# Wins over the opportunities you name What is win rate in sales is wins divided by the opportunities you name. Knockdesk is field sales software that stores win_rate on deals as won divided by won plus lost. Close rate is different if the base is sits or conversations instead of closed deals. Write the base before anyone reads a percent. ## A win rate without a named opportunity set is a Friday argument Two managers can both say they win 40 percent. One counted closed deals. One counted every sit. What is win rate in sales only holds if you name the opportunities. On Knockdesk deals, the named set is won plus lost. Open deals stay out. Close rate still needs its own denominator. Same wins can print three percents. **Closed deals as the base.** Won / (won + lost). That is win_rate on this desk. Open deals do not shrink the percent. **Sits as the base.** That is close rate on appointments. Do not relabel it win rate unless that is the base you chose. **All deals as the base.** Wins / (won + lost + open). A third story. Name it. It is not the desk's win_rate. ## Twelve lost, ten open, three percents from one pile A crew records 8 won deals, 12 lost deals, and 10 still open. Win rate on closed deals is 8 / (8 + 12) = 40 percent. That is win_rate. If someone divides 8 by all 30 opportunities, they get about 26.7 percent. If someone uses 40 sits as the base, close rate is 8 / 40 = 20 percent. Same eight wins. Name which base you mean. | Named base | Numbers | Rate | | --- | --- | --- | | Won + lost | 8 / 20 | 40%. win_rate on this desk. | | Won + lost + open | 8 / 30 | About 26.7%. Open deals diluted it. | | Sits (close rate) | 8 / 40 | 20%. A different formula. | ## Win rate is the closed pile. Close rate is the table. Contact rate is the walk. Close rate is closes over the conversations or appointments you name. Contact rate is contacts over knocks. Win rate starts after you have named an opportunity, then a win. Mixing those three into one percent hides whether the stall is the door, the sit, or the deal. - [Close rate](/glossary/close-rate): Closes over sits or conversations. Different base, different rate. - [Contact rate](/glossary/contact-rate): Contacts over knocks, before anyone names an opportunity. - [Field sales KPIs](/guides/field-sales-kpis): How win rate sits with coverage, pace, and the walk. ## How Knockdesk tracks it Deal analytics stores win_rate as won deals divided by won plus lost. Open deals stay out of that base. Sold and Appointment Set still live on the visit. You name close rate separately. Full desk is on the pricing page. ## Keep going from the base - [Field sales glossary](/glossary): The hub this term opens from. - [Close rate](/glossary/close-rate): Closes over sits or conversations. Write that denominator too. - [Field sales KPIs](/guides/field-sales-kpis): Win rate next to contact rate, coverage, and pace. - [Pricing](/pricing): Full desk is on the pricing page. ## FAQ ### What is win rate in sales? Win rate in sales is wins divided by the opportunities you name. Write the base. A percent without that name is not a win rate. ### What base does Knockdesk use? On deals, win_rate is won divided by won plus lost. Open deals are not in that denominator. ### Is win rate the same as close rate? Only if you named the same base. Close rate is closes over sits or conversations. Win rate on this desk is won over closed deals. Same wins can print two percents. ### Should I include open deals? Not in win_rate. Including open deals is a third formula. Name it if you use it. Do not call it the desk's win rate. ### How do you recompute the example? 8 won, 12 lost, 10 open. Win rate is 8 / 20 = 40 percent. 8 / 30 is about 26.7 percent. Close rate on 40 sits is 8 / 40 = 20 percent. ### Where do I read this on Friday? Read won and lost on the pipeline. Name win_rate as won over won plus lost before you export a file. ### How much does Knockdesk cost? Full desk is on the pricing page. A free trial is not open.