How to define a Sales Cycle?

A sales cycle tries to define the phases the sales process will go through, from its initial phase to its conclusion, and it is possible to specify for each phase the requirement, duration, probability of success and document association and/or customer orders.

Besides specifying the phase of the Sales Opportunity, this feature allows to specify the following operations.

Sales cycle

To create a sales cycle, follow these steps:

1. Access Marketing & Sales | Contacts and Opportunities | Resources | Tables | Sales Cycle;
2. Specify the Name and Description of the sales cycle;
3. Specify the Default cycle. With this option selected, when creating a new Sales Opportunity, the field Sales Cycle on the tab General will be filled in with the name of this cycle;
4. Specify if the Sales Cycle is Active. If active, the cycle can be used on the Sales Opportunity;
5. Create the necessary phases to track and for the success of the future sales opportunity;
6. Define in each phase the corresponding values and conditions;
7. Finally, click Save.

Example

Let's consider the following table:

• Prob. Success: In this column, we define the probability of success for the Sales Opportunity. As the phases progress, the chance of winning is bigger. This is important information, considering that it can help the decision making process regarding the business continuity;
• Mandatory: This field specifies whether the stage is required. In this example, it is not possible to place a Sales Opportunity in "Evaluation by the Customer" without going through the mandatory previous phases;
• Quotation Doc.: Specifies if the entry on the phase requires the existence of a Quotation Document associated to the Sales Opportunity;
• Duration (d): Suggested duration in days of the Sales Stage. It is possible to automatically calculate the end date of the sales stage, given its start date, at the time it is associated with a Sales Opportunity. An editable value on the tab Sales Cycle for the Sales Opportunity;
• Ordered : Specifies if the entry on the phase requires the existence of an Order associated to the Sales Opportunity;
• SO State: Indicates the state of the sales opportunity.