12 Best Sales Forecasting Software in 2024 [And How to Use It]

In the wild (in sales), hitting your numbers can feel like balancing on a tightrope. 

You hustle, you charm, you maneuver deals through the pipeline, but sometimes unforeseen storms (think: a competitor price slash or sudden market shift) can send your targets tumbling. 

And your sales reps—71% of whom say closing more deals is their main goal—spend only 39% of their time talking to leads and customers. 

So, how do you stay on top of your sales quota?

Enter sales forecasting tools: your trusty guide and guardian against nasty surprises.

This article isn’t just about the 12 best sales forecasting software options for 2024, we’ll also show you how to use them like a champ. No more guesswork, just spot-on predictions to impress the boss and crush your quota. 

Buckle up and get ready to ditch the sales struggle for smooth sailing!

What are sales forecasts?

Let’s speak fundamentals—sales forecasts are like a crystal ball for your business, giving you a sneak peek into future sales. All they do is helping you predict how much of your product or service you’ll sell over a specific period, whether it’s the next month, quarter, or year. 

Why should you care about B2C or B2B sales forecasts? Simple—they guide your decisions. 

With accurate forecasts, you can manage inventory better, allocate resources wisely, and set realistic revenue goals. Imagine knowing ahead of time if you’ll need extra sales pros for a busy season (and you usually don’t…or do need…) or if it’s time to ramp up marketing efforts to hit targets.

Creating a sales forecast means looking at past sales, checking out the current market, and making adjustments for upcoming changes like new product launches or economic shifts.

It’s part art, part science, but with the right tools (we’ll show you everything a bit later), anyone can do it.

What is sales forecasting software?

We’re living in the era of tools and robots (think: AI and automation), and the days of Excel and handmade sales reporting are fading. That’s why every task, especially sales forecasts, needs specific tools.

Sales forecasting software is your business’s secret weapon for predicting future sales with precision and ease. Think of it as a supercharged calculator that blends data analytics, machine learning, and user-friendly interfaces to give you accurate sales predictions.

This software takes the heavy lifting out of sales forecasting. 

Instead of manually crunching numbers and sifting through spreadsheets, you get instant insights at your fingertips with this sales automation software. It analyzes past sales data, current market trends, and other relevant factors to generate forecasts that are not just accurate but also actionable.

Why use a sales forecasting platform? It saves you time, reduces errors, and provides a clear picture of your sales landscape. 

But why? Because with this tool in your toolstack, you are going to easily adjust your sales and GTM strategies based on real-time data, making your planning more dynamic and responsive. 

How does the sales forecasting tool work?

Sales forecasting tools give you a sneak peek into your future sales. If you’re still not sure how they work, here’s a quick and easy breakdown:

• Data collection → the tool gathers historical sales data from various sources like your CRM, ERP, and even spreadsheets (please, let the latter go, it’s 2024 here). It can also pull in external data like market trends, economic indicators, and seasonal patterns.
• Data analysis → once the data is collected, the tool uses complex and smart algorithms and AI sales tools to analyze it. This process identifies patterns and trends that might not be obvious at first glance.
• Predictive modeling → it’s the heart of the tool. These models use the analyzed data to forecast future sales. They take into account various factors such as past performance, current market conditions, and potential disruptions.
• Scenario planning → good forecasting tools also allow you to run different scenarios. Want to see how a new product launch might affect your sales? Or what happens if there’s an economic downturn? The tool lets you simulate these situations to plan accordingly.
• Visualization → finally, the tool presents the forecast in easy-to-understand visuals like graphs and charts (your Excel cannot do such things, for sure). This makes it simple to grasp complex data at a glance and share insights with your team.

So, that’s how the sales forecasting tool works. Now, the best part of the article…

What are the 12 best sales forecasting tools?

Alright, now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to dive into the fun serious part—our top sales forecasting software picks for 2024. 

Think of this as your go-to guide for finding the perfect tool to help you predict future sales with ease and accuracy. 

Let’s kick things off with the hottest player on the market: HubSpot.

HubSpot → for driving sales growth

The ‘inbound champ’, HubSpot, typically uses deal stages to predict revenue based on how likely deals are to close. 

But if you need more flexibility, you can set up forecast categories to group deals. This way, you and your team can adjust the forecast based on your insights without losing track of your sales progress.

Pro tip: Connect Reply.io with HubSpot and supercharge your sales game. Track, automate, and grow faster than ever. Ready to see your efficiency soar?

Using HubSpot’s forecast tool in one-on-one meetings with your reps is really useful. It shows where they need to focus to hit their monthly or quarterly targets. 

Before diving in, make sure your user has Forecast permissions. Then, assign revenue goals to your team and set up forecast categories if needed.

Forecastio → for most accurate sales forecasting with AI

What sets Forecastio apart is its use of AI to streamline your entire forecasting process. By analyzing both historical data and real-time inputs, Forecastio delivers highly accurate, continuously improving sales forecasts—without the need for manual adjustments.

This makes it ideal for sales leaders looking to eliminate guesswork and increase the accuracy of their forecasts.

Need to see how different factors could affect your numbers? Forecastio’s advanced scenario modeling lets you simulate various outcomes, from changes in market conditions to shifts in your sales strategy. This gives you the ability to adapt quickly and make proactive, data-driven decisions.

And with seamless integration with your HubSpot, Forecastio provides real-time insights into your sales pipeline. Whether you prefer top-down or bottom-up sales planning and forecasting, Forecastio offers the flexibility and intelligence to help you stay ahead of the competition and hit your sales targets with confidence.

Pipedrive → for better sales strategies

The second one is Pipedrive. 

It collects all the key data, so you can adjust things to make sure you hit your sales goals. You can review past sales performance and activities and based on it—tweak pricing, promotional offers, and product landing pages based on what has worked before.

It also helps reduce customer churn by keeping a close eye on your sales funnel and activities. With historical data, you can make smarter decisions to help your reps nurture repeat customers. 

Pipedrive’s tools give you up-to-date views of every deal, letting you see every buyer interaction and make solid revenue forecasts.

You can also predict cash flow more accurately by tracking subscriptions and repeat customers. Pipedrive lets you forecast deal, team, and client revenue, so you can report cash flow with confidence.

Freshworks → for unified sales & support

The unified database is the heart of Freshsales (part of Freshworks, another famous CRM&Customer success platform). It pulls together all your lead and customer info into one place, giving you a real-time 360° view of your leads. 

This makes it super easy to personalize your interactions. 

One of the coolest features is the omnichannel capability, which means you can connect with potential customers no matter where they are. Freshsales also turbocharges your sales processes with workflows and sales sequences that keep everything running smoothly. 

It tracks where each lead is in the high-ticket sales cycle and prompts the next steps based on your rules. Great, isn’t it?

Customization is a breeze with Freshsales. You can tweak everything from basic field labels and dashboard views to more complex stuff like pipelines and workflows, all without needing an IT expert.

Zendesk → for better sales predictions

With Zendesk Sell, you can add forecast data to each deal, predicting the chances of winning and the estimated close date using historical data. This helps you focus on the deals most likely to succeed. 

The ‘Forecasted Sales by Source’ report shows where your leads come from and your sales projections for a specific period, helping refine your lead management strategy.

Built-in activity reports let you quickly check key metrics on sales rep activities and deal outcomes. You can get insights into your pipeline by reviewing sales performance metrics to see what led to a win or a loss. Plus, you can create custom forecast reports, like weighted forecasts by team, and share these insights across your company.

Ditch the spreadsheets (finally!) with Zendesk Sell’s sales reporting and dashboards, giving you quick access to projections and essential data. Just make sure you’re on the Sell Growth plan or above to use these forecasting features.

Aviso → for advanced sales insights

With Aviso, you can add forecast data to your deals to predict the chances of closing and estimate close dates using historical data (just like other products, but with a few unique twists). 

This helps you focus on the deals that matter most.

Aviso keeps you updated with real-time tracking of deal movements and potential risks. Its AI engine uses historical and current data to spot trends and patterns, helping you make smarter decisions. You can easily adjust your forecasts by toggling deals in and out of commits with the easy setup—you’re just one click from the results.

The AI sales forecasting software also has customizable dashboards, so you can visualize different what-if scenarios and answer questions easily. Plus, with Aviso’s mobile app, you can manage your forecasts on the go, keeping you flexible and ready for anything.

Avercast → for sales clarity

Using 250+ forecasting algorithms, Avercast dives into your data to predict future sales. This helps your sales team see product performance, understand the sales pipeline, and figure out steps to boost sales in the coming months.

Avercast also lets you track your progress towards your goals. You can constantly check your current performance against your targets to see what’s working and what needs adjusting. 

It helps you create revenue forecasts by combining current sales prices with historical data, ensuring your revenue projections match your demand forecasts.

Customization is another big plus with Avercast. You can generate various reports, like sales forecasts or projected revenue, and present them visually with pie charts and graphs. 

This makes it easy to share insights and strategies with your team.

Mediafly → for better sales decisions

AI-based forecasting by Mediafly gives you customizable and reliable forecasts. It helps you accurately roll up your forecast, see changes in real-time, spot risks with metrics, and confidently predict your numbers.

What sets Mediafly apart is its powerful data analytics and machine learning. These tools provide deep insights into your sales performance, customer behavior, and market trends, helping you stay agile and adapt quickly to market changes.

Plus, with full-funnel sales analytics, you get a complete view of your marketing, sales, and customer success metrics, making it easy to see the big picture.

Clari → for proactive sales management

The next solution, Clari, with its forecasting, works with any revenue model, whether it’s subscription-based, consumption-based, or something else (you choose!). You can customize tabs, fields, and formulas yourself, making it super versatile. 

With Clari, you can confidently predict, manage, and plan your revenue growth seamlessly.

Clari’s powerful tools help you inspect your pipeline, perform accurate rollups, and offer an easy-to-use interface for reps, making the whole process a breeze. This means you can consistently hit your targets and always know exactly where you stand.

Salesforce → for advanced sales tools

One of the coolest things about Salesforce is the variety of forecast types it offers. For example, product family forecasts let you see expected revenue and quantities for specific product groups. 

This is super helpful if you have multiple product lines and want to forecast results based on those groups.

And if you’re using a team selling approach, overlay split forecasts show the impact of team members who contribute to a deal, even if they aren’t directly responsible for closing it. Opportunity revenue split forecasts take this a step further by focusing on opportunities rather than just expected revenue. 

It’s a great way to see how collaborative efforts are driving your sales.

Salesforce is all about customization. You can add filters, include or exclude specific data, and tweak your forecasts to match your business needs. Whether you start with a user role or territory hierarchy, you can set custom date ranges to estimate revenue, quantities, or any other value you care about.

ForecastX → for hitting sales targets with Excel

Creating a forecast with ForecastX is super easy. Forget about spending hours on data cleansing and formatting—just drop your data into Excel and let ForecastX do the rest. 

It automatically finds the best way to forecast your data, giving you accurate predictions in minutes.

One of the coolest features of ForecastX is its automatic best-fit modeling, which ensures your forecasts are spot on. You can also manage inventory levels, optimize safety stock, and see how different events impact your sales.

ForecastX is great for planning new products too. It uses sales data from similar items to create accurate baseline forecasts. 

It’s a huge timesaver and makes the whole forecasting process straightforward and efficient.

Anaplan → for optimize sales performance

With Anaplan, you can check out your forecasts by geography, product line, or account, even down to specific cities or product SKUs (imagine this!). This gives you a clear view of your pipeline and lets you use predictive insights to focus on the best opportunities for steady revenue.

Anaplan links your sales forecasts with planning and performance management, so you can calculate quotas, estimate payouts, and optimize territories using up-to-date data. 

This means you can quickly adapt to market changes and keep everything in sync.

By combining historical sales data with third-party insights, Anaplan helps you create forecasts that really match the current market. It also improves decision-making across all departments—sales, finance, HR, and marketing—by providing accurate sales forecasts.

With all these options, how do you pick the right one? 

No need to stress out—here’s a simple step-by-step ‘guide’ to help you out!

How to choose the best sales forecasting software?

Picking the right sales forecasting & analytics software is like finding the perfect pair of shoes—it needs to be a good fit for your business. 

Here’s how to make sure you choose the best tool:

• Figure out what you need → start by knowing exactly what you’re looking for. Do you need just the basics, or are you after advanced features like scenario planning and AI insights? Make a list of your must-haves.
• User-friendliness → the software should be easy to use. Look for intuitive interfaces and simple navigation. If it’s too complicated, you and your team might not want to use it.
• Integration → make sure the software plays well with your existing systems, like your CRM, ERP, marketing tools, and other paid or free sales tools. This ensures all your data flows smoothly into one place.
• Customization → your business is unique, so the software should let you customize reports, dashboards, and models to fit your specific needs.
• Scalability → as your business grows, your forecasting needs will too. Choose software that can grow with you, handling more data and complex analyses over time.
• Accuracy → look for tools that use advanced algorithms and machine learning to give precise predictions. Check out reviews and case studies to see how accurate it’s been for others.
• Cost → finally, think about your budget. Compare the costs of different options and weigh them against the features they offer. Remember, the cheapest option isn’t always the best value.

By keeping these points in mind, you’ll find the best sales forecasting software that fits your business perfectly and helps you make smarter, data-driven decisions.

How to use your sales forecasting tool the right way?

Using your sales forecasting tool effectively can be a real game-changer for your business. Here’s how to get the most out of it:

1. Know your goals

First things first, know what you want to achieve with your forecasts. 

Whether it’s predicting quarterly sales or spotting seasonal trends, clear goals help you focus and make the insights more valuable. 

Think specific: like “Increase Q3 sales by 10%” or “Reduce inventory costs by 15%.” Tailor your forecasting parameters to match these goals and keep everyone on the same page.

2. Get good data

Your forecasts are only as good as the data you put in. 

Make sure you’re pulling info from reliable sources like your CRM tool, sales records, and market trends. Regularly audit your data to remove duplicates and fix errors.

Automation tools can also help streamline data collection, making sure it’s clean and organized for the best results.

3. Keep it updated

Keep your data fresh. Sales trends change quickly, so make it a habit to update your data regularly. 

Set a routine for weekly or monthly updates and have someone on the team oversee data accuracy and timeliness. This keeps your forecasts relevant and reliable.

4. Customize it

Make the tool work for you by customizing it to fit your business needs. Adjust settings to match your sales cycles, products, and market conditions. 

Use custom fields and filters to segment data by product lines, regions, or customer segments. Tailoring the tool this way makes your forecasts more precise and useful.

5. Use the cool (advanced) features

Don’t shy away from the advanced features your tool offers, like AI-driven insights and scenario planning. These can give you deeper insights and more accurate predictions. 

Take advantage of training sessions or webinars from the software provider, and try out scenario planning to prepare for different market conditions.

6. Work with your team

Get your sales development team and other stakeholders involved. Their insights and feedback can boost the accuracy of your forecasts and make sure everyone’s on the same page. 

Hold regular meetings to review forecasts and gather input from different departments. Use collaboration tools to share forecasts and get real-time feedback.

7. Analyze and tweak

Don’t just set your forecasts and forget them. Compare them with actual sales results, analyze any discrepancies, and tweak your sales strategies accordingly. 

Continuous improvement is key. Create a dashboard to track forecast accuracy over time and use this data to spot patterns and refine your forecasting methods.

By following these steps, you’ll get the most out of your sales forecasting tool, helping you make smarter decisions and push your business forward with confidence.

If you can’t measure it, you can’t control it (same for sales)

There you have it—the 12 best sales forecasting tools for 2024 and how to use them. Dive into each one, check out their features, and find the perfect match for your business. 

Once you give your perfect-fit tool a shot, start using it in your daily sales routine. 

Get your team on board, set up your forecasts, and use the insights to make smarter decisions. These platforms are here to make your ‘reaching-quota’ life easier and your sales numbers better.

And if you’re serious about crushing your sales quota, why not let Reply.io’s multichannel outreach and AI SDR do the heavy lifting? Automate, personalize, and supercharge your outreach like never before!

So, what are you waiting for? Start using sales forecasting tools today and watch your sales take off. 

Go make 2024 your best sales year yet!