Final answer:
Salesforce uses Opportunity Stages to track how a deal progresses through the sales cycle, providing a clear view of each deal's position in the sales pipeline and allowing for effective management and forecasting.
Step-by-step explanation:
Salesforce tracks the progress of a deal through the sales cycle using Opportunity Stages. These stages represent the steps in your sales process, from the initial contact with a potential client to the closing of the deal. As a deal progresses, the stage is updated to reflect its current position in the sales pipeline. This allows sales teams to easily manage and forecast sales, identify bottlenecks in the sales process, and focus on the most promising opportunities. Each Opportunity Stage can be customized to fit the specific processes and vocabulary of the sales organization, ensuring that the tracking system aligns with real-world activities.