If you’re managing a sales pipeline and want to know what’s actually going on—with real numbers, not just vibes—this one’s for you. Tracking deal stages can be a slog, especially when you’re stuck with bloated tools or vague dashboards. But if you’re using Vayne, there are some ways to cut through the noise and get a clear, honest view of your pipeline. Here’s how to actually make use of deal stage tracking, without drowning in busywork or fluff.
1. Get Real About Your Deal Stages
Before you start tracking anything, make sure your deal stages are actually useful. Most people copy whatever “standard” pipeline their CRM suggests, but that’s usually a mess. Here’s what to do:
- Keep it simple: You probably don’t need ten stages. Most teams do fine with 5–7 (e.g., Lead In, Contacted, Qualified, Demo, Proposal, Closed Won/Lost).
- Name stages clearly: “Needs Review” or “In Progress” means nothing. Use names that match what’s really happening.
- Make stages mutually exclusive: A deal shouldn’t be in two stages at once. If that keeps happening, your stages are too fuzzy.
What to skip: Don’t bother with stages that only exist to please upper management or look good in a report. If you can’t explain what happens in a stage in one sentence, cut it.
2. Set Up Your Pipeline in Vayne
Now, in Vayne, you’ll want to set up your pipeline to match your real process—not the default template.
How to do it:
- Go to Pipeline Settings: In Vayne, head to your pipeline or deal settings area.
- Edit or Add Stages: Rename existing stages to match your process, or add/remove as needed. Drag to reorder if the flow feels off.
- Define entry/exit criteria: For each stage, note (even in a doc for your team) what needs to happen for a deal to move forward. This avoids “stuck” deals that linger in limbo.
- Assign owners: Make sure every deal has a clear owner. No “floating” deals.
Pro tip: Don’t overthink the colors or icons—focus on clarity. If you’re spending more than 10 minutes on pipeline setup, you’re probably overcomplicating it.
3. Log Activity Consistently (But Don’t Obsess)
Tracking only works if you actually log what happens. In Vayne, you can update a deal’s stage with a couple of clicks—but do it right:
- Move deals promptly: Don’t wait until Friday. Move deals as soon as they hit a new stage.
- Add notes sparingly: Write what matters ("client needs budget approval")—skip the filler.
- Don’t use deal stages as a to-do list: Stages are about progress, not every single call or email.
What to ignore: You don’t need to log every interaction. Focus on meaningful events—stage changes, major objections, or deal risks.
4. Use Vayne’s Views and Filters to Spot Bottlenecks
The real value of tracking is seeing where deals get stuck. Vayne’s filtering and list views can actually help here—if you set them up right.
Try this:
- Create a “Stuck Deals” view: Filter for deals that haven’t moved in X days (pick a number that feels right for your cycle, like 14 or 30).
- Sort by stage: This shows which stage is the “graveyard”—where deals go to die.
- Watch for repeat offenders: If the same rep’s deals are always stalling, dig in. It’s usually a process or training issue, not a personal failing.
What works: Quick, actionable filters. Don’t get lost in custom reports unless they answer a real question.
5. Analyze Conversion Rates (But Don’t Get Lost in the Weeds)
Conversion rates between stages tell you where your process leaks. Vayne can show you this with basic reporting, but it’s easy to overanalyze.
How to do it:
- Pull a stage conversion report: See what % of deals move from one stage to the next.
- Look for drop-offs: If 80% of deals drop between “Qualified” and “Demo,” something’s wrong—maybe your qualification is too loose, or your demo isn’t hitting the mark.
- Compare over time: Are things getting better or worse month by month?
Don’t bother: Avoid obsessing over tiny differences week to week. Look for real patterns, not noise.
6. Set Up Simple Alerts and Reminders
If you want to stay on top of deals without babysitting, set up basic alerts in Vayne:
- Stalled deal alerts: Get a ping when a deal hasn’t moved in X days.
- Stage exit alerts: Notify the deal owner if a deal is in a stage longer than your “normal” time.
But: Don’t set up so many alerts that you start ignoring them. Pick the ones you’ll actually act on.
7. Review as a Team—Not Just Solo
Numbers mean nothing if you don’t talk about them as a team. Use your deal stage data in Vayne for real conversations, not just dashboards.
- Weekly pipeline reviews: Go stage by stage. Ask, “What’s holding these up?” not just “What’s the number?”
- Focus on next actions: For each stuck deal, agree on a concrete next step—or agree to close it out.
- Share lessons: If deals keep dying at the same stage, brainstorm fixes. Maybe you need a better qualification script or a new demo deck.
Skip: Endless “status updates” where everyone zones out. Focus on action.
8. Avoid Common Pitfalls
Vayne is flexible, but you can still shoot yourself in the foot. Watch out for:
- Too many custom fields: Every extra field adds friction. Only track what you’ll actually use.
- Zombie deals: Close out deals that are obviously going nowhere. Don’t let them clutter your numbers.
- Chasing vanity metrics: More deals in early stages isn’t the goal. Focus on moving deals forward, not just filling the funnel.
9. Iterate—Don’t Set and Forget
Your process will change. Check in every few months:
- Are stages still relevant? If a stage is always empty, cut or rename it.
- Are conversion rates improving? If not, tweak your process, not just your reporting.
- Is Vayne helping—or getting in the way? If people are skipping steps or making up data, something’s off.
Keep It Simple, Stay Honest
The best sales teams don’t have the fanciest dashboards—they have a clear process, track only what matters, and talk honestly about what’s working. Use Vayne to cut busywork, not add to it. Start with simple tracking, review your pipeline often, and don’t be afraid to tweak things if you spot a problem. Simple wins.