CRM Companies
Company statuses, and how they differ from stages
What a status is for, why it is not a lifecycle stage, and how to use both without them fighting.
Last updated September 2, 2026
A company carries two labels that people constantly mix up. Getting the difference right is the difference between reporting that works and two fields that contradict each other.
| Lifecycle stage | Status | |
|---|---|---|
| Answers | How far through the journey are they? | What is the standing of this account? |
| Moves | Forwards, in order. | Whenever the situation changes. |
| Examples | Prospect, Qualified, Customer | Active, On hold, Credit hold, Closed |
Use the stage for the journey
The stage is a position on a path everybody walks in the same order. It is what the pipeline and the lifecycle reports read, and it is what automation moves. Keep the list short and keep it sequential.
Use the status for the exception
Status describes a condition that can apply at any point on the journey. A customer can be on credit hold; so can a prospect who has been trouble before. Statuses do not move in an order, and nothing advances them automatically.
Managing the list
Statuses are set up once for the organisation, in CRM Settings, so every tribe uses the same words. Add, rename and remove them there.