1. Qualification

Written qualification criteria exist and everyone can state them.Ask three sellers or partners what has to be true before an opportunity enters the forecast. If answers differ, check whether the criteria need clarification.
Qualification happens before the proposal, not after.Check the last ten proposals: was the decision-maker met and the problem agreed before each was written?
Opportunities are declined or closed as unqualified on a regular basis.If no opportunities are declined, review whether the criteria are being applied.

2. Stage definitions

Each stage has an exit criterion based on buyer evidence."Proposal sent" is seller activity. "Buyer has confirmed scope, decision-maker and timing" is buyer evidence.
Two sellers would put the same opportunity in the same stage.Test it: pick three live deals and ask two people to stage them independently.
Stage probabilities have been checked against what actually closed.The default 10/25/50/75/90 came with the software. Compare with your last two years of outcomes by stage.

3. Pipeline metrics

Pipeline coverage against target is known and reviewed.Total qualified pipeline divided by the remaining target, compared with your historical win rate.
Deal ageing is measured and stale deals are acted on.Opportunities in a stage for longer than your typical sales cycle are either progressed or closed, every review.
No-decision outcomes are recorded and reviewed.Investigate qualification alongside timing, funding and other reasons for a delayed decision.

4. CRM discipline

Close dates reflect the buyer's timing, not the end of the quarter.Look at the distribution of close dates. Check whether those dates reflect buyer timing or a default setting.
Pipeline reviews use current, shared records.Resolve differences between the CRM and other records used in the review.
Opportunities are created at first qualification, not at the point of winning.Check how many won deals spent less than a week in the pipeline.

5. Proposals and pricing

Proposals are structured around the buyer's problem and outcome, and are short.Read the first page of the last three proposals. Check whether the client's requirements are clear on the first page.
Fees are positioned on value and discounting is a decision, not a reflex.Check how many won deals were discounted, by how much, and who approved it.

6. Cadence and coaching

Pipeline reviews, deal reviews and one-to-ones happen on a rhythm and end in next steps with owners and dates.Look at the notes from the last review. If there are no next steps, it was a status meeting, not a review.

Reading the result

Review unchecked items and the evidence behind your answers. A tick count cannot establish whether the pipeline is reliable or identify the cause of a problem. Agree specific follow-up checks with the team.

Illustrative example

Suppose a team cannot confirm how opportunities are qualified or why several proposals ended without a decision. The next step is to inspect those records and speak to the people involved. That investigation can help decide whether training, process changes or another response is appropriate. This is a hypothetical example, not a client result.

Want an independent version using your own data? See the sales process audit and pipeline review.

This checklist is free to use within your firm. Please link to this page rather than republishing it.