CRAIM's core CRM object is the workstream. A workstream is the single operational card where lead intake, deal context, customer communication, pipeline state, tasks, AI actions, and next steps come together.
The product should not be understood as separate lead and deal screens that users constantly reconcile. Lead and deal concepts still exist as business language, but the working object in the app is the workstream.
Core record
Workstream
A workstream represents one active commercial or customer-facing motion.
It can contain:
- person and company context
- email and phone
- source
- owner
- status
- priority
- pipeline stage
- commercial value and currency
- probability and expected close date
- notes, tags, and custom fields
- last activity and next action
Pipeline stages
Pipeline stages track commercial progress for a workstream. The stage answers where the opportunity sits in the revenue process.
Status and stage are related but not identical:
- status describes current operational state
- stage describes pipeline position
- AI qualification can update readiness without pretending that pipeline movement happened
Why this structure matters
- intake can create a workstream before it is commercially qualified
- conversations, calls, tasks, and AI output stay attached to one card
- the team does not have to reconcile separate lead and deal records manually
- reporting can use one company-scoped source of truth
Operational expectations
Use workstreams when you need:
- intake and qualification context
- customer conversation history
- pipeline ownership
- next-step control
- AI suggestions and review
- revenue-stage tracking
- forecast and analytics
Recommended usage
New workstream
- create or import the workstream
- capture source and qualification context
- assign owner
- let AI assist with qualification and suggested next steps
Active workstream
- update the stage only when stage movement is real
- create tasks from real execution needs
- keep inbox, calls, AI actions, and notes tied to the same workstream
Anti-patterns
- describing the app as separate leads and deals when the UI uses workstreams
- moving pipeline stage without evidence
- storing next-step logic only in chat messages
- using free-text notes instead of stage, task, and next-action fields where structure exists
What good looks like
The workstream card shows who the customer is, why they matter, where the commercial motion stands, what happened recently, and what should happen next.
Pipeline shows where revenue is actually moving, not where someone hoped it moved.