The difference between a struggling sales team and a high-performing one often comes down to how well you manage performance.
Sales performance management (SPM) software enables business managers and sales leaders to fully visualize team performance and take action to improve it.
In this guide, you’ll learn more about sales performance management software and the best tools for your specific use case. By going beyond features and seeing how the tools can benefit your business, you’ll also discover how implementing SPM software can drive performance and improve revenue growth.
What is sales performance management software?
Sales performance management software helps businesses plan, track and optimize sales team effectiveness.
SPM tools go beyond basic activity tracking. You can see whether you’re using the right compensation plans and strategies to help your reps hit their sales quotas.
For example, say two of your sales reps are falling behind on their quarterly quotas. One has a full sales pipeline but low win rates. The other is closing deals, though not enough to meet their target.
Instead of digging through spreadsheets, you use SPM software to analyze performance metrics. Then, make any necessary adjustments to coaching or incentives to get both reps back on course.
SPM covers a range of sales activities, including:
Tracking sales goals and quotas – assign targets to individual sales reps or teams and monitor progress
Managing sales incentives and compensation – calculate commissions and bonuses, ensuring everyone is paid correctly and improving motivation
Performance monitoring – build sales dashboards to visualize key metrics and support sales training, resource allocation and strategic decision-making
Sales forecasting – use historical data and rep activity to predict future performance and adjust your process accordingly
Managers often use SPM software alongside customer relationship management (CRM) tools. While your CRM focuses on customer relationships and deal tracking, SPM software supports the people behind the pipeline – the sales representatives and managers responsible for hitting revenue targets.
A comprehensive solution like Pipedrive can cover both CRM and SPM functions in one place. Below, the tool’s Insights dashboard shows a rep’s sales progress and performance insights, including deals started, successful wins and revenue predictions. (More on Pipedrive later.)
Used effectively, SPM software helps companies leverage their sales data to optimize processes, improve sales productivity and drive more revenue.
Top 5 sales performance management solutions
There’s no shortage of sales performance management software, so it’s essential to find one that meets your team’s specific needs.
Below are five of the best SPM tools, offering unique strengths for different business sizes, compensation structures and performance goals.
Note: Each tool review considers real user feedback from platforms like G2 and Capterra, factoring in ease of use, compensation flexibility, integrations and overall impact on sales productivity.
Pipedrive’s sales software offers sales managers real-time visibility into rep activity and deal health, enabling them to spot performance risks and coach proactively.
The CRM system keeps sales teams organized, focused and in control of their pipeline. Regarding sales performance management, its activity tracking, goal management and workflow automation features make it an excellent choice for small to mid-sized teams. SMBs can use it to improve sales outcomes without complex enterprise software.
At its core, Pipedrive allows sales managers and reps to visualize deals as they progress through the pipeline. The clean, easy-to-use interface helps your teams stay accountable.
For businesses that want to go deeper, Pipedrive Marketplace integrations like Dear Lucy, Plecto and Gamifier turn Pipedrive into a powerful SPM solution.
Key features:
Visual sales pipeline management for deal tracking and activity insights
Goal setting and performance dashboards to monitor sales KPIs
Workflow automation to reduce admin and streamline processes
Custom fields and reports for tracking sales goals and rep performance
AI-powered Sales Assistant with performance-based recommendations
How Pipedrive improves sales performance
Pipedrive boosts rep productivity by reducing time spent on manual admin. It automates repetitive tasks like email follow-ups, lead distribution and task creation. Meanwhile, the Sales Assistant uses artificial intelligence to analyze your actions and make suggestions to improve your workflows.
Managers can monitor individual and team performance on real-time dashboards, helping them coach more effectively and intervene early when deals stall. At a higher level, your business can forecast future revenue more accurately by tracking key sales metrics like pipeline coverage, sales velocity and activity levels.
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If you’re struggling with limited visibility or inconsistent sales data, Pipedrive brings everything together in one place. It lets you manage customers and your sales team, making it a smart starting point for SPM.
Pipedrive offers an initial 14-day free trial, after which you can choose from a range of paid pricing plans.
What users are saying
Pipedrive has significantly improved how we manage and track our sales pipeline. The platform stands out for its intuitive automation features, which save us time on repetitive tasks and ensure nothing slips through the cracks. I’m particularly impressed with the AI-powered insights and suggestions, which help our team prioritize leads and focus efforts where they matter most. It’s clear that Pipedrive is evolving with the needs of modern sales teams.
CaptivateIQ is a modern incentive compensation management (ICM) platform that replaces time-consuming spreadsheets with a flexible, no-code environment.
The platform lets you track performance and share compensation details with your salespeople. It also supports revenue and finance teams in creating, adjusting and automating complex compensation plans.
CaptivateIQ includes territory and quota planning features, giving you a central place to align pay with performance.
Key features:
No-code plan builder with logic blocks
Up-to-date earnings dashboards for reps and managers
Territory and quota management features
‘What-if’ calculators to model deal outcomes and incentives
How CaptivateIQ improves sales performance
CaptivateIQ helps revenue teams eliminate hours of manual work, reducing payout errors and increasing confidence in the comp process.
Reps can log in at any time to see exactly how much they’ve earned and how close they are to hitting their next goal. Having this information readily available improves motivation and reduces compensation-related queries.
Many reviews highlight the platform’s ease of use. Operations and finance teams gain back time each month by automating payout calculations and approvals. For example, Gong reported 60x faster commission calculations with CaptivateIQ.
If you’ve hit the limits of spreadsheet-based compensation, CaptivateIQ offers flexibility and automation.
Pricing depends on the number of seats and required integrations, with a one-time setup fee. You’ll need to contact CaptivateIQ for a more detailed quotation.
What users are saying
This is a boon compared to manual calculations, and it saves so much time for our commissions dept. I can’t imagine a life where I go back to doing it by hand.
Xactly Incent uses automation and compliance to help larger sales organizations handle deeply layered compensation plans, global teams and strict audit requirements.
With over 20 years in the SPM space, the enterprise platform mainly suits complex ICM processes. Xactly Incent enables organizations to run multi-tiered comp structures across multiple business locations or regions. As a result, users stay compliant with financial regulations and audit requirements.
The software also connects with sales territory planning, quota management and forecasting tools as part of the broader Xactly Intelligent Revenue Platform.
Key features:
Support for multi-tier compensation plans
Real-time commission visibility for reps and managers
Forecasting and quota planning integrations via the Xactly platform
Approval workflows and audit-ready payout tracking
How Xactly Incent improves sales performance
Xactly Incent reduces mistakes and payout delays by syncing directly with different sources and automating commission. According to Xactly’s benchmarking data, their system offers 99.8% on-time commission payment accuracy for faster processing and fewer disputes.
Reps benefit from up-to-date dashboards that show their earnings, helping them understand how their performance ties to payouts. At the leadership level, Xactly enables strategic sales planning by providing insights into new sales opportunities.
If you’re an enterprise sales organization with global teams or intricate compensation plans, Xactly Incent gives you the tools to scale sales performance management accurately.
You’ll need to contact Xactly directly for a demo and pricing information.
What users are saying
Calculating commissions used to be a tedious, manual task that took up too much of my time. Now, with just a few inputs, the software handles everything accurately and efficiently. I really like how it accommodates different commission structures, whether it’s tiered, flat rate or custom plans.
– G2 review
Varicent lets you test compensation plan changes and adjust strategy anytime, suiting high-growth sales organizations where quotas and compensation can change overnight.
The platform serves dynamic, complex enterprise environments. It combines incentive compensation with modeling, territory and quota planning aided by AI-driven insights.
Varicent’s clear territory definitions and consistent quotas improve sales rep trust and accountability. On the operations side, it gives sales leaders the tools to adapt fast without losing control. Businesses can calculate monthly plans in less time.
Key features:
Quota and territory management for regional or global sales teams
Scenario modeling and ‘what-if’ simulations
Robust rules engine for complex plan logic
AI insights for identifying opportunities and seller performance
How Varicent improves sales performance
Varicent enables managers to design sales territories, align quotas fairly and measure incentive impact across the organization. Its advanced analytics and modeling capabilities let teams test comp changes before rollout and make data-driven decisions for operational efficiency.
If you manage a large or fast-growing sales force with complex compensation rules, Varicent gives you the flexibility and intelligence to scale your business. It works for enterprises that want to move from fragmented systems to an integrated end-to-end solution.
You must contact Varicent directly for pricing information.
What users are saying
After adding Varicent to our sales technology platform, we’ve seen a very high adoption rate as well as our sales leadership is using our payee reports for strategic planning for our sales force. The ability to show opportunity and bonus potential updated daily with actual results provide our organization the right incentive and knowledge to drive sales results.
– G2 review
Performio helps sales reps understand how management calculates their commissions, avoiding the issues that come with plans split across spreadsheets, portals and email threads.
The sales incentive compensation platform tracks commissions for different types of pay structures. Reps get complete visibility into their earnings, while sales managers have the tools to scale and audit compensation programs.
Key features:
Commission engine powering complex comp plans
Clear dashboards showing rep earnings
Analytics studio for comp effectiveness and revenue insights
Audit-ready reporting (ASC 606, SOX)
How Performio improves sales performance
Performio builds trust by making sales commissions transparent. Reps can see how much they’ve earned and what’s pending, so they can confidently continue selling.
For sales operations managers, it combines back-end flexibility with front-end simplicity for faster payouts, fewer queries and smoother scaling.
Unlike many enterprise ICM platforms, Performio allows businesses to self-manage sales compensation plans with a plan builder. All while meeting compliance and scale requirements.
It’s effective for mid-to-large teams with complex plans who want to streamline sales operations, improve trust and maintain full visibility into compensation performance.
Contact Performio directly for a demo and pricing information.
What users are saying
The platform makes it simple and straightforward to track exactly what I’m earning, so I’m never left guessing. Whether it’s hitting targets, understanding reductions or checking for updates, I can instantly see where I stand. Most importantly, it helps me plan my finances with confidence.
– G2 review
What should you look for in sales performance management tools?
Whether building your first incentive plan or scaling a mature sales organization, the right SPM software solutions can make or break your sales strategy.
If you’re still trying to decide between the above five solutions or are considering a different SPM tool, here are the crucial features to look for:
Feature | Why it’s important |
Ease of use | If a platform is too complex, your reps won’t use it and your admins will struggle to manage it. Where possible, choose a tool with the following features:
|
Quota and goal management | You should be able to assign, track and adjust quotas at the rep, team or territory level. Look for features including:
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Real-time dashboards and reporting | Live performance data helps reps stay motivated and enables managers to coach more effectively. Dashboards should show key metrics like:
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Coaching and enablement tools | Some platforms include built-in sales coaching software and performance analytics. These enable managers to deliver better feedback and drive rep development, helping to close short-term deals and ensure long-term performance. |
Integration with your existing stack | Your SPM solution should work seamlessly with your CRM, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and payroll tools. Synchronized software reduces errors, eliminates data silos and ensures everyone is working with the same numbers. |
Scalability | As your business grows, so will the complexity of your plans and reporting needs. Choose a platform that can scale with you, whether that’s adding users or increasing functionality with add-on products. |
Once you know which features to prioritize, the next step is implementing your chosen software to improve day-to-day performance and drive measurable results.
How to improve sales performance with SPM software
From planning to coaching, the right platform helps you optimize every step of your sales process. Whatever SPM software you choose, here’s how to ensure you’re getting the most out of it:
Choose the right quota and compensation framework. Decide how you’ll measure and reward rep performance. For example, will you use revenue-based quotas, deal counts, activity KPIs or a hybrid structure? Use your SPM’s modeling tools to test plan designs and forecast outcomes where possible.
Align your compensation with strategy. Make sure your incentive programs reward the behaviors that support your business goals. For instance, focus on new customer acquisition, more cross-selling or upselling with existing customers or shorter sales cycles.
Automate repetitive tasks. Use your software to handle admin tasks like updating records or tracking deals through the pipeline. For example, use Pipedrive to automatically assign follow-up tasks when a deal moves stage or send internal alerts when a deal hasn’t been updated.
Use dashboards to improve visibility and accountability. Give your team instant access to the metrics that matter. Pipedrive lets you create customizable dashboards to monitor sales activity, conversion rates, deal value and more.
Improve coaching with better data. Use dashboards and activity tracking to spot sales trends and have more productive sales coaching sessions. For example, you can pull a list of reps with high activity but low conversion rates – a sign they might need help improving their sales pitch.
Iterate and optimize. Performance objectives, market conditions and team structures can all change in an instant. Use SPM tools with scenario modeling to adapt quickly and align performance with business needs.
With the right strategy in place, your SPM software helps your sales team hit goals more efficiently and grow with confidence.
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Final thoughts
Whether you need smarter incentive compensation plans or better visibility into how they affect your salespeople, the right sales performance management software helps your team stay aligned, motivated and on target.
Pipedrive combines CRM, performance tracking and workflow automation in one easy-to-use platform, making it a powerful choice for small and growing sales teams.
Try Pipedrive free for 14 days to see how it can help your team perform better and close more deals.
