CSE Sales Forecasting & Pipeline Management Flashcards
6 cards from real CSE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CSE Sales Forecasting & Pipeline Management flashcards as text
What is pipeline coverage ratio and why is it important?
Answer: Ratio of total pipeline value to revenue target; indicates likelihood of hitting quota
Pipeline coverage ratio (pipeline value divided by quota) tells sales leaders whether enough opportunities exist to achieve targets, with 3x coverage commonly considered healthy.
Which technique assigns a probability percentage to each pipeline stage to estimate weighted forecast revenue?
Answer: Stage-based probability weighting
Stage-based probability weighting multiplies deal value by the historical close probability for each pipeline stage to produce a weighted, more realistic revenue forecast.
What is the main risk of relying solely on a salesperson's 'commit' forecast category?
Answer: It may introduce individual optimism bias, overstating likely closures
Commit forecasts depend on individual rep judgment, which can be overly optimistic; cross-referencing with CRM data and activity signals improves accuracy.
When a deal has been in the same pipeline stage for twice the average sales cycle duration, it is BEST classified as:
Answer: A stalled or at-risk deal requiring immediate management attention
A deal lingering in a stage well beyond the average cycle time signals stagnation and requires the sales executive to re-engage, re-qualify, or remove it from the active forecast.
Which CRM metric BEST helps identify if a sales rep needs coaching on early pipeline stages?
Answer: Lead-to-opportunity conversion rate
A low lead-to-opportunity conversion rate indicates a rep struggles to qualify prospects early in the funnel, pointing to a need for coaching on discovery and qualification.
What is the purpose of a quarterly business review (QBR) in the context of pipeline management?
Answer: To assess pipeline health, review forecast accuracy, and set action plans for the next quarter
A QBR evaluates past pipeline performance, examines forecast accuracy, and aligns the sales team on strategies and resource needs for the upcoming quarter.