> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.tiny.plus/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.tiny.plus/guides/getting-started/designing-your-client-relationship-pipeline.md).

# Designing your client relationship pipeline

Design a business development process for your firm with a client relationship pipeline.

## What is a client relationship pipeline?

In tiny+ every company can be given a *Relationship Status*. It marks out the client companies you and your team are managing from everyone else you know.

There are four main states a company's *Relationship Status* may be in:

| Relationship Status | Description                                                                                                          |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `Prospect`          | A company that you would like to be working with, but are not yet an active client.                                  |
| `Active`            | An active client.                                                                                                    |
| `Latent`            | Either a client that is no longer giving you work, or a relationship which has gone quiet for one reason or another. |
| `(not set)`         | Any company that is not a client, for example an industry partner or competitor.                                     |

The *client relationship pipeline* is for tracking and nurturing clients. Not every company in your tiny+ database fits into `Prospect`, `Active` or `Latent`; the rest stay `(not set)`.

Once a company has a Relationship Status, it appears on the **Client Pipeline** view of the Companies page: a board with a column for each status or phase. Each card carries the company's health, and a handshake icon when it's on a [relationship plan](/guides/everyday/relationship-plans.md): blue when the plan is on track, amber when a follow-up is due soon and red when one is overdue.

## Configuring your client relationship pipeline

{% hint style="info" %}
You must be an Account Admin to configure the pipeline.
{% endhint %}

As with your [project pipeline](/guides/getting-started/designing-your-project-pipeline.md), you can split each of the three relationship statuses into phases. This gives your firm a shared process for winning new clients and nurturing the ones you have.

For example, under `Prospect` you might define `Uncontacted`, `Nurturing` and `Active Opportunity`.

Navigate to [**Account Settings -> Pipelines**](https://crm.tiny.plus/account/pipelines/companies) and open the client pipeline. From there you add, rename, reorder and remove phases, give them colours and descriptions, set health rules and lock columns, in the same way as the project pipeline.