How to Create an Accurate Sales Pipeline Report in Excel?

Any successful business relies heavily on its sales pipeline. Many sales managers have sales pipeline briefings with their sales staff several times per month.

And what are the results?

Most businesses that have defined a formal sales process have revenue growth. So, whether you’re a small business owner, an entrepreneur, or a salesperson, you need a sales pipeline to track your sales pipeline accurately.

But there is a lot of room for improvement. Why? Many organizations do poorly control their sales pipelines and, unfortunately, are working below their potential.

So how can this be improved? When you employ the right tools. Tools and strategies like Excel will create detailed sales pipeline reports that can give you a good understanding of your current sales performance.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to use Excel to create accurate sales pipeline reports to help you track your sales and make informed decisions about your business. You’ll learn how to set up the worksheet, enter data, and generate an accurate report. You’ll also learn how to identify problems in your sales process and make the necessary changes to ensure success.

Table of Content:

What is a Sales Pipeline?
Understanding Sales Pipeline Report
Video Tutorial: Sales Pipeline Report in Excel
What is the Purpose of Sales Pipeline Analysis?
What is included in a Sales Pipeline Report Template?
How to Measure Sales Pipeline?
4 Best Sales Pipeline Example With Templates
How to Create a Sales Pipeline Report?
How to Create a Sales Pipeline Chart?
Benefits of a Sales Pipeline Reporting
Sales Pipeline Management Best Practices
Sales Pipeline Report – FAQs
Wrap Up

What is a Sales Pipeline?

Definition: A sales pipeline is a visual representation of your sales process. It allows you to see where your sales team is in the sales cycle from beginning to end. You can use the sales pipeline to predict your company’s revenue during a specific period.

The sales pipeline will help you to determine which stage of the sales process is taking longer than expected and why. You can also use it to decide what needs to be done to move sales forward.

Besides, the sales pipeline is an essential part of any marketing strategy. It helps you forecast your future sales to make the necessary adjustments to increase revenue and stay on track with your budget.

There are many different sales pipeline models. They are usually customized to the needs of various businesses and industries. One effective way to visualize these models.

The Mekko chart can also illustrate the various stages of the sales cycle and their durations, complementing the most common sales pipeline model: the canned pipeline. This model shows the various stages of the sales cycle and the duration each stage typically takes.

Understanding Sales Pipeline Report

Understanding Sales Pipeline Report refers to the process of analyzing a structured visual representation of potential sales opportunities at various stages in the sales cycle.

This report helps businesses track leads, measure conversion rates, identify bottlenecks, and forecast revenue based on the movement of deals through different pipeline stages. It provides insights into sales performance, team efficiency, and areas for improvement.

Video Tutorial: Sales Pipeline Report in Excel

In this video, you’ll learn how to create a Sales Pipeline Report in Excel.

What is the Purpose of Sales Pipeline Analysis?

Sales pipeline analysis is reviewing your monthly sales reports and data to determine what needs to be done to improve sales. It allows you to track the sales process from start to finish and forecast future sales.

You can use sales pipeline analysis to improve your current sales process and forecast future sales. You can use sales pipeline analysis to determine which sales stage is taking longer than expected and why.

You can also use it to identify the main challenges in your sales process and make the necessary changes to ensure success. A sales pipeline analysis report can help you understand what is happening in your sales cycle from beginning to end.

You can use this information to make informed decisions about your marketing strategy, pricing, and other sales aspects. It will also help you determine the amount of revenue you can expect during a certain period.

What is included in a Sales Pipeline Report Template?

Pipeline Stages: Different stages of the sales process (e.g., Prospecting, Qualification, Proposal, Closing).
Opportunities: A list of potential deals or sales leads currently in the pipeline, categorized by stage.
Deal Value: The potential revenue associated with each opportunity.
Close Probability: The likelihood of closing each deal, often expressed as a percentage.
Deal Status: The current status of each deal (e.g., Active, On Hold, Closed-Won, Closed-Lost).
Expected Close Date: The estimated date by which each deal is expected to close.
Sales Rep Performance: Metrics on individual sales representatives, such as the number of deals, total deal value, and win rates.
Total Pipeline Value: The sum of the deal values across all stages of the pipeline.
Forecasted Revenue: An estimate of future revenue based on the pipeline’s current status and close probabilities.

How to Measure Sales Pipeline?

Total Pipeline Value: Sum of all potential revenue from active deals.
Number of Opportunities: Total count of active deals in the pipeline.
Stage Conversion Rates: Percentage of deals that progress from one stage to the next.
Average Deal Size: Average value of deals in the pipeline.
Win Rate: Percentage of deals closed successfully out of total closed deals.

4 Best Sales Pipeline Example With Templates

You can use various charts and graphs to create a sales pipeline report. Some of the most popular charts used in sales pipeline reports are:

Sales Pipeline Stages Analysis

A funnel chart is great for analyzing the sales process and determining the main challenges affecting sales. It can help you see which stage of the sales cycle is taking longer than expected and why. With the use of a package called ChartExpo, creating attractive funnel diagrams like the one below is simple.

Sales Pipeline Report For Closing Month

A bar chart is another useful one to create a sales pipeline report. It allows you to see different sales metrics, such as the number of leads received, the number of sales made, etc. Each stage of your sales process is represented by a horizontal slice that runs the length of the visualization.

To build a sales pipeline, utilize a stacked bar chart as well as a Clustered stacked bar chart like the one below.

Sales Pipeline Report For Quarterly Goal

Sales forecasting is another approach to looking for gaps. Periodic sales predictions show whether you’ll miss, reach, or exceed a monthly or quarterly goal if you’re working toward one (which you should be).

Alternatively, Waterfall Chart effectively increases the overall value of the opportunities currently in your pipeline (as well as qualified leads, if you’d like) by the likelihood that those deals will close.

waterfall chart in sales pipeline report

Sales Pipeline Report For Customer Flow

Alternatively, Sankey charts can be used to display the proper customer flow.

How to Create a Sales Pipeline Report?

You know a sales pipeline is crucial to expand your clientele and scale your company. However, if you’re starting a business, you might not need to invest in new tools, like a CRM.

You need to follow these steps:

Gather Data

Collect information on all sales opportunities, including deal values, stages, and assigned sales reps.

Define Pipeline Stages

Clearly outline the stages (e.g., Prospecting, Qualification, Proposal, Closing) that reflect your sales process.

Choose a Reporting Tool

Use tools like Excel, Power BI, or CRM Analytics systems to organize and visualize your data.

Create Visuals

Utilize charts (e.g., funnel charts) to represent stages, deal values, and conversion rates.

Analyze Key Metrics

Include metrics and KPIs like total pipeline value, number of opportunities, and win rates for insights.

Customize Views

Segment the report by sales rep, region, or product for a more detailed analysis.

Regular Updates

Keep the report updated regularly to reflect the current sales pipeline status.

However, Excel’s limited data visualization capabilities can only partially assist you in understanding the data from your slope chart, and your time is valuable.

Using a data visualization tool like ChartExpo is simple enough. Instead of providing hundreds of connectors that only extract a small number of datasets, you can use the ChartExpo chart add-in for Excel to create interactive charts in Excel like Sankey Chart, Waterfall Chart, and Funnel Chart with only a few clicks and without any scripting, giving your audience access to crucial insights at a glance.

How to Create a Sales Pipeline Chart?

Let’s say you have sales data for your business and want to examine the sales funnel with the data below:

Leads	Pitched	Consideration	Close	Retarget	Size
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Retained	140
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Retained	232
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Retained	213
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Retained	215
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Retained	142
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Lost	258
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Lost	547
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	No Sale		123
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	No Sale		214
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	No Sale		305
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	No Sale		369
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	No Sale		142
Lead	Opportunity	Not Qualified			334
Lead	Opportunity	Not Qualified			120
Lead	Opportunity	Not Qualified			344
Lead	Opportunity	Not Qualified			109
Lead	Opportunity	Not Qualified			324
Lead	Opportunity	Not Qualified			218
Lead	Rejection				292
Lead	Rejection				325
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Retained	413
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Retained	284
Lead	Rejection				355
Lead	Rejection				396
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Retained	82
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Retained	150
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Retained	278
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Retained	202
Lead	Opportunity	Qualified	Sold	Customers Retained	398
Lead	Rejection				429

To get started with ChartExpo add-in for Excel, install using this link.
Then install ChartExpo. After installing ChartExpo, select My Apps from the INSERT menu.

Choose ChartExpo from My Apps, then click Insert.

Once this add-in has loaded, a list of available charts will appear. Sankey Chart is the first item on the list.

Click “Create Chart From Selection” after selecting the data from the sheet.

After selecting “Create Chart”. You may get the final look as seen below after adding colors, adding headings, and changing various properties in the visualization.

Insights

This sort of chart lets you assess the sales of your business and can help you expand your company to achieve the highest potential ROI. You can quickly see the sales pipeline of the company from this chart, which can help you optimize your firm’s products.

Benefits of a Sales Pipeline Reporting

While the sales pipeline reporting may seem like a simple task, you should keep a few things in mind to ensure it is accurate and helpful.

You need to make sure you are tracking all the relevant information. This includes the amount of time each deal spends in each stage, the value of each sale, and the expected close date.
You also need to be sure to update the report regularly. This way, you can spot any changes or trends and ensure the sales team is on track.
You should share the report with the rest of the team so everyone is aware of the status of the pipeline and can provide input.

As the sales manager, you know the importance of having an updated and accurate sales pipeline reporting. This report is essential for:

Forecasting sales: It allows you to forecast your sales and determine the progress of your sales team. You can easily adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.
Tracking progress: A sales pipeline reporting will allow you to see what each salesperson is doing and whether they are meeting their quota. It will also allow you to see the number of leads you get and how many you turn into sales. You’ll be able to see where the sales cycle is taking longer than expected and why.
Identifying potential issues: With the right sales pipeline report, you can easily identify challenges in your sales process and make the necessary adjustments to improve sales.

Sales Pipeline Management Best Practices

1. Define Clear Sales Stages

Establish well-structured sales stages that align with your business process. This ensures consistency and helps sales teams track leads effectively, reducing the chances of deals getting stuck.

2. Regularly Update the Pipeline

Keep the sales pipeline up to date by reviewing and adjusting deal statuses frequently. This improves sales analytics and forecasting accuracy and prevents outdated opportunities from skewing reports.

3. Focus on High-Quality Leads

Not all leads are equal. Prioritize those with the highest conversion potential by using lead scoring techniques. This allows sales teams to focus their efforts on prospects most likely to close.

4. Monitor Key Metrics and Performance

Track essential pipeline metrics like conversion rates, deal velocity, and win rates. Analyzing these KPIs helps identify trends, optimize strategies, and improve overall sales efficiency.

5. Automate and Streamline Processes

Leverage CRM tools and automation to minimize manual tasks, improve follow-ups, and ensure seamless lead nurturing. Automation enhances productivity and allows sales teams to focus on closing deals.

Sales Pipeline Report – FAQs

What Does Pipeline in Sales Mean?

A sales pipeline is a visual representation of your sales process. It allows you to see where your sales team is in the sales cycle from beginning to end. You can also use the sales pipeline to predict the amount of revenue your company is going to bring in during a certain period.

The sales pipeline will help you to determine which stage of the sales process is taking longer than expected and why. You can also use it to decide what needs to be done to move sales forward.

How do You Keep Track of the Sales Pipeline?

The procedure a client travels through and the way your sales and marketing team interacts with them at each stage are described in a sales pipeline. However, the sales funnel visualizes a customer’s journey from first coming into contact with your brand to making a purchase decision, which is distinct from sales pipelines.

What does a sales pipeline look like?

A sales pipeline visually outlines the steps a sales opportunity takes, starting from the initial contact to the final deal closure. It usually includes stages such as Prospecting, Qualification, Proposal, and Closing, with opportunities advancing through each phase as they progress.

Wrap Up

Creating a sales pipeline in Excel can be a daunting task. But with the ChartExpo add-in, you can create a powerful sales pipeline report in just a few clicks.

The ChartExpo add-in is designed to make creating and managing sales pipelines an easy process. It comes with a variety of features that allow you to quickly create and manage your sales pipeline. It also comes with a range of visual features that allow you to quickly and easily view your sales data.

With the ChartExpo add-in, you can also create easy-to-read charts and graphs that will help you track and monitor your sales progress. All in all, the ChartExpo add-in is a great way to save you time and effort.

With the ChartExpo add-in, creating a sales pipeline report in Excel has never been easier.

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