Sales Operations & Pipeline Knowledge

01Pipeline stages

A typical B2B pipeline moves through Prospecting, Discovery/Qualification, Demo/Proposal, Negotiation, and Closed Won/Closed Lost. Stages describe what is currently happening with a deal — not how likely it is to close.

02Weighted pipeline math

Weighted pipeline value multiplies each deal's size by its probability of closing, then sums the results (e.g., a $200K deal at 30% contributes $60K). This gives a more realistic expected-bookings number than simply adding up every open deal's full value.

03Forecast categories

Forecast categories describe confidence, not stage: Pipeline (early-stage, low probability), Best Case (favorable but still needs work), Commit (high confidence — reps typically expect to close about 90% of Commit deals), and Closed (won).

04Quota, attainment, and accelerators

Quota is the target number a rep is measured against. Attainment is the percentage of quota reached (e.g., $85,000 closed against a $100,000 quota is 85% attainment). An accelerator is a higher commission rate that kicks in on revenue earned above 100% of quota.

05Discovery vs. demo

Discovery uses open-ended questions to uncover the prospect's specific problems, current process, and goals before any pitch. The demo then showcases the solution tailored to what discovery revealed — discovery should come first so the demo is relevant, not generic.

06Mutual Action Plan (MAP)

A MAP is a shared roadmap, co-created by the seller and buyer, that lays out the steps, owners, and deadlines needed to reach a decision. It keeps complex, multi-stakeholder deals aligned and moving instead of stalling.