Editorial draft available to read. Factual and language review is pending. Examples are illustrative.
Decision and method
A stage should describe a verifiable fact rather than the salesperson's impression. Define entry, exit and ownership. Separate activities such as calling from states such as validated need. Retain loss and reopening reasons rather than forcing every opportunity to move continually forward through an idealized sequence of steps.
Illustrative example
Illustrative example: proposal sent requires a document version, date and recipient. A task to draft it does not meet that condition. If the customer changes scope, create a linked revision; the history retains evidence that the earlier proposal existed and explains why it is no longer current.
Acceptance check
Give five anonymized opportunities to two people. They should assign the same stage using the rules. Investigate differences and simplify fields before automating transitions. Accept the design when the stage helps determine the next action and the team can explain cases that move backwards or remain temporarily paused.
Key takeaways
- Reliable stages describe evidence and decisions rather than merely listing the sales team's activities.