5.3 Working with the Opportunities Board: Managing Deals (Listings/Buyers)

This is the main screen where you and your agents will interact daily to visualize and manage the progress of active deals.

Navigating the Board:

  1. Select the Correct Pipeline View: Use the Pipeline dropdown menu located at the top of the Opportunities screen to choose which process you want to view (e.g., switch between your Listing Pipeline and your Buyer Pipeline).
  2. View Opportunity Cards: Each card displayed on the board represents one specific deal. The information shown on the face of the card (e.g., Contact Name, Opportunity Name, Lead Value ($ Estimated Commission?), Assigned Agent, quick icons for tasks/messages) is configurable via the Card Settings (see 5.5). A red border on a card usually indicates it has been inactive in its current stage beyond the "rotting" threshold set for that stage (see 5.2).
  3. Scroll Horizontally: If your pipeline has many stages, you may need to scroll the board horizontally to see all the columns.

Adding New Opportunities:

  • Manual Creation:
    1. Ensure you are viewing the correct Pipeline.
    2. Click the + Opportunity button (or similar + Add button, often located near the top right or within a stage column).
    3. A popup window will appear. Fill in the details:
      • Select Contact: Search for and choose the existing Contact record associated with this deal.
      • Enter Opportunity Name: Be descriptive (e.g., "Listing - 123 Main St", "Buyer Rep - Jane Doe").
      • Enter Lead Value (CRUCIAL for Reporting): Input the estimated commission amount ($) your agency expects to earn if this deal closes successfully. This value is essential for pipeline value reporting and ROI calculations.
      • Set Status to Open (for active deals).
      • Select the correct Pipeline (should default to the one you're viewing) and choose the initial Stage the deal should start in (e.g., New Lead, Appointment Set).
      • Assign Owner: Select the agent/user responsible for this specific deal.
      • (Optional) Set Source (how the lead originated), apply relevant Tags, and fill in any Opportunity Custom Fields (like Property Address, Listing Price).
    4. Click Add or Save. The new Opportunity card will appear in the designated stage on the board.
  • Adding via Workflows (Recommended for Automation): The most efficient way to create opportunities, especially for new leads, is often through automation.
    1. Set up a Workflow triggered by a lead capture event (e.g., Form Submitted, Facebook Lead Ad Submitted, Tag Added like Source: Zillow).
    2. Add the Create/Update Opportunity action to the workflow.
    3. Configure the action to automatically: Select the appropriate Pipeline and initial Stage, dynamically set the Opportunity Name (e.g., {{contact.name}} - Buyer Lead), potentially estimate and set the Lead Value, assign the Owner based on rules (e.g., round-robin), and set the Source based on the trigger. This ensures deals are created consistently and immediately upon lead arrival.

Moving Cards (Tracking Deal Progress):

As a deal moves through your process, you need to update its stage on the board.

  • Manual Drag & Drop: The most intuitive way. Click and hold an Opportunity card, drag it horizontally to the next appropriate Stage column, and release the mouse button. The card will drop into the new stage.
  • Manual Edit: Click on the Opportunity card itself (don't drag). This will open either the full Contact record (Chapter 4) or a specific Opportunity Details panel. Find the Stage field (often a dropdown) and select the new stage. Click Save.
  • Automatic via Workflows (Highly Recommended): Leverage automation for stage progression based on specific events. Use the Update Opportunity action within a Workflow. Trigger the workflow based on an event (e.g., Appointment Status changed to Showed, Document Signed trigger for listing agreement, Task Completed for "Offer Submitted"). Configure the action to automatically move the linked Opportunity card to the next relevant Stage in the pipeline (e.g., move from Appointment Set to Active Listing when the listing agreement document is signed).

Updating Final Status (Won / Lost / Abandoned):

Marking the final outcome of a deal is critical for accurate reporting and triggering post-deal workflows.

  • Drag to Outcome Zone: Some interfaces allow you to drag the card downwards on the board and drop it onto specific zones labeled Won (for successfully closed deals), Lost (deal didn't close), or Abandoned (contact became unresponsive, deal didn't proceed).
  • Edit Status Field: Click the Opportunity card to open its details. Find the Status field (which defaults to Open for active deals). Change the Status dropdown to Won, Lost, or Abandoned.
    • If selecting Lost, you might be prompted to select or enter a Lost Reason (useful for analyzing why deals fail).
  • Click Save.
  • Result: The card is typically removed from the main active pipeline view (or moved to a final "outcome" stage if you configured one). This action updates the data used in Reporting (conversion rates, win/loss analysis) and can be used as a Workflow trigger (e.g., Opportunity Status Changed to Won) to initiate post-closing sequences like sending review requests or adding to a past client nurture campaign.

Accessing Deal Details:

Click directly on the Opportunity card title or name (don't drag). This opens either:

  • The full Contact Record page (Chapter 4) for the person linked to the deal.
  • OR, a dedicated Opportunity Details panel or popup showing information specific to this deal, including its value, stage, owner, linked contact, plus tabs or sections for deal-specific Notes, Tasks, and Appointments. You can often edit deal details, add notes, or create tasks directly from this view.