---
title: "Identifying and addressing a zombie pipeline in HubSpot: A step-by-step guide"
description: I’ll walk you through setting up lead age and time to convert reports in HubSpot CRM.
image: https://www.hubex.io/hubfs/zombie%20pipeline%20Thumbnail.png
---
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# Identifying and addressing a zombie pipeline in HubSpot: A step-by-step guide
Written by [Andreas Kongstad](https://www.hubex.io/content/author/andreas-kongstad)
06\. November 2024
A common issue that can arise is the development of a “zombie pipeline” filled with outdated or inactive leads, which can skew your metrics and hinder performance assessments.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through setting up lead age and time to convert reports in HubSpot CRM. These reports will help you identify any stagnation in your pipeline and ensure that your close rate isn’t artificially inflated due to inactive leads.
By the end of this guide, you’ll have the tools to monitor your pipeline’s health, address any issues with inactive leads, and maintain accurate performance metrics.
## The challenge
Automating lead engagement can introduce complexities in pipeline management:
- **Zombie pipeline**: Accumulation of outdated or inactive leads can inflate your open leads count.
- **Artificially high close rates**: Inactive leads not being closed out can make your close rate appear better than it is.
- **Inefficient reporting**: Without proper reports, identifying issues in the pipeline becomes challenging.
- **Resource allocation**: Inactive leads can consume resources and attention, detracting from high-value engagements.
## The solution overview
We’ll set up two key reports in HubSpot CRM:
1. **Open Lead Age Report**: Tracks the age of open leads to identify stagnation.
2. **Time to Convert Report**: Measures the average time it takes for leads to convert, helping spot inefficiencies.
We’ll utilise HubSpot’s new beta features for calculated properties and ensure that these reports focus only on relevant leads by applying appropriate filters.
*Note: I'll show the full structure in the video walk-through, but only include the reports above in the text-based walk-though.*
## Video walk-through
## Step-by-step guide
### Step 1: Set up the ‘Lead Age’ calculated property
**Why this is important**
Understanding how long leads remain open helps you identify if leads are not being closed out properly, indicating a zombie pipeline.
**How to do it**
**1. Access property settings**:
- Navigate to **Settings** \> **Properties**.
- Select the **Lead** object from the dropdown.
- - Click on **Create property**.
- Set the following:
- **Object type**: Lead
- **Group**: \[Choose appropriate group, e.g., Lead Information\]
- **Label**: Lead Age
- **Field type**: Calculation
- **Calculated property type:** Time since (Beta feature)
**Create a new property**:
**2. Configure the calculation**:
- - In the calculation type, choose **Time since**.
- Set start date to **Object create date/time.**
***Note**: As this is a beta feature, ensure that you have access to HubSpot’s beta programs. Be aware that Time since calculated properties (currently) have limitations:*
- They cannot be used in workflows.
- They cannot be referenced in other property calculations.
### Step 2: Create the ‘Open Lead Age’ report
**Why this is important**
Visualising the average age of open leads allows you to quickly identify if leads are stagnating.
**How to do it**
**1. Navigate to the reports section**:
1. - Go to **Reports** \> **Reports**.
- Click on **Create custom report**.
**2. Select report type**:
- Choose **Single object** report or the **Custom report builder** (we'll use Single object reports in this guide).
- Select **Leads** as the primary object.
**3. Configure the data**:
*Note: You need to create a custom property called Close date. See this guide if you're not sure how to create this property and its associated workflow to populate it with data.*
- **Filters**:
- If you've created a Close date property, set filter to **Close date is unknown**
- If you haven't created this property you can use **Open leads = 1**
- Be sure to set the quick filter to "All data/All time" to include all open leads
- **Visualisation**:
- **Y-Axis**: Average **Open Lead Age** (the calculated property you created)
- **X-Axis**: **Lead Tag** or **Lead Owner** (you can also base in on teams and any other segmentation that suits your business)
### Step 3: Set up the ‘Time to Convert’ calculated property
**Why this is important**
Measuring the time it takes for leads to convert helps you assess the efficiency of your engagement processes.
**How to do it**
**1. Access property settings**:
- Navigate to **Settings** \> **Properties**.
**2. Create a new property:**
- Click **Create property**.
- Set the following:
- **Object type**: Lead
- **Group**: \[Choose appropriate group\]
- **Label**: Time to Convert
- **Field type**: **Calculation**
- Choose **Custom equation**.
- Set **Output type** to **Number** with **Duration** as the format.
**3. Define the equation:**
- Add the durations of the lead in each relevant lifecycle stage (e.g., Open, Attempting, Qualified).
- For example: `Time in Stage Open + Time in Stage Attempting + Time in Stage Qualified`
**Configure the calculation**:
***Note**: Ensure you have **Calculated Properties** available in your HubSpot plan, as there might be limits on the number you can create.*
### Step 4: Create the ‘Time to Convert’ report
**Why this is important**
This report shows the average time it takes for leads to convert, helping you spot delays or inefficiencies in your pipeline.
**How to do it**
**1. Select report type**:
- We'll use the **Single object** report in this example.
- Select **Leads** as the primary object.
- **Filters**:
- Set **Close date** to the time frame that suits your business (e.g., less than 90 days ago)
- **Visualisation**:
- **Y-Axis**: Average **Time to Convert**
- **X-Axis**: **Lead Tag** or **Lead Owner** (you can also base in on teams and any other segmentation that suits your business)
**Configure the data**:
**2. Customize the report**:
- - Change the metric to **Average** (consider adding **Median** for additional insight).
- Adjust the visual settings as desired.
### Step 5: Regularly monitor and maintain pipeline hygiene
**Why this is important**
Ongoing attention ensures that the pipeline remains healthy and your metrics stay accurate.
**How to do it**
**1. Schedule regular reviews**:
- Set up weekly or monthly meetings to review the reports with your team.
**2. Automate reminders**:
- Use HubSpot workflows to notify reps of leads that have been open beyond a certain threshold.
**3. Update processes**:
- If recurring issues are identified, consider refining your lead management processes or automation settings.
**4. Provide coaching:**
- Offer training sessions to help your team understand the importance of closing out leads and how to manage their pipeline effectively.
## Up next…
- **Cohort analysis**: Learn how to analyse close rates based on the age of deals, helping you understand when a lead is unlikely to convert.
- **Advanced reporting techniques**: Explore more complex reporting methods to gain deeper insights into your sales process.
- **Optimising automation**: Strategies to refine your automated engagement to further enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
**Stay tuned for more insights on maintaining a leaner, easier, and more profitable growth journey.**
You may also like
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Synchronising lifecycle stages and lead statuses in HubSpot CRM: a step-by-step guide
06\. November 2024
Creating an accurate close rate report in HubSpot: A step-by-step guide
23\. October 2024
Optimising account-based lead routing and assignment in HubSpot CRM: A step-by-step guide
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