What is commit in sales forecasting?
Commit is the set of deals a sales rep is willing to stand behind for the period: the ones they expect to close and would be surprised to lose.
It is a judgement, not a calculation, which is exactly why it is worth keeping next to a computed forecast rather than replacing one with the other.
Sales forecast categories
Most teams sort open deals into a few categories so a manager can roll them up quickly:
- Commit: the rep expects it to close this period.
- Best case: could close this period if things go well.
- Pipeline: real, but not expected this period.
- Omitted: open but not counted.
Commit vs best case
The line between them is confidence, and it should be written down. For example, commit might require a verbal yes and an agreed close date, while best case only needs a proposal in front of a decision-maker. Without a rule, commit drifts towards whatever a rep hopes.
Rep commit beside the computed forecast
A rep commit captures things no model sees, such as a conversation last night. A computed forecast captures things reps tend to discount, such as how often deals at this stage really slip. Sales CRM and Pipeline shows each rep’s commit beside the forecast range, so a gap between the two becomes a question to ask rather than a number to average away.
Measuring commit forecast accuracy
Compare what was committed at the start of each period with what actually closed, per rep. A rep who lands 20% under their commit every quarter is telling you something useful; so is one who always beats it, because they are probably holding deals back.
Last reviewed 2026-11-01.