If you’re a sales leader or RevOps pro, you know forecasting and pipeline reviews are a headache. Too many dashboards, too much “gut feeling,” and not enough clarity. This guide is for anyone who wants to use Momentum ([momentum.html]) analytics to actually improve their team’s accuracy and confidence—without drowning in noise or spinning wheels in meetings.
Let’s cut to it: here’s how to get the real value out of Momentum’s analytics, avoid the hype, and make your forecasting and pipeline reviews less painful (and more useful).
1. Get Set Up: Clean Data or Bust
Before you start chasing insights, make sure your CRM data isn’t a dumpster fire. Momentum pulls from Salesforce and other sources, but it’s only as good as what goes in.
- Reality check: If reps aren’t updating close dates or next steps, no tool will magically fix your forecast.
- What to do:
- Audit your opportunity fields—especially stages, close dates, and values.
- Make updating these fields part of your team’s weekly rhythm.
- If your data is a mess, fix the basics first. Momentum can’t turn bad inputs into good outputs.
Pro Tip: Don’t get hung up on making the data perfect. Focus on the fields that actually drive your forecast. Ignore the rest (for now).
2. Set Up Momentum Analytics for Your Needs
Momentum isn’t a magic 8-ball; you need to tailor it. Here’s how to get started so you don’t waste time or money:
- Connect your CRM: Get Salesforce (or whatever you use) connected and confirm the sync is working.
- Pick your metrics: Stick to the essentials. Good bets:
- Win rate by stage
- Average sales cycle
- Deal slippage (deals pushed out)
- Pipeline coverage (how much pipeline vs. target)
- Activity metrics (emails, calls, etc.—but don’t obsess)
- Customize views: Set up dashboards for different audiences:
- Exec summary (high-level pipeline, commit deals)
- Manager view (stuck deals, at-risk ops)
- Rep view (next steps, overdue tasks)
- Ignore the fluff: Momentum has bells and whistles. If a chart or metric doesn’t help you make a decision, skip it.
Reality check: More dashboards ≠ better forecasting. Find what you need to run a tight review. Hide the rest.
3. Make Forecasting Less Painful—And More Accurate
Forecasting shouldn’t feel like reading tea leaves. Here’s how to use Momentum analytics to get closer to reality:
a. Use Historical Data, Not Just Gut
- Momentum can break down your historical conversion rates by stage and segment. Actually look at these—don’t just go with what “feels right.”
- Use the data to sanity-check your team’s forecast. Example: If you usually turn 30% of late-stage deals into wins, don’t let reps forecast 80% just because they’re feeling optimistic.
b. Spot the “Slipped but Still Here” Deals
- Momentum’s tracking of deal slippage is one of its more useful features. Deals that keep getting pushed out rarely close. Use that as a red flag.
- In pipeline reviews, ask: “Why has this deal slipped twice? Are we kidding ourselves?”
c. Don’t Overweight Activity Data
- Yes, Momentum logs all the emails, calls, and meetings. But a flurry of activity doesn’t always mean a deal will close.
- Use activity counts to spot true dead zones (no contact in weeks), but don’t let “lots of emails” trick you into thinking a deal is healthy.
d. Watch for “Pipeline Inflation”
- If your pipeline coverage looks great but most of the value sits in early stages, you’re not in good shape.
- Set up Momentum views to break down pipeline by stage and segment. Focus your forecast on late-stage, high-probability deals.
What to ignore: Fancy “AI commit” predictions that can’t be explained. If you can’t understand how it got to a number, don’t trust it.
4. Run Better Pipeline Reviews With Momentum
Pipeline reviews can eat up hours and still leave everyone confused. Here’s how to use Momentum to actually make these meetings useful:
a. Start With What Matters
- Use Momentum dashboards to show:
- Changes since last week (new deals, lost deals, big moves)
- Top risks (deals slipping, low activity, missing next steps)
- Gap to target (how much you need to close to hit the number)
b. Skip the “Deal by Deal” Death March
- Don’t walk through every single deal. Instead, use Momentum’s filters to focus on:
- Deals that have slipped
- Stalled deals (no activity in X days)
- Big deals that make or break the quarter
c. Push for Next Steps
- In each review, highlight which deals lack a clear next step or have fuzzy close dates. Use Momentum to call these out automatically.
- Make it a habit: No next step, no forecast.
d. Track Follow-Through
- Momentum lets you see if next steps are actually happening. Review the activity feed before each meeting to avoid “update theater.”
What to ignore: Don’t get sucked into reviewing every metric Momentum offers. Pick 2–3 that matter for your process.
5. Cut Through the Noise—Avoid Common Traps
Momentum analytics can be powerful, but it’s easy to overcomplicate things or trust the wrong signals. Here’s what works (and what doesn’t):
Works Well
- Deal slippage tracking: Few sales tools make it this clear when deals are stuck.
- Historical conversion rates: Reality check your forecast.
- Quick pipeline snapshots: For execs who want the “too long; didn’t read.”
Doesn’t Work Well
- Overreliance on activity tracking: High activity ≠ high close probability.
- AI “magic” without explanation: If you can’t explain it to a rep, don’t use it to call the quarter.
- Complicated custom fields: The more bespoke your setup, the harder Momentum is to maintain.
Ignore
- Vanity metrics: “Total pipeline generated” is useless if it’s all stuck in early stages.
- Automated “confidence” scores that don’t match reality: Trust your pattern recognition, not black-box ratings.
Pro Tip: Ask your team what actually helps them close deals. If your dashboards don’t match, change them.
6. Keep It Simple—And Iterate
Momentum is a solid tool, but it’s not going to magically fix broken sales processes. Here’s how to keep things moving:
- Revisit your dashboards every quarter. What’s helping? What’s noise?
- Don’t be afraid to delete reports you never look at.
- Focus on the basics: Are reps updating deals? Are you spending review time on what actually drives revenue?
- Use the data to spark better conversations, not just for reporting up the chain.
Bottom line: Don’t chase the perfect dashboard. Get the basics right, keep your reviews focused, and use Momentum as a spotlight—not a crystal ball. Try one or two changes at a time, see what sticks, and keep your process flexible. That’s where the real value shows up.