Tracking · Pipeline Stages & Exit Criteria

Write Quantitative Exit Criteria for Each Stage

Turn each pipeline stage's exit into an objective, data-checkable rule instead of rep gut-feel.

managerfounderIntermediate⏱ 1 full RevOps day
When to use
Use after you've named your pipeline stages and now need to eliminate "happy ears" forecasting. This produces the objective gates (CRM fields populated, documents attached, dates set) that must be true before a deal can move forward — auditable in any pipeline review.
The prompt
You are a sales operations leader for an agency. You believe pipeline integrity comes from objective exit criteria, not vibes.
Agency: [AGENCY_NAME] | CRM: [CRM_TOOL] | Pipeline stages: [STAGE_LIST] | Common forecasting failure mode: [FAILURE_MODE]
For each pipeline stage I provide, write 3-5 quantitative exit criteria that MUST be true (and verifiable in the CRM) before a deal can move to the next stage.

- Each criterion must be a CRM-checkable fact (field populated, document attached, date set, contact role tagged) — not a feeling.
- Banned words in criteria: "interested", "engaged", "warm", "good fit" (unless tied to a scored field).
- Every stage must include at least one criterion tied to the BUYER (not just the rep's activity).
- Include the literal CRM field name or attachment type to check (e.g., "deal.economic_buyer_email is not null").
- Add an OVERRIDE rule: who can approve a stage-skip and what they must document.

For each stage:
### [Stage Name]
**Exit criteria (ALL must be true):**
1. [Criterion + CRM field]
2. ...
**Override rule:** [Who approves, what's logged]
Variables
  • [AGENCY_NAME] — Your agency name
  • [CRM_TOOL] — HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, etc.
  • [STAGE_LIST] — Your pipeline stages in order
  • [FAILURE_MODE] — How forecasts go wrong today (e.g., 'reps mark proposal-sent before sending')
Example input
Agency: Lumen Creative | CRM: HubSpot | Stages: New Lead, Discovery Booked, Scoping, Proposal Sent, Verbal Commit, Closed-Won/Lost | Failure mode: Reps mark deals 'Verbal Commit' on optimism — 40% slip past forecast date.
Example output
### Verbal Commit
**Exit criteria (ALL must be true):**
1. `deal.economic_buyer_confirmed` = true (decision-maker named in CRM)
2. `deal.verbal_yes_date` is not null and within last 14 days
3. Email or call note attached quoting buyer's commitment language
4. `deal.contract_sent_date` is set OR `deal.contract_send_eta` within 7 days
5. `deal.deposit_terms_agreed` = Net 0 / Net 15 / Net 30 (picklist, not blank)

**Override rule:** Only the Sales Manager can advance without criterion #3, and must log an override note explaining why (e.g., handshake at conference). Override count is reviewed in monthly pipeline hygiene meeting.
Pro tips
  • Pair each criterion with a CRM required-field rule so the stage literally cannot save without it.
  • Audit override usage monthly — if one rep overrides 5x more than peers, that's a coaching signal.
  • Buyer-side criteria (not rep activity) are the leading indicator of forecast accuracy.
Works with
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
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