5 Small but Mighty Pipedrive Configurations You Should Set Up Right Now

These aren't glamorous. But they work.

Most teams don't need a new CRM. 
They need a cleaner one.

Let's face it - no one dreams of tweaking CRM labels or fine-tuning filters...except maybe us. 
It's not the type of work that wins awards. It's the kind that stops deals slipping through your fingers.

But when your CRM actually fits how your team works? 
Things start to click. Reps move faster. Data makes more sense. Forecasting doesn't feel like guesswork wrapped in optimism. 

The problem is, most teams stop at "it's working" - when a few subtle changes could take them to "this is actually making my life much easier".

These are small but mighty configurations we recommend (and quietly install) on most of our Pipedrive accounts. You won't find them on flashy feature pages. But you will find them saving time, sharpening focus, and making your CRM just that little bit more intelligent. 

Let's go.

1. Custom Lead Labels (Ditch "Hot/Warm/Cold")

Let's be honest: "Hot lead" is a bit of an ambiguous phrase.
Is it budget? Is it timescale? Is it a gut feeling and a dream?
Ask three salespeople and you'll get five different answers.

Try these instead:

• New
• Attempting
• Contacted
• Qualified
• Disqualified

These are unambiguous, logical and perfect for building automations off the back of them:

Bonus Automations

• New: Create an activity reminder for the lead owner
• Attempting: Kick off a welcome series (cancel if replied/ label changes)
• Qualified: Auto-convert to a deal - why click? Automate
• Disqualified: Auto-archive + create a 3-6 month follow-up task

2. Add a "Testing" Label in Your Automation Setup

If you've ever had an automation trigger at exactly the wrong moment, this one's for you.

Creating a simple label called Testing lets you run automations in a safe space - no impact, no drama, no emails being sent to clients named "Test Testlington".

It's also a godsend when you're troubleshooting. 
Think of it as a sandbox you can filter and control. 

Example use:

If label = "Testing" and name contains "TEST" → trigger this workflow

It's small. But when it's missing, you'll miss it.

3. Automatically Rename "Untitled" Activities

Here's one for anyone who's ever scrolled through an activity feed that looks like:

• [blank]
• [blank]
• [catch-up]
• [READY???]
• [blank]
• [Call]
• [blank]

Pipedrive doesn't force you to name your activities - which means your reporting (and memory) are doing way too much.

Use automation to rename completed activies with something structured, like: 

Call with ((person.first_name)) on ((activity.date))

 Why this matters:

• Clearer records
• Easier calendar syncs
• Better logs for manager reviews
• And fewer "what was this even for?" moments

It's not flashy. But your future self will thank you.

4. Use Filters to Power Automations (Instead of Endless Logic)

Automations can get messy - fast.
Nested conditions, multiple branches and a creeping sense that this might break something important.

Pipedrive's filters are the antidote. 

Create filters like:

• "Deals with no activity in 7 days"
• "Contacts added this week without a deal"
• "Won deals without a note or product attached"

Then trigger automations off the filters. 
Easier to manage, cleaner to test, and much more transparent when someone else (inevitability) inherits your setup.

Modular beats monolithic. Every time. 

5. Standardise Your Lost Reasons (Dropdowns > Free Text)

We've all seen the horror: 

Your "Lost Reason" report contains: 

• "Too expensive"
• "To expesiive"
• "Price"
• "cost too high"
• "££££"
• "didnt want it"

Free text fields are flexible. Until you try to make sense of it later.

Switch to a dropdown field. Control the inputs and filter later. 
Now you've got clean, reportable data - and automation opportunities based on reason. 

Example:

If Lost Reason = "Budget" → Trigger follow-up in 90 days
If Lost Reason = "Timing" → Reminder in 6 months

If your CRM can't tell you why you're losing - how will you improve?

Final Thought

You don't need to rebuild your system to improve it.
You just need to sharpen the edges.

Five small changes. Zero fluff.
And suddenly, your CRM is a little more self-aware and a lot more helpful.

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