Lyte Sales logoThe Lyte Guide to Outreach Product Releases 2022–2024 Archive
Deals and forecasting feature guide

Forecasting moves into Outreach

Outreach’s forecasting and pipeline tools used to live in a separate app. Between July 2023 and February 2024 they moved inside Outreach, and through 2024 they picked up what bigger sales teams need.

Generally available Feb 2024 AEsManagersLeadersRevOps

By David Jollie, Founder and Principal Consultant, Lyte Sales · Last updated · Covers Outreach release notes through November 2024

What it actually does

Forecasting and Pipeline Management brings the Deal Grid (every deal in one editable view, written back to Salesforce), rep and manager forecast submissions, a pipeline dashboard, Pipeline Movement, forecast roll-ups and an AI Scenario Planner into Outreach.

Deal Overview arrived alongside it: one tab per deal with value, close date and how they changed, buyer engagement, Kaia insights, deal health and plan progress.

Who it's for

AEs update deals and forecasts. Managers and leaders run forecast calls. RevOps sets it up.

Why it matters

Forecasting happens in the tool reps already work in, instead of a separate app or a spreadsheet.

How it grew, 2022–2024

JUL 23
Select beta of forecasting and Deal Overview inside Outreach.
OCT 23
Public beta.
FEB 24
Generally available, for both forecasting and Deal Overview.
MAY 24
Forecast inspection and player-coach support.
AUG 24
Multiple goals and multi-currency.
NOV 24
Monthly and quarterly pacing and Salesforce territory forecasting.

How to set it up

  1. Prepare Salesforce sync

    Make Salesforce opportunities the source of truth, map stages, contact roles and users, and sync history. Outreach suggests at least three sales periods. Turn on outbound opportunity updates last, after you’ve checked the data.

  2. Set your periods

    In Org info, set the sales period length and the month your fiscal year starts.

  3. Turn it on

    Go to Administration › Tools › Forecasting, finish the checklist and enable it.

  4. Build the rollup

    Add levels and users to the user rollup. A user’s place in the rollup decides whether they’re a rep or a manager. Use Make Leader for player-coaches.

  5. Create goals and forecasts

    Add goals, then create forecasts with their metrics and visibility, and publish. Give each profile a Forecasting permission: none, view, view and submit, or admin.

Steps paraphrased from Outreach’s Enabling Forecasting and Pipeline Management Capabilities in Outreach, CRM Configuration Guide for Forecasting and Pipeline Management and Configure User Access to Forecasts and Pipeline Management articles, which describe the current version. Menu names can change; check them against your org.

Want help with this?

A forecast you can trust.

Lyte Sales is a certified Outreach Professional Services partner. We set up forecasting, rollups and deal views, and get the CRM side right first.

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