How to build a deal aging report
A deal aging report is a stall detector. Deals that sit too long in one stage are the earliest sign of slippage, and catching them early is what keeps a forecast honest.
The benchmark for aging is your own time-in-stage data. A deal is not old in the abstract; it is old relative to how long deals normally spend in that stage before advancing.
- Days in stage The core measure
- vs average Aging is relative
- Last activity A second warning sign
Short answer
Build a deal aging report by measuring how long each open deal has sat in its current stage, then flagging any deal past the average time-in-stage for that step. Sort by age and value, show days since last activity, and use it to trigger action on stalled deals before they slip or die.
Step by step
Measure time in current stage
For each open deal, calculate days since it entered its current stage. This is the aging figure, distinct from total deal age.
Compare to average time-in-stage
Pull your historical average time-in-stage for each step. Flag deals that exceed it; those are the stalls worth attention.
Add last-activity and value
Show days since last activity and deal value. A high-value deal with no activity for weeks and above-average age is a top priority.
Trigger action
For each flagged deal, require a next step with a date or a re-date to reality. Use the report in pipeline reviews to focus time only on deals that have stopped moving.
Common mistakes
Using total deal age instead of time-in-stage. A long, healthy enterprise deal can be old overall but moving fine. What matters is whether it is stuck in one stage past the norm.
Flagging without acting. An aging report that no one uses to drive next steps just documents decay. Tie it to the weekly pipeline review so every stalled deal gets an owner and an action.
How Ardovo handles it
Ardovo flags deals past their stage's average time-in-stage and shows days since last activity, so your pipeline review starts with the exception list already made. Rook nudges owners on stalled, high-value deals before they slip the quarter.
Frequently asked questions
What is a deal aging report?
A report showing how long each open deal has sat in its current stage, flagging any deal past the average time-in-stage for that step. It detects stalls early so you can act before deals slip or die.
Should I measure total deal age or time in stage?
Time in stage. Total age can be long for a healthy enterprise deal that is still moving. Time stuck in one stage past the norm is the real stall signal worth flagging and acting on.
How do I use a deal aging report?
In pipeline reviews, to focus on deals that have stopped moving. Require a dated next step or an honest re-date for each flagged deal, and prioritize high-value stalls with no recent activity.