Set Up a CRM Inside Mautic: The Complete Checklist

The short answer

To set up a CRM workflow inside Mautic, install a deal-management layer, create one pipeline with clear open and closed stages, add a first deal, associate the Mautic contacts already in your database, label each person’s role, configure stage synchronization, and establish a weekly board review. Start with what Mautic already handles and what a CRM layer adds so contact automation and deal operations stay distinct.

The checklist below uses Deal Flow for the deal layer. Each step links to the relevant product documentation, so you can confirm the current screen and behavior before marking it complete.

The complete Mautic CRM setup checklist

1. Install the deal-management layer

   Follow the documented wget and unzip sequence in the current install procedure, reload Mautic’s plugins, and verify that the Deal Flow screens appear. Use the documentation as the source for the current commands and package path instead of copying an older command from another page.

   • Take the backup called for in the installation documentation.
   • Complete plugin reload and check the command output.
   • Open the Deal Flow screens before continuing.

2. Design one pipeline and its stages

   Use the quick-start sequence to create a named pipeline, then use the pipeline reference to order its stages and define the won and lost outcomes. Stage names should describe decisions or progress your team can identify consistently.

   If you want a screen-by-screen walkthrough, follow How to Add a Pipeline to Mautic.

3. Create and verify the first deal

   Create a deal with a clear title and pipeline, then add the fields your review process needs, such as stage, amount, owner, and expected close date. The deals documentation identifies required and optional fields and explains the board view.

   • Confirm the deal appears in the intended stage column.
   • Assign an owner who is responsible for the next action.
   • Add a next task so the record carries an operating commitment, not just status.

4. Associate existing Mautic contacts and assign roles

   Do not import contacts into the deal layer. On the deal detail page, search for contacts already stored in Mautic, associate the relevant people, and label each association with the person’s buying role. The buying-committee documentation covers the association flow and available role labels.

   At minimum, identify who is driving the evaluation, who controls the decision, and who owns the next conversation. Use custom role text when the documented presets do not match the account.

5. Configure stage synchronization deliberately

   Decide which deal-stage changes should update the Mautic stage of associated contacts. Configure those mappings in the pipeline stage editor as described in Pipeline Management. Leave a deal stage unmapped when moving into it should not change contact-level automation.

   Test one mapped transition with a non-critical deal. Confirm the associated contact reaches the intended Mautic stage and that the result matches the campaign behavior your team expects.

6. Add optional webhooks or n8n workflows

   Skip integration work unless another system needs to create, update, or react to deals. When it does, choose the path that matches the event direction: review the webhook overview for inbound and outbound communication, or use the Mautic and n8n workflow templates for an orchestrated multi-step flow.

   Test with a non-critical record and verify the resulting deal, stage, and contact associations before connecting a live source.

7. Establish a weekly board review

   Make a weekly review your starting habit, then adjust the cadence to the length and volume of your sales cycle. Use the deal board to inspect stage placement, owners, next tasks, and stale work. Add the dashboard widgets your team will actually watch, and use reports and metrics to look for trends beyond individual records.

   • Move deals whose stage no longer reflects reality.
   • Give every active deal an owner and a next task.
   • Review stalled work, then move each resolved deal to the correct won or lost outcome and confirm its closed status.

What a complete first setup looks like

The setup is operational when the team can open one board, understand where each active deal sits, see which existing contacts are involved, and identify the next action without reconciling a separate spreadsheet.

Frequently asked questions

Do I import contacts into Deal Flow?

No. Use the Add Contact action on a deal to associate contacts that already exist in Mautic, then assign a buying role to each association.

Should every deal stage update a Mautic contact stage?

No. Map the transitions that should change an associated contact’s lifecycle state, and leave operational deal stages unmapped when they should not affect contact automation.

Are webhooks or n8n required for the setup?

No. They are optional integration paths for teams that need another system to create, update, or respond to deals. A working manual pipeline does not depend on either one.

How often should the pipeline board be reviewed?

A weekly review is a practical starting habit. Check stage placement, ownership, next tasks, stalled deals, dashboard signals, and reporting trends, then adjust the cadence to your sales cycle.