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Do You Have Enough Pipeline to Hit the Number?

Do you have enough pipeline to hit the number? Enter your target, what you've closed, your open pipeline, and your win rate, and see your coverage, the gap, and how many opportunities it takes to close it.

The period

A quarter, half, or year. New business you need to close.

Only deals with a realistic close date inside the period. Leave out anything that can't make it.

How your deals close

Of the pipeline dollars you work, the share that close. Use your own history if you have it.

Used to turn the gap into a number of opportunities.

Starting values are an example, not benchmarks. Replace them with your own numbers.

Pipeline gap

$1,500,000

You have 2.0x coverage. At a 25% win rate you need 4.0x.

Still to close

$750,000

Pipeline needed

$3,000,000

4.0x the amount still to close

Opportunities to add

30

at $50,000 each

Projected result

$625,000

63% of target, if the pipeline closes at your win rate

Pipeline needed at different win rates

For the $750,000 still to close, against $1,500,000 of open pipeline.

Win rateCoverage neededPipeline neededGapProjected result
15%6.7x$5,000,000$3,500,000$475,000
20%5.0x$3,750,000$2,250,000$550,000
25% (yours)4.0x$3,000,000$1,500,000$625,000
30%3.3x$2,500,000$1,000,000$700,000
40%2.5x$1,875,000$375,000$850,000

What pipeline coverage tells you

Pipeline coverage is the open pipeline you have divided by the revenue you still need to close. It answers one question early enough to act on it: if your deals close at the rate they usually do, is there enough in the pipeline to hit the target?

The coverage you need depends on your win rate. At a 25% win rate, you need about 4x coverage. At 33%, about 3x. That's why a single coverage rule of thumb doesn't fit every team. Use your own win rate.

The formulas

  • Still to close = target − closed so far.
  • Coverage needed = 1 ÷ win rate.
  • Pipeline needed = still to close ÷ win rate.
  • Current coverage = open pipeline ÷ still to close.
  • Pipeline gap = pipeline needed − open pipeline (zero if you're covered).
  • Opportunities to add = pipeline gap ÷ average deal size, rounded up.
  • Projected result = closed so far + open pipeline × win rate.

Assumptions worth knowing

  • Only count pipeline that can close in time. A deal with a close date after the period ends doesn't help this period, however big it is.
  • Win rate by dollars, not deal count, if your deal sizes vary a lot. Big deals usually close at a lower rate than small ones.
  • Adding pipeline takes time. New opportunities still have to work through your sales cycle. If the gap is large late in the period, it's usually a signal for next period's plan. The revenue goal calculator shows how much time that leaves.

How to use the result

Check coverage every week, not just at the start of the quarter. A gap you spot in week three can still be closed. A gap you spot in week ten usually can't.

Need help turning these numbers into a growth strategy?

Calculators can help you understand the numbers. Building a repeatable growth engine requires the right strategy, positioning, execution, and measurement. Robert Gilbreath works with founders and leadership teams to develop practical go-to-market and marketing growth programs.

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