Definition
Deal slippage is when opportunities expected to close in a period move out to a later period. It reduces forecast reliability and complicates capacity planning.
How to use it
- Track slippage rate by stage; late-stage slippage is especially costly.
- Slippage often signals weak qualification, procurement delays, or missing champions.
Measured as
Measure Deal Slippage on the same customer segment, time window, and revenue basis each time you review it.
Operator takeaway
- Track slippage rate by stage; late-stage slippage is especially costly.
- Slippage often signals weak qualification, procurement delays, or missing champions.
- Keep Deal Slippage 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 Slippage 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.