If you’re running enterprise go-to-market (GTM) programs, you already know: the default pipeline in most CRMs doesn’t cut it. You need stages that fit your real sales process, not someone else’s idea of how it “should” work. This guide is for hands-on sales ops, GTM leads, or anyone who wants to bend Orcaforce to their will—and not the other way around.
I’ll walk you through how to customize pipeline stages in Orcaforce, step by step. We’ll cover the basics, but also what actually works for big, messy enterprise deals (and what to skip unless you like busywork).
Why Custom Stages Matter for Enterprise GTM
Let’s be blunt: Enterprise sales doesn’t fit in neat boxes. You’ll have complex buying committees, long sales cycles, and weird edge cases. The default “Lead → Qualified → Demo → Closed” stuff? Not helpful.
Customizing your pipeline stages means you can:
- Track deal progress that matches your reality
- Spot bottlenecks before they become full-blown problems
- Give reps, managers, and execs a clear, shared view—without a million side spreadsheets
But don’t overdo it. Too many stages = analysis paralysis. Too few = zero insight. The sweet spot is usually 6–8 meaningful stages, each with a clear “definition of done.”
Step 1: Map Your True-World Sales Process
Before you even log in to Orcaforce, get your process down on paper (or whiteboard, or napkin). This sounds basic, but it’ll save you a ton of headaches.
How to do it:
- Gather your sales, marketing, and maybe even post-sales folks.
- List out the key handoffs and decision points.
- For each stage, ask: What has actually changed for the customer or for us? (Not just “we sent a brochure.”)
- Ignore “vanity” stages (like “Initial Outreach” if it’s just cold emails that never convert).
- Don’t copy someone else’s pipeline. Your business is not theirs.
Pro Tip: Don’t try to map every possible edge case. If a step happens in less than 10% of deals, it doesn’t need its own stage.
Step 2: Audit Your Current Orcaforce Pipeline
Now log into Orcaforce and look at what’s already set up. You might see something like:
- New Lead
- Contacted
- Qualified
- Proposal Sent
- Negotiation
- Closed Won
- Closed Lost
Ask yourself:
- Which stages are people skipping or misusing?
- Where do deals actually stall in real life?
- Are stages too vague (“In Progress”), or too granular (“Demo Scheduled,” “Demo Completed”)?
Write down what’s broken. If you’re inheriting someone else’s setup, assume it’s not working unless proven otherwise.
Step 3: Design Your New Stages (with Definitions)
Take your real-world map and translate it into clear, unambiguous stages. For each, write a short description: What has to happen for a deal to move here? If your reps can’t tell, you’ll get garbage data.
Example for enterprise SaaS:
- Discovery: Customer has agreed to a live qualification call
- Solution Fit: Stakeholders confirmed pain points and fit; technical eval underway
- Business Validation: Budget, timeline, and executive sponsor identified
- Legal/Procurement: Contract or MSA is in review
- Committed: Customer has verbally agreed to move forward
- Closed Won/Lost: Deal signed or officially dead
Don’t:
- Add a stage for every email and meeting
- Split hairs between “Proposal Sent” and “Proposal Reviewed” unless it’s a major deal-breaker
Do:
- Make sure every stage has a clear exit criteria
- Keep the number manageable (usually under 10)
Step 4: Update Pipeline Stages in Orcaforce
Here’s how to actually change your pipeline in Orcaforce:
- Admin Access: Only admins can do this, so make sure you’ve got the right permissions.
- Go to Pipelines: In the main menu, look for “Settings” or “Pipeline Management.”
- Select Your Pipeline: Most enterprises have more than one (e.g., New Business, Expansion).
- Edit Stages:
- Add, remove, or rename stages as needed.
- For each stage, enter your definition/criteria in the description field (if Orcaforce allows—it usually does).
- Reorder stages by dragging them. Put the most common path front and center.
- Set Required Fields (Optional): You can require reps to fill out certain fields before moving a deal forward. This is great for enforcing discipline, but don’t go overboard. Too many required fields = reps will fudge data.
- Save & Preview: Double-check the order and wording. Make sure it reads like a real process, not software lingo.
- Test: Move a couple of test deals through the stages. Does it feel right, or are you forcing steps that don’t match reality?
What to ignore:
- Don’t bother with color coding or custom icons unless your team is genuinely visual.
- Skip “probability percentages” for each stage unless you have serious historical data to back them up. Otherwise, it’s just made-up numbers.
Step 5: Roll Out (and Train Your Team)
A new pipeline is only as good as your team’s buy-in. Don’t just flip the switch and hope for the best.
How to do it:
- Communicate the Why: Be upfront about what’s changing and why. Tie it back to actual pain points (“We kept losing track of deals in legal review...”).
- Walk Through Each Stage: Show what’s new, and what “done” means for each.
- Live Demo: Move a sample deal through the new pipeline during training.
- Feedback Loop: Give reps 2–4 weeks to try it, then collect feedback and tweak as needed.
What works:
- Short, practical training sessions (30 minutes, tops)
- Cheat sheets with stage definitions
- Real-world examples
What doesn’t:
- Long-winded training decks
- Blaming reps for “bad data” if the pipeline doesn’t fit how they actually work
Step 6: Monitor, Iterate, and Improve
No pipeline is perfect out of the gate. Expect to make changes.
Watch for:
- Stages where deals pile up (could mean the definition isn’t clear, or it’s a real bottleneck)
- Stages nobody uses (probably unnecessary)
- Feedback from power users—they’ll spot the gaps first
Every quarter or so:
- Review your pipeline data
- Look for “stuck” deals
- Trim, merge, or clarify stages as needed
Pro Tip:
Don’t chase “pipeline hygiene” for its own sake. The goal is insight and action, not just pretty charts for the board deck.
Real-World Gotchas (and How to Avoid Them)
- Analysis Paralysis: More stages means more confusion. Stay focused.
- Over-automation: Orcaforce has automation tools—use them to reduce busywork, not create more steps.
- Ignore Vanity Metrics: Customizing your pipeline won’t magically fix bad sales habits or poor product-market fit.
- One Pipeline ≠ One Size Fits All: You might need different pipelines for new business vs. upsell/expansion. Don’t mix apples and oranges.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Customizing pipeline stages in Orcaforce is about making your system work for you, not the other way around. Start simple, get feedback, and don’t be afraid to change things as your team (and business) evolves. The best enterprise GTM teams aren’t the ones with the prettiest pipeline—they’re the ones who can spot and fix what’s really broken, fast.
Now go make your pipeline fit your world—not the other way around.