August 11, 2026 · Lucía Fernández, Head of Sales

The four pipeline fields that actually predict a close

We looked at what separates deals that close from deals that drift across our own pipeline. Four fields did most of the work.

Every sales leader has a favorite pipeline field. We wanted to know which ones matter, so we looked at 2,400 closed deals in our own pipeline over 18 months and asked which fields, filled in at the proposal stage, separated the deals we won from the ones that drifted.

1. A dated next step

Not “follow up”: a specific meeting or action with a date, agreed with the buyer. Deals with a dated next step at proposal closed at more than twice the rate of deals without one.

2. The person who signs

Knowing who signs the order form, by name, was the strongest single predictor in deals over $10,000. It is also the field reps most often leave empty.

3. Last two-way contact

Not the last email you sent: the last time the buyer replied or met you. When that passes ten business days at proposal, the deal is usually gone. This is why our rotting alerts count two-way contact only.

4. The buyer’s deadline

A real date on the buyer’s side, such as a contract renewal, a hiring plan or a season, beat every field we track on our side. Deals with a buyer deadline closed faster and at higher values.

What we changed

We made these four fields required at the proposal stage in our own pipeline, and built rotting rules around the third. Our proposal-to-close rate went from 31% to 38% over two quarters. Your fields may differ; the method of checking them against closed deals is worth copying.