Optimizing your Pipeline Phases for DealRoom
For your pipeline management in DealRoom, consider the following best practices shared by the DealRoom team and fellow users. Remember, the pipeline is highly customizable to cater to your unique needs and team dynamics.
Disclosure: The provided insights are not exhaustive; rather, they offer a starting point for your customization based on your team's specific requirements.
How to Set up Your Pipeline Phases
- Select Settings from the left menu.
- Scroll down until you see the Phases section.
- Click New Phase + to start creating the phases in your pipeline.
Pipeline Phases Organization
Here are some ideas on how to organize your pipeline phases, used by some of our customers.
Buy-Side Examples
1. Chronologically
This option is recommended, as it allows you to track from the beginning of the M&A lifecycle to the end. DealRoom also tracks how long each deal lives in each phase, allowing you to spot bottlenecks and improve your processes for future deals. Here are some examples of chronological phases:
- Target Listing
- Initial Discussions
- Indication of Interest
- Preliminary Due Diligence
- Letter of Intent
- Confirmatory Due Diligence
- Negotiations
- Close
- First 100 Days
- Integration
2. By Progress Status
This option is for creating your pipeline phases by status of the deal, which can be simple or complex depending on the different statuses you prefer.
Example:
- Pending
- In Process
- Completed
3. Other Ideas
Here are some other ideas for setting up your pipeline.
- Preliminary Discussion
- Teaser
- NDA
- CIM Evaluation
- Commercial Structure
- Closed
- On Hold
- Go / No Go
4. Risk and Complexity
This structure categorizes deals based on their complexity and associated risks, providing a nuanced understanding of your pipeline.
- Low Complexity
- Standard Transactions
- Routine Due Diligence
- Medium Complexity
- Customized Deal Structures
- Moderate Due Diligence
- High Complexity
- Complex Negotiations
- Intensive Due Diligence
- On Hold
- Pending Regulatory Approvals
- External Factors
- Closed Deals
Sell-side Examples
- Prospecting
- Prelim Discussions
- Preliminary Due Diligence
- Engagement Negotiation
- Pre-Marketing Due Diligence
- Financial Databook
- Buyer List Prep
- Marketing Collateral Drafting
- In Market - Pre IOI
- In Market - LOI Negotiation
- Buyer Due Diligence
- Closing Phase
- Completed
- Lost
Feel free to customize these examples based on your team's preferences and specific deal characteristics!
If you have any questions about implementing these structures, creating custom phases, or need further personalized assistance for your team's unique needs, please don't hesitate to reach out to your Customer Success Manager or our support team via in-platform chat or at support@dealroom.net.
Relevant Articles:
How do I set up custom phases and fields in the Pipeline?
How do I set pipeline permissions?
How do I import and export deals in the pipeline?
Updated on: 29/06/2025
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