Sales controlling: Key figures instead of reading coffee grounds

If you ask your sales team how the month is going, you'll probably get a confident answer. When you see the numbers at the end of the month, you are sometimes in for a surprise. Most B2B companies still manage their sales with a mix of experience, intuition, and hope. Current data shows a clear trend: 70 percent of sales people rate CRM systems as very important for closing deals and companies with automated data updates have 22 percent higher employee satisfaction. Sales controlling creates exactly the data-based basis that modern sales organizations need in order to grow in a predictable way.

What is sales controlling? The definition

Sales controlling is more than just collecting sales figures. It involves the systematic planning, management and control of all sales-relevant activities in a company. that Controlling portal defined Sales controlling as a sub-area of corporate controlling that deals with the planning, management and monitoring of sales processes and sales results.

From sales report to control system

While classic sales reports only document completed sales, sales controlling goes much further. It analyses the entire sales chain from lead to completion, identifies bottlenecks in processes and provides a sound basis for making strategic decisions. The decisive difference lies in the focus on action: Sales controlling not only shows what happened, but also enables active control of what is to come.

Distinction from marketing controlling and classic controlling

Sales controlling focuses on operational and strategic management of the sales process itself, while marketing controlling monitors upstream lead generation activities. Traditional controlling looks at the company from an overall perspective. Sales controlling forms the bridge between the two areas and ensures that sales activities contribute measurably to company goals.

The central tasks of sales controlling

Sales controlling performs a variety of tasks, which can be divided into four main areas: planning, management, control and analysis. Each of these areas plays a specific role in optimizing sales performance.

Sales and revenue planning

Well-founded planning forms the basis for successful sales management. This involves setting sales goals, defining budgets and preparing sales forecasts. Realistic planning takes historical data, market developments and seasonal fluctuations into account. Particularly important: Planning should not be prescribed top-down, but developed together with the sales team.

analysis of customers, products and regions

The systematic analysis shows which customers deliver the largest contribution margin, which products are particularly profitable and in which regions there is still potential. The following applies Pareto principle common: 20 percent of customers generate 80 percent of turnover. This insight enables targeted allocation of resources in sales.

Forecasts and target/actual comparisons

Regular forecasts help to identify deviations at an early stage and to initiate countermeasures. The classic target/actual comparison shows whether the team is on track or needs to make adjustments. Modern approaches work with rolling forecasts that are continuously updated instead of relying on rigid annual plans.

Identification of deviations and root cause research

When the actual results differ from the planning, the real work begins: the root cause analysis. Is it due to market development? Are the offers uncompetitive? Is lead qualification not working? Systematic sales controlling provides answers to these questions and enables targeted optimizations.

Sales controlling key figures: The cockpit for your sales

Key figures are at the heart of all sales controlling. They make performance measurable, trends visible and decisions comprehensible. The trick is choosing the right metrics and avoiding overwhelming the team with too many metrics.

An overview of the most important key figures

Total turnover and its development form the basis of all sales management. However, differentiation is decisive: Sales by product groups, customer groups or sales channels. The pure sales figure says little about profitability. A complete picture is only created in combination with contributions margins.

The following table shows the key figures for central sales controlling with calculation and reference values:

Interpreting efficiency indicators correctly

Sales per employee, offers per order won, or the average sales cycle time show how efficiently sales are working. One Study showsthat 78 percent of leads buy from the first provider to respond to their request. Speed is therefore a decisive success factor.

The conversion rate measures how many leads become paying customers. On average, B2B companies achieve a conversion rate of 3 to 4 percent. The customer retention rate shows whether existing customers can be retained. Increasing customer loyalty by five percent can make companies up to 75 percent more profitable, as acquiring new customers is six to seven times more expensive than retaining existing customers.

Operational versus strategic sales controlling

The distinction between operational and strategic sales controlling is crucial for practical work. Both levels track different time horizons and use different instruments.

Operational sales controlling: Short-term management

Operational sales controlling focuses on daily and monthly business. It monitors current sales figures, analyses the performance of individual sales representatives and creates short-term forecasts. Typical tools include weekly or monthly reports, CRM dashboards and activity figures such as the number of customer contacts or telephone appointments.

Strategic sales controlling: A long-term view

Strategic sales controlling deals with long-term trends and fundamental decisions. It analyses market developments, assesses portfolio attractiveness and develops strategies for new markets or customer groups. Instruments such as portfolio analyses, SWOT analyses or competition analyses are used here.

The interplay makes the difference

Both levels must work hand in hand. Operational insights are incorporated into strategic considerations. Strategic decisions are translated into measurable goals through operational controlling. A company that only manages operationally reacts quickly to deviations, but loses sight of the long-term direction. A company that only plans strategically loses contact with operational reality.

The most important tools of sales controlling

Sales controlling uses a wide range of instruments, ranging from classic analysis methods to modern digital tools. The selection of the right instruments depends on the size of the company, the industry and the specific challenges.

Classic controlling instruments

Die ABC analysis classifies customers, products or regions according to their importance to the company. A-customers generate the majority of sales and deserve intensive support accordingly. The contribution margin statement shows which products or customers actually contribute to covering fixed costs after deducting variable costs.

Key figure systems and forecast models

A well-thought-out key figure system combines individual metrics to form a coherent overall picture. Forecast models use historical data and current developments to predict future sales. Depending on the industry and product complexity, simple trend updates or complex statistical models can be used.

CRM systems as a data source

Customer relationship management systems form the digital backbone of modern sales organizations. They systematically record all customer contacts, document the sales process and provide the data basis for analyses. Data quality is crucial: Only if the team consistently maintains the CRM will it provide reliable control information.

Business intelligence and reporting tools

Modern BI tools enable real-time analysis of sales data across various data sources. Interactive dashboards visualize complex relationships and identify trends at a glance. The integration of ERP, CRM and project data creates a consistent database for well-founded decisions.

Time recording and project data as a management tool

For project-based service providers, linking sales data with Project times and resource utilization is particularly valuable. It shows which orders are actually profitable and whether the calculated budgets were realistic. These findings flow directly into the offer calculation of future projects.

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Sales controlling in practice: success factors and typical mistakes

The theory of sales controlling is well known, but implementing it in practice poses challenges for many companies. Some best practices are tried and true, while certain errors recur regularly.

Database instead of a patchwork of Excel

Many companies work with isolated Excel sheets in which data is manually compiled. This is time-consuming, error-prone and not scalable. A central database with automated interfaces between CRM, ERP and the controlling system is significantly more efficient in the long term. The initial investment pays off quickly through significant time savings and higher data quality.

Clear goal definition avoids key figure overload

The biggest danger in sales controlling is the temptation to want to measure everything. The result: overwhelmed sales teams that spend more time reporting than selling. It is better to focus on a few but meaningful key figures that are directly linked to the company's goals. Five to seven key KPIs are sufficient in most cases.

Regular reviews instead of annual reviews

Quarterly or even annual reports come too late to intervene in a controlling manner. Modern sales organizations work with monthly or even weekly reviews. Short, focused meetings with the team, in which current key figures are discussed and measures agreed upon, are significantly more effective than detailed presentations.

Sales controlling as a partner, not as a controller

The biggest challenge is often acceptance by the sales team. When controllers are perceived as police officers, this leads to resistance and embellished reports. If, on the other hand, controllers are seen as sparring partners who help sales get better, productive collaboration is created. This attitude must be exemplified by management.

Best practices for effective sales controlling

Successful sales organizations have developed some common practices that have proven effective in different industries and company sizes.

An overview of the five success factors

1. Create a uniform database

• Everyone involved works with the same figures and definitions
• Central, automatically updated database eliminates discussions about the number base
• Integration of CRM, ERP and controlling systems for continuous data flow
• Significant time savings due to the elimination of manual data consolidation

2. Focus on early warning indicators

• Sales figures only show what has already happened
• Pipeline development, lead quality and supply volume announce upcoming developments
• Conversion rates in early sales phases enable timely countermeasures
• Regular pipeline reviews uncover bottlenecks at an early stage

3. Integrate controlling into everyday sales

• Meaningful dashboards for sales managers with relevant KPIs
• Simple overviews for individual sales representatives without information overload
• Summarized management reports with the most important control variables
• Each target group receives the information relevant to them in the appropriate level of detail

4. Continuously learn from experience

• Systematic analysis of won and lost orders
• Identification of success patterns and their documentation
• Continuous process adjustment based on insights
• Organizational learning through systematic data collection and evaluation

5. Ensuring acceptance through partnership

• Position controllers as sparring partners instead of numbers police
• Joint goal definition with the sales team
• Regular, focused reviews instead of detailed control appointments
• Management exemplifies partnership

Sales controlling with ZEP: From acquisition to post-calculation

For project-based service providers, IT companies, agencies and consulting firms Traditional sales controlling is often not enough. The decisive question isn't just “Did we win the contract?” , but “Was the job really profitable in the end?” This is exactly where ZEP uses as Professional Services Automation Software and combines sales data with operational reality.

Bridging the gap between supply and reality

In many companies, there are two separate worlds: Sales creates offers based on estimated expenses, while the project teams later on the actual Record project times. ZEP connects these worlds and makes it visible whether your offer calculation was realistic. The software records all project times over ZEP Professional, automatically assigns it to the appropriate orders and calculates the actual costs.

Specific use cases in sales controlling

Profitability analysis at order level: After project completion, ZEP shows at a glance which orders have reached the planned margin and which were below plan. These findings are incorporated directly into future offerings. For example, if you find that implementation projects for customers without an IT department systematically require 30 percent more time, you can take this into account in your quote calculation.

Resource planning meets sales pipeline: Die resource planning ZEP not only shows the current workload of your teams, but also enables Planning upcoming projects from the sales pipeline. This allows you to identify early on whether you have capacity for new orders or whether you are risking bottlenecks. This information is invaluable for strategic sales decisions.

Contribution margin calculation in real time: While a project is running, ZEP continuously shows the current contribution margin. If a project is about to get out of hand, you don't just see this in the final bill, but can take countermeasures early on. This transparency protects your margin and improves project management.

Integration into existing processes: ZEP integrates seamlessly into your system landscape. Die DATEV and Lexware interfaces ensure that time data and statements flow directly into your accounting department. For sales controlling, this means: no media breaks, no manual transfers, no sources of error.

From time recording to a strategic asset

What as a simple time recording starts, develops into a strategic controlling instrument when used consistently. The project data collected over the years shows patterns:

• Which project types are particularly profitable?
• Which customers are working with particularly efficiently?
• Which services should you expand and which should you avoid?

These findings make the difference between sales based on gut feeling and data-based sales management. Especially in a market environment where 73 percent of B2B buyers Expect digital processes, this professionalization is no longer a luxury, but a competitive factor.

Conclusion: Sales controlling as the key to predictable growth

Sales controlling is not an end in itself and is not a compulsory bureaucratic exercise. It is the key to predictable, profitable growth. When 73 percent of B2B buyers If companies prefer online orders and digital processes become standard, companies can no longer afford to do without systematic sales controlling.

The investment in professional sales controlling pays off in several ways: through better decisions, more efficient processes, more motivated employees and ultimately through sustained higher profitability. The first step is often the hardest, but sales management can be significantly improved with just a few key figures and simple tools.

Companies that invest in sales controlling today create a decisive competitive advantage. They make better decisions, react faster to market changes and use their resources more efficiently. In an increasingly data-driven economy, this is no longer an option, but a necessity for sustainable success.