Analyze · Forecasting & Gap-to-Quota

Run a Mid-Quarter Forecast Reset

Re-baseline your quarter at the halfway mark with fresh pipeline math, an updated commit, and a recovery plan if you're behind.

managerfounderIntermediate⏱ 2 hours per quarter
When to use
Run at the 6-week mark of a 13-week quarter (or any midpoint). Use when the original forecast feels stale, deals have shifted, or you need to give leadership a refreshed landing number with a recovery plan attached. Replaces the panicked all-hands 'how are we doing?' meeting with a math-backed reset.
The prompt
You are a sales leader who runs forecast calls at digital marketing agencies. At mid-quarter you re-baseline everything: closed-to-date, what's left in pipeline, and what changed since the quarter start.
Agency: [AGENCY_NAME] — [SERVICES]
Quota: [QUOTA] | Closed-won to date: [CLOSED_WON_TO_DATE] | Quarter end: [QUARTER_END_DATE] | Today: [TODAY]
Original commit set at quarter start: [ORIGINAL_COMMIT]
Deals that have CHANGED since quarter start (new, slipped, lost, advanced):
[CHANGED_DEALS]
Current open pipeline:
[PIPELINE_DATA]
Win rate by stage: [HISTORICAL_WIN_RATE] | Avg deal: [AVG_DEAL_SIZE] | Cycle: [CYCLE_DAYS] days
Reset the forecast: set a new Commit, new Best Case, recalculate the gap to quota, and produce a concrete recovery plan tied to specific deals and rep actions for the remaining weeks.

- Show ALL math: closed + new weighted pipeline = new forecast; compare new commit to [ORIGINAL_COMMIT].
- Be conservative: any deal whose close date is now past EOQ moves to Omit unless explicitly pulled forward.
- Flag deals where the stage hasn't advanced since quarter start — they're at risk of slipping again.
- Recovery plan must name 3-5 specific deals + 1 specific action per deal, not generic activities.
- If recovery plan still doesn't close the gap, say so explicitly and recommend escalation.

1. Mid-quarter snapshot: Quota | Closed | Open pipeline weighted | Forecast | Gap | Days remaining
2. New Commit vs Original Commit (delta and why)
3. Recovery plan: 3-5 deals × specific action × $ contribution if won
4. Honest verdict: 'on track' / 'achievable with focused execution' / 'will miss — escalate'
Variables
  • [AGENCY_NAME] — Your agency name
  • [SERVICES] — Services sold
  • [QUOTA] — Quarterly quota
  • [CLOSED_WON_TO_DATE] — Revenue closed so far
  • [QUARTER_END_DATE] — Quarter end date
  • [TODAY] — Today's date
  • [ORIGINAL_COMMIT] — Commit set at quarter start
  • [CHANGED_DEALS] — Deals that have moved since quarter start
  • [PIPELINE_DATA] — Current open opportunities
  • [HISTORICAL_WIN_RATE] — Win rate by stage
  • [AVG_DEAL_SIZE] — Average deal size
  • [CYCLE_DAYS] — Average sales cycle days
Example input
Agency: Vista Growth — paid + SEO
Quota $350k | Closed $145k | EOQ 2026-06-30 | Today 2026-05-25 (36 days left)
Original commit $260k
Changed deals:
- Apex Auto | was Negotiation $60k → CLOSED-WON $58k
- Brae Logistics | was Proposal $40k → SLIPPED to Q3
- Cypress Health | NEW Negotiation $35k | verbal yes
Open pipeline:
- Cypress Health | Negotiation | $35k | 6/15 | verbal
- Dorset Group | Proposal | $50k | 6/24 | second meeting booked
- Echo Studios | Discovery | $25k | 6/30 | early
- Fjord Co | Proposal | $30k | 6/28 | stalled 3 weeks (no stage change)
Win rate: Proposal 38%, Negotiation 65% | Avg deal $25k | Cycle 50d
Example output
Mid-quarter snapshot:
- Quota $350k | Closed $145k
- Weighted open: Cypress $22.75k + Dorset $19k + Echo $3k + Fjord $11.4k = $56.15k
- Forecast: $201.15k | Gap to quota: $148.85k | 36 days remaining

New Commit: $180k (vs Original $260k, −$80k). Delta driven by Brae slip and Fjord stall. Cypress new-add offsets partially.

Recovery plan:
1. Cypress Health — convert verbal to signed MSA by 6/05 — +$35k
2. Dorset Group — book economic-buyer meeting this week, propose 6/18 close — +$50k
3. Fjord Co — escalate to founder-to-founder call to break stall or disqualify — +$30k or scrub
4. Pull-forward audit: scan Q3 pipeline for 1-2 candidates with verbal interest
5. Echo Studios — accelerate or omit; Discovery stage with 36 days left is not a Commit candidate

Verdict: Will miss — escalate. Even if items 1-3 all land ($115k of new closes), forecast = $260k, still $90k short of $350k. Recommend resetting Q2 expectation with leadership and shifting focus to Q3 pipeline-build immediately.
Pro tips
  • Run at the literal halfway mark every quarter — make it a recurring calendar event.
  • The recovery plan only works if reps own one action item each — assign owners in the doc.
  • If three quarters in a row need a mid-quarter reset, your forecasting process is broken — run the Forecast Accuracy by Rep prompt next.
Works with
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
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