Quota attainment is actual sales over the target — the headline number on every sales scorecard. Over 100% means the rep beat quota; below means they missed.
The example
$230k actual on a $200k quota.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Item | Value |
| 2 | Actual | 230000 |
| 3 | Quota | 200000 → 115% |
The formula
The formula:
How it works
How it works:
- Divide actual sales by the quota and format as a percentage.
- Above 100% beats quota; below misses — the basis for commission accelerators.
- The gap to quota is
quota - actual(or 0 if already over). - Track per rep with
SUMIF, then rank or average for the team.
Attainment drives commission accelerators. Many plans pay a higher rate above 100% — e.g. base rate to quota, then 1.5× beyond. Pair attainment with a tiered lookup so the same sheet computes both the percentage and the resulting commission, which is exactly the kind of plan reps want to model.
Try it: interactive demo
Actual sales and quota.
Variations
Gap to quota
Still to sell:
Team attainment
All reps:
With accelerator
Tiered commission:
Pitfalls & errors
Same period. Actual and quota must cover the same timeframe.
Prorate partial periods. Compare actual to a to-date quota mid-period, not the full target.
Zero quota. A missing quota gives #DIV/0!.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate quota attainment in Excel?
How do I find the gap to quota?
How do I model a commission accelerator?
Stop fighting formulas. Learn them in a day.
This recipe is one of hundreds of real-world formulas we teach. Our Excel Formulas & Functions class covers lookups, logic, text, and dynamic arrays hands-on — live in Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, Oklahoma City, Denver, or online.
See the Formulas & Functions Class