Pipeline Waterfall

Why you should use the Pipeline Waterfall Template

Managing a sales pipeline effectively is crucial for any sales-driven organization. The Pipeline Waterfall Template offers a dynamic way to visualize and analyze the development of your sales pipeline over a specific period, providing critical insights into how opportunities are moving through the pipeline, where they are getting stuck, and the outcomes of those opportunities.

• Gain Visibility into Pipeline Dynamics: Understand at a glance how your pipeline has evolved, including new opportunities added, progressions, slippages, and closures.
• Improve Sales Forecasting: Use detailed insights into pipeline movements to improve the accuracy of your sales forecasting, allowing for better planning and resource allocation.
• Identify Bottlenecks and Opportunities: Spot stages in your pipeline where opportunities are getting delayed or lost, and identify areas where your sales process can be optimized.
• Track Performance Against Goals: Measure how well your sales team is meeting targets by tracking won and lost opportunities within the period.

Who is this template for

The Pipeline Waterfall template is an indispensable tool for:

1. Sales Managers and Team Leaders who need to oversee pipeline health and direct sales efforts efficiently.
2. SalesOps Professionals tasked with optimizing sales processes and forecasting.
3. Business Analysts and Data Scientists focusing on sales data to extract actionable insights.
4. C-level Executives looking for a high-level overview of sales performance and pipeline health.

Key Benefits

• Enhanced Pipeline Transparency: Offers a comprehensive view of the entire sales pipeline's evolution.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Enables strategic decisions based on accurate, real-time pipeline data.
• Efficiency in Sales Process: Identifies delays and blockages in the pipeline, helping streamline the sales process.
• Increased Sales Performance: Helps in focusing efforts on the most promising opportunities, thereby increasing win rates.

How does this template work

The Pipeline Waterfall Template utilizes the Period Pipeline Waterfall and Total Pipeline Waterfall metrics to provide a detailed breakdown of your sales pipeline's dynamics. It automatically calculates the volume of pipeline as it develops, including:

• The Starting Pipeline
• New Pipeline added
• Pulled-in or Slipped opportunities (Period Pipeline)
• Won and Lost opportunities

The remaining pipeline is the sum of these components, providing a comprehensive view of the pipeline's progression over the period. This holistic view allows sales teams to monitor pipeline health, adjust strategies in real-time, and focus on driving conversions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I use this template to improve sales forecasting?

This template allows you to see how your pipeline changes over time, providing insights into trends and patterns that can inform more accurate sales forecasts.

What does a "pulled-in" opportunity mean?

"Pulled-in" opportunities are those initially set to close outside the current period but have been updated to close within it, indicating an acceleration of the sales process.

How can I identify bottlenecks in the sales process with this template?

By analyzing the stages where opportunities slip or stagnate, you can pinpoint where your sales process may be experiencing delays or inefficiencies.

Can this template help me prioritize sales efforts?

Yes, by understanding where your opportunities are in the pipeline and their progression, you can better allocate resources and prioritize efforts on high-potential deals.