Study first
Review the ideas behind the questions
Review how forecast numbers are built before the quiz starts. Focus on category meaning, period scope, amount basis, manual submissions, adjustments, and the rollup method behind a sales forecast.
Start with the forecast basis
A forecast review can go wrong when teams compare numbers that were built from different assumptions.
- Forecasts can use deal stages or forecast categories to group deals by likelihood to close.
- The forecast period matters because forecast submissions should match the configured month or quarter.
- Weighted pipeline and total pipeline answer different amount-basis questions.
In Practice
Name the amount basis
Before comparing two teams, check whether one view is using weighted pipeline and another is using total pipeline.
Keep period scope visible
A strong review packet states whether the forecast is monthly or quarterly, then keeps submissions in that same period.
Common mistakes
Treating a weighted pipeline view and a total pipeline view as the same number.
Compare forecasts only after confirming the amount basis behind each number.
Q&A
What should be checked before comparing forecast totals?
Check the amount basis, forecast period, and category or stage grouping behind each total.
Why can a period mismatch break forecast review?
A submission for the wrong month or quarter is not scoped to the period the team is reviewing.
Read categories and rollups carefully
Forecast categories and rollups can make a number look simpler than it is.
- Forecast categories classify opportunities within the sales cycle, often from early pipeline through closed deals.
- Some forecast rollups are cumulative, so a column can include multiple categories rather than one category alone.
- Omitted opportunities are excluded from forecasts.
In Practice
Ask which rollup method is active
Do not add cumulative columns together as if each column holds a separate bucket.
Separate omitted from lost
Omitted means the opportunity is not included in the forecast; it is not the same review decision as marking a deal lost.
Common mistakes
Adding cumulative forecast columns together to create a bigger pipeline total.
First confirm whether the view uses cumulative rollups, because those columns may already include later categories.
Q&A
Why is Omitted not the same as Closed Lost?
Omitted controls whether the opportunity is included in the forecast; Closed Lost is an outcome state for a deal.
What makes a cumulative rollup risky to compare casually?
It can already include multiple forecast categories, so adding it to another column can double count.
Govern judgment separately from deal data
Forecast judgment can be useful, but it should not hide the deal records and rollups underneath it.
- A manual forecast submission estimates what someone thinks will close during a month or quarter.
- A forecast type can be based on different objects, measures, dates, filters, and hierarchy choices.
- Adjustments add judgment but do not change the underlying opportunity rollup or reports.
In Practice
Keep the note with the number
When someone submits a forecast that differs from the rollup, the review should keep the judgment note beside the submitted amount.
Review adjustments after stage changes
If opportunities move between categories, an older adjustment may need to be updated or removed.
Common mistakes
Editing deal amounts just to make the submitted forecast match the manager's call.
Keep manual judgment as a forecast submission or adjustment, and leave deal values tied to the deal evidence.
Q&A
What should be reviewed when a submitted forecast differs from the rollup?
Review the submission amount, note, associated deals, and whether the underlying deal data still supports the forecast.
Why not treat an adjustment as a report correction?
An adjustment adds forecast judgment, but it does not change the underlying gross rollup or reports.