# Pipeline review and forecast hygiene

> Canonical page: https://wayhatch.com/workflows/pipeline-review/
> Evidence label: Conceptual blueprint with a synthetic example, full guide. Definitions: https://wayhatch.com/about/evidence-labels/
> Updated: 26 October 2026 (2026-10-26). Publisher: wayhatch, wayhatchai@gmail.com
> Team: RevOps · with Sales

A weekly pipeline review that inspects each deal against agreed rules, records the decisions and ends in a forecast call with the gap stated.

## Outcome

A weekly review pack: inspection flags, a deal decision log, the forecast call with commit, best case and the gap to target, and actions with owners and dates. RevOps owns the snapshot, definitions and roll-up. Deal owners correct their own records. The Sales manager makes the call.

## Downloads

- [Review pack template](https://wayhatch.com/downloads/pipeline-review-template.md): Inspection rules, agenda and forecast call, Markdown · 7 KB
- [Synthetic example](https://wayhatch.com/downloads/pipeline-review-example.md): Invented company, Markdown · 10 KB
- [Fictional opportunity snapshot](https://wayhatch.com/downloads/pipeline-review-input.json): The example’s inputs, JSON · 7 KB

## Before you start

- Written stage definitions and forecast categories, agreed with the Sales leader.
- Opportunity fields for amount, stage, category, close date, next step and owner.
- A target for the period and the closed won total so far.
- A weekly slot with the people who own the deals.

## Inputs

| Input | What it provides | If missing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Opportunity snapshot | Stage, category, amount, close date, owner | Take it before owners edit; note the time |
| Previous snapshot | Last week’s values for the same fields | Compare by hand and say so |
| Next steps and activity | Next step, its date, last activity | Flag as no next step |
| Stage history | Date each deal entered its stage | Use the last stage change; note it |
| Target and closed won | Period target, won to date | Ask the Sales leader before coverage |
| Definitions and thresholds | Stages, categories, inspection rules | Agree them before the first review |

## Steps

1. **Agree the rules before the numbers** (RevOps with Sales leader). Use the stage definitions from your field dictionary and write down what Commit, Best case and Pipeline mean, and from which stage each is allowed. Fix the period, currency, amount basis and inclusion rules. Set inspection thresholds from your own sales cycle; the ones in the template are examples.
2. **Take the snapshot and run the inspection** (RevOps or assistant). Export open opportunities at the same time each week, before owners edit for the meeting. Compare with last week’s snapshot: new, won, lost, slipped, amount and category changes. Apply the five rules: no next step, close date in the past, stage age over threshold, amount change, category that does not match the stage.
3. **Answer each flag before the meeting** (Deal owners). Send each owner the flags on their own deals. A flag is a question until the owner answers it. Owners correct what is simply out of date and bring the rest to the review with the buyer-side facts behind it.
4. **Run the review and log each decision** (Sales manager). Follow the agenda: changes since last week, flagged deals, commit, then best case. For each deal ask what the buyer last did, who signs and whether the next step fits the close date. Record every category change and slipped close date with a reason someone can check next week.
5. **Make the forecast call and state the gap** (Sales manager with RevOps). Roll up closed, commit and best case after the decisions. The Sales manager makes the call and writes down what it includes, the gap to target and the assumptions to test. Give each action one owner and a date, and open the next review with them.

## Automation candidates

| Candidate | Needs | Watch for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Capture the weekly snapshot | Fixed time, fixed fields | Edits made during the export |
| Compare two snapshots | Stable opportunity IDs | Merged, split or reopened deals |
| Run the inspection rules | Agreed thresholds | Paused deals, legitimate blanks |
| Calculate the roll-up | Category and close date in period | Currency, multi-year amounts |
| Draft the agenda | Flag list, named chair | Owner absent this week |

## Where an agent could help

Compare this week’s snapshot with last week’s, apply the agreed inspection rules and draft the agenda, linking each flag to its record and rule. The forecast call, category changes and any CRM edit stay with people.

## Human review

- Owners answer or correct each flag before the meeting.
- Only the owner changes stage, amount or close date.
- Each category change and slipped date has a reason.
- The Sales manager makes the call; the roll-up informs it.
- Agreeing an action does not change a CRM record.

## Limitations

- No snapshot, inspection or agenda automation has been built for this workflow.
- No forecast accuracy or time savings are reported.
- Pipeline value is not a revenue forecast, and stage probabilities need your own closed deals to mean anything.
- The inspection thresholds in the template are examples; set yours from your own sales cycle.

## If you pilot it, measure

| Measure | How |
| --- | --- |
| Forecast error | Call against actual, per period |
| Commit accuracy | Commit deals won in the period |
| Slipped deals | Close dates moved out, and how often |
| Open flags | Flags without an answer at each review |
| Action follow-through | Actions closed by the next review |

Next workflow: [Account research and meeting preparation](https://wayhatch.com/workflows/account-research/)