Deal stage matrix

A stage is left when its exit criteria are met, not when it has been in the pipeline long enough. Icebox is parked and out of the sweep.

	Discover	Qualify	Pilot	Agree	Closed
Goal	Is there a workflow worth automating?	Is there a funded problem and a person who owns it?	Prove it on their real process.	Close.	Record the outcome and what it teaches.
Exit criteria	Approval workflow named Rough monthly volume known Someone owns the pain	Business impact quantified, in hours or cycle days Champion identified Timing known Budget range confirmed	Success criteria agreed in writing Integration proven on their own stack, not a sandbox Champion can demo it unaided Economic buyer met	Proposal delivered Security review path known Finance sign-off	Won: start date agreed and handover booked Lost: reason recorded against a named competitor or a no-decision Icebox: a revisit date, or it is a loss
Key activities	Intro call Process walkthrough	Deep-dive discovery Workflow mapping Stakeholder map	Pilot build Weekly checkpoint Handover session	Proposal Security questionnaire Negotiation	Handover to onboarding Loss reason and post-mortem note