> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.affinity.co/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # How To Set Up Opportunity Triggers > Help center reference **How-to** — task-oriented recipe. ## Overview Opportunity Triggers automatically create an Opportunity record when a deal progresses to a specific stage. This ensures every qualified deal has corresponding tracking for forecasting and eliminates manual opportunity creation, while pre-filling key information from the source entry. ### Prerequisites **Permissions Required:** * You must be a List Owner or List Admin to configure Opportunity Triggers * To become a List Admin, ask the List Owner to grant you admin access **What You Need:** * Source list with a Status field (where trigger will activate) * Target Opportunity list (where opportunities will be created) * Target list must be type "Opportunity" * Target list must be shared with users who will create opportunities * Understanding of which status values indicate deal qualification ## Steps ### Step 1: Navigate to Triggers Settings 1. Open the source list where you want qualified deals to trigger opportunity creation 2. Click **List Options** in the top-right corner 3. Click **Triggers** 4. The Triggers configuration panel opens ### Step 2: Create a New Opportunity Trigger 1. Click the **Opportunity Triggers** tab 2. Click **Create New Trigger** (or select existing status to configure) 3. The trigger configuration form appears ### Step 3: Select the Status Value 1. In the **Status** dropdown, select which status value will trigger opportunity creation * Common examples: "Qualified", "Term Sheet Sent", "Follow-on Interest" 2. When users change an entry to this status, the opportunity creation modal will appear **Important:** Each status value can only trigger to ONE opportunity list (but different statuses can trigger to different lists) ### Step 4: Choose Target Opportunity List 1. In the **Target List** dropdown, select which opportunity list will receive new opportunities 2. Verify the target list: * Is type "Opportunity" * Is shared with your team members * Is not the same as your source list * Different status values can trigger to different opportunity lists * Example: "Follow-on" → "Follow-on Deals" list * Example: "Qualified" → "Active Pipeline" list ### Step 5: Save the Trigger 1. Review your configuration 2. Click **Save** 3. The trigger is now active ### Step 6: Test the Trigger (Optional but Recommended) 1. Navigate to a test entry in your source list 2. Change status to your configured trigger value 3. Opportunity creation modal should appear 4. Verify pre-filled fields are correct: * Name (from source entity) * Owners (from source entry) * Link to source entity * Amount (if available) * Complete any additional required fields * Click **Create Opportunity** * Verify opportunity appears in target list with proper linking ## Expected Outcome * When user changes status to trigger value, opportunity modal appears * Modal pre-fills with: Name, Owners, Source link, Amount (if available) * User completes additional required fields (if configured on target list) * New opportunity is created in target list * Opportunity automatically links back to source entity * Source entry updates to show linked opportunity * In New Lists: If Status Trigger also exists, both appear in consolidated modal (Status Trigger first, then Opportunity Trigger) ## What Gets Pre-Filled Automatically When Opportunity Trigger fires, these fields populate automatically: **Always pre-filled:** * **Name**: Derived from source entity name * **Link to source entity**: Automatic bidirectional linking * **Owners**: Copied from source entry's Owners field **Sometimes pre-filled:** * **Amount**: If source entry has Amount field populated **Never pre-filled (you must complete):** * Custom fields specific to opportunity tracking * Additional context or deal-specific information ## Where Opportunity Triggers Fire **Surfaces where triggers work:** * New Lists (Sheets view) * Kanban/Board view * Entity Profiles * Pathfinder **Surfaces where triggers do NOT fire:** * Data imports * API calls * Mobile App ## Tips & Best Practices **Configuration Strategy:** * **Choose qualification moments carefully** - Trigger at the stage where opportunity tracking becomes valuable * **One opportunity list per status** - Each status can only trigger to one list, so plan your list architecture accordingly * **Consider multiple triggers** - Different stages can create opportunities in different lists (e.g., "New Deal" list vs "Follow-on" list) * **Test with target list owners** - Ensure target list's Required Fields make sense for triggered entries **Target List Setup:** * Ensure target list exists and is type "Opportunity" * Share target list with all users who will create opportunities * Configure Required Fields on target list (will combine with trigger modal) * Verify target list won't create permission issues **Cascade Behavior:** * If both Status Trigger AND Opportunity Trigger exist on same status: * Status Trigger fires first (required fields for status change) * Then Opportunity Trigger fires (opportunity creation) * Both appear in consolidated modal in New Lists * Plan your triggers to avoid overwhelming users with too many fields at once **Workflow Integration:** * Opportunity Triggers work well with pipeline stages like: "Qualified", "Term Sheet", "Committed" * Consider when financial tracking becomes necessary * Align trigger timing with when ownership/amount information is known ## Common Mistakes * Don't trigger too early (before qualification info is known) * Don't forget to share target list with team * Don't set up trigger if target list might be deleted/archived * Don't assume pre-filled fields are sufficient (usually need additional Required Fields) **Maintenance:** * If target list is deleted, trigger becomes inactive (users see error) * Reconfigure trigger to point to new target list if needed * Review trigger effectiveness quarterly ## Common Use Cases **Sourcing to Pipeline Conversion:** "Companies in our 'Sourcing' list move to 'Qualified' status and should automatically create opportunities in our 'Active Pipeline' list." → Configure Opportunity Trigger on "Qualified" status pointing to "Active Pipeline" list. **Term Sheet Tracking:** "When we send a term sheet, I want to create an opportunity to track deal value and ownership." → Configure trigger on "Term Sheet Sent" status, target = "Active Deals" list. **Follow-on Investment Tracking:** "Portfolio companies raising follow-on rounds should trigger opportunities in our separate 'Follow-on Pipeline' list." → Configure trigger on "Follow-on Interest" status pointing to "Follow-on Pipeline" list. ## Troubleshooting **Problem: "The trigger isn't firing when I change status"** **Check:** * Are you on a surface where triggers are supported? (See "Where Opportunity Triggers Fire" above) * Are you changing status via import, API, or Lists column? (Not supported) * Is target list deleted or inaccessible? (Trigger becomes inactive) **Problem: "Target list disappeared from dropdown"** **Solutions:** * List may have been deleted - check with list owner * You may have lost access to target list - request access **Problem: "Pre-filled information is incorrect"** **Solutions:** * Verify source entry has correct Owners, Name, Amount * Pre-fill pulls from source entry at time of trigger - update source first if needed * You can edit pre-filled fields in the modal before creating opportunity *** ## Related topics - [How To Set Up Reminder Triggers](/s/article/How-to-set-up-Reminder-Triggers.md) - [How To Set Up Status Triggers](/s/article/How-to-set-up-Status-Triggers.md) - [How To Set Up Automations In Affinity](/s/article/How-to-set-up-automations-in-Affinity.md) - [How To Set Up Affinity For Salesforce](/s/article/How-to-set-up-Affinity-for-Salesforce.md) - [How To Set Up Automated Alerts For Affinity Analytics](/s/article/How-to-set-up-automated-alerts-for-Affinity-Analytics.md)