Set up your Pipeline CRM account so your team can start working on day one. Each step below says where the setting lives and links to the full article.
Before you start: Most of these steps need Account Admin permissions. Settings opens from the gear in the lower-left corner.
Want to see what these settings look like for a business like yours? Jump to Examples for your industry.
1. Build your pipelines and stages
Stages are the steps a deal moves through, from first contact to won or lost. Each stage has a probability that drives your forecast. If you sell different products or services with different processes, give each one its own pipeline.
Where: Settings > Deals > Pipelines & Stages
Learn more: Deal Stages · Multiple Pipelines
2. Add custom fields and group them
Custom fields capture the details that matter to your business on companies, deals, people, and projects. Field groups bundle related fields together on the record profile so they're easy to find.
Where: Settings > Data Entry > Custom Fields
Learn more: Create and Manage Custom Fields · Custom Field Groups
A field's type can't be changed after it's created, so decide whether you need text, a date, a dropdown, and so on before you add it.
3. Set person statuses and lead sources
Person statuses show your relationship with each person at a glance. Lead sources record where people came from, so you can see which marketing efforts bring in business.
Where: Settings > People > Person Statuses and Lead Sources
Learn more: Person Statuses · Lead Sources
4. Create tags
Tags are flexible labels for companies, people, and deals, such as role, interest, or partner type. A record can have as many tags as you need.
Where: Settings > Other > Tags
Learn more: Tag Companies, People, and Deals
5. Set up activity categories and task and event types
Activity categories sort the notes, calls, and emails your team logs. Task and event types sort what's on the calendar. Both feed your reports, including the Activity Report and Activity Scoreboard.
Where: Settings > Activities > Categories and Types
Learn more: Activity Categories · Task & Event Settings · Activity Report
6. Automate routine work
Automations handle repetitive jobs for you, like notifying a manager about a big deal or creating follow-up tasks when a deal changes stage.
Where: Settings > Other > Automations
Learn more: Automations Overview · Automations Examples
How many automations you can create depends on your plan. See Automations Overview for the limits.
7. Bring in your data
Once your fields and statuses are ready, import your existing companies, people, and deals so everything lands in the right place.
Learn more: Prepare Your File for Import · Import Your CSV or Excel File
8. Invite your team
Add your users and choose what each one can see and do.
Where: Settings > General > Users
Learn more: Adding new users · Understand User Roles and Permissions
For a map of every Settings tab, see Account Settings: What's on Every Tab.
Examples for your industry
See example fields, statuses, tags, and automations other businesses in your field use:
- Construction and Trade Services
- Financial Services
- Manufacturing
- Transportation and Logistics
- Other industries
Need help? Contact support at customercare@pipelinecrm.com.