Quota Attainment

What is Quota Attainment?

Quota attainment is the percentage of a sales target (quota) that a salesperson or team has achieved. It's the primary metric for measuring sales performance and directly impacts commission calculations, bonus eligibility, and career advancement. According to Alexander Group (2024), 60-70% of reps should reach 100% quota attainment to indicate proper quota setting.

Quota Attainment Formula

The calculation is straightforward:

Quota Attainment (%) = (Actual Sales ÷ Quota) × 100

Examples

• Quota: $250,000 | Sales: $250,000 | Attainment: 100%
• Quota: $250,000 | Sales: $200,000 | Attainment: 80%
• Quota: $250,000 | Sales: $312,500 | Attainment: 125%

Quota Attainment Calculation Example

Monthly Tracking

Month	Quota	Sales	Attainment	YTD Attainment
January	$50,000	$42,500	85%	85%
February	$50,000	$55,000	110%	97.5%
March	$50,000	$52,500	105%	100%

YTD Attainment = Total sales ÷ Total quota = $150,000 ÷ $150,000 = 100%

Quota Attainment and Commission

Attainment levels typically trigger different commission rates:

Attainment Level	Commission Rate	Description
0-50%	0%	Threshold (no commission)
50-100%	8%	Base rate
100-125%	12%	Accelerated
125-150%	15%	Super accelerated
150%+	18%	Maximum acceleration

Commission Calculation Example

Rep achieves 130% of $250,000 quota ($325,000)

1. First $125,000 (50-100%): $125,000 × 8% = $10,000
2. Next $62,500 (100-125%): $62,500 × 12% = $7,500
3. Final $12,500 (125-130%): $12,500 × 15% = $1,875
4. Total commission: $19,375

Quota Attainment Benchmarks

Industry standards for healthy quota attainment distribution:

Metric	Healthy Distribution	Warning Signs
Reps hitting quota	60-70%	< 50% or > 90%
Significantly over (120%+)	10-20%	< 5%
Under quota	10-20%	> 40%

Types of Attainment Tracking

Period-based: Performance within a specific timeframe (monthly, quarterly, annual).

Cumulative/YTD: Running total through the year.

Trailing: Rolling period (last 12 months).

Pacing: Projected attainment based on current progress.

Factors Affecting Quota Attainment

Controllable factors

• Sales skills and effort
• Pipeline management
• Deal prioritization
• Closing ability

External factors

• Territory potential
• Market conditions
• Product competitiveness
• Seasonality

FAQ About Quota Attainment

What does 100% quota attainment mean for OTE?

At 100% quota attainment, the rep receives the full variable portion of OTE plus base salary.

How are combination quotas handled?

For weighted quotas, each component is calculated separately and combined: (Component 1 × Weight 1) + (Component 2 × Weight 2).

What happens with negative attainment (e.g., clawbacks)?

Clawbacks typically reduce next period's attainment, but most plans set a floor at 0%.

Track Quota Attainment with Prowi

With Prowi, you can track quota attainment in real-time, automatically calculate commissions based on attainment levels, and give reps clear visibility into their progress and earnings.