Pipeline
Your pipeline is the total value of every quote you sent that has no decision yet. It is a forecast of money. A quote becomes income only when a client accepts it.
What it means
Adding up every open quote gives you a number. That number is a guess about the future. It is not a balance you can spend. Some quotes will be won and some will be lost. A few will never get an answer at all.
Treat the pipeline total as a ceiling and not a plan. Your win rate tells you roughly how much of it will turn into work. Multiply the two together for a realistic figure. Do not plan your diary or your cash flow against the full total.
You have four open quotes worth $1,200, $3,000, $800 and $2,000. That is a $7,000 pipeline. Your win rate has run at about 40% this year. A realistic figure to plan against is closer to $2,800 than the full $7,000.
Treating the pipeline total as booked income and turning down other work to make room for it. Most quotes in most pipelines do not get accepted.
See also
Where this shows up
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- guide How to price a job so the number holds up The quote works only if its number works. Start with the price, then write it up.
- tool Free Quote & Estimate Generator Fill in your business and client details. Add line items, mark any as optional, and set a deposit. A clean quote builds as you type. Turn it into an invoice with one click.
- tool Quote & invoice terms builder Tick the clauses that fit the job and fill in your numbers once. You get a plain-English terms block. Copy it, print it, or send it into the quote generator.