A CRM template in Excel is a spreadsheet where you follow every lead from first contact until the deal is won or lost: its stage, deal value, win probability, next follow-up date and owner. This one also has a calls and meetings log, a customer lifetime value sheet and a weekly pipeline report for each salesperson.
The example has six open deals worth SAR 309,500.00. Multiply each by the probability of its stage and the weighted pipeline is SAR 147,650.00. Base your sales forecast on the weighted figure.
What is customer relationship management (CRM)?
Customer relationship management is a way of keeping each customer's history with the business in one place: who spoke to them, what was offered and when the next follow-up is due. Deals stop slipping when a salesperson is busy or leaves, and the manager sees the whole pipeline on one page. An Excel sheet is enough while the sales team is one to three people, deals number in the dozens and each owner updates their own rows.
Sales funnel stages and how to track leads
The sales funnel is the sequence of stages a lead passes through. The template uses six: New, Contacted after the first real conversation, Quote sent once a written offer goes out, Negotiation when the customer discusses price or terms, then Won or Lost. Only move a deal forward when that step has actually happened, or the probability rises on paper alone.
Each stage has a win probability: 10% for New, 20% for Contacted, 40% for Quote sent and 60% for Negotiation, editable in advanced mode from your own closed deals. Weighted value = deal value x probability. In the example the pharmacy deal is at Quote sent, worth SAR 28,500 with a custom 50%, so its weighted value is SAR 14,250.00 instead of SAR 11,400.00.
Conversion rate between two stages = deals that reached the next stage / deals that entered the stage. The win rate in the advanced summary counts closed deals only: one won out of two closed in the example, or 50%.
How to use the CRM template in Excel
- Add a row for each lead as soon as you first talk to them, with the expected deal value, even as an estimate.
- Change the stage on the day the deal moves, and record the reason for lost deals in the Next action column.
- Give every open deal a next follow-up date. Once the date passes, the row turns red and reads "Overdue".
- Record each call or meeting, with its outcome, in the calls and meetings log.
- Before the sales meeting, open "Pipeline report by owner" and download a PDF for each team member.
The customer lifetime value (CLV) sheet in advanced mode estimates the profit a customer brings over the whole relationship: average order x orders per year x years retained x profit margin. A small retail shop ordering SAR 2,400 six times a year for four years at a 30% margin is worth SAR 17,280.00, and winning it cost SAR 1,500, which is 11.5 times the cost.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to update the stage after a meeting, so the weighted pipeline drifts from reality.
- Deals with no follow-up date, which sit in the pipeline for months without anyone calling.
- Deleting lost deals instead of recording them with a reason, which makes the win rate look better than it is.
From Excel to an integrated sales system
Once several salespeople share the file and every customer needs quotations, invoices and collection, the spreadsheet splits into copies nobody trusts. Microtec builds an ERP accounting system for businesses in Saudi Arabia that brings sales, purchasing, inventory, finance and HR into one system.
Lead management FAQ
Is there a free CRM template in Excel?
Yes. The Download Excel button gives you the leads sheet, the calls log, customer lifetime value, a summary and settings, with formulas for probability, weighted value and follow-up status. A blank file with the same columns is also available.
How do I qualify a lead?
Ask three things on the first call: is there a clear need, does the person make the buying decision or know who does, and is there a budget and a timeline. Leads that answer all three move to Contacted; the rest stay New with a follow-up date.
When should I mark a deal as lost?
When the customer picks another offer, cancels the project, or stops replying after three spaced follow-ups. Mark it Lost and write down why, since the reasons are what improve your next quotes.
How often should I follow up with a lead?
Set the date at the end of every conversation based on what you agreed, not on a fixed interval. A deal in negotiation needs a call within days; a new lead without a budget can wait two weeks. Never leave an open deal without a date.
When should I move from Excel to a CRM system?
When more than three people work in the file, when you need each customer's quotations and invoices in one place, or when updates keep getting lost between copies.