How to flag stalled deals in HubSpot
To flag stalled deals in HubSpot, start with the built-in Stalled deals view. Then build a deal workflow that watches how long a deal has sat in its stage and when anyone last touched it. The workflow gives the deal owner a task, and tells the manager if the deal stays quiet.
The view takes 2 minutes. The workflow takes about an hour. Most firms only need both once the pipeline has more than a handful of deals.
Step 1: Open the Stalled deals view
In the sales workspace, open the Deals tab. HubSpot has a preset view called Stalled deals. HubSpot's help page says it shows deals where the time in a stage is at least 20% longer than the average time spent in that stage. It compares against the same deal owner's other deals.
Two limits to know:
- It needs Sales Hub Professional or Enterprise, and a Sales seat for each user.
- It tells you a deal is slower than usual. It does not tell you why, and it does not make anyone act.
The same page lists other views worth a look. No Activity Scheduled shows open deals with no next task or meeting. Stale Close Date shows deals with a close date before today. Recent Activity shows deals touched in the last week.
Step 2: Learn the two clocks
A deal can look alive and still be stuck. A rep sends three emails, and the deal sits in "Proposal sent" for 40 days. So watch two things:
- Time in current stage. How long the deal has been in its stage right now.
- Last activity date. The last time something was logged on the deal.
HubSpot's stage properties page has one catch. Workflows do not enroll deals based on "Cumulative time in stage" or "Latest time in stage" while the deal is still in that stage. Use "Time in current stage" or "Date entered current stage" instead. These stage properties are off by default, so turn them on for each stage. They need a Professional or Enterprise plan.
Step 3: Pick a limit for each stage
Do not use one number for the whole pipeline. A first call stage and a contract stage move at different speeds.
One stalled deals guide gives a simple method. For each stage, take the median time that won deals spent there over the last 2 or 3 quarters. Flag a deal at about 1.5 times that number. Tell the manager at about 2 times. The guide says to treat these multipliers as assumptions until a quarter of data backs them up. Start with them, then adjust.
For example, if won deals usually sit 8 days in a stage, flag at 12 days. If they sit 20 days, flag at 30.
No won deals yet? Then you have no baseline. Pick a limit from your sales cycle, write it down, and check it in a month.
Step 4: Build the workflow
Make a deal-based workflow.
- Enroll open deals when "Time in current stage" is over your limit and "Last activity date" is older than your limit. Leave out Closed won and Closed lost.
- Branch by stage so each stage uses its own limit.
- Create a task for the deal owner, due in 2 working days. Add an internal notification.
- Wait. If the deal is still quiet after the next limit, notify the sales manager.
- Reset. Clear the flag when the last activity date changes.
You can also set a custom deal property called "Pipeline health" with values like Stalling and Stalled. Then your saved views and reports can filter on it.
Step 5: Add one Monday view
Make a saved view of stalled deals with columns for deal name, stage, owner, amount, last activity date and close date. Look at it every Monday with the team. A flag no one reads does nothing.
What the other guides leave out
We read the pages that Google and AI tools cite for this question. Most give a template and stop. Here is what they skip.
- Who acts. Another guide builds a report with an "X days" filter. It does not say how to pick the number, or what the rep does next. A report needs a task behind it.
- Fake activity. A rep can log a quick note to stop a deal from flagging. Look at the type of activity too. A real reply from the buyer counts. A note to self does not.
- Deals with no clear end. A flag should end in a decision. We follow up on every deal until we get a clear yes or no, and about 6 touches is normal. A stalled deal should get a next step, or it should be closed.
- Owner view. We think the owner or sales leader should see the whole pipeline in one place without asking anyone. If stalled deals live in a rep's inbox and not in the CRM, no flag can find them.
If you are new to a team and want to check the rest of the CRM too, read what a new head of sales should check in the CRM first. Slow answers on new leads are a stall that starts before the deal exists. We cover that in how fast to answer a new inquiry.
Who can do this for you
You can build this in HubSpot yourself if you are on Professional or Enterprise and have an admin with an hour.
| Option | Best for |
|---|---|
| Do it yourself in HubSpot | A small team with one pipeline and an admin who knows workflows |
| A HubSpot agency | Firms that want the stage limits worked out from past deal data |
| An independent partner like Scaling Studio | A B2B firm that wants the flags, the follow-up tasks and the reports set up so a leader can trust the pipeline |
FAQ
What is a stalled deal in HubSpot?
HubSpot's Stalled deals view shows deals that have been in a stage at least 20% longer than the average time in that stage for the same deal owner. Many teams also set their own limit by stage.
Do I need a paid HubSpot plan to flag stalled deals?
The Stalled deals view needs Sales Hub Professional or Enterprise. The stage time properties also need Professional or Enterprise.
Should I use last activity date or time in stage?
Use both. Last activity date shows if anyone touched the deal. Time in current stage shows if it moved. A deal can have fresh emails and still be stuck.
How many days should a deal sit before it is flagged?
There is no single number. One method is to take the median time won deals spent in each stage and flag at about 1.5 times that. Check it after a quarter and adjust.