Quota Attainment & Ramp Calculator
A step-by-step calculator that converts your ramp assumptions into a month-by-month quota schedule, so you know in numbers: not gut feel: when a new rep should hit full productivity, and how far off-pace looks before it becomes a real problem.
How to use it
Fill in the 4 inputs for a specific new hire, pick the ramp curve that matches your sales cycle, and update the table with actuals at the close of each month: use the Ramp Adherence Index, not raw attainment %, to decide when to intervene.
What's inside
- The 4 inputs you need before you start (full quota, ramp length, sales cycle length, ramp curve shape)
- 3 ramp curve models to pick from: Linear, Step (33/67/100), Back-loaded, with when to use each
- The Monthly Target Attainment formula and table
- The Time-to-Full-Productivity (TTFP) formula
- The Ramp Adherence Index: the real early-warning number, not just raw attainment
- A fully worked example with real numbers
- Red-flag thresholds by ramp month
- A blank table to run your own rep through today
Use this to answer one question precisely: by which month should this rep be at full quota, and are they on pace to get there?
Step 1: Gather your 4 inputs
| Input | Example |
|---|---|
| Full (post-ramp) monthly quota | $50,000 MRR / $30,000 GP / 5 deals: use whatever unit you sell against |
| Ramp length (months to full quota) | 4 months |
| Average sales cycle length | 45 days |
| Ramp curve shape | Step (33/67/100) |
Rule of thumb for ramp length: Ramp length should be roughly (time to productivity in role) + (1 average sales cycle), rounded up to the nearest month. If your sales cycle is 60 days and it takes reps 30 days to learn the product/process, your ramp should be at least 3 months, not the generic "90 days" every company defaults to without checking it against their own cycle.
Step 2, Pick a ramp curve model
| Model | Shape | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Linear | Quota rises in equal increments each month (e.g., 25/50/75/100% over 4 months) | Short, simple sales cycles (SMB, transactional) |
| Step (33/67/100) | 0% month 1, 33% target month 2, 67% month 3, 100% month 4+ | Most B2B mid-market teams: matches "learn, first deals, first full cycle, steady state" |
| Back-loaded | Low target for 2/3 of ramp, then a steep jump (e.g., 0/20/40/100) | Long, complex enterprise cycles where nothing closes until month 4-6 by design |
Step 3: Build the Monthly Target Attainment Table
Formula: `` Monthly Target (Month N) = Full Quota × Ramp % for Month N Cumulative Target (Month N) = sum of Monthly Targets, Month 1 → N Attainment % (Month N) = Actual Result (Month N) ÷ Monthly Target (Month N) ``
Worked example: Full quota = $50,000/mo, Step model, 4-month ramp:
| Month | Ramp % | Monthly Target | Cumulative Target | Actual Result | Attainment % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0% | $0 | $0 | $0 | n/a (training month) |
| 2 | 33% | $16,500 | $16,500 | $12,000 | 73% |
| 3 | 67% | $33,500 | $50,000 | $29,000 | 87% |
| 4 | 100% | $50,000 | $100,000 | $47,000 | 94% |
| 5+ | 100% | $50,000 | : | : | Steady state |
Step 4: Calculate Time-to-Full-Productivity (TTFP)
`` TTFP = the first month where the rep's trailing-3-month rolling attainment ≥ 90% of full (100%) quota `` In the worked example above, the rep is trending toward TTFP = Month 5, one month behind the planned Month-4 target: worth a conversation, not yet a crisis.
Step 5, Calculate the Ramp Adherence Index (the number that actually predicts trouble)
Raw attainment % is noisy month to month. This index smooths it against the ramp plan itself: `` Ramp Adherence Index = Actual Cumulative Result ÷ Cumulative Target (same month) `` Using the example: Month 4 cumulative target = $100,000; actual cumulative = $88,000 → Ramp Adherence Index = 0.88.
Red-flag thresholds (apply at the end of each ramp month)
| Ramp Adherence Index | Read |
|---|---|
| ≥ 0.90 | On pace, no action needed |
| 0.75, 0.89 | Coach now: diagnose whether it's activity volume, skill gap, or territory quality |
| 0.60, 0.74 | Formal ramp-recovery plan with the manager, reviewed weekly |
| < 0.60 at month 3 of a 4-month ramp | Escalate: likely miss on full ramp; decide extend, reassign territory, or performance-manage |
Blank table: run your own rep
| Month | Ramp % | Monthly Target | Cumulative Target | Actual Result | Attainment % | Ramp Adherence Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | ||||||
| 3 | ||||||
| 4 | ||||||
| 5 |
How to keep this alive: re-run the table at the close of every ramp month using actuals, not forecasted numbers, the Ramp Adherence Index is only honest if it's built on what actually closed.