Definition
Deal age is how long a deal has been in pipeline since creation. It helps identify stalls and slippage risk.
Formula
Deal age = today - opportunity created date
Example
A deal created 45 days ago has a deal age of 45 days.
How to use it
- Compare deal age to average sales cycle by segment.
- Use age thresholds to trigger cleanup or requalification.
Common mistakes
- Ignoring stage-level age, which can be more diagnostic.
- Resetting close dates without resolving blockers.
Measured as
Deal age = today - opportunity created date
Misused when
- Ignoring stage-level age, which can be more diagnostic.
- Resetting close dates without resolving blockers.
Operator takeaway
- Compare deal age to average sales cycle by segment.
- Use age thresholds to trigger cleanup or requalification.
- Keep Deal Age consistent by cohort, segment, and period before you use it as a decision signal in planning or reporting.
- Interpret the metric alongside retention, margin, or payback so one ratio does not hide the real operating trade-off.
Next decision
- Read Sales ops metrics hub: quota, pipeline, win rate, and capacity planning if the decision depends on interpretation, policy, or trade-offs beyond the raw formula.
- Decide whether Deal Age is a growth, retention, or efficiency signal before you set targets around it.
Where to use this on MetricKit
Guides
- Sales ops metrics hub: quota, pipeline, win rate, and capacity planning: A practical hub for sales ops planning: quota attainment, pipeline coverage, required pipeline, sales capacity with ramp, and OTE math.
- Pipeline coverage and sales cycle math: set realistic targets (and avoid sandbagging): A practical guide to pipeline coverage: connect quota, win rate, sales cycle length, and CAC/payback constraints to set realistic growth targets.