If you’re managing a sales pipeline, you already know the default views in most CRMs are… not great. Too many columns, not enough of the right data, and half the team ignores them. This guide is for anyone using Aviso who wants to actually see what matters in their pipeline—and not waste time clicking around or staring at noise.
We’ll walk through customizing pipeline views step by step, with no fluff and no assumptions. Whether you’re a sales manager, a rep who wants to stay organized, or just the person everyone asks for help, you’ll find practical advice here. Let’s get your deals out of spreadsheet chaos and into something you’ll actually use.
Why Pipeline View Customization Matters
Before we dive into steps, let’s be clear: the default pipeline isn’t set up for your team. It’s set up for “everyone,” which usually means cluttered and generic. Customizing your pipeline view in Aviso isn’t about making things pretty—it’s about seeing what you need, spotting risk early, and keeping deals moving.
What you’ll get if you set this up right:
- Faster, clearer updates in pipeline meetings
- Less scrolling through pointless columns
- Less “where’s that deal?” confusion
- Fewer surprises at the end of the quarter
What you won’t get: a magic bullet. Even with the best setup, you’ll still need to keep your data clean and your team honest.
Step 1: Decide What Actually Matters
Don’t jump into the platform yet. First, figure out what you really want to see in your pipeline. Otherwise, you’ll just customize yourself into a new mess.
Questions to ask yourself:
- What deal info do I look at every week? (e.g. stage, amount, close date, account owner)
- What signals a deal is stuck or risky? (e.g. days in stage, no next step, missing contacts)
- What do I never use? (You can probably hide it.)
Pro tip:
If your team argues about what matters, pick 5–7 columns you can all agree on. You can always tweak later.
Step 2: Access Pipeline Views in Aviso
Assuming you’re logged into Aviso and your permissions let you customize views:
- From the main dashboard, find the “Pipeline” tab in the top navigation.
- Open the pipeline. You’ll see the default table view with all deals and a million columns.
- Look for a “View Options,” “Customize Columns,” or similar button—usually near the top right or as a gear/settings icon.
Got stuck?
If you don’t see editing options, you might not have the right permissions. Check with your admin before spending more time.
Step 3: Add, Remove, and Reorder Columns
This is where most people get overwhelmed. Don’t try to use every field “just in case.” Less is almost always more.
How to do it:
- Click “Customize Columns” (or whatever the button says).
- You’ll get a list of available fields. These come from your CRM, so some will be useless. Ignore anything you never use.
- Add the columns that matter—think:
- Deal Name
- Amount
- Stage
- Forecast Category
- Close Date
- Owner
- Next Steps or Notes
- Last Activity Date
- Drag columns to reorder. Put the most important stuff on the left. Don’t make people scroll.
- Remove or hide anything that’s noise. If you’re not sure, hide it—you can always add it back.
What works:
- Fewer columns = faster decisions.
- Putting “risk” fields (like days in stage) next to “amount” surfaces trouble fast.
What doesn’t:
- Trying to fit everything on one screen.
- Keeping fields “just in case.” If you don’t use it weekly, ditch it.
Step 4: Filter the Pipeline for Clarity
Custom columns help, but big pipelines still get messy. That’s where filters come in.
To filter your view:
- Use the filtering tools (usually at the top of the pipeline table).
- Filter by:
- Owner (see just your team’s deals)
- Stage (focus on late-stage deals, or what’s in discovery)
- Close Date (current quarter, this month, etc.)
- Forecast Category (commit, best case, upside)
- Custom fields (high-risk, missing contacts, etc.)
- Combine filters to zoom in on exactly what you need—like “my deals closing this month that haven’t had an update in 2 weeks.”
Pro tip:
Set a “stuck deal” filter (e.g. deals with no activity >14 days). Use it in pipeline reviews to avoid last-minute surprises.
Step 5: Save and Share Custom Views
No one wants to rebuild their filters every week. Aviso lets you save views, so set up once and reuse.
To save your view:
- Look for a “Save View” or “Save As” option near the filters or view name.
- Give your view a name that actually means something (“Q2 Commit Deals,” not “Custom View 3”).
- Decide if you want it private (just for you) or shared (for your team). Shared views are great for pipeline meetings.
- If you’re a manager, set a default team view to keep everyone looking at the same data.
What works:
- Naming views by use-case (“Stuck Deals,” “This Month’s Closers”) prevents confusion.
- Shared views keep meetings on track—no more “wait, I don’t see that deal.”
What doesn’t:
- Letting everyone create and share a million views. It gets noisy fast.
Step 6: Use Grouping and Sorting
You don’t have to scroll through a wall of deals. Use grouping and sorting to make trends jump out.
To group or sort:
- There’s usually a “Group By” drop-down (try Stage, Owner, or Forecast Category).
- Sorting is often as simple as clicking a column header—sort by Amount, Close Date, or Risk Score.
- Experiment: Group by Stage and sort by Amount to see where the biggest deals are stuck.
What’s worth doing:
- Grouping by Stage to spot bottlenecks.
- Sorting by “Last Activity Date” to see neglected deals.
- Sorting by Amount to focus on what matters.
What’s not:
- Grouping by obscure fields no one uses.
- Over-sorting (if everything’s sorted, nothing is).
Step 7: Set Up Alerts and Automation (Optional, but Handy)
Aviso offers some automation—alerts for stalled deals, changes in forecast, or close dates moving. Don’t overdo it, or you’ll start ignoring notifications.
To set up basic alerts:
- Find “Notifications” or “Alerts” in your settings area.
- Pick only the triggers that matter (e.g. deal moves to “Commit,” close date pushed out, no activity for X days).
- Set frequency (immediate, daily digest, weekly summary).
- Test alerts for a week—if you’re drowning, dial it back.
What actually helps:
- Alerts about big deals slipping or going quiet.
- Weekly summaries for your team.
What to ignore:
- Every single change on every deal. You’ll get alert fatigue fast.
Step 8: Review and Iterate Regularly
Set a calendar reminder to review your pipeline view setup every month or quarter. As your sales process evolves, so should your views.
What to check:
- Are people using the views, or defaulting back to the old cluttered ones?
- Is any field or filter now irrelevant?
- Has the team started ignoring alerts? Time to prune.
How to get honest feedback:
Ask your team in plain language: “What’s missing or annoying in the pipeline view?” If people are using spreadsheets on the side, something’s broken.
Honest Caveats and Pitfalls
Customizing pipeline views is powerful, but it isn’t magic.
- Garbage in, garbage out: If your CRM data is a mess, no view will fix it.
- Too many cooks: Limit who can create team views, or you’ll end up with a confusing mess.
- Customization rabbit hole: Don’t waste hours tinkering. Set up a basic, useful view and improve it over time.
- Change management: If you overhaul the view, tell your team. Otherwise, people get lost and revert to old habits.
Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
The best pipeline view is the one your team actually uses. Start simple—just the columns and filters you need today. Share it, get feedback, and tweak as you go. Don’t get sucked into endless customization. The goal is to spend less time wrestling with your CRM, and more time actually moving deals forward.
If you keep things clean and revisit your setup regularly, you’ll wonder how you ever put up with the default view. Good luck—and don’t be afraid to ignore features you don’t need.