If you’re responsible for hitting sales targets, you know the “pipeline” is either your best friend or a source of constant stress. You want to see what’s really happening, spot problems early, and make better calls—without drowning in dashboards or sales fluff. This guide is for sales managers, founders, and anyone who needs to cut through the noise and use Aisdr to track and analyze their sales pipeline in a way that’s useful, not performative.
Let’s get right to it. Here’s how to actually use Aisdr to see what’s working, what’s broken, and what you should do next.
1. Get Your Sales Data Into Aisdr (Don’t Overthink It)
Before you can analyze anything, you need your deals and activities in the system. Aisdr can pull in data from your CRM, spreadsheets, or even let you enter stuff manually. The goal isn’t to make your pipeline “perfect”—just get the basics in.
Start with the essentials: - Company and contact info - Deal stage (e.g., New, Qualified, Proposal, Won/Lost) - Expected close date - Deal value - Owner (who’s responsible)
Pro tips: - Don’t let “messy data” stop you. It’s better to have 80% of deals in than to wait for perfection. - If you’re importing from a CRM, double-check that stages and values match up—otherwise your analysis will be off from the start.
What to ignore:
Custom fields and advanced automations are nice-to-haves. Don’t waste hours setting up fancy fields unless you know exactly why you need them.
2. Set Up Your Stages (But Keep Them Simple)
Aisdr, like most tools, lets you define pipeline stages. Here’s where a lot of teams get lost trying to map out every twist and turn. Resist the urge.
What works: - 4–6 clear stages is plenty. Typical ones are: - New Lead - Qualified - Proposal Sent - Negotiation - Won - Lost - Make sure every deal can only be in one stage at a time. - Use language your team actually uses—don’t copy the “industry standard” just because it sounds impressive.
What doesn’t:
Don’t create a dozen micro-stages (“Demo Scheduled,” “Demo Completed,” “Legal Review,” etc.) unless you really need to measure those steps.
Pro tip:
If you find people are confused about which stage to pick, your stages are too complicated.
3. Track Activities That Actually Matter
Aisdr can capture emails, calls, meetings, and notes. But more isn’t always better.
Focus on activities that drive deals forward: - First meeting booked - Proposal sent - Decision maker engaged
Why does this matter?
If you try to track every email or call, you’ll drown in noise and miss what’s actually important. Instead, focus on a few key actions that really move a deal forward.
How to do it in Aisdr: - Log activities directly on the deal or contact. - Use custom activity types if you need, but don’t create a dozen just because you can.
Ignore:
Automated activity logging (like every email sent) unless you plan to actually use that info.
4. Use Dashboards—But Don’t Worship Them
Aisdr comes with dashboards out of the box. These can be helpful, but they’re not magic. Here’s how to get real value from them:
Must-have views: - Pipeline by stage: See where deals are getting stuck. - Win/loss rate: Track how many deals actually close, not just how many get added. - Sales velocity: How long does it take for a deal to go from new to closed? - Activity-to-outcome: Does more activity actually lead to more closed deals?
What works: - Review these dashboards weekly, not just at the end of the quarter. - Use filters to look at specific reps, products, or time periods.
What to ignore:
“Leaderboard” dashboards that just show who closed the most. They’re mostly for morale (or ego). Focus on actionable metrics.
Pro tip:
If a dashboard makes you say, “So what?”—either tweak it or ignore it.
5. Analyze Bottlenecks and Drop-Offs
This is where Aisdr can actually help you make better decisions—if you ask the right questions.
Look for: - Stages where deals pile up but rarely move forward - Stages with high drop-off rates (lots of “Lost” deals) - Deals that sit in one stage way longer than your average
How to use Aisdr for this: - Use the funnel or stage-conversion reports. - Sort deals by “days in stage” to spot slow movers. - Compare conversion rates by rep or source to find patterns.
What works:
Act on what you see. If proposals keep getting stuck, dig into why. Is it pricing? Slow approvals? Don’t just admire the charts.
What doesn’t:
Don’t get bogged down in “vanity” metrics—like total pipeline value—if those deals rarely close.
6. Forecast—But Stay Skeptical
Aisdr’s forecasting tools can be handy, but no tool can predict the future. Use forecasts to get a sense of direction, not as gospel.
How to use forecasting responsibly: - Base your forecast on actual deal stages and history, not just gut feel. - Watch for “happy ears”—deals stuck in late stages for weeks are not likely to close soon. - Adjust probabilities if your team consistently over- or underestimates.
What works:
Use forecast ranges (“best case,” “committed,” “worst case”) rather than a single number.
What doesn’t:
Don’t let the forecast replace regular pipeline reviews or conversations with your team.
Pro tip:
If you’re surprised every month by what closes, your forecast settings need work—or your pipeline hygiene isn’t there yet.
7. Review and Act—Don’t Just Watch
The whole point of tracking and analyzing your pipeline is to improve, not to have prettier charts.
Make it a habit: - Run a weekly pipeline review. Look for stuck deals, high-risk stages, and what’s moving. - Set one or two actions for the week—like following up on slow deals or requalifying leads. - Involve the team. Get their take on why deals are stalling or moving.
What works:
Small, regular tweaks beat giant, infrequent overhauls. If you see a pattern, try a small experiment to fix it.
What doesn’t:
Don’t turn reviews into blame sessions or endless reporting. The goal is to learn and improve, not punish.
8. Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Ignore the Hype
Aisdr has bells and whistles, but most teams get 80% of the value from just the basics: clear stages, real activity tracking, and honest reviews.
Final tips: - Don’t get distracted by AI “insights” or fancy visualizations unless they actually help you make decisions. - Review your setup every few months. If something’s not useful, kill it. - Ask yourself, “Is this helping us sell more, or just feel busy?”
Keep it simple. Start with what matters most, get your team using it, and improve as you go. The best sales pipelines aren’t the most complicated—they’re the ones that actually get used.