| Scenario | Period | Team quota | Avg deal | Win rate | Coverage | Target pipeline | New pipeline / week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growth quarter | 90 days | $250,000 | $12,000 | 25% | 3.0× | $750,000 | $57,692 |
| Enterprise cycle | 90 days | $400,000 | $45,000 | 18% | 3.5× | $1,555,556 | $119,658 |
| Mid-market month | 30 days | $120,000 | $8,000 | 28% | 2.8× | $336,000 | $76,364 |
| New team ramp | 90 days | $180,000 | $10,000 | 22% | 3.2× | $576,000 | $44,308 |
| Annual plan | 365 days | $1,800,000 | $15,000 | 24% | 3.0× | $5,400,000 | $103,846 |
- Total quota (team) = quota value × sellers (when using per seller quota).
- Quota with buffer = total quota × (1 + buffer%).
- Effective sellers = sellers × ramp factor.
- Deals needed = quota with buffer ÷ average deal size.
- Opportunities needed = deals needed ÷ win rate.
- Target pipeline = quota with buffer × coverage multiple.
- Cycle adjustment: when enabled, multiply target pipeline by max(1, sales cycle ÷ period days).
- Pipeline gap = max(0, target pipeline − current pipeline).
- New pipeline per week = pipeline gap ÷ (working days ÷ 5).
- New pipeline per day = pipeline gap ÷ working days.
- Meetings needed = opportunities needed ÷ (meeting→opportunity%).
- Leads needed = meetings needed ÷ (lead→meeting%).
- Outreach attempts = leads needed × attempts per lead.
- Pick a planning period and confirm working days.
- Enter quota, sellers, and a realistic ramp factor.
- Set average deal size and win rate from recent data.
- Choose a coverage multiple that matches your risk tolerance.
- Add current pipeline value to compute the exact gap.
- Optionally add conversion rates to get activity targets.
- Submit to view results, then export CSV or PDF.
Pipeline coverage targets by motion
High‑velocity inbound teams often operate at 2.5× to 3.0× coverage, because cycle times are short and stage conversion is stable. Mid‑market mixed motion frequently plans at 3.0× to 3.5× to absorb slippage. Enterprise motions commonly require 3.5× to 5.0×, especially when deals are concentrated and legal cycles expand. If cycle length exceeds the planning period, effective coverage should be scaled upward to avoid end‑loaded risk.
Capacity and ramp assumptions
Quota is only achievable when capacity is modeled honestly. A ramp factor converts headcount into effective sellers, reflecting onboarding, territory changes, leave, and part‑time coverage. For example, ten sellers at 0.85 ramp equals 8.5 effective sellers. Pair ramp with working days, not calendar days, to set realistic pacing. When hiring mid‑period, apply a blended ramp rather than a single average.
Deal math that drives opportunity goals
The calculator converts quota with buffer into deals needed using average deal size, then converts deals into opportunities using win rate. A 25% win rate implies four opportunities per deal. If your average deal size is $12,000 and quota with buffer is $300,000, expected deals are 25, and expected opportunities are 100. Track these ratios by segment so one blended assumption does not hide weak motions.
Weekly pacing and inspection rhythm
Pipeline gap is the actionable number: target pipeline minus current pipeline. Dividing by working days produces a daily creation target; dividing by working weeks produces a weekly target. Many teams set a minimum of 2× weekly gap coverage in early weeks to create a cushion for holidays. Use weekly inspection to confirm three drivers: new pipeline added, stage aging, and next‑step quality. If weekly pipeline creation is missed for two consecutive weeks, re‑prioritize prospecting blocks and tighten qualification to protect seller time.
Common misalignment signals and fixes
Misalignment shows up as high activity with flat pipeline, or large pipeline with low progression. Low conversion indicates message or fit problems; adjust targeting and sharpen qualification. Low deal size indicates packaging or discounting; reset pricing guardrails and coach value. Low win rate indicates late‑stage control; add mutual action plans and competitive plays. Update assumptions monthly and re‑export results for leadership review.
How does quota mode change the plan?
Per seller mode multiplies quota value by sellers to get the team number. Team mode treats quota value as the full target. Use the mode that matches how your CRM stores quotas.
What coverage multiple should I start with?
Start at 2.5× for high‑velocity inbound, about 3.0× for mid‑market, and 3.5× or more for enterprise. Then calibrate using your historical starting‑of‑period coverage and variance.
Why add an attainment buffer?
A buffer accounts for deal slippage, no‑decisions, and uneven attainment. Planning with 5–10% extra quota pressure usually creates enough pipeline to still land the number when a few deals move out.
When should I enable cycle adjustment?
Enable it when the average sales cycle is longer than your planning period. The model scales required pipeline by sales_cycle ÷ period_days, so coverage reflects overlapping cycles instead of a single snapshot.
How do I use the activity model outputs?
Enter lead→meeting and meeting→opportunity conversion rates plus attempts per lead. The calculator converts opportunity needs into meetings, leads, and daily outreach attempts, helping you set practical SDR and AE execution goals.
My gap is zero, but results are behind—why?
Check stage quality and forecast dates. Inflated values, stale opps, or optimistic close dates can make coverage look healthy while outcomes lag. Clean the pipeline, enforce next steps, and refresh win‑rate and deal‑size inputs.