Forecasting Dashboard Guide
Overview
This guide is meant to go along with the standard Forecasting Dashboard in Clari. In this guide, you'll see a key question, a screenshot of the widget that can answer that question, and notes on the actions you may take based on the insights you see. Don't see the dashboard? Reach out to your Sales Ops team/your Clari Admins!
The forecast call is a key moment in your revenue operating cadence. It’s your opportunity to achieve accurate and predictable revenue. The Forecasting Dashboard enables reps and managers to have a meaningful discussion about prioritizing pipeline, deal execution, and linearity. With these insights, you can align on strategy and execution to hit your numbers in the current quarter and next quarter.
How have you performed so far this quarter?
Begin with the Forecast Widget to review your Quota, Closed-Won (and the % of your Quota that number represents), and your primary forecast call. Where you’re at in the quarter (i.e., Week 8) should help inform what kind of numbers you expect to see here.
KPI Widgets provide a quick snapshot of how this quarter has played out so far: the amount won, average deal size, and number of deals give you a sense of the total amount and size of the deals that you have closed thus far. How are you tracking towards your target? Is your average deal size so far in alignment with what you would expect?
How is your pipeline coverage for the remainder of the quarter?
These KPI Widgets give you a sense of the inventory of deals that represent the path to your number. Do you have enough coverage?
Are you on target to hit your number?
The Pulse Widget displays your pipeline mix and forecast calls week-over-week, as well as where Clari anticipates you’ll land at the end of the quarter, given the current state of your pipeline and your historical performance. Is Clari’s projection in alignment with your forecast call? If you’re a leader, does your forecast call align with your team’s forecast call?
How are your key deals progressing? Where do you have risk?
The Deal Prioritization and Top Deals Widgets allow you to assess how your open deals are progressing.
The Deal Prioritization Widget allows you to compare activity against CRM Score and make sure that you are spending time on the right deals and that they are gaining momentum. Review committed deals with low activity, low CRM Score, or both to ensure that you’re giving these deals the right amount of attention.
With insights like the CRM Score and the activity summary, the Top Deals Widget allows you to monitor your biggest deals to ensure they are progressing towards closed-won.
How are you tracking in terms of linearity?
Track your linearity with the Pulse Widget. The dotted purple pacing line will set a goal of closing 20% of your quota by the end of week 4 of the quarter and 50% of your quota by the end of week 8 to avoid your sales looking like a hockey stick. These goals are customizable with the help of your Clari CSM. Does the green closed-won bar meet/exceed the purple pacing line?
Are there any deals that you can pull in from a future quarter to meet your number?
If you need to pull deals into the current quarter from a future quarter, it’s important to choose deals that have a high chance of closing. The Deal Prioritization Widget can help identify which deals set to close in a future quarter you might be able to accelerate to close in the current quarter. Look for deals with relatively high activity and a high CRM Score.
Are you generating enough pipeline to set yourself up for success next quarter?
When you find that you have a few minutes left at the end of your forecast call, it’s the perfect opportunity to ensure that you’re set up for success next quarter. If you use the Forecast Module to track pipeline generation for next quarter, you can use a Forecast Widget to ensure that you are on track to hit your pipeline targets for NQ. (Tip: need help setting your pipeline targets? Next Quarter Pulse can help!)
Do you have enough coverage to create a path to your number?
Monitor forecasts over time with the Rolling View Widget. This is a simple way of viewing how your pipeline has changed over time. This is a great point from which to pressure test your forecast call and encourage rigor around your forecast accuracy. Do you have the pipeline to create a path to the number that you’re calling?
