Sales Playbook

Owned by Anna Madajova
Last updated: Nov 09, 2023 by David Depman
9 min read

Overview

The Sales Playbook is composed of Events displayed in the Event List, in Gantt and in Kanban.

  • ClosePlan Sales Playbooks enable sales process alignment at scale.

  • Playbooks make it easy for you and your team to execute your sales strategy by guiding you through a best practices sequence of events based on your sales methodology.

  • Help best practices permeate throughout the sales organization.

  • Create custom Sales Playbooks for different business lines like Renewals, Global & Commercial Sales, Consulting Services and more.

  • Introduce repeatable processes and consistency to help reduce end of quarter surprises and increase win rates.

  • ClosePlan Sales Playbooks support any sales methodology.

  • Optimize the Opportunity-to-Close process.

Accessing Playbook

Access Playbooks in different ways based on configuration. See the general accessibility description here.

Note:

  • A ClosePlan must be created in order to see the Playbook. If you have not created a ClosePlan, follow our description here.

  • Users lower in the hierarchy will not be able to view Events in a Playbook unless they are added to the Opportunity Team. For more information, see Playbook Read/Edit accessibility

 

Events

Events are the key components of a ClosePlan and represent the tasks required to complete a deal in your organization.

Events are displayed in the Event List, in the Gantt view and in the Kanban view.

Events are set by templates, but new Events can also be created in the Playbook.

Events can be set with or without Stage progression, Dependencies and/or Checklist items.

Stage and Event Behavior

Sales stages monitor the progression of the deal. If event stages are set with  auto-progression, they will affect event behavior and the subsequent closure of each stage.  
Additional settings that may affect event closure and dependent stage closures are: Event Dependencies and Checklist items. 

Stage Closure: there are 3 conditions that can affect the closing of an event:

  • Block if event is required: Events can be set as required, and will block users from moving to the next stage until the event is completed.

  • Auto-Complete open Event: Events are created without being Required. You can move to the next stage even if there is an open event.

  • Block if event is required, otherwise Auto-Complete Event: This is a combination of both possibilities. If there is a required event, Users will be blocked from moving to the next stage, otherwise Users can move to the next stage even if there is an open event that is not required.



Event Closure: there are 2 conditions that can affect the closing of an event

      1.Event Dependency

  1. Required Dependency - A Required Dependency is marked in orange, and allows you to close the main Event only after closing the subordinate event on which it is dependent.

  2. Not Required Dependency - A Not Required Dependency is marked in grey color and allows you to close the main Event even if the subordinate event on which it is dependent remains open.

      2. Checklist item - Lists the tasks of team members.

  1. Required  - Required items are marked with a red line next to the checkbox and will block the closing of the Event if the task is open.

  2. Not Required - Items that are Not Required do not have to be completed before closing the Event.   

Example:

  • Open a required Event Dependency with check list items. You need to close the required check list items and then the dependent event if you want to close the Event

          

Adding a New Event

You can add a new Events to customize your process.

Note:

  • Creating a new event does not permit you to set a Dependency on another Event, and you cannot mark new tasks in the checklist as mandatory.

    • These options are only possible when creating a new template for a given ClosePlan in the ClosePlan Admin section.

  • Events can only be added by users on the Opportunity Team or those higher in the hierarchy

New Events can be created from:

  • Event list: Click the New button.

 

  • Gantt: Click the + next to Event


    Note: If there are stages set, click the + by the stage where the new Event is needed.

 

  • Kanban: Click the New button.

 

Event Panel Window

When creating a new Event, the Detail section of the Event allows you to add Checklist items for that Event.

After the Event is created, editing or viewing the Event allows you to add Files, Notes, Chatter and Help & Job Aids.

The Event panel window can be displayed in 2 ways: You can view all data stacked on one page, or in individual tabs.

  • To change the event display open any event by clicking on the Event Name          

  • To Edit the Event - click on the pencil icon in the top right

Editing Events

 

  • Tab set:

    • Detail - Details about the Event (More details below)

    • Files - Files can be linked or attached to the Event that help Users with additional information

    • Notes - Notes can be added to the Event that help Users with additional information

    • Chatter - Allows Users to view and add Chatter posts

    • Help & Job Aids - Information about the purpose and goals of the Event.

  • Event Name - Name of the Event

  • Start Date / End Date - Start and End date for the Event

  • Assigned To - Assign an individual responsible for the event. Suggested users will appear if related to the selected Event Type.

  • Mutual - Toggle to indicate the Event is Mutual

  • Stage - Enable to assign the event to the chosen stage.

  • Party - Party responsible for the Event (Internal, Partner Customer, Other)

  • Status - Indicates the present status of the event.

  • Key Opportunity Fields - Key Opportunity Fields as noted.



Checklist:

The Checklist is used to add tasks for team members. It shows % complete in the progress bar and in the Gantt event bar.

To add a new Checklist Item:

  • Double click an existing Event to open the Event side bar

  • Click  ‘Add Checklist Item’

  • Add the Checklist Item information (Name, Date)

  • Save  or cancel 

  • Created Tasks can be edited or deleted 

  • Created tasks can be reordered

    • Drag the task and move to another task to change the position 

  • Once the task is done, mark the checkbox as complete and it will be shown in the event progress bar.



Files:

Allows you to add specific links and/or files to an individual event.

  • Click  

  • Add a link with a valid URL address and Title > Save

    • Link will open if you click on the Link Title oricon

  • Click to add one or more Files

    • Files can be downloaded by clicking the icon.  The  button will create a link to send and share the file with others.

         



Notes:

Notes enables you to add notes to the event.

  • Open an Event > go to the Notes section 

  • Click + Note button > add your note > Save



Chatter: 

Chatter enables you to create a post related to the event that allows for feedback.

If there is not Chatter tab, the Chatter is set as disable.

  • Open an Event > go to the Chatter section

  • Write your post > click Post       

Event List

Event List shows a list of events created by your organization and also newly created events.

With stage progression turned on, Event List displays events for the Current Stage. You can also switch to All Stage view mode.

Current stage display:                                                                                 All stages display: 

  

Event List Layout & Navigation

  1. Playbook view setting

    1. All Stages

    2. Current Stage

  2. Mutual - Toggle Mutual Event

  3. Kanban - Switch to Kanban view

  4. Gantt  - Switch to Gantt chart view

  5. New - Create new Event

  6. Search bar

  7. Filter - Select  view filters

    1. My Events Only

    2. Open Events Only

    3. Mutual Events Only

    4. Internal

    5. Partner

    6. Customer

    7. Other

  8. Expand Playbook view area

  9. Show all Checklist items in all Events

  10. Playbook Export

    1. Mutual Plan Export - Export will include only Mutual Events

    2. Playbook Export - Export will include all Events

    3. Format: Excel

    4. PDF

    5. Web Presentation

  11. Gear icon

    1. Refresh - Refreshes and updates

    2. Move Events - Changes the timing of Events in Playbook

  12. Stage - Displays Stage name

  13. Status - shows the actual status of the event. Click on the button to change the Event Status

     

    1. Not Started -The Event has been not started yet - Nobody is working on it

    2. In Progress - The Event is in progress

    3. On Hold - Event is on hold

    4. Completed - The Event has been completed

    5. Canceled - The Event has been canceled.

    6. Not Applicable - Event is not applicable to this deal.

  14. Event Name

  15. Checklist Items

  16. Edit Event - Opens a modal to edit Event details

  17. Help and Jpb Aids - Opens a modal to access company provided Support Materials

  18. Attachments - Indicates the presence of and accesses attachments

  19. Edit of Delete Event

  20. Current Stage - Displays the Current Stage 

Gantt

The Gantt chart illustrates the Events in a Grid and Bar area. 

If auto stage progression is set, events are sorted by the stage to which they are assigned. (These settings are made when creating a template for a given ClosePlan) 

New events can be added directly to the stage.

Gantt displays event dependencies. 

If the event has set checklists, the event shows the percentage of their fulfillment.

Gantt Layout & Navigation

  Toolbar

  •  - Toggles visibility of the Sidebar 

  •  - Switches Events view between days, months, year or fit events to the visible Gantt area.

  •  - Scroll the Gantt area left and right or to today's date.

  •  - Toggles visibility of critical path

  •  - Export data as Excel, PDF, Image or MS Project

  •  - Enables you to move or resize individual Events in the Gantt area

  •  - Returns back to the Event List or Kanban

 Sidebar area 

The Sidebar area allows you to:  

  • Add a new Event: Click 

     and add information to the new event panel window.

  • View and edit the event: Click on the event you would like to see or edit.

  • Hide events - click  by the stage to hide events belong to the stage.

  • Hover over the event to show the Event information.

  • Click 1x on the event to highlight Event location on the Gantt chart. 

 Gantt area 

Contains Events in the timeline and in stages. Also allows you to see selected time periods (e.g. Q1, Q2).

  • Shows event dependency and checklist items progress

  • Events can be moved and resized

    • Drag the Event Bar to the right or left. Doing so will alter the assigned start and/or finish dates 

    • Resize to alter the duration of the Event by moving the edges of the bar. These actions will change the Event duration and start and/or end dates.

                  

  • Hover over the Event to show basic event information.

                    

  • Periods (Q2) are set by your organization and mark important dates.

  • Close marks the close date of the Opportunity

                    

Kanban

Divides the Events according to current Status. 

Drag and drop individual Events to different Status settings.

Click on the desired Event to open the event details. You can add Notes and Chatter posts for the Event, edit or delete the Event, and change the Status.

  

  •  - Click to create a new Event

  •  - Displays all events across entire ClosePlan

  •  

     - Displays Events assigned to the current stage

  •  

    - Switch to Gantt chart

  •  - Switch to Event List

  •  - Click on an individual Event node to open the Event information.