Design strong pipeline stages before you build
Use pipelines to track a repeatable workflow, such as a sales process or a project-management process. This article explains how pipelines, stages, opportunities, and statuses work together, then walks through creating a new pipeline and naming stages clearly.
Pipeline Best Practices
Use clear milestone names. Stage names should make it obvious where the opportunity is in the process. Example Stage "Discovery Call Booked"
Separate stage from status. Stages show progress through the workflow. Status shows the outcome or current state, such as whether an opportunity is still open or has been won or lost.
Avoid unnecessary pipelines. Create another pipeline only when the workflow, stage structure, reporting, or team ownership is meaningfully different.
When should an opportunity enter the pipeline?
Create an opportunity when there is a real deal, project, or engagement that your team needs to move through a defined process.
Update the opportunity status field when the deal reaches a final outcome. Keep the opportunity open while it is moving through active stages. Once the outcome is known, mark it as won or lost instead of adding final outcome stages that duplicate status.
Create a pipeline in Copper
1. Open the pipeline creation flow
From the left navigation, go to Pipelines. You can create a pipeline from scratch, copy an existing pipeline, or start with a template. Templates are grouped by use case and industry, which is helpful when your process is close to a common workflow.
2. Name the pipeline
Give the pipeline a name that clearly describes the workflow, for example "Sales" for your Sales Pipeline.
3. Define what the pipeline tracks
Choose the record type the pipeline will manage. In the example, the pipeline tracks Opportunities. Project and Item types can be used for non-revenue tracking pipelines such as a Project or Delivery pipeline. For a sales pipeline, keep the sales tracking setting enabled so the pipeline can use sales statuses and sales reports.
4. Name your stages
Enter stage names in the order opportunities should move through the workflow. The video uses this example stage structure:
Discovery Call Booked
Pitch Scheduled
Proposal Sent
Proposal Signed
Use Add a stage if your process needs another milestone. If a stage does not help the team decide what happens next or does not improve reporting, leave it out.
💡Tip: Copper recommends between 3-7 stages.
5. Create the pipeline
After the stages are named, select Create. Copper adds the new pipeline to the left navigation. The new pipeline opens as a board with each stage as a column and an Add Opportunity button for creating the first opportunity.
When should you use multiple pipelines?
Use multiple pipelines when different work really moves through different processes. For example, a new-business sales process and a project-management process may need different stages, different fields, and different team ownership.
Avoid creating a separate pipeline for every minor variation.
Too many pipelines can make reporting harder and can split similar work across too many places. When the process is mostly the same, consider using saved filters, custom fields, owners, tags, or views instead of creating another pipeline.
Quick checklist
Each stage has a clear meaning.
Stage names describe milestones, not tasks.
Everyone knows when an opportunity should enter and leave each stage.
Won and lost outcomes are handled with status, not duplicate stages.
Multiple pipelines are used only when the underlying workflow is meaningfully different.
Example stage criteria
Stage | Opportunity should enter this stage when... |
Discovery Call Booked | A discovery call has been scheduled and the team is preparing to qualify the opportunity. |
Pitch Scheduled | The opportunity is qualified enough for a pitch or presentation to be scheduled. |
Proposal Sent | A proposal has been sent to the prospect or customer. |
Proposal Signed | The proposal has been signed or the opportunity is ready to be marked with the appropriate final status. |
Finished setting up your pipeline?
Next you will need to customize your Pipeline Fields.