Sales velocity calculator
Sales velocity is usually reported as one company-wide number that goes up or down without anyone knowing which of its four inputs moved. That makes it a scoreboard, not a tool. This calculator breaks velocity into its levers, shows what a 10% change in each would do, and computes it by segment so you can see where the time and money actually come from.
Download it
What you get
- A velocity calculator with the formula written out and a worked example
- A lever sensitivity table showing the effect of a 10% change in each input
- A by-segment view, since blended velocity mixes very different motions
- A period-over-period tracker to see which lever moved
- Definitions for each input so the number is comparable quarter to quarter
Who it's for
- RevOps analysts diagnosing what changed in a quarter
- Sales leaders choosing which improvement project to fund
- Teams with several segments or sales motions
What's inside
6 sections, each listed with its own size. The first is previewed below; the remaining 5 come with the download, with blank rows ready to fill in.
| Section | Size | Previewed |
|---|---|---|
| Velocity calculator | 3 columns, 6 worked example rows | Below |
| Lever sensitivity (10% improvement in one lever) | 5 columns, 4 worked example rows | In the download |
| Velocity by segment | 6 columns, 3 worked example rows | In the download |
| Quarter-over-quarter tracker | 7 columns, 1 worked example rows | In the download |
| Reading the sensitivity table | Guidance notes | In the download |
| Keeping velocity comparable | 6-point checklist | In the download |
Preview of section 1
Velocity calculator
Worked example for one quarter. Replace with your own inputs.
| Input or output | Value | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Qualified opportunities | 120 | Count of opportunities that passed qualification in the period |
| Win rate (by count) | 25% | Won opportunities / (Won + Lost opportunities) |
How to use it
1. Define each input once and keep it fixed
Opportunities means qualified opportunities in the period. Win rate is by count on those opportunities. Deal size is average closed won value. Cycle length is days from opportunity creation to close. Change a definition and you cannot compare quarters.
2. Calculate by segment
Enterprise and SMB velocity are different businesses. A blended number rises when mix shifts toward SMB even if nothing improved, so always compute segments first.
3. Run the sensitivity before choosing a project
A 10% gain in each lever is not equally easy. Adding 10% more opportunities might need a new SDR; shortening the cycle by 10% might need only earlier security reviews. Use the sensitivity table to size the prize, then judge the effort.
4. Track which lever moved
When velocity changes quarter over quarter, record which input caused it. That is the only way the metric tells you something you did not already know from bookings.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate sales velocity?
Sales velocity = (Number of qualified opportunities x Win rate x Average deal size) / Sales cycle length in days. With 120 opportunities, a 25% win rate, 30,000 average deal size, and a 90-day cycle, velocity is 10,000 per day.
Which sales velocity lever should I improve first?
Use a sensitivity table to size a 10% change in each lever, then pick the one that is cheapest to move. Cycle length is often the easiest, because removing delays such as late security reviews needs process changes rather than new headcount.
Should sales velocity be calculated by segment?
Yes. Segments with different deal sizes and cycle lengths produce very different velocities, and a blended number can rise just because the mix shifted. Calculate each segment separately.
Is sales velocity the same as deal velocity?
Not quite. Sales velocity is a pipeline-level measure of revenue per day. Deal velocity usually refers to how fast individual deals move through stages. Faster deal velocity shortens cycle length, which is one input to sales velocity.