Glossary
Sales

Deal Slippage

Table of contents
Heading 2
Heading 3
Final Thought
FAQs
related metrics
Pipeline Velocity
Win Rate
Forecast Accuracy %
Time in Stage
TL;DR
Deal Slippage refers to sales opportunities that were expected to close in a given time period—but didn’t. It’s a key indicator of pipeline risk and forecasting inaccuracy. In SaaS, where quarterly cadence matters and revenue predictability is essential, tracking deal slippage helps teams uncover friction, improve qualification, and reduce surprise misses.

What is Deal Slippage?

Deal Slippage occurs when a deal moves past its expected close date without being won or lost. It stays in the pipeline, but drags into the next forecast period.

Example: A deal forecasted to close in Q2 that ends up closing in Q3—or doesn’t close at all—is considered “slipped.”

Deal slippage doesn’t necessarily mean a deal is lost, but repeated slippage often signals poor qualification, internal delays, or customer misalignment.

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Why It Matters in B2B SaaS

  • It hurts forecast accuracy. Slipped deals cause missed revenue targets and executive surprises
  • It clouds pipeline visibility. Reps may artificially inflate pipeline with stale opportunities
  • It indicates qualification issues. If urgency or decision process isn’t solid, deals stall
  • It drains rep time and morale. Chasing unready or indecisive buyers wastes cycles
  • It delays cash flow. Revenue recognition depends on timely deal closure

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How to Track Deal Slippage

Step 1: Monitor opportunities with closed date changes in your CRM

Step 2: Compare forecasted close date vs. actual close date (or current open status)

Step 3: Track slippage rate: Slippage Rate = (Number of Slipped Deals ÷ Deals Forecasted to Close) × 100

Step 4: Segment by:

  • Rep or team
  • Deal size or stage
  • Product line
  • Time period (monthly, quarterly)

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Best Practices

  • Set strict forecast hygiene. Enforce close date discipline and review forecast changes weekly
  • Use exit criteria for each stage. Don’t let deals advance without proof of next steps, stakeholders, and urgency
  • Leverage MEDDICC or similar frameworks. Qualify deals rigorously to minimize fluff
  • Call out “slip risk” early. Create a slippage flag for deals that haven’t moved in X days
  • Post-mortem slipped deals. Was it a buyer delay, an internal issue, or bad qualification?
Final Thought
Quotes

Deal Slippage is one of the most preventable revenue leaks in SaaS sales. It’s not just about being late—it’s about being unclear, unaligned, or uncommitted. The more you tighten qualification and follow-through, the fewer deals will fall into next quarter’s bucket.

FAQs
How much deal slippage is normal?
In enterprise sales, some slippage is expected due to longer cycles. But if more than 20–30% of forecasted deals routinely slip, it’s a red flag.
Are slipped deals lost causes?
Not always, many still close. But every slip increases the chance of churn, reprioritization, or a competitor stepping in.
What’s the difference between deal slippage and deal velocity?
Velocity tracks how fast deals move. Slippage measures when deals move slower than expected.
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