Section 14 · Shadow Pipeline — Find Revenue Sales Hasn't Logged
14.3Promote when evidence becomes strong
Designed for Phase 2- No.
- 14.3
- DMA's reference
- Decision Book p.29
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Autonomy
- L1 · Recommend
- DMA's decision
- Yes
◆ Amended in v3 of the book.
What DMA asked for · Decision Book p.29
When an emerging opportunity has enough intent and fit, recommend turning it into a real Nutshell opportunity.
Why it matters to DMA: It is what turns the signal into pipeline, instead of just an observation.
In our words, from DMA's Product Decision Book v3, page 29.
How we do it
- Scheduled for Phase 2. DMA's amendment asks for a workflow inside the single pipeline: emerging opportunity → evidence threshold → official opportunity.
- When an account crosses the evidence line (tier A plus a fresh signal such as a reply, a return visit or a booked call), the system proposes creating the opportunity in Nutshell.
- The proposal goes into the approval queue; once a person approves, the write gate creates it once, with the evidence in a note.
Already in place
- Tiers, next best actions and evidence quotes for every account.
- The write gate already creates leads in Nutshell from website chats, once, with a summary note.
- The approval queue with one-click approve and undo.
What the later phase adds
- The evidence-threshold rule.
- A "create opportunity" proposal in the approval queue for accounts that cross it.
The flow
It plays on its own while it's on screen; hover or use the controls to pause or step through.
A signal
A tier-A former client replies to the win-back email.
- Person
- Routing
- Rule in code
- Nutshell
Where the data goes
The same six stages on every page. Nothing reaches Nutshell except through the write gate.
- 1Signals
Source
Replies, visits, calls.
- 2Sync
Copies Nutshell changes into the bridge database
Sees the new opportunity come back from Nutshell.
- 3Bridge database
A copy of the CRM data, plus what the AI works out
The proposal and its approval.
- 4AI
Claude models, only through DMA's own gateway
Scores and the evidence summary.
- 5Write gate
The only way back into Nutshell: checked, approved when needed, sent once
Creates the opportunity once, after approval.
- 6Nutshell
The system of record
A real opportunity in the one pipeline.
The tables behind it
Drawn from the POC's database catalogue: structure only, no data.
PK primary keyFK reference the database enforces (solid line)ID reference kept by id (dashed line)
| Table | What it holds | Columns |
|---|---|---|
| ctrl.approvals | The approval queue. | 22 |
| ctrl.outbox | The write gate: each change sent once. | 28 |
How the tables connect (1)
| Column | Points to | Kept by |
|---|---|---|
| ctrl.outbox.approval_id | ctrl.approvals | The database (foreign key) |
Worked example
Synthetic demo data: every name, business and number is made up.
A designed promotion (synthetic example).
Proposal in the approval queue
- Account
- Ridgeline Roofing (tier A, former client)
- Evidence
- Replied to the win-back email: "Can we talk next week?"
- Proposed
- Create opportunity "Ridgeline Roofing — local SEO", $38,000 a year, owner Sean
In the running POC
There is no screen for this one yet: it is designed for Phase 2, as DMA's book decides. The parts listed under “Already in place” run in the POC today.
See it live
Opens the exact screen in the running POC, in a new tab.
| Open | Where | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Approvals | DMA AI dashboard | Where the promotion would wait for one click. |
Status
Designed for Phase 2. DMA's book schedules this for Phase 2. The design is ready and builds on parts that already run in the POC.