← The sales analytics libraryPractice · 18 questions →
Forecasting
Forecast accuracy
How close the forecast called at a point in the quarter came to what actually closed. Measured week by week so the process can improve.
Owned by: Senior sales analystTest band: Senior sales analyst
The formula
Accuracy % = 1 − |Actual − Forecast| ÷ Actual
In practice
Track it at the same point each quarter — week 6, say — and split error into slippage, lost deals, and upside that was not forecast. Each has a different fix.
The kind of thing the test asks
- The week-6 forecast has been 10–15% high for four quarters. Splitting the error, most of it is deals that slipped, not deals that were lost. The fix is…
- The company forecast has beaten the data-driven forecast for six straight quarters. The CRO should…
More in forecasting
Run a business, not a sales team? Wauvel reads your revenue by customer and month, straight from your QuickBooks.
$99/mo, everything included. Free for 14 days, no card.