Sales Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) Template

Before you use this: This template is a communication and documentation structure, not legal advice. PIP requirements vary by jurisdiction, employment classification, and company policy — have HR and/or employment counsel review before issuing any PIP. The value of this template is in forcing specificity: a PIP that names a skill, shows the evidence, and states a measurable bar holds up far better — for the company and for the rep — than a vague warning letter.

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Header

• Employee name:
• Role / Title:
• Manager name:
• HR partner (if applicable):
• PIP start date:
• PIP review date(s):
• PIP end date:

Section 1 — Performance Concern Summary

State the gap between expected and actual performance in measurable terms. Avoid characterizations ("bad attitude," "not a team player") — state what was measured.

Example: "Quota attainment has been below 70% for the trailing two quarters (Q1: 64%, Q2: 61%), against a team average of 91% over the same period."

Performance concern (fill in): _________________________________________________

Measured against (target/benchmark): _________________________________________________

Time period this reflects: _________________________________________________

Section 2 — Named Competency Gaps (With Evidence)

This is the section that separates a fair PIP from a paper trail built to justify a decision already made. Name the actual skill(s) behind the performance gap — not the outcome, the cause.

Evidence sources to draw from: ride-along notes, CRM/pipeline data, call recordings, prior 1:1 documentation, the Coaching Effectiveness Scorecard's Skill-Linkage criterion, the Sales Skills Self-Assessment (compare rep's self-rating to observed reality).

Section 3 — Support & Resources Provided

A PIP must show the company met its obligation to support improvement, not just document failure. List everything provided or committed to during this period.

• Increased coaching cadence: ___ hours/week (see Sales Coaching Cadence Calculator for the recommended allocation at this attainment level)
• Ride-alongs/shadowing scheduled: ___ per week
• Specific training/resource assigned: _________________________________________________
• Peer mentor or shadowing partner assigned: _________________________________________________
• Tools/access provided: _________________________________________________
• Manager availability commitment: _________________________________________________

Section 4 — Measurable Success Criteria (SMART Goals)

State the bar in numbers the rep can track themselves, without waiting to be told whether they're on pace.

Section 5 — Timeline & Check-In Schedule

• Day 30 review date: _______ — Focus: is the named skill showing up at all in observed behavior?
• Day 60 review date: _______ — Focus: is the skill showing up consistently, is attainment trending up?
• Day 90 / final review date: _______ — Focus: has the measurable bar in Section 4 been met?

Section 6 — Consequences of Not Meeting the Bar

State plainly, without ambiguity, what happens at each review point if the criteria in Section 4 are not met. Have HR/legal confirm this language matches company policy and jurisdiction requirements before it's issued.

"If the success criteria in Section 4 are not met by [final review date], [company name] may proceed to further action, up to and including termination of employment, consistent with company policy."

Section 7 — Acknowledgment & Signatures

"I acknowledge that I have received and reviewed this Performance Improvement Plan. My signature confirms I have read and understand the concerns, the support being provided, and the success criteria described above. It does not necessarily indicate agreement with the plan's contents."

• Employee signature / date: _________________________________________________
• Manager signature / date: _________________________________________________
• HR signature / date (if applicable): _________________________________________________

Employee comments (optional, attach separately if more space is needed): _________________________________________________