How to Set Up and Customize Pipelines in Hubspot

Hubspot lets you organize deals, tickets, and other records into visual pipelines so your team can track progress through each stage of a process. This guide walks you through creating, editing, and managing pipelines and stages for all supported objects.

Understanding Hubspot Pipelines and Stages

Before you start building, it helps to understand how pipelines and stages work together.

• Pipeline: a complete workflow, such as sales deals or support tickets.
• Stage: a step in that workflow, such as Qualification, Contract Sent, or Closed.
• Properties: data fields on each record, including stage and probability for forecasting.

You can set up different pipelines for different teams, business units, or processes, then customize the stages and properties for each pipeline independently.

Where to Edit Pipelines in Hubspot

The exact menu path can differ by object type, but the process is similar across tools.

• Deals: go to your CRM settings and open the deal pipeline configuration.
• Tickets: open the service or ticket settings, then select the ticket pipeline editor.
• Custom objects: open the custom object settings and choose the pipeline tab for that object.

Once in the correct settings area, you will see a list of existing pipelines, with options to add new ones or edit current setups.

How to Create a New Hubspot Pipeline

Use a new pipeline when a team or process requires its own distinct set of stages.

1. Open the settings area for the object you want to manage, such as deals or tickets.
2. Locate the Pipelines section for that object.
3. Click Create pipeline or a similar button.
4. Enter a clear name that reflects the purpose, such as “Enterprise Sales” or “Onboarding Tickets”.
5. Save your new pipeline. A default set of stages may appear, which you can fully customize.

After creating a pipeline, you can assign it to specific users or teams, depending on your subscription and permission setup.

Customizing Hubspot Pipeline Stages

Each pipeline has its own stages. Configure them to match your exact process.

Rename or Reorder Hubspot Stages

1. In the pipeline settings, select the pipeline you want to edit.
2. Click into the Stage name you want to change and update the label.
3. Drag and drop stages to reorder them to match your real-life workflow.
4. Save your changes so they reflect in board and list views.

Use clear, action-based names that describe what must be true for a record to be in that stage.

Add New Stages in a Hubspot Pipeline

1. Open the desired pipeline in the pipeline editor.
2. Click Add stage (or equivalent) at the top or bottom of the stage list.
3. Give the new stage a descriptive name.
4. Place it in the correct sequence by dragging it into position.
5. Configure any additional settings such as probability or automation.

Keep the number of stages manageable so that reps can move records quickly without confusion.

Remove or Merge Stages

When streamlining, you may want to remove stages that are no longer needed.

1. Select the pipeline and locate the stage you want to remove.
2. Use the delete or remove option for that stage.
3. If prompted, choose a destination stage to move existing records into.
4. Confirm the change and review the pipeline to ensure the flow is still logical.

Always communicate changes to users so they understand where to find their deals or tickets after adjustments.

Configure Hubspot Properties for Each Stage

Pipeline stages can require specific properties to be filled out, ensuring consistent data quality.

Set Required Properties on Stage Changes

1. In pipeline settings, choose the pipeline and stage you want to control.
2. Find the Update properties or Required fields section.
3. Select which properties users must complete when moving a record into that stage.
4. Save your configuration.

For example, when a deal moves to a late-stage phase, you might require fields such as “Expected close date” or “Decision maker”. This helps improve reporting and forecasting accuracy.

Manage Probability and Forecast Settings

For deal pipelines, each stage often has a probability value.

1. Open the deal pipeline editor.
2. Locate the probability or forecast percentage column.
3. Set a logical probability for each stage, such as 20%, 50%, or 90%.
4. Save the updated values so they reflect in forecasts.

These probabilities feed into revenue forecasts and pipeline reports, helping leadership understand expected outcomes.

Using Multiple Hubspot Pipelines Across Teams

Larger organizations may need multiple pipelines to support different products, regions, or service lines.

• Create separate pipelines per team or process so each group can work with its own stages.
• Use permissions and team assignments to control who can view or edit each pipeline.
• Standardize naming conventions so reports remain clear across the account.

When you add new users, assign them to the correct default pipelines so their views match their day-to-day responsibilities.

Best Practices for Managing Hubspot Pipelines Over Time

Pipelines should evolve as your business grows. Regular reviews keep them clean and effective.

• Audit quarterly: remove unused stages and consolidate similar ones.
• Align with playbooks: ensure each stage has clear exit criteria.
• Monitor data quality: adjust required properties if fields are often left incomplete.
• Review reporting: verify that forecasts and conversion rates reflect reality, then fine-tune probabilities.

Small, continuous improvements to your configuration usually work better than rare, large overhauls.

Helpful Resources for Hubspot Pipeline Setup

You can refer directly to the official documentation for step-by-step product screenshots and the latest interface details. Visit the source guide here: Set up and customize pipelines.

If you need strategic help designing your sales or service processes before you configure them, consider working with a specialist. For consulting on CRM architecture, operations, and optimization, see Consultevo.

By setting up clear pipelines, consistent stages, and well-chosen properties, you can use Hubspot to manage every step of your customer journey, from first touch through renewal and support.

Need Help With Hubspot?

If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your Hubspot , work with ConsultEvo, a team who has a decade of Hubspot experience.

Scale Hubspot

“`