Who This Is For / When to Use
This trigger is for sales teams and managers who want to automatically detect and act on opportunities that have stalled.
Use this trigger to:
Re-engage inactive deals
Alert sales reps or managers about stalled opportunities
Move stagnant deals to a different status
Enforce pipeline hygiene automatically
Prevent deals from being forgotten
What the Stale Opportunities Trigger Does
The Stale Opportunities trigger evaluates opportunities that remain in an Open status for a defined number of days.
When the trigger fires:
The contact tied to the opportunity is added to the workflow
Workflow actions execute immediately
Each opportunity is evaluated independently
This trigger requires a Duration in Days filter to function.
Requirements Before Using This Trigger
The following must be set up before using this trigger:
Opportunities enabled in the account
At least one Pipeline configured
Opportunities using the Open status
Step 1: Create or Open a Workflow
Navigate to Automations & Workflows > Workflows
Click Create Workflow or open an existing workflow
Step 2: Add a Workflow Trigger
In the workflow builder, click Add New Trigger
Step 3: Select the Stale Opportunities Trigger
In the trigger search field, type stale
Expand the Opportunities section
Select Stale Opportunities
The Trigger Setup panel opens automatically.
Step 4: Configure Trigger Settings
Each configuration option below operates independently.
Workflow Trigger Name (Optional)
Used only for internal identification
Does not affect trigger behavior
Required Filter: Duration in Days
Duration in Days determines how long an opportunity must remain Open before it becomes stale.
This filter is required.
How it works:
The trigger is not retroactive
The trigger fires in multiples of the duration
Examples:
Duration = 30 days
Opportunity open for 28 days → fires in 2 days
Opportunity open for 33 days → does not fire immediately
Opportunity open for 30, 60, 90 days → fires each time
Optional Filter: Lost Reason
The Lost Reason filter allows targeting stale opportunities based on why they were previously lost.
Use this to:
Customize re-engagement messaging
Focus on specific objections
Improve deal recovery strategies
Optional Filter: In Pipeline
Limits the trigger to opportunities inside selected pipelines.
Use this when managing multiple pipelines.
Optional Filter: Pipeline Stage
Narrows the trigger further to a specific stage within the selected pipeline.
This filter is only available after selecting In Pipeline.
Optional Filters: Tags
Has Tag: Only contacts with the selected tag are included
Doesn’t Have Tag: Contacts with the selected tag are excluded
Using both together is not recommended.
Optional Filters: Assigned To, Lead Value, Status
These filters allow advanced segmentation for:
Sales rep accountability
High-value opportunity prioritization
Status-based workflows
Custom Field Filters
Custom Fields can be used to limit which contacts are added based on account-specific data.
Custom Fields must already exist.
Save the Trigger
Click Save Trigger to apply all settings.
Step 5: Save, Test, and Publish the Workflow
Click Save in the top-right corner
Toggle Publish to enable the workflow
Use Test Workflow to confirm correct behavior
Important Behavior Notes
The trigger evaluates each opportunity individually
The trigger fires repeatedly unless the opportunity status changes
To prevent repeat enrollments, add an action that changes the opportunity status (for example, to Abandoned)
Example: Notify Sales Reps of Stale Opportunities
Scenario:
A sales team wants to be alerted when deals are ignored.
Trigger Setup:
Trigger: Stale Opportunities
Duration in Days: 2
In Pipeline: Sales Pipeline
Pipeline Stage: Negotiation
Actions:
Send reminder email to assigned sales rep
Create follow-up task
Update opportunity status
This ensures stalled deals receive immediate attention.
Common Issues and Fixes
The trigger does not fire
Confirm Duration in Days is set
Verify the opportunity status is Open
Ensure the workflow is published
The trigger fires repeatedly
Add an action to change the opportunity status
Remove the opportunity from the filtered pipeline or stage
FAQ
What is the Stale Opportunities workflow trigger?
It adds contacts to a workflow when their opportunity stays in the Open status longer than the specified number of days.
Is the trigger retroactive?
No. It only evaluates opportunities from the time the workflow is published.
Does the trigger repeat?
Yes. It fires at multiples of the selected duration unless the opportunity status changes.
Can I limit this trigger to specific pipelines?
Yes. Use the In Pipeline filter.
Can I filter by pipeline stage?
Yes. Add Pipeline Stage after selecting a pipeline.
Can I prevent repeat enrollments?
Yes. Add a workflow action that updates the opportunity status.
Does this work for contacts with multiple opportunities?
Yes. Each opportunity is evaluated separately.