How to calculate marketing-sourced pipeline
Marketing-sourced pipeline ties marketing to revenue by counting the opportunities it actually created, not the leads it generated. It is one of the clearest ways to judge marketing as a revenue function.
The related concept, marketing-influenced pipeline, counts deals marketing touched at any point. Sourced credits origination; influenced credits contribution. Both matter, but sourced is the stricter test.
- Sourced value / total pipeline The percentage
- Origination First touch or lead source
- Sourced vs influenced Two views
Short answer
Marketing-sourced pipeline is the total value of opportunities that marketing originated. Sum the pipeline value of deals whose first touch or lead source is marketing, then divide by total new pipeline to get the sourced percentage. If marketing originated 3,000,000 dollars of a 6,000,000 dollar quarter, marketing sourced 50 percent of pipeline.
Step by step
Define the sourcing rule
Decide what makes a deal marketing-sourced, usually a marketing first touch or lead source. Document it so the number is consistent.
Sum sourced pipeline value
Add the pipeline value of all opportunities that meet the sourcing rule in the period.
Divide by total pipeline
Marketing-sourced percentage equals sourced pipeline value divided by total new pipeline created, times 100.
Track influenced too
Separately, measure influenced pipeline, deals marketing touched at any stage, for a fuller picture of marketing's contribution beyond origination.
Worked example
In the quarter, total new pipeline created was 8,000,000 dollars. Opportunities with a marketing first touch totaled 3,600,000 dollars.
Marketing-sourced pipeline = 3,600,000 / 8,000,000 = 45 percent. If marketing also influenced (touched at some point) another 2,000,000 dollars of sales-sourced deals, marketing-influenced pipeline would be 5,600,000 dollars, or 70 percent, a broader measure of its reach.
How Ardovo handles it
Ardovo attributes every opportunity to its source and tracks both sourced and influenced pipeline on shared data. Rook shows which marketing programs originate the most pipeline and closed revenue, ending the lead-volume-versus-revenue debate with evidence.
Frequently asked questions
What is marketing-sourced pipeline?
The total value of opportunities that marketing originated, based on first touch or lead source. Dividing it by total new pipeline gives the sourced percentage, a measure of marketing's direct contribution to revenue.
What is the difference between sourced and influenced pipeline?
Sourced pipeline is opportunities marketing originated; influenced pipeline is deals marketing touched at any point in the journey. Sourced credits origination and is stricter; influenced credits contribution and is broader.
What is a good marketing-sourced pipeline percentage?
It varies by go-to-market model. Marketing-led businesses may source 50 percent or more of pipeline, while sales-led or outbound-heavy ones source less. Judge it against your model and target mix, not a universal benchmark.