works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid the usual reporting rabbit holes.
1. Get Your Data Foundation Sorted
Let’s get this out of the way: If your data’s garbage, your reports will be too. Oppwiser only knows what you put in. Before you even open a report:
- Make sure deal stages are up to date. If deals are stuck in “Proposal Sent” for months, they’ll throw off everything.
- Standardize your fields. If reps can enter “Closed Won,” “Closed - Won,” or just “Won,” you’ll have headaches later.
- Train your team. Even the best tools can’t fix “I’ll update it later” syndrome.
Pro tip: Don’t try to fix a year’s worth of mess in one sitting. Start with deals currently in play and work backward if you have time.
2. Know What You Actually Want to Track
This sounds obvious, but it’s where most people waste time. Oppwiser comes with dozens of default reports, but not all of them matter.
Ask yourself: - Are you trying to spot deals at risk? - Do you need to see which stage has the biggest bottleneck? - Are you reporting up, or trying to coach your team?
What matters: - Total pipeline value by stage - Conversion rates between stages - Average time in stage (a.k.a. “Where do deals die?”) - Forecast vs. actuals
What to ignore: - Pie charts of “Deals by Industry” if you’re not segmenting by industry - Vanity metrics (like “Number of calls logged”) - Anything you wouldn’t use to make a decision
3. Set Up the Right Views in Oppwiser
Once you’ve sorted your data and know what you care about, it’s time to actually use the reporting tools.
a. Use Pipeline Summary Reports
Oppwiser’s “Pipeline Summary” is the bread and butter. Here’s how to make it work for you:
- Filter by team or rep. Don’t look at the whole org if you’re just managing your own team.
- Focus on this quarter/month. Year-long views look impressive but aren’t that actionable day to day.
- Add filters for deal size if needed. Sometimes small deals clog up your pipeline view.
b. Customize Stage Breakdown Reports
Default stages can be too generic (e.g., “Negotiation”), so:
- Edit stage names to match your real process.
- Use “Time in Stage” columns to spot deals that are stalled.
- Highlight or flag deals that have been stagnant for too long.
c. Play With Conversion Funnels
These show how deals move (or don’t) from stage to stage. Watch out for:
- Sharp drop-offs (e.g., lots of deals make it to “Proposal,” almost none to “Closed Won”).
- Reps with outlier conversion rates—could be a red flag or just a different selling style.
Pro tip: Don’t obsess over conversion rates for tiny sample sizes. If one rep has two deals and closes one, that’s not a pattern—it’s just noise.
4. Use Forecasting, But Don’t Blindly Trust It
Oppwiser’s forecasting tools are good, but they’re not magic. Forecasts are only as reliable as your inputs and assumptions.
- Adjust probabilities per stage. Default probabilities are usually optimistic.
- Regularly review deals “forecasted” to close soon. Are they real, or just wishful thinking?
- Use forecast vs. actual reports. These show if you’re consistently over- or under-shooting.
What works: Using forecast reports as a starting point for pipeline reviews.
What doesn’t: Believing the forecast will magically come true just because it’s in a dashboard.
5. Set Up Alerts and Dashboards That Actually Help
The point of reporting isn’t to make pretty graphs—it’s to catch problems early.
- Set up alerts for deals stuck in stage. Oppwiser lets you get notified if a deal hasn’t moved for X days.
- Build dashboards for your real priorities. E.g., “Deals closing this month,” not “All deals ever.”
- Share dashboards with your team or manager. Transparency keeps everyone honest.
What to skip: Daily email digests if you’ll just delete them. Stick to actionable alerts.
6. Coach Your Team With Real Data
Reports aren’t just for the C-suite. Use what you see in Oppwiser to help your team.
- Spot coaching opportunities. If one rep’s deals always stall at “Demo,” dig in.
- Reward progress, not just wins. Moving deals forward is a win—even if they don’t all close.
- Use hard numbers, but don’t beat people over the head with them. Data should help, not intimidate.
Pro tip: Share “lessons learned” from won and lost deals using Oppwiser’s notes and comments.
7. Iterate, Don’t Over-Engineer
The biggest mistake? Trying to build the “perfect” reporting setup right out of the gate.
- Start simple. Get the basics working—pipeline by stage, time in stage, conversion rates.
- Add complexity only if you need it. If no one reads the “Deal Age by Product by Region” report, drop it.
- Review your setup monthly. What’s working? What’s noise? Adjust.
Honest Take: What Works and What Doesn’t
What works: - Keeping reports focused on real decisions (where to coach, where to invest) - Setting up alerts for stuck deals - Using time-in-stage metrics to spot bottlenecks
What doesn’t: - Over-customizing every report (you’ll spend more time tweaking than selling) - Relying on “vanity” metrics (number of calls, meetings, etc.) - Trusting forecasts without gut-checking them
Stuff to ignore: - Any report you don’t use to take action - Metrics that look impressive but don’t drive behavior
Keep It Simple and Iterate
You don’t need a PhD in analytics to track your pipeline with Oppwiser. Keep your setup simple, focus on what you actually need, and don’t be afraid to kill reports that aren’t useful. Check in regularly, make small tweaks, and always ask: “Does this help me take action?” If not, move on.
Most of the value comes from doing the basics well, not from chasing the latest reporting fad. The goal isn’t to have the coolest dashboard—it’s to actually close more deals. Stick with that, and you’ll get real results.