What is a pipeline and how do I use it?
What is a pipeline and how do I use it?
A pipeline is a visual way to track where every lead stands in your process — whether you're following up with a potential client, moving a caregiver applicant through your hiring steps, or nurturing a referral partner relationship. Instead of trying to remember who needs a call or where someone is in the process, your pipeline shows you everything at a glance.
Note: Pipelines are available on the CareFunnels CRM plan and all Marketing In A Box plans. If you don't see the Opportunities option in your menu, reach out to your CareFunnels account manager to learn more about upgrading.
Where to find this
Opportunities → Select a pipeline from the top of the page
What does a pipeline look like?
A pipeline is made up of stages — columns that represent each step in your process. Each person you're tracking appears as a card that moves from left to right as they progress through the stages.
CareFunnels comes with three ready-to-use pipelines built specifically for home care agencies:
Client Intake Pipeline New Inquiry → Qualified Inquiry → Discovery Call Completed → Assessment Scheduled → Assessment Completed
Caregiver Recruiting Pipeline New Applicant → Contacted → Phone Screen Scheduled → Phone Screen Completed → Interview Scheduled
Referral Partners Pipeline Identified → First Contact Made → Key Contact Engaged → Meeting Completed → First Referral Received
How to use your pipeline
From the left-hand menu, click Opportunities.
At the top of the page, use the dropdown to select the pipeline you want to view — for example, Client Intake or Caregiver Recruiting.
You'll see your pipeline board with all your active leads organized into columns by stage.
To move someone to the next stage, click and drag their card into the next column — or open the card and update the stage from inside.
Click on any card to open it and see the full details, add notes, update information, or take action.
Pro tip
Make it a daily habit to spend 5–10 minutes reviewing your pipeline first thing in the morning. Look for anyone who hasn't moved in a while — those are the leads that need a follow-up call or message today.
Common questions
Can I have more than one pipeline? Yes! CareFunnels gives you three pipelines out of the box — one for client leads, one for caregiver recruiting, and one for referral partners. You can switch between them using the dropdown at the top of the Opportunities page.
Who can see the pipeline? Anyone on your team with access to the Opportunities section can view and update the pipeline. This makes it easy for your whole team to stay on the same page.
How do leads get added to the pipeline? Leads can be added to a pipeline manually, or automatically when someone fills out a form, chats with your AI widget, or calls your agency. Your CareFunnels setup determines which actions trigger automatic pipeline entry.
What's the difference between a contact and an opportunity? A contact is anyone in your database. An opportunity is a contact who has been added to a pipeline and is actively being tracked through a process — like a potential client you're following up with.