Definition
The visualized progression of deals through defined stages, typically lead, qualified, proposal, negotiation, closed. Used to forecast revenue and identify stalled opportunities. Each stage has an entry rule, so a deal only moves when something real happens: a site visit booked, a quote sent, a start date agreed.
What it looks like in practice
A landscaping company that builds patios keeps every job on a board with named stages. A homeowner calls about a paver patio and lands in inquiry. After the site visit she moves to measured. When the drawing and price go out she moves to proposal sent. When she asks about spring start dates she moves to negotiating, and the crew calendar gets a soft hold. Looking at the board in February, the owner can see enough proposals in play to cover the opening weeks of the season and can decide whether to bring the extra crew back early or wait.
Why it matters
A pipeline turns a vague sense that there are some deals cooking into a concrete picture of what is likely to close and roughly when. That forward view is hard to get any other way, and it is what an owner needs before hiring, buying a truck, or committing to a busy month. It also pairs with the funnel: the funnel explains how strangers become inquiries, the pipeline tracks named deals from there. The usual failure is a board nobody has updated in weeks; stalled deals still sitting in proposal make the forecast look healthier than it is while opportunities quietly die.