Sales territory plan template
Most territory plans are cut by geography or alphabet because that is what the CRM can filter on, and then everyone acts surprised when one rep has twice the opportunity of another. A territory is a book of potential and a book of work. This template makes you size both before you draw a single line, and then write down who owns what when the lines overlap.
- Category:
- Territory & Quota
- Formats:
- PDF + CSV + web view
- Sections:
- 6
- Updated:
What you get
- A territory summary that compares account count, addressable potential, and open pipeline side by side
- A balance check that flags any territory more than 20% off the mean on potential or workload
- Account assignment rules written as tie-breakers, not guidelines
- A rules of engagement section covering named accounts, inbound, parent/child, and transfers
- A sign-off checklist so the plan is locked before quotas are set on top of it
Who it's for
- RevOps and sales ops leads cutting territories for a new fiscal year
- Sales leaders settling account ownership disputes before they start
- Teams moving from geographic splits to potential-based territories
What's inside
- 1
Plan scope
6 fields to complete
- 2
Territory summary and balance check
8 columns, 4 worked example rows
- 3
How the example numbers work
Guidance notes
- 4
Account assignment rules
4 columns, 4 worked example rows
- 5
Rules of engagement to write down
8-point checklist
- 6
Sign-off before quota is set
7-point checklist
Preview of section 1
Plan scope
- Plan period
- e.g. FY2027 (Feb 1, 2027 to Jan 31, 2028)
- Segment and role covered
- e.g. Mid-market AEs, 200 to 1,999 employees
- Potential measure used
- e.g. Estimated annual spend, from employee band x price per seat
The preview shows part of section 1. The full template has all 6 sections (5 not previewed here), with blank rows ready to fill in. Download the full template
How to use it
- 1
Size potential before you cut anything
Pull every account in scope with a potential estimate (employee count bands, spend proxy, or install base). If you cannot put a dollar or a tier on an account, you cannot balance territories, you can only divide them.
- 2
Balance on two numbers, not one
Potential tells you what a rep could win; workload (account count times coverage effort) tells you whether they can reach it. A territory with high potential spread across 900 accounts is not the same job as the same potential across 60. Check both columns.
- 3
Leave open pipeline with the rep who built it
Moving an account mid-cycle kills deals. Set a rule that open opportunities past a defined stage stay with the current owner through close, and write the date that rule expires.
- 4
Write rules of engagement as tie-breakers
Every rule should resolve a specific conflict: who owns a subsidiary, who gets an inbound lead from a named account, what happens when a champion changes companies. If a rule needs a manager to interpret it, it is not finished.
- 5
Lock the plan before quota goes on top
Quota should be set against final territories. If you set quota first and cut territories second, you will spend Q1 negotiating exceptions.
Frequently asked questions
What should a sales territory plan include?
The scope and period, the measures you balanced on (potential and workload), a territory summary with a balance check, account assignment rules in priority order, rules of engagement for conflicts, and a sign-off record. Without the rules of engagement, the plan only covers the easy cases.
How do you balance sales territories fairly?
Balance on addressable potential and on workload at the same time. Equal account counts are not fair if the potential differs, and equal potential is not fair if one rep has to cover ten times the accounts to reach it. Where you cannot balance by moving accounts, adjust quota.
Should reps keep open deals when territories change?
Yes, for deals past an agreed stage, with an expiry date. Moving a late-stage deal to a new rep costs the relationship and usually the quarter. Write the rule down so it is not negotiated deal by deal.
How often should territories be redrawn?
Once a year as part of annual planning, with a mid-year check for serious imbalances. Frequent re-cuts break customer relationships and make attainment hard to compare across periods.
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