Quick Start
This guide covers every Pipedrive feature:
- Getting Started — Create account and set up your pipeline
- How to Use Leads Management — Capture and qualify prospects before they enter your pipeline
- How to Use Manage Deals — Track every deal from first contact to close
- How to Use Projects Management — Turn closed deals into active delivery projects
- How to Use Easy Campaigns — Send targeted email campaigns to your contacts
- How to Use Detailed Insights — Build custom reports and dashboards for your sales data
- How to Use AI CRM — Let AI suggest next steps and draft emails for you
- How to Use Email Marketing — Automate drip sequences and track opens
- How to Use Marketplace Integrations — Connect 500+ apps to your CRM
- How to Use Documents & Templates — Create proposals and contracts with autofill fields
Time needed: 5 minutes per feature
Also in this guide: Pro Tips | Common Mistakes | Troubleshooting | Pricing | Alternatives
Why Trust This Guide
I’ve used Pipedrive for over two years and tested every feature covered here. This how to use pipedrive tutorial comes from real hands-on experience — not marketing fluff or vendor screenshots.
Pipedrive is one of the most powerful CRM tools available today.
But most users only scratch the surface of what it can do.
This guide shows you how to use every major feature.
Step by step, with screenshots and pro tips.
Pipedrive Tutorial
This complete Pipedrive tutorial walks you through every feature step by step, from initial setup to advanced tips that will make you a power user.
Pipedrive
Close more deals with a CRM built by salespeople. Pipedrive gives you visual pipelines, smart automation, and AI-powered insights to grow revenue faster. Start your 14-day free trial — no credit card required.
Getting Started with Pipedrive
Before using any feature, complete this one-time setup.
It takes about 3 minutes.
Now let’s walk through each step.
Step 1: Create Your Account
Go to Pipedrive’s website.
Click “Try it free” in the top right corner.
Enter your email and create a password.
No credit card is needed for the 14-day trial.
✓ Checkpoint: Check your inbox for a confirmation email.
Step 2: Set Up Your First Pipeline
Pipedrive opens with a default sales pipeline.
Click any stage name to rename it.
Drag stages left or right to reorder them.
Add new stages by clicking the “+” icon on the right.
Here’s what the dashboard looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: You should see your custom pipeline with named stages.
Step 3: Sync Your Email and Calendar
Go to Settings and click “Email sync.”
Connect your Gmail, Outlook, or IMAP account.
Then click “Calendar sync” and link Google or Outlook.
This lets Pipedrive track all communications automatically.
✅ Done: You’re ready to use any feature below.
How to Use Pipedrive Leads Management
Leads Management lets you capture and qualify prospects before they enter your pipeline.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Leads Management in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Open the Leads Inbox
Click “Leads” in the left sidebar menu.
This opens your Leads Inbox where unqualified prospects live.
Step 2: Add a New Lead
Click the green “+ Lead” button at the top.
Fill in the contact name, organization, and source.
Add labels like “Hot” or “Cold” to prioritize follow-ups.
Here’s what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: Your new lead should appear in the Leads Inbox.
Step 3: Convert a Lead to a Deal
Click any lead and select “Convert to deal.”
Choose the pipeline and stage where the deal should land.
The lead’s data transfers to the deal automatically.
✅ Result: Your qualified lead is now a trackable deal in your pipeline.
💡 Pro Tip: Use labels to sort leads by temperature. This helps your team focus on the hottest prospects first.
How to Use Pipedrive Manage Deals
Manage Deals lets you track every deal from first contact to close.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Manage Deals in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Create a New Deal
Click the green “+ Deal” button at the top of your pipeline.
Enter the deal title, contact person, and expected value.
Set an expected close date to keep your forecast accurate.
Step 2: Move Deals Through Your Pipeline
Drag and drop deal cards between pipeline stages.
Each stage shows the total value of all deals inside it.
Deals that turn red have been sitting too long without activity.
✓ Checkpoint: You should see deals organized across your pipeline stages.
Step 3: Schedule Activities for Each Deal
Open any deal and click “Schedule an activity.”
Choose from calls, meetings, emails, or custom activity types.
Pipedrive reminds you when each activity is due.
✅ Result: Every deal has a clear next step so nothing falls through the cracks.
💡 Pro Tip: Enable “Deal Rotting” in settings to flag stale deals. This highlights any deal that goes too long without action.
How to Use Pipedrive Projects Management
Projects Management lets you turn closed deals into active delivery projects.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Projects Management in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Create a New Project
Click “Projects” in the left sidebar menu.
Hit “+ Project” and give it a title and description.
Link the project to an existing deal or contact.
Step 2: Add Tasks and Assign Team Members
Click “Add task” inside your project board.
Set a due date and assign each task to a team member.
Drag tasks between columns to update their status.
✓ Checkpoint: Your project board should show tasks organized by status columns.
Step 3: Track Progress and Deadlines
Use the project overview to see all tasks at a glance.
Overdue tasks show a red indicator so you can act fast.
Add notes and files directly to each project for context.
✅ Result: Your post-sale delivery stays organized inside the same CRM.
💡 Pro Tip: Set up an automation to create a project automatically when a deal is marked as won. This saves time and prevents missed handoffs.
How to Use Pipedrive Easy Campaigns
Easy Campaigns lets you send targeted email campaigns to your contacts.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Easy Campaigns in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Create a New Campaign
Go to “Campaigns” in the left sidebar and click “+ Campaign.”
Choose a campaign type: regular email or A/B test.
Name your campaign so you can find it later.
Step 2: Design Your Email
Pick a template or start from scratch with the drag-and-drop builder.
Add your content, images, and call-to-action buttons.
Use merge fields to personalize each email with the recipient’s name.
✓ Checkpoint: Preview your email on both desktop and mobile views.
Step 3: Select Your Audience and Send
Choose a contact filter or segment for your recipients.
Set the sender name, email address, and subject line.
Click “Send now” or schedule it for a specific time.
✅ Result: Your campaign reaches the right contacts at the right time.
💡 Pro Tip: Use A/B testing on subject lines to find what gets the highest open rates. Even small tweaks can double your opens.
How to Use Pipedrive Detailed Insights
Detailed Insights lets you build custom reports and dashboards for your sales data.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Detailed Insights in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Open the Insights Dashboard
Click “Insights” in the left sidebar menu.
Pipedrive shows preset reports for deals, activities, and revenue.
Browse the default dashboards to see your current sales performance.
Step 2: Create a Custom Report
Click “+ Report” and choose the report type.
Select your data source: deals, activities, or emails.
Add filters to narrow the data to a specific date range or pipeline.
✓ Checkpoint: Your custom report should display the filtered data in a chart or table.
Step 3: Pin Reports to Your Dashboard
Click the pin icon on any report to add it to your dashboard.
Rearrange dashboard widgets by dragging them into position.
Share dashboards with your team so everyone sees the same numbers.
✅ Result: You have a live dashboard showing exactly how your sales are performing.
💡 Pro Tip: Use the “Revenue Forecast” report to predict monthly income based on deal close dates and win probability.
How to Use Pipedrive AI CRM
AI CRM lets Pipedrive suggest next steps and draft emails for you.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch AI CRM in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Access AI-Powered Suggestions
Open any deal to see AI recommendations in the sidebar.
Pipedrive’s AI analyzes your deal history and activity patterns.
It suggests the best next action to move the deal forward.
Step 2: Use AI Email Drafting
Click “Write email” inside a deal and select the AI assistant.
Choose the email purpose: follow-up, proposal, or meeting request.
Review the AI-generated draft and edit it before sending.
✓ Checkpoint: You should see a full email draft ready for your review.
Step 3: Review AI-Generated Summaries
Open a deal’s activity timeline to see AI deal summaries.
The AI pulls together key interactions into a quick overview.
Use these summaries before calls to prepare in seconds.
✅ Result: AI handles routine writing so you can focus on selling.
💡 Pro Tip: Always personalize AI-drafted emails before sending. Add a specific detail about the prospect to make the message feel genuine.
How to Use Pipedrive Email Marketing
Email Marketing lets you automate drip sequences and track opens.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Email Marketing in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Set Up Email Templates
Go to Settings and click “Email templates.”
Click “+ Template” to create a new one.
Use placeholders like {first_name} for automatic personalization.
Step 2: Build an Automation Sequence
Go to “Automations” and click “+ Automation.”
Set a trigger like “deal enters stage” or “lead is created.”
Add an action to send your email template after a delay.
✓ Checkpoint: Your automation should show the trigger and action connected.
Step 3: Track Email Performance
Open any sent email to see if it was opened or clicked.
Check the “Mail” tab in each deal for full email history.
Use open tracking data to time your follow-ups perfectly.
✅ Result: Your emails go out on autopilot with full tracking visibility.
💡 Pro Tip: Send follow-up emails within 30 minutes of an open notification. Prospects who just opened your email are most likely to respond.
How to Use Pipedrive Marketplace Integrations
Marketplace Integrations lets you connect 500+ apps to your CRM.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Marketplace Integrations in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Browse the Marketplace
Click “Marketplace” in the left sidebar or visit the Pipedrive Marketplace.
Search for the app you want to connect by name or category.
Popular categories include communication, marketing, and accounting.
Step 2: Install and Authorize the App
Click “Install” on the app you want.
Grant the permissions that Pipedrive requests.
Follow any setup steps specific to that app.
✓ Checkpoint: The app should show as “Installed” in your Marketplace.
Step 3: Configure the Integration Settings
Go to the app’s settings page within Pipedrive.
Map fields between Pipedrive and the connected app.
Test the connection by syncing a sample record.
✅ Result: Your favorite tools now sync data directly with your CRM.
💡 Pro Tip: Connect Slack to Pipedrive to get instant deal updates in your team channel. This keeps everyone informed without checking the CRM.
How to Use Pipedrive Documents & Templates
Documents & Templates lets you create proposals and contracts with autofill fields.
Here’s how to use it step by step.
Watch Documents & Templates in action:
Now let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Create a Document Template
Go to “Documents” in the sidebar and click “+ Template.”
Choose Google Docs or Microsoft OneDrive as your editor.
Build your proposal, quote, or contract layout.
Step 2: Add Autofill Placeholders
Insert Pipedrive fields like {deal.title} and {person.name} into the template.
These fields pull live data from each deal when you generate a document.
Add pricing tables with {product.name} and {product.price} placeholders.
✓ Checkpoint: Your template should show placeholder tags throughout the document.
Step 3: Generate and Share a Document
Open a deal and click “Create document from template.”
Pipedrive fills in all placeholders with the deal’s real data.
Share the document link with your prospect or download a PDF.
✅ Result: Professional documents are ready in seconds with zero manual data entry.
💡 Pro Tip: Enable tracking on shared document links. You’ll see when your prospect opens and reads the proposal.
Pipedrive Pro Tips and Shortcuts
After testing Pipedrive for over two years, here are my best tips.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Add a new deal | Shift + D |
| Add a new contact | Shift + P |
| Add a new activity | Shift + A |
| Open search | / (forward slash) |
Hidden Features Most People Miss
- Deal Rotting Alerts: Enable this in pipeline settings to highlight deals with no activity for a set number of days. Stale deals are the biggest silent revenue killer.
- Multiple Pipelines: Create separate pipelines for different products, regions, or sales processes. Most users stick with one pipeline when they should have two or three.
- Smart Contact Data: Click the “Enrich” button on any contact to pull public info from LinkedIn and company websites automatically. Saves hours of manual research.
Pipedrive Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake #1: Skipping Activity Scheduling
❌ Wrong: Creating deals but never scheduling follow-up activities. Deals sit idle with no next step.
✅ Right: Always schedule the next activity before closing a deal card. Every deal should have at least one upcoming action.
Mistake #2: Using One Pipeline for Everything
❌ Wrong: Putting all deal types in a single pipeline. Your stages get messy and reports become meaningless.
✅ Right: Create separate pipelines for new business, upsells, and renewals. Each process deserves its own stages.
Mistake #3: Ignoring Custom Fields
❌ Wrong: Using only default fields and cramming extra info into notes. You can’t filter or report on notes.
✅ Right: Create custom fields for data points you track often. This makes filtering, reporting, and automation possible.
Pipedrive Troubleshooting
Problem: Emails Not Syncing
Cause: Your email provider blocked the connection or the sync token expired.
Fix: Go to Settings, disconnect email sync, and reconnect it. Make sure you allow Pipedrive access in your email provider’s security settings.
Problem: Deals Not Showing in Reports
Cause: The report filter is set to a different pipeline or date range than expected.
Fix: Open the report and check the pipeline and date filters at the top. Reset them to “All pipelines” and your desired date range.
Problem: Automations Not Triggering
Cause: The automation is paused or the trigger conditions don’t match your deal data.
Fix: Go to Automations and check that the workflow is toggled “Active.” Review each trigger condition and test with a sample deal.
📌 Note: If none of these fix your issue, contact Pipedrive support through the in-app chat or help center.
What is Pipedrive?
Pipedrive is a sales CRM tool that helps teams manage leads, track deals, and close revenue faster.
Think of it like a visual whiteboard for your entire sales process — but digital and automated.
Watch this quick overview:
It includes these key features:
- Leads Management: Capture and qualify prospects before they enter your pipeline
- Manage Deals: Track every deal from first contact to close with drag-and-drop pipelines
- Projects Management: Turn closed deals into organized delivery projects
- Easy Campaigns: Send targeted email campaigns to segmented contact lists
- Detailed Insights: Build custom reports and dashboards for your sales data
- AI CRM: Get AI-powered suggestions, email drafts, and deal summaries
- Email Marketing: Automate drip sequences with open and click tracking
- Marketplace Integrations: Connect 500+ apps directly to your CRM
- Documents & Templates: Create proposals with autofill placeholders
For a full review, see our Pipedrive review.
Pipedrive Pricing
Here’s what Pipedrive costs in 2026:
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Lite | $14/user/month | Solo sellers and startups getting started with CRM |
| Growth | $24/user/month | Small teams that need email sync and automation |
| Premium | $49/user/month | Growing teams wanting forecasting and AI features |
| Ultimate | $69/user/month | Large teams needing max automation and security |
Free trial: Yes — 14 days with full Premium features, no credit card needed.
Money-back guarantee: No official refund policy, but prorated credits apply when downgrading plans.
💰 Best Value: Growth plan — it includes email sync, automation builder, and product catalog at just $24/user/month.
Pipedrive vs Alternatives
How does Pipedrive compare? Here’s the competitive landscape:
| Tool | Best For | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pipedrive | Visual sales pipeline management | $14/user/mo | ⭐ 4.3 |
| GoHighLevel | All-in-one marketing and sales | $97/mo | ⭐ 4.3 |
| Keap | Small business automation | $299/mo | ⭐ 4.2 |
| ActiveCampaign | Email marketing with CRM | $15/mo | ⭐ 4.0 |
| HubSpot | Free CRM with marketing hub | $0/mo | ⭐ 4.0 |
| ClickFunnels | Sales funnel builder | $81/mo | ⭐ 4.2 |
| Folk | Lightweight relationship CRM | $17.50/member/mo | ⭐ 4.0 |
| Instantly | Cold email outreach at scale | $30/mo | ⭐ 4.3 |
Quick picks:
- Best overall: Pipedrive — best visual pipeline with strong automation at a fair price
- Best budget: HubSpot — free CRM plan with solid core features
- Best for beginners: Capsule CRM — simple interface with minimal learning curve
- Best for enterprise: Salesforce — deep customization for complex sales processes
🎯 Pipedrive Alternatives
Looking for Pipedrive alternatives? Here are the top options:
- 🚀 GoHighLevel: All-in-one platform that bundles CRM, funnels, email, SMS, and appointment booking into one monthly fee.
- 💼 Keap: Built for small businesses that need invoicing, payments, and sales automation in one place.
- 📊 ActiveCampaign: Best for teams that rely heavily on email marketing and want a CRM built around it.
- 🌟 HubSpot: Free CRM tier with a massive app marketplace. Scales from startup to enterprise.
- ⚡ ClickFunnels: Focused on building and managing sales funnels rather than traditional pipeline management.
- 🎨 Folk: Lightweight CRM designed for relationship-driven sales with a clean, modern interface.
- 🔥 Instantly: Cold email tool that handles high-volume outreach with automated warmup and deliverability features.
- 🔧 ClickUp: Project management platform with built-in CRM views. Great for teams already using ClickUp.
- 💰 Monday CRM: Flexible work OS with CRM templates. Strong for visual teams who want custom workflows.
- 👶 Capsule CRM: Simple, affordable CRM perfect for small teams that want easy contact management.
- 🧠 Insightly: CRM with built-in project management. Ideal for teams that deliver services after closing deals.
- ⭐ Freshsales CRM: AI-powered CRM with a free tier and strong lead scoring features.
- 🏢 Salesforce: The enterprise standard for CRM. Deep customization and a massive third-party app network.
- 🎯 Zendesk: Best known for support but its Sell module handles sales CRM with built-in calling and texting.
For the full list, see our Pipedrive alternatives guide.
⚔️ Pipedrive Compared
Here’s how Pipedrive stacks up against each competitor:
- Pipedrive vs GoHighLevel: Pipedrive is simpler for pure sales CRM. GoHighLevel wins if you need marketing, funnels, and CRM together.
- Pipedrive vs Keap: Pipedrive has a lower price point and cleaner interface. Keap adds invoicing and e-commerce features.
- Pipedrive vs ActiveCampaign: Pipedrive focuses on pipeline management. ActiveCampaign has stronger email automation and segmentation.
- Pipedrive vs HubSpot: Pipedrive is more affordable for sales teams. HubSpot offers a free tier and broader marketing tools.
- Pipedrive vs ClickFunnels: Pipedrive manages your full sales process. ClickFunnels is built for creating landing pages and sales funnels.
- Pipedrive vs Folk: Pipedrive has deeper automation and reporting. Folk is lighter and better for networking-style relationship management.
- Pipedrive vs Instantly: Pipedrive is a full CRM. Instantly focuses specifically on cold email outreach and deliverability.
- Pipedrive vs ClickUp: Pipedrive is purpose-built for sales. ClickUp is a project management tool with CRM add-on features.
- Pipedrive vs Monday CRM: Pipedrive has stronger sales-specific features. Monday CRM offers more flexible custom workflows.
- Pipedrive vs Capsule CRM: Pipedrive has more advanced automation and reporting. Capsule is simpler and cheaper for small teams.
- Pipedrive vs Insightly: Both handle CRM and projects. Pipedrive has a better pipeline view while Insightly links projects tighter.
- Pipedrive vs Freshsales CRM: Pipedrive has a cleaner pipeline. Freshsales offers a free plan and built-in phone dialer.
- Pipedrive vs Salesforce: Pipedrive is faster to set up and more affordable. Salesforce wins for large enterprises needing deep customization.
- Pipedrive vs Zendesk: Pipedrive is better for pure sales workflows. Zendesk is stronger if you need sales and support in one platform.
Start Using Pipedrive Now
You learned how to use every major Pipedrive feature:
- ✅ Leads Management
- ✅ Manage Deals
- ✅ Projects Management
- ✅ Easy Campaigns
- ✅ Detailed Insights
- ✅ AI CRM
- ✅ Email Marketing
- ✅ Marketplace Integrations
- ✅ Documents & Templates
Next step: Pick one feature and try it now.
Most people start with Leads Management.
It takes less than 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pipedrive and how does it work?
Pipedrive is a sales-focused CRM that helps teams manage leads and close deals. It works by giving you visual pipelines where you drag deals through stages. Every deal has activities, contacts, and notes attached so your team always knows the next step.
How to effectively use Pipedrive?
Start by customizing your pipeline stages to match your sales process. Then add all your leads and schedule activities for each one. Use automations to handle repetitive tasks like sending follow-up emails. Review your Insights dashboard weekly to spot bottlenecks.
Is Pipedrive easy to use?
Yes. Pipedrive is one of the easiest CRMs to learn. The drag-and-drop pipeline takes minutes to set up. Most teams are fully operational within a day. The interface is clean and focuses on actions rather than cluttered menus.
What can I do with Pipedrive?
You can manage leads, track deals through custom pipelines, send email campaigns, create proposals with autofill templates, build reports, and automate workflows. Pipedrive also connects with over 500 apps through its marketplace.
What is Pipedrive used for?
Pipedrive is used for managing the entire sales process. Sales teams use it to track leads, manage deals, forecast revenue, and automate follow-ups. It’s designed for small to mid-size businesses that want a CRM focused on closing deals rather than just storing contacts.
What CRM is better than Pipedrive?
It depends on your needs. HubSpot is better if you need a free plan and marketing tools. Salesforce is better for large enterprises with complex processes. Freshsales is better if you need a built-in phone dialer. Pipedrive wins for visual pipeline management and ease of use.
Why is Pipedrive better than HubSpot?
Pipedrive is simpler, more affordable, and purpose-built for sales teams. HubSpot’s paid plans get expensive fast once you add marketing features. Pipedrive gives you strong automation and reporting at a lower per-user cost without the complexity.
What are the different user roles in Pipedrive?
Pipedrive has several user roles: Admin (full access to all settings and data), Manager (can see and edit team data), and Regular User (can only see their own data). You can also create custom visibility groups to control who sees what.
Is Pipedrive expensive?
Pipedrive starts at $14/user/month on the Lite plan, which is affordable for most small teams. The Growth plan at $24/user/month is the sweet spot for most businesses. Compared to Salesforce or HubSpot’s paid tiers, Pipedrive is significantly cheaper.
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