Explore Intelligent Forecasting

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

• Explain how intelligent forecasting solves common forecasting challenges.
  
• Summarize how intelligent forecasting helps businesses pursue intelligent revenue.
  
• Describe how Xactly Forecasting and Salesforce work together.
  

Intelligent Forecasting 

The combination of automation and AI—otherwise known as “intelligent forecasting”—is what enables Xactly Forecasting to improve revenue predictability and, as a result, solve many of the forecasting challenges we’ve discussed. While automation streamlines processes, eliminates busywork, and creates more time for selling, AI provides detailed insights into sales cycle trends, sellers’ past behavior, potential deal blockers, and more. 

Here’s how Xactly Forecasting uses intelligent forecasting to do this. 

Xactly Forecasting also allows sales leaders to identify underlying performance factors across the sales team. For example, it can show sales leaders where they need to:

• Improve coaching tactics.
  
• Provide additional selling guidance.
  
• Adjust incentives and sales processes.
  

Watch this short video to learn more about Xactly Forecasting.

Intelligent Revenue

With Xactly Forecasting, sales teams have more control over their revenue predictions, but it’s important to note that not all revenue is the same. In fact, not all revenue is good for the business! (Shocking, we know.) For example, imagine that a company has sold a deal for USD $100K but spends more than that amount servicing the customer. When the deal closes, it looks like $100K in revenue, but in reality, the deal isn’t profitable for the business. 

To create truly sustainable growth, businesses have to limit these types of customers and instead pursue the “right” revenue—otherwise known as “intelligent revenue.” Intelligent revenue is characterized by:

• Predictability: It combines historical data with current trends, not gut feelings (aka “intuition bias”), to garner more consistent growth.
  
• Profitability: It’s efficient, optimizes margins, and unlocks new opportunities.
  
• Resiliency: It’s consistent and withstands volatility, competition, and disruptions in the market.
  

Xactly Forecasting’s intelligent forecasting capabilities zero in on intelligent revenue by providing data visibility, accuracy, consistency, and collaboration. This lets businesses pursue and prioritize longer-term deals with higher revenue potential. 

Xactly Forecasting and Salesforce

Xactly Forecasting uses customer and opportunity data within Salesforce. It presents this data in a forecasting-friendly format that lets sales reps and leaders:

• Access quality data and insights that help every sales team focus on the right indicators and take the right actions to consistently hit their numbers.
  
• Create alignment throughout the revenue ecosystem from pipeline to paycheck, streamlining operations and amplifying seller engagement.
  
• Manage and inspect pipeline to make faster strategic decisions and elevate the performance of their teams.
  

Xactly Forecasting doesn’t just improve forecasting accuracy—it provides a modern, holistic view of revenue, which is a key element of a successful Revenue Operations (RevOps) strategy. Keep reading to discover how a RevOps strategy aligns an entire business and empowers everyone to approach business decisions through a lens of revenue growth.

Resources 

• PDF: Xactly Forecasting Datasheet
  
• Video: Accelerate Revenue Intelligence with Xactly Forecasting 
  
• External Site: Xactly: 4 Key Ways Xactly Forecasting Empowers Sales Leaders
  
• External Site: Xactly: How to Improve Sales Forecasting Accuracy with Automation
  
• External Site: Xactly: Use Intelligent Forecasting for Accurate Sales Forecasts
  
• Video: Webinar: Intelligent Sales Forecasting: Call Your Number with Confidence 
  
• PDF: Five Tools to Unleash Intelligent Revenue