> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.meritmatch.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Gate Tracker: structured BD tracking for every pursuit

> MERIT's Gate Tracker gives every pursuit a structured way to capture business development inputs across Identification, Qualification, and Capture.

The Gate Tracker helps your team keep pursuit details in one shared place as an opportunity moves from early review into active capture. Instead of relying on scattered notes, email threads, or individual memory, you can record key BD inputs directly inside the pursuit workspace and keep them current as the opportunity changes.

Use it as a working checklist, not a one-time form. Early in a pursuit, you may only have enough information to fill in the basics. As the pursuit matures, the tracker gives you a place to add qualification context, capture strategy, staffing inputs, past performance notes, and other details your team needs before proposal work begins.

## Gate Tracker tabs

Open any pursuit workspace and click **Gate Tracker**. The tracker includes three tabs:

| Tab          | Use it to                                                                                 |
| ------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Brief**    | Review a pursuit summary built from the information already captured in the tracker.      |
| **Fields**   | Fill in and update the structured BD fields for the pursuit's current gate stage.         |
| **Progress** | See which required fields are complete and jump back to fields that still need attention. |

## Gate stages

The Gate Tracker is organized around three capture stages:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Identification" icon="binoculars">
    Use Identification to capture the basics: what the opportunity is, who it is for, key dates, classification details, and the initial information your team needs to decide whether the pursuit belongs in the pipeline.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Qualification" icon="magnifying-glass-chart">
    Use Qualification to assess whether the opportunity is worth deeper investment. This is where your team starts documenting the pursuit context, competitive position, teaming considerations, and early go/no-go thinking.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Capture" icon="crosshairs">
    Use Capture once the pursuit is active enough to require a more complete strategy. This stage helps your team organize the inputs needed for solution development, staffing, customer engagement, past performance, pricing, and proposal readiness.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

Each stage builds on the last. In the **Fields** tab, use the stage tabs to switch between Identification, Qualification, and Capture. Completed and current stages remain visible in the stage navigation so you can review earlier information without losing your place.

## Fill out fields

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Fields">
    In the pursuit workspace, open **Gate Tracker** and select the **Fields** tab. MERIT opens the stage your pursuit is currently in.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a field group">
    Field groups are collapsible sections. Each group shows progress for its required fields, so you can quickly see what is still missing.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter or update details">
    Click into a field and add the information your team has available. Some fields use text boxes, while others use dates, dropdowns, or related MERIT tools.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Let MERIT save your work">
    The tracker autosaves as you work. When a change is being saved, MERIT shows a short **Saving** indicator, followed by **Saved** once the update is complete.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Use search when needed">
    Click **Search** or press **Cmd+K** on Mac or **Ctrl+K** on Windows to find a field by name.
  </Step>
</Steps>

You can also use the **Compact** view when you want a denser layout for reviewing many fields at once.

## Track progress

The tracker shows progress at both the group and stage level. As required fields are completed, the counts and progress bars update automatically.

Use the **Progress** tab for a broader view across the current gate stage. If required fields are still incomplete, MERIT lists them by group. Click **Fill in** next to a field to return to the **Fields** tab and update it.

## Advance or go back

When your current gate stage is ready, click **Advance to \[Stage Name]** from the **Fields** tab. If the stage has enough required information completed, MERIT moves the pursuit into the next gate stage and unlocks the next set of fields.

If you try to advance before the current stage is sufficiently complete, MERIT shows a confirmation dialog with the fields that still need attention. You can return to the tracker and fill in the gaps, or confirm that you want to move forward anyway.

If a pursuit needs to move back, use **Back to \[Stage Name]** from the current stage. Going back does not remove information your team already entered.

## Use related tools

Some Gate Tracker fields connect directly to other MERIT workflows:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="PWin" icon="percent" href="/pursuits/pwin">
    Use **Calculate PWin** to open the probability-of-win workflow from a relevant tracker field.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Past Performance" icon="star" href="/assistant/past-performance">
    Use **Fetch Past Performance** to ask MERIT Assistant to help draft past performance inputs for review.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Staffing" icon="users">
    Use **Open Staffing** to move from the tracker into staffing work for the pursuit.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Fill fields with MERIT Assistant

The **Fill with MERIT Assistant** button can draft suggestions for empty fields in the selected stage. MERIT shows the suggestions for review before anything is saved.

Review the suggested values, select the ones you want to use, and click **Apply**. You can also dismiss the suggestions and continue filling fields manually.

<Note>
  Assistant suggestions are a starting point. Review them before applying, especially when the field affects financial estimates, competitive assessment, or capture strategy. See [Fill gate fields with MERIT Assistant](/assistant/gate-fill) for more detail.
</Note>