> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.autocampaign.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Pipelines

> Create pipelines, shape their stages, set the value label and currency, add custom fields, manage lost reasons, and automate deals with workflows.

## Overview

A [pipeline](/getting-started/glossary#pipeline) is the ordered set of
[stages](/getting-started/glossary#stage) an [opportunity](/crm/opportunities)
travels through. Every pipeline has your own open stages plus two fixed system
stages, **Won** and **Lost**, at the end. Run as many as you need (sales,
bookings, projects), each with its own currency, value label and custom fields.

<Tip>
  **In short:** 1) Click New Pipeline and name it. 2) Add, rename and reorder your
  stages. 3) Set the value label, currency and any custom fields.
</Tip>

Manage them under **CRM → Opportunities → Pipelines** (`/pipelines`), or from
the board: click the pipeline name in the header and choose **Customize pipeline**.

<Info>
  **Time to complete:** \~15 minutes  ·  **Difficulty:** Intermediate
   ·  You need to be an Owner, Admin or Manager.
</Info>

## Before you start

Nothing to set up. Your workspace gets a default **Sales Pipeline** with the stages
**New Lead**, **Contacted**, **Qualified**, **Proposal**, **Won** and **Lost** in USD.
It also comes with five lost reasons: *Too expensive*, *Chose competitor*, *Not ready*,
*No response*, *Other*.

## Create a pipeline

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start a new pipeline" icon="plus">
    Click **New Pipeline** on the Pipelines page or in the board's header switcher.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name it" icon="pen">
    Enter a **Pipeline name** and a **Description** ("What is this pipeline for?"),
    then click **Create pipeline**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Shape it" icon="sliders">
    It starts with the four default stages plus Won and Lost, and the board
    switches to it. Customize the stages right after.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Customize a pipeline

The **Customize pipeline** panel and the Pipelines page offer the same controls:

* **Pipeline name** and **Description** — edit in place.
* **Value label** — the name of the money field on cards, lists and dialogs, e.g.
  *Deal value* or *Treatment value* (up to 40 characters). Pick a preset or type
  your own; blank shows **Value**.
* **Currency** — applies to new opportunities; existing ones keep theirs.

### Add, rename and reorder stages

*Click a name to rename · drag to reorder · ★ marks where new opportunities start.*

* **Add stage** — type a name and press Enter. Up to 20 open stages; new ones go right before Won.
* **Stage options** (⋮) — **Rename**, **Set as default** (where new opportunities land) and **Delete**.
* **Won** and **Lost** are marked **System stage**: no rename, reorder or delete.

The board offers the same edits. Click a column title to rename, or use ⋮ for
**Move left**, **Move right**, **Set as default**, **Add automation** (opens
Workflows) and **Delete**. There is also an **Add stage** column at the end.

<Note>
  Stage colors and default win probabilities can't be edited in the app. The
  default pipeline ships with 10 / 20 / 40 / 60 % on its four stages. Stages you
  add have none, so set **Probability** on the opportunity instead.
</Note>

### Delete a stage

<Steps>
  <Step title="Choose Delete from the stage's ⋮ menu" icon="trash">
    An empty stage is removed once you confirm **Delete "Name"?**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Move its opportunities" icon="arrow-right">
    If the stage holds deals, pick another open stage under **Move opportunities to**, then **Delete**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

You can't delete Won, Lost or the last open stage. If you delete the default stage,
the first remaining open stage becomes the default.

## Add custom fields to a pipeline

Each pipeline's **Fields** section lists its [custom fields](/getting-started/glossary#custom-field),
tagged **All pipelines** or **This pipeline**.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add a field" icon="plus">
    Click **Add field** (or **Create field** in the list view's **Columns** menu).
    Type a **Field name**, press Enter and answer **What type?**: Text, Number,
    Currency, Date, Dropdown, Multi-select, Checkbox, URL, Email or Phone.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Options and where it applies" icon="list">
    Dropdown and Multi-select need **Options**, one per line. With more than one
    pipeline, choose **Available in**: **This pipeline** or **All pipelines**. Click **Create field**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Edit or remove later" icon="pen">
    From a field's ⋮ menu choose **Edit field** (rename, options, availability) or
    **Delete field**. Required, read-only and help-text settings live in
    **Module Setup**. See [Module builder](/automation/module-builder).
  </Step>
</Steps>

To manage fields you need to be an Owner, Admin or Manager. To fill in values you
need to be able to edit opportunities. Read-only fields can't be edited in the panel.
**Hide field** is personal: it hides the field for you only, in this browser.

## Choose the default pipeline

Exactly one pipeline is the default. It receives opportunities created without a
pipeline (for example by an AI Employee). On the Pipelines page, click
**Set as default** on a row; the current one is tagged **Default**.

## Delete a pipeline

In **Customize pipeline**, click **Delete pipeline**. Only empty pipelines can be
deleted, so move or delete their opportunities first. The last pipeline can't
be removed. Deleting the default makes another pipeline the default.

<Note>
  There is no archive option; a deleted pipeline disappears from all pickers and reports.
</Note>

## Manage lost reasons

Lost reasons are shared by every pipeline and asked for whenever an opportunity is
marked as lost. On the Pipelines page, use **Lost reasons** to **Add reason**,
rename in place or delete. Deleting a reason only removes it from the list for future deals.

## Automate with workflows

A [workflow](/getting-started/glossary#workflow) is an automation that runs when
something happens. In the [Workflow builder](/automation/workflow-builder):

**Triggers** (what starts the workflow)

* **Opportunity created** — optionally one pipeline.
* **Opportunity enters stage** — a pipeline and one or more stages (none = any).
* **Opportunity won** — optionally one pipeline.
* **Opportunity lost** — optionally one pipeline and specific lost reasons.

They provide details you can use in later steps, such as *Opportunity name*,
*Opportunity value*, *New stage* and *Lost reason*.

**Actions** (what the workflow does)

* **Create opportunity** — pipeline, stage, **Opportunity name** template (default
  `{{first_name}} {{last_name}}`), **Value**, **Source** (default `Automation`),
  **Owner (optional)** and **Skip when the contact already has an open opportunity here**.
* **Move opportunity** — **Move to** a stage, with a lost reason when the target is Lost.
* **Assign opportunity owner** — **Team members** plus a **Distribution**: **Round-robin**
  (takes turns through the team) or **Always the first member**.
* **Add next step** — a **Next step** title such as `Call {{first_name}}`, **Due in
  (days)**, and **Assign to**: **The opportunity owner**, **A specific member** or **Nobody**.

Actions use the opportunity that started the run. Otherwise they use the contact's
most recently updated open deal. If there is none, the step is skipped rather than failing.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I move a deal to a different pipeline?">
    Not from the app today. Create it in the right pipeline instead.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can two stages share a name?">
    No. Stage names are unique within a pipeline; pipeline names are unique in the workspace.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Why won't it let me delete a pipeline?">
    The pipeline still holds opportunities (including won and lost ones), or it is the only pipeline.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why don't I see Customize pipeline or New Pipeline?">
    You need to be an Owner, Admin or Manager. Ask an admin.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Card title="Automate your pipeline" icon="bolt" href="/automation/workflow-builder">
  Trigger follow-ups when deals enter a stage, are won or are lost.
</Card>