Opportunity stages are the steps a deal goes through on its way to won or lost. They shape the funnel, and they are what every forecast is built on.
A sound default
| Stage | Means |
|---|---|
| Discovery | Working out whether there is anything here. |
| Qualified | There is a real need, a budget and a decision maker. |
| Proposal | A quote has gone out. |
| Negotiation | They are engaging with the price or the terms. |
| Closed Won / Closed Lost | Decided. |
Rename them to your own words. What matters is that everybody moves a deal at the same moment.
Write down the entry test
For each stage, agree the evidence needed to enter it — "proposal" means a quote has actually been sent, not that one is being written. This single page of definitions is the difference between a funnel that means something and one that measures each rep's optimism.
MORE STAGES IS NOT MORE INSIGHT
Changing them later
Stages apply to every tribe and every existing deal. Renaming changes the wording everywhere, including on last quarter's reporting; removing one leaves the deals on it needing to be moved. Settle the list early.