Create and Configure a Pipeline

Once you have created a deal-sourcing form, the next step is to connect it to a pipeline. At Covalent, forms act as the entry point for deals, which are then funneled directly into your pipeline. This ensures a seamless flow from initial contact to investment.

To begin, navigate to the Forms tab, select the form you want to use, and click the Connect to Pipeline button.

The first step is to name your new pipeline. The form you're connecting will be pre-selected for you.

• Name your pipeline: Give your pipeline a clear, descriptive name (e.g., "Seed Deals" or "Pre-seed").

• Select a form: The form you chose in the previous step will be displayed here.

Click Next to proceed.

You will now see a review of the questions from your form that will feed directly into this pipeline. No action is required on this page; it's simply to confirm the data you'll be working with. Click Next to continue.

This is a crucial step for automating your deal flow. You can set filters to automatically sort deals that match your investment focus. Deals that don't meet these criteria will be sent directly to your Archive tab, saving you time and ensuring you only review the most relevant opportunities.

You can set various granular conditions to precisely define what you're looking for. Once you're satisfied with your criteria, click Next.

Next, you'll set the expected number of days a deal should typically spend in each stage of your pipeline. This feature helps you stay on top of deals and ensures a timely process for both your team and the founders you're communicating with.

You can also rename the default stages to match your internal process.

• Stage Name: Enter a name for the stage (e.g., "Introductory Call," "Due-diligence," "Memo").

• Expected days in stage: Enter the number of days you expect a deal to remain in that stage. You must enter at least 1 day.

The platform will automatically calculate the Total Expected Days in Pipeline as you set each stage. Click Next to continue.

On the final page, you can create and save reusable email templates for each stage of your pipeline. This saves you time by eliminating the need to re-write emails for every deal.

Simply click on a stage to add an email template.

• Subject: Enter the email subject line.

• Body: Write and format the email body text. You can add links and images.

Once you have set up your email templates, click Complete. Your pipeline is now active, and you will be redirected to the pipeline dashboard. You are now ready to begin managing your deal flow.

Beyond connecting a form, you can also create a new pipeline directly from the Pipelines tab. This provides flexibility based on your workflow and needs.

Navigate to the Pipelines tab and click the + New Pipeline button in the top right corner. 

You'll be presented with three options:

• Create from scratch

• Create from an existing form

• Import an existing pipeline:

This option is for users who wish to migrate their deal pipelines from another platform. We will cover this in detail in the article Importing an Existing Pipeline on Atlas.