Opportunity Fields: Value, Probability, and Dates

Every Opportunity in Daylite includes a set of fields designed to help you track the financial value and timeline of a potential sale. These fields — Value, Probability, Forecasted Close Date, and related date fields — are unique to Opportunities and do not exist on Projects.

Key facts:

• The Value field is the total monetary amount an Opportunity is worth, either as a quick entry or as a detailed Estimate.
• An Estimate is a detailed breakdown of individual line items — products, services, quantities, and prices — that automatically calculates the Opportunity's Value. Estimates can be sent to a lead as a PDF quote.
• Probability is a percentage representing the likelihood the Opportunity will close. This percentage can be assigned under Details and Activity.
• Forecasted Close Date is the anticipated date when the Opportunity is expected to be won.
• Create Date and Created By are system fields that cannot be changed.
• Owner can be changed to a different user at any time.
• The Value of an Opportunity can only be edited from Daylite for Mac.

How Do You Track the Value of an Opportunity in Daylite?

The Value field captures the total monetary worth of an Opportunity. You can enter a Value in two ways:

Quick Value — enter a single dollar amount directly in the Value field on the Opportunity card. This is useful when you need to record a rough figure quickly, such as during a phone call.

To enter a quick Value:

1. Select the New Opportunity menu, or double-click an existing Opportunity card.
2. If creating a new Opportunity, select value to enter how much the deal is worth.

1. If editing an existing Opportunity, double-click the Opportunity card, then select edit to add a value.

Estimate — for a more detailed breakdown, use the Estimate tab on the Opportunity record.

1. Select an Opportunity and click on the Estimate tab.

1. Click the + button to add a new line item, or choose an item from your saved Products and Services. Set the quantity and price.

1. The Estimate total is reflected in the Opportunity's Value automatically.

Estimates can be used for internal tracking, or you can send a simple quote to a lead as a PDF.

1. If you repeatedly sell the same products or services, save them in Settings > Products & Services.

1. Click the + button and choose either Product or Service, then enter the information for Details, Pricing, Extras, and Comments.

1. Now you can enter the information for Details, Pricing, Extras and Comments. These are all optional entries, so you only have to fill out what's useful to you. The next time you add an Estimate, you can add your saved Product or Service from the + button.

The Value of an Opportunity can only be edited from Daylite for Mac.

For more on how Value and Estimate relate to creating an Opportunity, see Creating and Naming Opportunities.

What Is the Probability Field on an Opportunity in Daylite?

The Probability field is a percentage that represents how likely you believe the Opportunity is to close. This percentage can be assigned to the Opportunity under Details and Activity.

Probability is used in sales forecasting and is available as a sort option on the Opportunities Board, where it organizes your Opportunities by the likelihood they will close.

What Date Fields Does an Opportunity Have in Daylite?

An Opportunity in Daylite has several date fields, each serving a different purpose:

• Create Date — the date the Opportunity was created. This is set automatically and cannot be changed. Every Opportunity has a Create Date.
• Created By — the user who created the Opportunity. This is set automatically and cannot be changed.
• Owner — the user assigned to the Opportunity. The Owner defaults to the user who created the record, but it can be changed to another team member at any time.
• Start Date — recorded when the Opportunity is created. Can be edited.
• End Date — recorded when the Opportunity's State changes. Can be edited.
• Forecasted Close Date — the anticipated date when the Opportunity is expected to reach a successful outcome. This might be:

  • The date a client is expected to agree to the terms of a quotation
  • The date a purchase order is issued
  • The date a tender decision will be made
  • The date the client needs your product or services

  

You can update the Forecasted Close Date at any time as your Opportunity progresses along its Pipeline, to reflect when you think the Opportunity will reach a successful outcome.

The Forecasted Close Date is useful when reviewing multiple Opportunities during sales forecasting. It provides a sense of urgency for each open Opportunity to ensure it is closed on time. When reviewing multiple Opportunities over time, comparing the anticipated Forecasted Close Date with the actual End Date can reveal how accurately your team estimates timelines.

The Forecasted Close Date should not be confused with an Opportunity's Create Date, Start Date, or End Date. The Forecasted Close Date is your estimate of when the Opportunity will close. The End Date records when it actually did.

How Are Opportunity Fields Used on the Opportunities Board in Daylite?

The fields described above appear on Opportunity cards on the Opportunities Board, and they power several of the Board's sort and filter features:

• Sort by Total Value to focus on your highest-value Opportunities first.
• Sort by Probability to see which Opportunities are most likely to close.
• Sort by Forecasted Close to organize Opportunities by when they are expected to close.
• Filter by Forecasted Close Date to view Opportunities closing today, this week, this month, this quarter, or other time periods, both past and future.
• Filter by Create Date to view Opportunities created during specific time periods.

You can show or hide specific fields on Opportunity cards using the View Options control on the Board.

For details on how the Board's sort and filter controls work, see The Opportunities Board.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Value and Estimate in Daylite?

Value is the total dollar amount of the Opportunity. An Estimate is a detailed breakdown of individual line items (products, services, quantities, and prices) that automatically calculates the Value. You can use either approach.

Can I change the Forecasted Close Date after creating an Opportunity?

Yes. The Forecasted Close Date can be updated at any time as your Opportunity progresses through its Pipeline.

Can I edit an Opportunity's Value from iPhone or iPad?

No. The Value of an Opportunity can only be edited from Daylite for Mac.

Can I send an Estimate to a client from Daylite?

Yes. Estimates can be sent to a lead as a PDF. This lets you use the Estimate both for internal tracking and as a simple quote.

What is the difference between the Forecasted Close Date and the End Date in Daylite?

The Forecasted Close Date is your estimate of when the Opportunity will close. The End Date records when the Opportunity's State actually changed — for example, when it was marked as Won or Lost.