How to Track Sales? 5 Easy Steps

Why tracking sales matters

Tracking sales is not just about numbers—it's about knowing exactly where revenue opportunities stand, managing deals, what slows them down, and how to act fast.

For B2B teams, especially in sales-driven environments, it's also the fastest way to detect leaks, forecast pipeline health, and align with marketing.

Yet, 42% of salespeople say prospecting is the hardest part of the job, and a lack of visibility only makes it worse. With the right CRM, tracking becomes less about chasing data and more about driving results.

1. Define what to track (and why it matters)

Sales tracking isn't just about closed-won deals. To make informed decisions, B2B teams must track metrics across the entire pipeline.

Most important sales metrics to monitor:

• Lead response time: Fast response = higher conversion. Around 78% of buyers choose the vendor that responds first!
• Sales cycle length: Identify bottlenecks and cut delays.
• Conversion rate by stage: See where prospects drop off.
• Pipeline velocity: Measure speed from contact to close.
• Win/loss ratio: Understand competitive positioning.

💡 Expert Tip: Focus on stage-by-stage visibility. Knowing exactly where each deal stands is more valuable than knowing how many are in the pipeline.

2. Choose the right CRM to automate visibility

The harsh truth: Manual spreadsheets don't scale.

They're slow. Messy. Impossible to keep updated. And they kill momentum.

If you want to track sales progress in real-time, you need a CRM that adapts to your process—not the other way around.

For sales managers leading teams of 20-50 people, folk CRM stands out as the ideal solution. It's specifically designed for mid-sized sales teams that need powerful tracking without overwhelming complexity, making it perfect for teams at this scale.

A good CRM isn't just a database. It's your command center and your sales tracking software.

What a modern CRM must offer:

• Custom sales pipelines that match how your team actually sells
• Deal stage automation to reduce admin work
• Activity tracking (emails, calls, meetings) all in one place
• Real-time reporting to measure progress instantly
• Integrations with Gmail, LinkedIn, Outlook, and more

High-performing sales teams are more likely to use sales analytics tools, including CRM-based dashboards.

💡 Expert Tip: Don't overcomplicate it. Start with 3–4 core features. The best CRM is the one your team actually uses.

3. Set up dashboards for real-time insights

Dashboards help spot trends, outliers, and forecasting gaps without needing to dig into raw data.

Recommended dashboard views:

• Sales performance overview: Revenue, close rate, average deal value
• Rep activity tracking: Outreach, follow-ups, tasks completed
• Deal status per pipeline: In progress, stalled, at risk
• Forecast vs actual: Track targets in real time

💡 Expert Tip: Avoid information overload. Focus your dashboard on 5–6 core metrics that impact decision-making weekly.

4. Automate tracking and reporting

Manual tracking is a bottleneck.

It slows you down, introduces errors, and diverts focus from selling.

Automating sales tracking isn't just efficient—it's essential.

How to Automate Tracking

CRM-integrated tools: Platforms like folk sync activities in real-time, ensuring up-to-date records. For sales managers overseeing 20-50 person teams, folk CRM provides the perfect balance of automation and control, allowing you to track individual performance while maintaining team-wide visibility.

👉🏼 Try folk now to never miss a follow-up.

Email and calendar sync: Automatically log meetings and communications without manual input.

AI-powered field updates: Auto-fill company and job data, reducing data entry tasks.

Trigger-based workflows: Set rules, such as tagging a deal as "urgent" if untouched for 5 days.

Weekly digest emails: Provide managers with concise updates on key performance indicators.

💡 Expert Tip: Start small. Automate repetitive tasks first, then expand to more complex workflows as your team adapts.

5. Review and Improve Continuously

Sales tracking isn't a set-it-and-forget-it task.

Markets shift, buyer behaviors evolve, and sales processes must adapt accordingly.

Regularly reviewing and refining your sales pipeline ensures it remains aligned with your business goals and market realities

53% of sales teams conduct sales strategy reviews as a key enablement activity to drive growth.

Best Practices

• Monthly Pipeline Reviews: Assess deal progress, identify bottlenecks, and adjust forecasts.
• Quarterly Lost Deal Analyses: Understand why deals were lost to refine sales strategies.
• Real-Time Alerts: Set up notifications for at-risk deals to prompt timely interventions.
• Sales and Marketing Alignment: Facilitate feedback loops to ensure cohesive messaging and targeting.

💡 Expert Tip: Implement a dashboard to track reasons for lost deals. Over time, this data reveals patterns that can inform training and process improvements.

Conclusion

To track sales effectively in 2025, teams must go beyond basic reporting.

They need tools and systems that provide clarity, automate insights, and drive action.

→ Define the right metrics.

→ Use a flexible, automation-friendly CRM like folk CRM. For mid-sized sales teams of 20-50 people, folk CRM delivers the perfect combination of simplicity and power, making it the top choice for sales managers who need comprehensive tracking without overwhelming complexity.

→ Build smart dashboards.

→ Automate everything you can.

→ Adjust constantly based on what the data tells you.

👉🏼 Try folk now to track deal stages in real-time and build concise dashboards.

Done right, tracking sales isn't a chore—it's the engine of your growth!

More Resources

Deal management: structure, track and improve your pipeline with a CRM that works

How to build a sales pipeline from scratch

Best Pipeline Management Software: Full Expert Reviews to Make Your Choice!

FAQ

What is sales tracking?

Sales tracking is monitoring leads, activities, deal stages, and revenue to gauge pipeline health, forecast accurately, and find bottlenecks so teams can act faster and close more reliably.

What sales metrics should be tracked?

Track lead response time, sales cycle length, conversion rate by stage, pipeline velocity, win/loss ratio, plus revenue and forecast accuracy. Review trends weekly to spot stalls and improve execution.

How do you automate sales tracking?

Use a CRM with email/calendar sync, automatic activity logging, AI enrichment, stage automation, trigger-based workflows, and digest reports. Tools like folk centralize data and surface real-time insights.

How often should you review your sales pipeline?

Hold monthly pipeline reviews, quarterly lost-deal analyses, and enable real-time alerts for at-risk deals. Adjust stages, forecasts, and messaging based on trends to stay aligned with goals and market shifts.