Salesforce.com For Dummies®

Chapter 11. Calculating Forecasts

In This Chapter

• Understanding forecasts

• Adding quotas

• Displaying and editing forecasts

• Submitting your numbers

• Evaluating territory management

With Salesforce, shaky forecasting can become a distant memory. Generally reserved for larger sales enterprises with more complex sales forecasting needs, forecasts are generated from opportunities that all members of sales teams manage. And because Salesforce understands that reps and managers sometimes need flexibility to make judgment calls on forecasts, Salesforce allows for overrides on totals so that submitted forecast numbers are as accurate as possible.

By regularly using forecasts in Salesforce, you and everyone in your organization can get a better measure on individual revenue or quantity targets and goals as well as the overall health of your business.

In 2005, salesforce.com introduced a major revamping of its forecasting capabilities to allow for even more flexibility in viewing and managing what was being forecast. This chapter covers some basic terminology before showing you, the sales reps and managers, how to create forecasts, display and update your forecasts, and enter quotas. We also discuss the critical steps that an administrator should follow to set up forecasts.

Getting Familiar with Forecasts

A Salesforce forecast is your best guess of how much revenue or quantity you will generate during a forecast period. The period can be monthly or quarterly, or a custom time period. More than just a hunch, ...