# Pipeline health and data integrity

*Agentforce Sales Foundations Study Guide · Pipeline Management · Last updated October 16, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-sales-foundations/pipeline-management/pipeline-health-and-data-integrity*

How to read a pipeline's shape (healthy, top-heavy, bottom-heavy), keep stages, amounts and contact data accurate, and use insights such as lead source, industry and stage conversion to target the customers your solution fits.

- Certification: Salesforce Agentforce Sales Foundations
- Exam section: Pipeline Management
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/agentforce-sales-foundations

**Official exam objective:**

> Analyze pipeline health insights ensuring data integrity to improve customer relevance.

## What the exam expects

- Diagnose a pipeline as healthy, top-heavy or bottom-heavy from its stage counts and ages, and name the fix for each.
- Keep opportunity data honest: the stage matches exit criteria the buyer has met, the amount reflects what the buyer has actually confirmed, and contact and account details are current.
- Choose the pipeline insights (lead source, industry, conversion rate) that make the next round of outreach more relevant to customers.
- Read a stage-to-stage conversion drop back to its real cause, often loose qualification upstream.
- Use pipeline reviews and Pipeline Inspection to spot stale or changed deals.

Key terms:
- **Healthy pipeline:** one that flows, with new opportunities entering and won opportunities exiting.
- **Top-heavy pipeline:** many opportunities coming in, not enough reaching the final stages.
- **Bottom-heavy pipeline:** plenty of deals closing, not enough new ones entering at the top.
- **Dirty data:** inaccurate or outdated records, such as a contact who left or a wrong industry.
- **Exit criteria:** what must be true before a deal leaves a stage.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy pipeline | Flows: deals move stage to stage in a set timeframe or are filtered out | [Build a Healthy Sales Pipeline](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/sales-pipeline-basics/build-a-healthy-sales-pipeline) |
| Top-heavy | Many coming in, not enough reaching final stages | [Build a Healthy Sales Pipeline](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/sales-pipeline-basics/build-a-healthy-sales-pipeline) |
| Bottom-heavy | Plenty closing, not enough new opportunities entering | [Build a Healthy Sales Pipeline](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/sales-pipeline-basics/build-a-healthy-sales-pipeline) |
| Stagnant leads | Clog the pipeline and throw off the sales forecast | [Build a Healthy Sales Pipeline](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/sales-pipeline-basics/build-a-healthy-sales-pipeline) |
| Data upkeep | Toss dirty data; update when a lead arrives or a prospect changes stage | [Build a Healthy Sales Pipeline](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/sales-pipeline-basics/build-a-healthy-sales-pipeline) |
| Pipeline reviews | Accountability, action items with a timeline, confirmed exit criteria per stage | [Build a Healthy Sales Pipeline](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/sales-pipeline-basics/build-a-healthy-sales-pipeline) |
| Pitch before qualifying | Dead end: little interest, insufficient budget or no buying authority | [Avoid Common Sales Mistakes](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/build-a-sales-process/avoid-common-sales-mistakes) |
| Pipeline Inspection | Weekly changes in close dates, amounts, stages, forecast categories; stale next steps | [Pipeline Inspection](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.pipeline_inspection.htm&language=en_US&type=5) |
| Path guidance | Up to five key fields and 1,000 characters of guidance per step | [Create a Path](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.path_create.htm&type=5) |

## Check yourself

- Why does a top-heavy pipeline lose revenue even though it has many deals?
- When should a rep update a prospect's record?
- Which two metrics best show which prospects to target next?
- Why do "no budget" losses at Proposal point to qualification?

## Sources

- [Build a Healthy Sales Pipeline](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/sales-pipeline-basics/build-a-healthy-sales-pipeline)
- [Pipeline Inspection](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.pipeline_inspection.htm&language=en_US&type=5)
- [Avoid Common Sales Mistakes](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/build-a-sales-process/avoid-common-sales-mistakes)
- [Learn About the Sales Process](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/build-a-sales-process/learn-about-the-sales-process)
- [Build Your Pipeline Engine](https://trailhead.salesforce.com/content/learn/modules/business-pipeline-quick-look/build-your-pipeline-engine)
- [Create a Path](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.path_create.htm&type=5)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 6 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the Agentforce Sales Foundations pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams