- Pipeline is a free, open source leads CRM for one person. It keeps your contacts, follow-ups, conversations, purchases and market research on your own computer.
- The easy way is the Windows app for Windows 10 and 11. Download the zip, unzip it and double-click Pipeline.exe. You do not need Python.
- Prefer the source code? You need Python 3.10 or newer. It also runs on Mac and Linux in a browser.
- The first start creates a login with a random password and opens it in Notepad. Change it straight away.
- Pipeline never contacts anyone for you. You do the reaching out and Pipeline remembers who is due a follow-up.
- Your data lives in one folder. Copy it to another drive every week, because Pipeline does not back up for you.
- You download and use Pipeline at your own risk. Read the disclaimer near the end of this page.
This guide takes you from nothing to your first logged conversation and follow-up. Allow about twenty minutes. Tick off each step as you go: your progress is saved in this browser.
What Pipeline does and does not do
Pipeline is a small leads CRM. You add the people you have found or spoken to, log each conversation, and tick off follow-ups as you do them. Each contact moves through six statuses: New, Contacted, Replied, In conversation, Converted and Dead. Everything is stored in a file on your computer. There is no cloud account and no subscription.
- Contacts with a platform, profile link, email, tags, notes and the business they relate to.
- Three follow-up stages per contact. Ticking one done schedules the next two days later.
- A dated log of every message, comment, email or call, with an optional screenshot.
- Purchases, post-sale check-ins and reports for any date range.
- Research pages for pain themes, competitor ads and keywords.
- CSV import and export.
Pipeline never contacts anyone. It does not send messages, connect to social networks or scrape websites. The optional Claude connector, covered below, can add prospects for you to review, but you decide who to contact and you send every message yourself.
Before you start
You need:
- A Windows 10 or 11 computer for the Windows app.
- For the Windows app: nothing else. It comes with everything it needs. If the window opens blank, see Troubleshooting for the free WebView2 runtime.
- For the source code: Python 3.10 or newer (3.13 is the version tested). It runs in your browser on Windows, Mac and Linux.
- A folder where you are happy to keep the app, such as Documents.
Pipeline works without an internet connection.
Running from source? Tick "Add Python to PATH" on the first screen of the Python installer. Download Python from python.org/downloads.
Download and start Pipeline
Choose the Windows app unless you want to read or change the code.
The Windows app (no Python needed)
Open the Windows app
- Download the appOpen the Pipeline releases page on GitHub and download the file that ends in Windows-app.zip.
Where is the releases page?
At github.com/djangify/pipeline/releases/latest. The download is under Assets, near the bottom of the page.
- Unzip the whole folderRight-click the zip file and choose Extract All. Keep every file in the folder together, then move the folder somewhere permanent such as Documents.
Why the whole folder?
Pipeline.exe needs the files beside it, including the folder called _internal. Do not move the exe on its own.
- Double-click Pipeline.exeIf Windows says "Windows protected your PC", click More info, then Run anyway.
Why does Windows warn me?
The app is not code signed, and Windows warns about new apps that are not. You usually see it only the first time.
Pipeline opens in its own window, and Notepad opens beside it with your first login details. The first start takes a few seconds while the database is set up. If the window stays blank, see Troubleshooting.
Or run it from the source code
This route needs Python and is for people who want to read or change the code.
Get Pipeline running from source
- Install PythonSkip this if you already have Python 3.10 or newer.
How do I check?
Open Command Prompt, type python --version and press Enter. You should see 3.10 or higher.
- Download the codeGo to github.com/djangify/pipeline, click the green Code button, then Download ZIP.
I use Git
Run git clone https://github.com/djangify/pipeline.git instead.
- Unzip itRight-click the ZIP file, choose Extract All, and pick a folder you will remember.
Where should I put it?
Somewhere permanent. Your data lives inside this folder, in a folder called data.
- Start PipelineFollow the commands just below.
How to start it from source
Open a terminal in the unzipped folder (on Windows, type cmd in the File Explorer address bar and press Enter). Then run these commands one at a time.
Windows
python -m venv pipelinevenv pipelinevenv\Scripts\activate pip install -r requirements.txt copy .env.example .env python manage.py migrate python manage.py create_default_user python manage.py runserver
Mac or Linux
python3 -m venv pipelinevenv source pipelinevenv/bin/activate pip install -r requirements.txt cp .env.example .env python manage.py migrate python manage.py create_default_user python manage.py runserver
The create_default_user command prints your login and a random password. Copy the password, then open your browser at http://127.0.0.1:8000/ and log in. Keep the terminal open while you work and close it to stop Pipeline. You can leave every value in the .env file as it is.
If port 8000 is already in use, run python manage.py runserver 8001 and open http://127.0.0.1:8001/ instead. To open Pipeline in its own window instead of a browser tab, run python desktop.py.
Your first login and password
The first start creates one login. Its password is random, made on your computer. There is no default password for anyone to guess.
- Find your passwordThe Windows app opens Notepad with your email and password. From source it is printed in the terminal. Either way it is saved in the file first_login.txt in your data folder.
- Log inType the email and the password on the login page. The email is only your user name.
- Change the passwordClick Change password in the top right, enter the random password, then choose a new one twice.
- Check first_login.txt is gonePipeline deletes the file as soon as you change the password. If you ever see it again, delete it.
| What | Windows app | Source code |
|---|---|---|
| Your data folder | %USERPROFILE%\Pipeline Data (paste it into the File Explorer address bar) | The folder called data inside your Pipeline folder |
| Inside the data folder | db (database), media (screenshots), secret_key.txt and first_login.txt | db (database), media (screenshots), secret_key.txt and first_login.txt |
A phrase of four unrelated words, such as tractor-lemon-river-cupboard, is easy to remember and hard to guess. Pipeline rejects very short, very common or all-number passwords. A password manager works too.
Pipeline makes its own secret key on the first start and keeps it in the data folder with your contacts.
Nobody can recover your account for you, because the app and your data are only on your computer. The section on forgotten passwords below shows how to get back in.
Set up your pipeline
Work through this list in your first session.
Your first session
- Change your passwordClick Change password in the top right.
- Add one real contactClick Add Contact. Only the name is needed.
- Log a conversationOpen the contact and click Log Interaction to record a message you sent.
- Look at Follow-upsSet a follow-up date on the contact and see it appear on the Follow-ups page.
- Open ReportsYour messages sent, replies and revenue should now show.
- Copy your data folder somewhere elseAn external drive or encrypted cloud folder.
Everyday use
Adding a contact
Click Add Contact. Only the name is needed. The useful extras are the platform you found them on, their profile link, a status, which of your businesses or projects they relate to, tags separated by commas and a follow-up date. The business is plain text, so type whatever name you use.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| New | You have found them but not yet reached out. |
| Contacted | You have sent a first message. Logging an interaction moves a New contact here for you. |
| Replied | They answered. |
| In conversation | You are talking. |
| Converted | They became a customer. Logging a purchase sets this for you. |
| Dead | No interest. Pipeline asks for a reason so you remember why. |
Follow-ups
Set a follow-up date on a contact. The contact page shows Follow-up 1, 2 and 3. Tick one when you have done it and Pipeline sets the next date two days ahead. When the third is ticked, the reminder clears. The Follow-ups page lists every follow-up and check-in, oldest first, with a Mark done button.
Logging conversations
On a contact, click Log Interaction. Choose the date, whether you reached out or they did, the channel, and paste in what was said. You can attach a screenshot. Everything appears on the contact's timeline, together with status changes and purchases.
Purchases and check-ins
When someone buys, click Add Purchase on their page and enter the product and amount. Their total revenue updates and their status becomes Converted. To remember a thank-you or a re-offer, edit the contact and fill in Next check-in and the note. It shows on the Follow-ups page when it is due. Amounts are shown in pounds.
Importing and exporting contacts
Click Import CSV and choose a file with a header row. Columns are matched by name, for example name, email, platform, status, business, tags and notes. Anything unrecognized is ignored. Every row is checked the same way as the Add Contact form. Rows with a problem are skipped and the first few problems are listed by row number, so you can fix the file and import again. Export CSV downloads every contact.
Reports and research
Reports shows new contacts, messages sent, replies, the reply rate, sales and revenue for any dates you choose, with a revenue by month chart and a chart of leads by platform. Research shows pain themes, competitor ads and keywords for each business. A business appears there once research has been saved for it, either by hand in the Admin area or through the Claude connector.
| What you want to do | Where to click |
|---|---|
| See and search contacts | Contacts |
| See what is due | Follow-ups |
| Check your numbers | Reports |
| Look at market research | Research |
| Search profiles, follow-up message templates, raw data | Admin |
| Bring contacts in or out | Import CSV, Export CSV |
| Change your password | Change password |
Every login must be a superuser. The Admin area only lets in staff users. If you add another login in Admin, tick both Staff status and Superuser status and save again. Otherwise it looks as if you have been logged out when you click Admin. The first login is already set up correctly.
Connect Claude Desktop (optional)
If you use Claude Desktop, Pipeline can connect to it so Claude can look up your contacts, check what is due and add new prospects for you to review. Pipeline works fully without it.
- Open Pipeline.exeIt adds itself to Claude Desktop's list of connectors automatically.
- Restart Claude DesktopOnce is enough.
- Ask ClaudeFor example: who is due a follow-up this week?
To find prospects, save a search profile first, in Admin under Search profiles. Describe who you want to reach and the phrases that signal them. Claude reads the profile, searches public pages only, checks for duplicates and adds people as New contacts tagged ai-sourced, with a note on why each one fits. You review them and do all the outreach.
The connector can add, edit and delete contacts, purchases and research. Deletes ask Claude to confirm first, but keep a recent backup and read what Claude adds before you act on it.
If the connection does not appear, open your data folder and read claude_connect.log.
Backups and keeping your data safe
Pipeline keeps everything in one data folder (see the table above). Close Pipeline, then copy the whole folder to back it up. To restore, close Pipeline and copy it back. Export CSV gives you a second, readable copy of your contacts.
Pipeline does not back up for you. Every week, copy your data folder to an external drive or encrypted cloud storage. A copy on the same disk does not help if the computer is lost or fails. The folder holds names, emails and private conversations, so also set a Windows login password, lock the screen when you leave and consider turning on BitLocker.
If you forget your password
Your contacts stay safe. A reset only changes the password.
- Close PipelineClose the Pipeline window, or the terminal if you started it from source.
- Run the resetDouble-click Pipeline-Reset-Password.bat in the Pipeline folder, next to Pipeline.exe. From source, run python manage.py create_default_user --reset instead.
- Read the new passwordIt appears in Notepad and in first_login.txt.
- Log in and change itClick Change password and choose your own. Pipeline deletes the file.
Anyone who can open the files on your computer can run this reset, which is why the Windows login password and screen lock matter.
Troubleshooting
The Pipeline window is blank or does not open
The Windows app needs the Microsoft WebView2 runtime. It comes with Windows 11 and most Windows 10 computers, and Windows offers it as a free download when it is missing. Install it, then open Pipeline.exe again.
Windows blocks Pipeline.exe
Click More info, then Run anyway. If it still blocks the file, right-click the zip before unzipping it, choose Properties, tick Unblock and click OK, then unzip it again.
Admin sends me to a login page
That login is not a superuser. See the Watch out box under Where to find things.
Windows says Python was not found
This only affects the source code route. Reinstall Python and tick "Add Python to PATH" on the first screen, then open a new terminal. Or use the Windows app, which does not need Python.
Port 8000 is already in use
Run python manage.py runserver 8001 and open http://127.0.0.1:8001/ instead.
Claude cannot see Pipeline
Open Pipeline.exe once, restart Claude Desktop, and read claude_connect.log in your data folder.
How do I update to a newer version?
Close Pipeline and copy your data folder somewhere safe. Download the new Windows app zip, unzip it into a new folder and open Pipeline.exe from there. It finds your existing data and updates the database itself. If you use the Claude connector, restart Claude Desktop afterwards. Keep the old folder until you have checked your contacts look right.
Is there a Mac or Linux app?
No. The packaged app is for Windows. On Mac or Linux, run Pipeline from the source code in your browser.
Can two people use it?
No. Pipeline is built for one owner on one computer.
Disclaimer
Pipeline is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind. You download and use it at your own risk. It is a tool for keeping notes, not legal or data protection advice. If you store other people's personal details, you are responsible for handling them lawfully and for keeping backups. Check what it records yourself and keep your own copies. The developer accepts no responsibility for data loss or anything else that results from using it.
- Pipeline keeps your leads on your own computer, with no account and no cloud.
- Download the Windows app zip from GitHub, unzip it and double-click Pipeline.exe. No Python needed.
- Your first login has a random password. Change it with Change password and check first_login.txt is gone.
- Add contacts, log conversations and tick follow-ups as you go. Reports shows your replies, sales and revenue.
- Copy your data folder to another drive every week.
- You download and use Pipeline at your own risk.
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