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Module 09 · The board deck~60s dwell · weight 8

Sales/pipeline or customer health

Show whether the pipeline and existing customer base support next quarter's revenue plan.

SaaStr's board-deck guidance treats pipeline coverage and churn as leading indicators the board should track every quarter, not just at fundraise time.

Include
  • Pipeline coverage ratio against next quarter's target
  • Logo and revenue churn, or NRR, stated as a number
  • Named customer wins or losses that materially move the numbers
Cut
  • A list of every deal in the CRM
  • Churn described qualitatively ('some churn') instead of as a percentage
Red flags a reader notices
  • Pipeline coverage below 2-3x next quarter's target with no plan to close the gap
  • Churn rate omitted entirely
Pitfalls behind them
  • Reporting only new bookings and never mentioning churn in the same breath
  • Counting unqualified leads as pipeline to make coverage look healthier
60-second self-test
  • · Is churn stated as a percentage, not a story?
  • · Does pipeline coverage actually support next quarter's revenue target, or fall short?
Template
Pipeline: $[X] ([Y]x coverage of target). Churn: [Z]% logo / [W]% revenue. Notable: [win/loss], [$ impact].
Weak

"Sales had a busy quarter with a healthy pipeline and good customer feedback."

Strong

"Pipeline: $410K (2.1x next quarter's $196K ARR target). Logo churn: 4% this quarter. Lost one $18K/yr customer to an in-house solution; won two enterprise contractors' desks worth $22K/yr combined."

Nimbus gives an exact coverage ratio and names the specific churned account with a dollar figure, so the board can judge whether the loss is a pattern or a one-off.

Quick quiz

1. What does pipeline coverage need to be measured against?
  • Last year's pipeline
  • Next quarter's revenue target
  • The number of sales reps
  • Competitor pipeline

Coverage only means something relative to what needs to be closed next.

2. How should churn be reported?
  • As a qualitative summary
  • As a specific percentage, both logo and revenue if they differ meaningfully
  • Only when it's zero
  • In the appendix only

A number lets the board track churn trend quarter over quarter; a story does not.

Sources