Sales Forecasting Software: 5 Tools for Getting Better Numbers

Think back (hopefully a long way back) to the last time your team missed quota because of an unrealistic forecast.

The numbers probably looked fine at the start of the quarter. Your reps were confident. Pipeline coverage seemed good. You ran an effective sales motion. But by EoQ, the gap between forecast and reality wasn’t just a miss. It was a credibility hit.

This is the hidden tax of bad forecasts. Finance loses trust. The board asks tough questions. And you, the sales leader, spend more time defending your number than actually hitting it.

What Is Sales Forecasting Software?

According to Gartner, only 7% of sales organizations achieve >90% forecast accuracy. That margin of error can be life or death. That’s why more teams are turning to sales forecasting software. These platforms replace gut-feel and spreadsheets with predictive analytics and real-time AI insights. Manual data entry and inefficient forecasting processes often lead to errors and unreliable predictions, but sales forecasting software automates these steps, streamlining the forecasting process and improving accuracy.

At its simplest, sales forecasting software helps you predict future revenue. You can juggle spreadsheets and forecast commits, or these platforms can do the difficult manual work for you:

• Pull Data Automatically: These tools integrate directly with your CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot) and sync with all of your pipeline data, including past sales data.
• Analyze Trends and Signals: Sales forecasting software crunches the numbers, including historical win rates, stage progression, rep performance, and even activity data. It uses historical forecasting techniques and analyzes past sales data to identify patterns and inform predictions.
• Project Future Sales: Forecasting tools generate projections that help set more realistic targets.

In other words, forecasting software takes out the manual guesswork and gives you a target you can trust.

Why Sales Leaders Need Sales Forecasting Software

If you’re a CRO or other sales leader, you’re hired to do one thing: hit the number.

Inaccurate forecasting makes that almost impossible. Without a reliable forecast, you…

• Can’t plan hiring or marketing investments confidently.
• Miss risks in the pipeline until it’s too late.
• Burn credibility with your CEO, CFO, and board.

Accurate forecasts enable better sales planning, optimize resource allocation, and empower teams to make more informed decisions across the organization.

Sales forecasting & analytics software solves these pain points by showing you:

• Where you’re really tracking against quota.
• Which deals are at risk before they fall out.
• Whether you have enough pipeline coverage to make the number.

The result? A sales organization that’s more predictable, efficient, and successful.

How Sales Forecasting Software Works

Behind the scenes, sales forecasting software follows a simple but powerful loop. The sales forecasting process often involves multiple forecasting methods, including multi method forecasting and various forecasting models, to improve accuracy and support strategic decision-making.

1. Collect: The software gathers data from your CRM, spreadsheets, and other sources.
2. Analyze: It analyzes the data using advanced algorithms and forecasting models. The software leverages historical data to inform its analysis, enabling more accurate predictions and insights.
3. Project: The tool generates sales forecasts based on the analyzed data, using multiple forecasting methods to suit different business needs.
4. Review & Adjust: Sales leaders and reps review the forecasts, make adjustments, and resubmit as needed—streamlining the entire sales forecasting process.
5. Repeat: The loop continues, with each cycle improving accuracy as more data is collected and analyzed.

1. Pull Data

The software consolidates data from multiple departments, such as marketing, finance, and customer success, by connecting to your CRM (and sometimes marketing, email, and calendar systems) to capture real-time deal and activity data.

Integration with accounting software ensures financial data is always up to date for forecasting purposes.

2. Analyze

It uses advanced data analytics to assess historical performance, including historical sales performance, conversion rates, sales cycle lengths, and rep behaviors. Some tools also ingest external data, like market signals or buying intent, to improve accuracy. This analysis helps identify trends that inform future forecasts.

3. Project Future Sales

Using statistical models or AI, the system is designed to predict sales as accurately as possible, projecting how much revenue you’ll close this quarter. Users can select the appropriate forecasting period, such as monthly or quarterly, to generate an accurate forecast. Unlike static spreadsheets, it updates continuously as deals are created, moved, or lost.

The best sales forecasting & analytics software doesn’t just give you a number. It also explains why. For example…

• “ACV is down 15% because of increased discounting.”
• “This $200K opportunity has slipped twice and engagement is stalling.”
• “You need $2.5M in pipeline coverage to hit a $1M quota.”

That context helps sales leaders not just report the forecast, but fix it.

Top 5 Sales Forecasting Software Tools for Revenue Teams

These are the tools sales leaders are betting on in 2025. This list highlights the best sales forecasting software and forecasting tools for generating reliable sales forecasts. Each one helps solve the core forecasting pain point: forecast accuracy.

1. Salesforce Einstein Forecasting

• Why Salesforce Sales Cloud: Salesforce is the default CRM for many revenue teams. Its native forecasting module lets you roll up forecasts by rep, team, or product.
• Key Features:
• Native CRM integration and automatic pipeline sync
• Flexible forecast categories and roll-ups
• Einstein AI predictions layered on historical deal patterns
• Scenario modeling for best, commit, and pipeline views
• Robust sales pipeline visibility and pipeline management tools for sales managers
• Best for: Teams already all-in on Salesforce, with budget for higher-tier licenses.

2. Clari

• Why: Clari is the most recognized name in AI sales forecasting. It captures CRM, email, and calendar data to build a real-time picture of pipeline health.
• Key features:
• Automated forecast roll-ups across reps, regions, and products
• AI scoring of opportunities based on activity and history
• Scenario planning and “what-if” modeling
• Slack integration and mobile access for forecast updates
• Performance tracking with real-time dashboards for forecast status and deal progress monitoring
• Best for: CROs who want complete visibility and alignment across Sales, Marketing, and Finance.

3. Gong Forecast

• Why: Gong has recently extended its revenue intelligence platform into forecasting. It incorporates actual customer interactions into its analysis.
• Key features:
• Deal engagement data from calls, emails, and meetings
• Forecasting dashboards tied directly to real buyer behavior
• Risk signals for stalled or low-engagement deals
• Integrations with CRM and sales workflows
• Delivers valuable insights and predictive insights from sales conversations, helping teams improve sales outcomes
• Best for: Teams already using Gong for conversation intelligence who want forecasts tied to deal reality.

4. Forecastio

• Why: Forecastio is a newer entrant to the forecasting space. It’s particularly strong for HubSpot-native companies and has a lightweight, intuitive UI.
• Key features:
• Native HubSpot integration
• Predictive analytics to model likely deal outcomes
• Leverages historical sales data to deliver a more accurate sales forecast and more accurate forecasts overall
• Clean, modern interface designed for quick adoption
• Simple reporting and visual dashboards
• Best for: Mid-market teams that need accuracy but don’t want Clari’s complexity or cost.

5. Chief

• Why: Chief is built specifically for growth-stage SaaS revenue teams. It uses predictive analytics to deliver timely, actionable alerts with recommended next steps.
• Key features:
• ±3% forecast accuracy
• Predictive alerts on slipping deals
• Action-oriented insights with recommended next steps
• Fast, user-friendly deployment
• Provides accurate sales forecasts that support accurate budgets and help predict future outcomes for growth-stage companies
• Best for: Sales teams at $10M–$100M ARR companies who want predictable growth without hiring an army of analysts.

How AI Sales Forecasting Works

AI forecasting takes the traditional process and makes it always-on and data-driven. AI sales forecasting tools…

1. Learn from history: Machine learning models analyze years of deal data to understand what factors drive wins or losses.
2. Score every deal: Each opportunity gets a confidence score based on hundreds of variables, like stage velocity, rep activity, buyer engagement, discounting, etc.
3. Update continuously: Forecasts refresh in real time as deals move, new opps get added, or signals change.
4. Flag risks and opportunities: AI highlights where you’re likely to miss quota and where untapped upside exists.

These AI-driven tools help predict future outcomes, improve forecast accuracy, and deliver more accurate predictions for sales teams.

According to McKinsey, AI forecasting can improve accuracy by 20–50% versus manual methods. For a growth-stage company, that accuracy translates into better hiring decisions, smarter budget planning, and more predictable growth.

Key Features to Look For

When evaluating sales forecasting & analytics software, prioritize tools that offer:

• CRM Integration: Two-way sync with Salesforce, HubSpot, or any other CRM you use. No extra data entry.
• Sales Tech Stack Integration: Seamless integration with your entire sales tech stack to ensure accurate data flow and maintain data integrity.
• Support for a Repeatable Sales Process: Features that help establish and maintain a consistent, repeatable sales process for reliable and accurate forecasting.
• Data Driven Decision Making: Advanced analytics and insights that empower sales leaders to make informed, data-driven decisions.
• Real-Time Alerts & Automated Updates: Forecasts refresh hourly or faster.
• Scenario Planning & What-If Analysis: Model best, worst, and most-likely cases instantly.
• Pipeline Coverage Analysis: Show how much pipeline you need to hit quota by stage.
• Ease of Use & Adoption: Clean UI, Slack integration, and mobile access so reps actually use it.

Bottom Line: Predictable Revenue Is a Software Problem

If you’re leading a sales team, your success depends on one thing: calling the number and hitting it.
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Modern sales forecasting software helps teams identify growth opportunities, adapt to market trends and market conditions, and account for external factors that can impact results. By leveraging these tools, sales leaders can plan for future trends, refine their sales strategy, and drive better future performance.
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Most platforms will get you part of the way. But if you want true predictability, choose a tool designed for modern revenue teams, like Chief.
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To learn more, book a demo of the Chief platform today.