Slipped pipeline

What is a slipped pipeline?

Slipped pipeline tracks opportunities that were expected to close this quarter but were pushed back outside the quarter. The metric presents progress over the last 4 quarters, allowing easy comparison of quarterly performance.

Why is a slipped pipeline important to measure?

The slipped pipeline metric is important to measure because it:

1. Enables accurate revenue forecasting by tracking delayed opportunities and informing resource allocation.   
2. Facilitates analysis of the sales process, identifying bottlenecks and areas for improvement.   
3. Allows performance comparison across quarters for setting targets and resource adjustments.   
4. Helps prioritize and manage opportunities that faced delays, increasing the chances of successful closure.   
5. Empowers data-driven decision making and strategy adjustments to mitigate future delays and optimize sales operations.

Cumulative metric

Slipped pipeline is a metric used to calculate the cumulative value of all opportunities that were originally expected to close within a given quarter but have been delayed beyond that timeframe. It tracks the total value of these slipped opportunities, which represents the potential revenue that was not realized as planned. 

By summing the values of all slipped opportunities, organizations can assess the impact of these delays on their quarterly performance and overall sales targets. This metric provides insights into the extent of revenue that was initially anticipated but did not materialize due to delays in closing deals. It helps businesses identify areas for improvement in their sales processes and allows them to make more accurate revenue projections for future quarters.

Monitoring the slipped pipeline over multiple quarters provides historical data for comparison, enabling organizations to identify trends and patterns in their sales performance. This information can be valuable for sales teams, management, and stakeholders in assessing the effectiveness of their sales strategies and forecasting future revenue more accurately.

Opportunities that slipped and then brought back to the quarter

When an opportunity slips, it means that its expected close date is pushed beyond the current quarter. However, there are instances when these slipped opportunities are later brought back into the same quarter. This can happen due to various reasons, such as negotiations progressing faster than anticipated, the resolution of internal issues that caused the delay, or the availability of necessary resources aligning at the right time. 

When an opportunity is brought back into the quarter after slipping, it represents a positive development for the sales team and the organization as a whole. It means that the necessary actions were taken to expedite the sales process and overcome the initial obstacles that caused the delay. 

Bringing back a slipped opportunity into the quarter can have several advantages:

1. Revenue recognition: closing the deal within the original quarter allows accurate revenue recognition, positively impacting financial records and projections. 

2. Sales momentum: successfully bringing back a slipped opportunity maintains sales momentum, boosting team morale and keeping the sales pipeline active. 

3. Customer satisfaction: prioritizing the customer's needs and addressing any issues that caused the delay enhances customer satisfaction and strengthens relationships. 

4. Meeting targets and goals: bringing back slipped opportunities helps meet quarterly targets, achieve sales objectives, and satisfy stakeholders' expectations.

It's important for sales teams to have effective strategies in place to bring back slipped opportunities into the quarter. This may involve proactive communication with the customer, expedited decision-making processes, additional resource allocation, or re-evaluation of negotiation terms.

Overall, successfully bringing back opportunities that initially slipped into the quarter represents a positive outcome for the organization. It allows for revenue recognition, maintains sales momentum, enhances customer satisfaction, and helps achieve targets and goals.

Also known as

• Deferred pipeline
• Rescheduled pipeline
• Pushed pipeline