How to Create an Opportunity
Time: 3 minutes Difficulty: Easy Last Updated: 2026-01-15
Learn how to create a sales opportunity and track it through your sales pipeline.
Overview
This guide shows you how to create an opportunity to track a potential sale through your pipeline stages.
Prerequisites
⚠️ Before You Begin: Make sure you have completed these prerequisites.
| Prerequisite | Status | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Account | [ ] Complete | Create an Account |
| Contact (optional) | [ ] Complete | Create a Contact |
💡 Don't have an Account yet? Start with How to Create an Account first. You need at least one account before creating opportunities.
Step-by-Step
Step 1: Navigate to Opportunities
- Go to Sales → Opportunities
Step 2: Click Create New
- Click + Create button
- Or create from an Account page
Step 3: Fill in the Form
⚠️ Prerequisite Check: Before filling in fields that reference other items, make sure those items exist. If you see a dropdown with no options, you need to create the prerequisite first.
Required Fields:
| Field | What to Enter | Example | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Opportunity name | Q1 2026 Software License | None |
| Account | Select customer account | Acme Corporation | ⚠️ Required: Create an Account first |
| Stage | Select pipeline stage | Qualification | None (system default stages) |
| Amount | Expected deal value | 5000.00 | None |
| Close Date | Expected close date | 2026-03-31 | None |
💡 Missing Account dropdown? If the Account dropdown is empty, you need to create an account first. Opportunities must be linked to a customer account.
Optional Fields:
| Field | Purpose | Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|
| Contact | Link to contact person | ⚠️ Optional: Create a Contact to link |
| Probability | Win probability percentage | None |
| Lead Source | Where the lead came from | None |
| Description | Opportunity details | None |
Step 4: Save
- Click Save
- Opportunity appears in your pipeline
Next Steps
After creating an opportunity:
- Generate a Quote from the opportunity
- Track progress by updating the stage
- Move through pipeline stages as deal progresses