What gets set on a stage
2 min read
Every column of the board has settings of its own: a description, a colour, optionally its own sum field, and two switches that decide where a record starts and where it ends.
The description appears on the board
It says what a record in this column means: what happens by itself and what someone has to do. It appears next to the column name and is the cheapest way to save an onboarding conversation. Newcomers read it instead of asking.
Start and closing
The start stage takes in whatever arrives, through the API or by hand. Every pipeline has exactly one. A closing stage ends the record: it no longer counts as open, and triggers waiting on inactivity no longer apply there.
A sum of its own per column
By default every column sums the number field of the pipeline. A single stage may pick a different one, for columns where another number matters. Like pipeline is the normal case and should stay that way: two numbers side by side measuring different things read as one.
The colour means nothing
It is there for recognition, not for a statement. Red does not mean bad and green does not mean good, and no report reads it. Anyone needing meaning uses a field.
Step by step
- On the board, open a column's menu, then Stage settings. Or click the stage under Pipelines.
- Write the description from the point of view of someone seeing the column for the first time.
- Pick a different sum field where one is needed.
- Set start and closing where they belong.
What is the difference between closing and deleting?
Closing means the record is finished: it stays readable but no longer counts as open. Nothing is deleted. When a record disappears is decided by Retention.
Why does my automation stop applying after closing?
Because triggers waiting on inactivity skip closing stages. A record that has been in Won for thirty days is not idle, it is done. See Idle in stage.
Can a pipeline have several closing stages?
Yes. Won and Lost are both closing; what separates them is the metric, not the state.
Why can I not turn the start off?
A pipeline without a start would have no column for new records. Set a different stage as the start instead, and the switch moves.
Does a changed description take effect straight away?
Yes, it is there the next time the board loads. It has no effect on records, it only explains the column.