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Version: Version 22

Funnel

Introduction​

What is the Funnel tab?
The Funnel tab is the entry point for managing incoming change initiatives within the Portfolio functionality of Fortes Change Cloud. It serves as a structured process-oriented intake and evaluation space where ideas, proposals, and potential projects are collected, assessed, and prioritized before being executed. This tab helps organizations maintain control over their strategic pipeline and ensures that only the most valuable initiatives progress further.

Who uses it?
The Funnel tab is used by portfolio managers and support, PMOs, initiative owners, contributors and decision-makers responsible for evaluating and selecting initiatives. It’s also relevant for business units and departments that submit proposals or ideas for consideration. By centralizing intake, it supports collaboration between operational teams and strategic leadership.

What value does it deliver?
The Funnel tab delivers value by:

  • Creating a structured intake process: It ensures that all initiatives are captured consistently and evaluated against strategic criteria.
  • Improving prioritization: Users can compare proposals based on impact, feasibility, and alignment with strategic goals, helping to focus resources on what matters most.
  • Enhancing transparency: Stakeholders gain visibility into which ideas are being considered, rejected, or approved, fostering trust and engagement.
  • Supporting strategic agility: By continuously managing the flow of new initiatives, organizations can adapt quickly to changing priorities and opportunities.

In short, the Funnel tab helps organizations make smarter, more strategic decisions about which initiatives to pursue, turning ideas into impact.

Typical Funnel Stages​

A typical funnel setup might include:

  • New: Idea or proposal is registered.
  • Analysis: Initial review or feasibility study.
  • Backlog: Approved, waiting for prioritization or scheduling.
  • Doing: Actively being worked on.
  • Done: Completed initiatives.
  • On-hold: Temporarily paused items.
  • Removed: Withdrawn or discarded items.

These stages can be fully customized to match your organization's portfolio management process.

How to work with the Funnel​

The portfolio funnel is a Kanban-like view. For more information on how to work with the Kanban view, see the Kanban article.

Customizing funnel stages​

Add change and delete funnel stages.

How can I add portfolio items in bulk (from excel or clipboard)​

In the funnel tab it’s possible to add multiple portfolio items at once. Here it’s also possible to directly set values for the (custom) fields of the added portfolio items.

How do I start a project from a portfolio item​

Convert an initiative to a full project directly from the funnel, streamlining the workflow from idea to execution.

Selecting a report model when starting a project​

When starting a project from a portfolio item, the Start project dialog includes a dropdown to select the appropriate report model. This aligns the project with your organization's reporting standards from day one, without requiring post-launch adjustments.

Note: The report model dropdown only appears when the Classic portfolio reporting setting is enabled. This setting is managed by an administrator in Configuration → Portfolio Management. When disabled, the dropdown and related portfolio reporting options are hidden to keep the interface focused.

Customize fields on cards when following a portfolio model​

When a portfolio uses model-defined funnel stages, portfolio managers can add extra fields to cards beyond the model defaults, provided an administrator has enabled this in the model configuration.

For administrators:

  1. Open the model configuration for the relevant portfolio model.
  2. Enable the Allow managers to add fields on cards setting and save.

For portfolio managers:

  1. Go to the Funnel tab.
  2. Open Fields on cards via the ⋮ menu or the view configuration.
  3. Select additional fields to display. The model fields remain the foundation; your selections layer on top.

Cards then show both the model-defined fields and any additional fields selected by the manager. This applies across all funnel stages (not per individual phase).

Best practices​

  • Review items in each stage regularly to avoid bottlenecks.
  • Use filters, labels, and built-in analytics to keep your portfolio manageable.
  • Encourage contributors to provide complete, well-documented proposals for efficient decision-making.

FAQ​

Who can access the Funnel App?
Access depends on user roles; portfolio/project managers and stakeholders typically have editing rights.

Can we report on Funnel data?
Yes, create custom reports, dashboards, and export data as needed.

Is there an audit trail?
Yes, all actions are logged for governance.

Need more support?​

For step-by-step instructions or troubleshooting, contact your Fortes Change Cloud administrator or consult in-app help.

Fortes Change Cloud’s Funnel App – turning strategy into actionable, transparent decisions, every step of the way.