Short answer
Sales forecasting estimates which revenue is likely to occur within a defined period using current opportunity evidence, timing, and risk. It makes uncertainty visible and changes when the underlying facts change.
About Sales forecasting
Produces time-bound revenue projections from current opportunity status, buyer timing, dependencies, and explicit risk rather than seller confidence.
Use this competency for
- Sales roles accountable for projecting revenue from owned opportunities.
- Roles that inspect and consolidate forecasts for a team or segment.
Do not use this competency for
- Roles that provide activity data but do not assess revenue timing or likelihood.
Important distinctions
Pipeline management
Pipeline management maintains and progresses all active opportunities. Sales forecasting estimates revenue expected within a specific period from supported evidence.
Expectations by level
IC1
Individual contributor 1
Forecasts straightforward assigned opportunities with guidance, following category definitions and linking timing to recorded buyer evidence.
Observable behaviors
- Uses the team's forecast category criteria.
- Records the buyer event supporting the expected date.
- Updates the forecast when a required step changes.
Examples
- Moved an opportunity out of commit when the buyer delayed its approval meeting.
- Kept a forecast date because procurement confirmed its review schedule in writing.
IC2
Individual contributor 2
Independently forecasts a varied portfolio, weighs conflicting signals, and explains changes through buyer actions, dependencies, and known risk.
Observable behaviors
- Separates confirmed timing from internal target dates.
- Adjusts probability or category when material evidence changes.
- Explains forecast movement with account-specific facts.
Examples
- Reduced the forecast after learning that legal review had no assigned owner.
- Kept two scenarios when budget approval timing remained unresolved.
IC3
Individual contributor 3
Defines forecasting practice across complex portfolios, frames new sources of uncertainty, and improves team projections by inspecting repeated variance.
Observable behaviors
- Sets evidence requirements for forecast categories.
- Analyzes recurring differences between forecast and outcome.
- Challenges projections that depend on unsupported timing assumptions.
Examples
- Changed commit criteria after repeated slips tied to unstarted security reviews.
- Separated a one-time market interruption from a recurring qualification problem during forecast analysis.