Required "next step" field before a deal can sit idle

Outcome. Every open deal that goes more than a few days without a written next step gets chased automatically, so pipeline reviews stop running into blank "what's next" answers.

Workflow map Enrollment, branches and actions at a glance deal-hygiene-008

flowchart TD
    A[Deal open, no next step, idle 5+ days] --> B{Flag already set?}
    B -->|yes| Z[Exit]
    B -->|no| C[Set flag = true]
    C --> D[Create task for owner]
    D --> E[Notify owner]
    E --> F[Delay 3 business days]
    F --> G{Next step still blank?}
    G -->|yes| H[Notify manager - escalation]
    G -->|no| I[Reset flag, exit]

When to use it, when not to

• UseUse it when pipeline review meetings keep hitting deals where the rep cannot say what the next action is.
• UseUse it together with the native "information required to move a deal to this stage" setting on your key stages for a stronger, preventive control (see Known pitfalls).
• SkipDo not use it on very short sales cycles (days, not weeks) where "next step" churns faster than any reasonable check interval can catch.
• SkipDo not use it if your team already tracks next steps exclusively through open tasks rather than a dedicated property, that pattern needs a different enrollment filter (task count instead of property value).